H&G #45 Bevel Base 4 cavity mould

[FISH4BUGS]

I bought this mould some time ago from EBay.
The price was right, and when it got here it was FLAT NEW! That was not in the description (he said it was in excellent condition but not flat new).
My go to mould for 44 is the #503 but I always like options and of course backup.
I have always thought that bevel base moulds are not as desirable for some reason.
That may have been why the mould was reasonably priced.
I can always send it to Erik to remove the bevel base, which I have done for some other H&G's I have.
I just wonder - if I choose to cast and sell some these bullets, am I better off removing the bevel base for saleability of the bullets, or just leave it?
Your thoughts about bevel base vs. flat base are welcomed.

[OS OK]

I may not be a good enough shot to tell the difference between BB & FB but they sure seat nice without over-belling cases.

[AndyC]

Eric removed the bevels off a Saeco .45acp mold I got a few years ago, but I'm not sure I'd want to modify an H&G...

[45DUDE]

What exactly is a #45 H&G? I couldn't pull it up. Is it a 44 or 45 long Colt or acp? I would try it first to see if the rear of the boolit is round. H&G molds are hard to come by. I call my self a target shooter and flat base does better for me with pistol. What shoots good in one may not in another.

[FISH4BUGS]

What exactly is a #45 H&G? I couldn't pull it up. Is it a 44 or 45 long Colt or acp? I would try it first to see if the rear of the boolit is round. H&G molds are hard to come by. I call my self a target shooter and flat base does better for me with pistol. What shoots good in one may not in another.

#45 -.44 Caliber. 240 grains. Plain or bevel base or gas check base. One rounded grease groove, one crimp groove. Semi-wadcutter shoulder. Gently rounding nose taper, to meplat. www.hensleygibbs.com/molds/45.jpg
I would say it would be your standard 44 bullet, not the Keith bullet, which is the #503. I have a #45 gas check for those "....just under max" loads. I would use this one for "standard" loads. But there is also a longer range plan here.
H&G moulds are not that hard to come by if you watch the auction sites.
First you have to want it.
Then you have to be willing to pay whatever it takes to get it.
I have paid some stupid money for some very nice H&G moulds over the 30+ years of casting and knowing about them.
But I use them and I shoot a LOT!
My concern is really what is a better seller to the general cast bullet shooter - flat base or bevel base. Some day if/when i retire I just might have a small side gig doing gourmet bullets from H&G moulds. I have to say that I really enjoy the casting/sizing/lubing part of this hobby.
There is a Zen thing going on in here somewhere. My other half calls it "man knitting".
Most cast bullet shooters know that a bevel base bullet is easier on the brass - you don't have to bell it out as much to get the bullet started into the case when you are reloading. But for some odd reason, I get the feeling that the general public prefers flat base over bevel base when buying their bullets.
Me? I don't care. My guns can shoot a heck of a lot better than I can regardless of the bullet.

[45DUDE]

Thank you for the info. If you need a flat base on a bevel base 44 I have used a 41 caliber gas check. The 41 gas check will be .430 when installed in a .430 sizer. I think it will work as is if it drops a fat boolit. The flat base is easier to lube and I like the single lube groove. Looking at ebay molds have gone up. I was bidding on a 44 flat base .432 brass mold a couple weeks ago you could buy new for $130 and free shipping and it went for $190. The company had one in stock. I quit at $90. I feel most shooters like the bevel because it is easier to load but I bench a lot and know what I like. Unless you can bench a 1 1/2'' 10 shot group at 25 yards you can't tell the difference. I would like to swap you out of that mold.

[dale2242]

I have 2 #45 Molds.
One has a plain base the other is a GC.

[375RUGER]

Leave it as BB. I've shot a lot( thousands) of 240g SWC-BB in 44 mag and I have found the accuracy to be as good or better than any other style. And like OS OK said, they are sure easy to load.

[45DUDE]

I have 2 #45 Molds.
One has a plain base the other is a GC.

PM on the way. .

[bruce381]

I would leave it alone H+G are hard enough to find as a collectable don't mess it up what you like someone else may not.
I lucked out anf just got 2 H+G for $75 each. A 130 BB and a 501

[Old Caster]

A few years ago I did some extensive testing with the difference to bullets with or without a bevel base. I used a Saeco 068 and 069. Both were two cavity and I shot them out of a Les Baer target 45 on a Ransom Rest. The 069 flat base was consistently more accurate. I worked up loads and shot them both at the same time. The difference was that the flat base would shoot a 2 inch group and the bevel would shoot 2 1/4 inch or so. How much powder or what kind of powder was a way bigger difference too. I shot basically every kind of bullet I could come up with and any that were a similar shape to these shot well but the Saeco was the best and my final load was 3.6 clays. Something else that matters is this info is all based on the same pistol. About 10 years after doing this testing a friend of mine bought a pistol identical to mine and it hated the same load and he had much better results with 231 and the same or similar bullet. I never shot 231 well in my gun. I think the flat base is better but I would hate to say I know beyond any question that it is better or at least not enough better to matter. If you are lubing them with any type of sizer other than a Star, it is problematic to get lube on the bottom but otherwise don't worry about it and use what you have.

[243winxb]

To sell , mold needs to be original. Flat base only for 44 magnum loads.

[45DUDE]

Old Caster-Thanks for the info. Not trying to rob the thread but since you are on the phone I don't have a Ransom rest and was wondering if you tried 4.5<or close>of Bullyeye or American Select powder with that boolit at 50 yards?

[FISH4BUGS]

To sell , mold needs to be original. Flat base only for 44 magnum loads.

I think you missed the question. Let me repeat it.
I was trying to figure out whether or not shooters prefer flat base vs. bevel based bullets.
It is my feeling that flat base will be the preferred bullet style.
If that is the case, then I can have the mould modified and no one will be the wiser.
If not, then I will leave it as is and eventually sell the bevel base bullets.
That is the question.
Personally I have no preference, but I am wondering about the general public. I am wondering because somewhere down the road I may well start a small side gig casting ONLY H&G bullets.

[Old Caster]

No 45 Dude I only used #5, 231, Power Pistol, Tite Group, Clays, and WST. When I reloaded and cast for the AMU in 1965 the load we used was 3.5 Bullseye with a 200 grain from a Lyman mold but Bullseye today seems a little slower burning and I would suggest 3.6 or 3.7. These loads may not cycle in a standard pistol and are only for a target gun unless you have a lighter recoil spring installed. The hottest load I got that was good was 5.4 Power Pistol and my timed and rapid fire load was 4.6. The 5.4 was better at 50 yards but too much recoil for sustained fire and the 4.6 was good enough for the 25 yards. I had a friend that used the bullets that I casted and loaded them with 4 grains 700x and he shot a 99 at a bullseye match at 50 yards with a custom pistol he built but he said lately that he was going to tone it down now. He is near 80 and that might have something to do with it. The biggest thing is that certain bullets are accurate in all 45,s but not all powders or loads are. Many years ago I shot 185 swaged Star HP that we bought 5000 at a time and had good results with but I can't get a 185 of any kind to shoot well that I have casted so if you want accuracy stick with the 200 that has a similar shape as the Saeco 069 and then figure out which powder your pistol likes and what load. Generally 700 to 740 is the most accurate but again, no guarantee.

[45DUDE]

Old Caster Thank you for taking the time. I have a Fred Kart bullseye 45 and a couple of Clarks from the 60's and my buddy has a King 45acp and a Nighthawk 1911 to play with. I still have a couple of Bullseye containers from the 70's. They do ok with 3.5 but my better bench targets are with 4.5. I shoot almost every weekend since the 80's. Flat base H&G style boolits have been the king so for. Everyone in our small group agrees but we try lots of styles. Gary

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Before I cast my own, I'd buy commercial cast bullets and I preferred Bevel Base. They are easier to load ...and shoot just as well at my normal pistol shooting distances (25 yds).
that's my 2¢