0.454" or 0.452"...

[BCB]

Been shootin’ the 45LC from a Blackhawk for a couple of years now…

I am shooting the 45-270-SAA sized to 0.454”…

Just out of the clear blue I was looking in the Lyman Cast Bullet manual and it says that 45LC’s today are 0.452” …

I have had not problems with 0.454” but I wonder if I should be going the 0.452” route?...

Or is there really no reason to do so since all has been well with the 0.454” route…

And, I know this question is open to thousands of answers, but I am thinking of purchasing a Lyman or RCBS mold for the 45LC and I want it in the 250 grain range—isn’t that sort of the “standard” weight for the 45LC? Sugestions on which one?...

Not sure whether or not to do the check variety…

Any thoughts? (Of course there are!)

Thanks…BCB

[btroj]

If the size you are using works, why the heck would you change it? Ignore what is supposed to be and go with what the gun says. It is happy, leave it alone.
As for a new mould, 250 gr is never a bad choice for 45 Colt. But, if what you are using works, what do yu hope to gain from this new mould? Again, if what you have works, leave it alone. I have 4 to 6 moulds for 45 Colt and I now use one for 95% of my shooting. It works well so I go with it.

[2 dogs]

BCB, the rule for cast is to shoot the largest diameter bullet that will fit in your cylinder. You are doing it right, I wouldnt change.

[Char-Gar]

Been sizing all if mine .454 for many years and plan to continue.

[outdoorfan]

I shoot the same bullet in my BH sized to .454, but it's actually more like .4525 (9bhn) once the case sizes it down upon seating. I remember reading that you have shot pure lead at full speed in that gun. Pure will be sized down considerably from the seating process from the .454 you started with.

I would stay with .454, especially if you are happy with it.

[Bass Ackward]

Wow. You have been here nearly as long as me. So this should NOT have come as a surprise.

Mine shoots .454 just like jacketed. The only problem is that it shoots .452 so much better.

No rules. Tons of opinions. And you just have to ask Professor Gun to find out which one is right.

[2 dogs]

Yup. Every time you have a rule, you find an exception!!!!

[44man]

The rule is that when you buy a new mold you will be darn lucky to even get .452" unless it is a custom mold.

[jwp475]

bcb, the rule for cast is to shoot the largest diameter bullet that will fit in your cylinder. You are doing it right, i wouldnt change.



+1..........

[steve in kc]

The rule is that when you buy a new mold you will be darn lucky to even get .452" unless it is a custom mold.

My Lee 452-228-1R drops at .453
My Lee 452-200-RNFP drops at .454

both with air cooled WW's. Haven't beagled either one.

Guess I'm darn lucky!

[44man]

My Lee 452-228-1R drops at .453
My Lee 452-200-RNFP drops at .454

both with air cooled WW's. Haven't beagled either one.

Guess I'm darn lucky!
That's good. I would say Lyman and RCBS have been the worst over the years with under size molds.

[Lloyd Smale]

the only undersized 45 molds ive run into have been a couple lymans. As to size bigger isnt allways better either. Ive got 45s that like 452 ive also got them that prefer 453 and 454. the only way to find out is to try it. One things about guaranteed though. Anything smaller then 452 usually wont shoot. What usually works best is the biggest size that will push through the end of your cylinder with firm finger pressure. Any bigger then that and the cylinder is just going to swage it down to that size anyway and in the process probably deform the bullets slighly. In my experience the best accuracy in a handgun will come from making sure the bullet gets the least ammount of deforming possible. Be it from the the cylinder throats or the forcing cone or the barrel. If a bullet deforms theres no gurantee it will do it exactly the same each time and that will effect accuracy. Same goes with the old wives tale of bullets needing to bump up into a barrel. What your basicaly doing is shooting a blob of lead when a bullet bumps up. It may be whats needed in an out of spec gun but personaly id rather fix whats out of spec.

[Grapeshot]

Take one of your cast bullets and size it .454. The drop it into the cylinder and see if there is resistance in the throat. If so, then your bullets are correct for your revolver. Try it again with bullet sized to .452 and see if you have resistance with that bullet. The bullet that is correct for your gun should hang up in the cylinder throat, even if the barrel slugs .452.