.45 colt seating depth

[dart55]

Well, first time posting here, usually I just read the archives to answer my questions but circumstances have led me to need to post.

.45 Bisley Ruger and a Lee 300 grain GC mold.

Here is the problem. The mold dropped boolits at 322 grains and were way undersized (.451 and I want .454) I got very over ambitious in lapping out the mold and they come out now at .460. So here is the problem. The crimping grooves are all but gone. Honestly, slight bumps are all that is left of them!

To utilize this bullet I will now need to crimp in front of the original crimping grooves on the round nose part of the bullet. I measured and found that this will place the bullet approximately .170 deeper then normal!!!:evil:

So I took the mold and mowed off approximately .070 off the bottom on the mill which removed the gas check portion of the bullet and now have a bullet dropping out at 298 grains with WW.

To load I will still have to seat the boolit around .100 deeper then the foward crimping groove. I still desire to shoot this boolit at around 1,000 to 1,150 FPS.

Any recommendations on starting data? I have a can of HS-7 and was planing on starting at 13.0 grs and working up.

Thank you Dan

PS or should I throw the mold in the RIVER!

[stubshaft]

Try to pan lube before sizing. That may help you retain the lube grooves. If all else fails keep the mould. Should be good for a light 45/70.

[RobS]

The boolits will work with quicker powders, but you'll have the hardest time keeping them from jumping with slow powders should you ever want to up the velocities. I don't throw things out as it's my nature so worse case someone could use it for a large slug mold. If you are after a .454 bullet there are only a few major players out there currently that run them in the production line i.e. RCBS, Lyman etc. Ones that come to mind are RCBS 45-270-SAA and their 45-255-SWC and these are close to a Keith design. Another is Lyman's 454190 a 250 grain round nose flat point, but don't plan on it dropping at .454 as their molds are dropping undersized.

Custom mold makers are the route to go or if you would happen to get into a group by. There is a custom mold right now in the swappin and selling section that cast .455. http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=105024 You are not too far away from me (about 25 miles or so) and I have two molds a 300 grainer and 340 grainer which both cast at .455 should you want to try a few. They are both my own designs and have been very good performers.

Post# 185

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=93380&page=10

and you can look at the diagrams of them at www.accuratemolds.com in the catalog section

45-300B and 45-340B

[geargnasher]

+1 RobS, I was going to recommend that listing as well! I'd have bought that mould myself if I had a gun that would shoot it, it's a good deal and would be just right for this.

Gear

[runfiverun]

i'd just crimp in the small groove.
you should have a lot of case tension with a boolit that long.
shallow lube grooves are not the end of the world.
i swage up lyman's [280gr] 375 boolits to 44 and the filled lube grooves become quite shallow and narrow in the process.
there is nothing but a flat where i lightly crimp and i have no problems whatsoever.
i still have no leading even in the leverguns.

[dart55]

Well I shot this round over the weekend..... OAL was 1.450, started with 13.0 grains of HS-7 and worked up in .5 increments to 14.5. At 14.5 I noticed 1 out of 6 casings required a bit more omph to eject with the 14.5 grs. Accuracy was less then spectacular. I shot some 255 gr SWC with 11 grains of unique as a comparisson they were definitely more accurate.

Oh leading was ferocious!! I don't know why, I'm still kindof new to all this using different alloys and such.

Thanks for all you replies! I'll keep learning and reviewing the archives!

Dan

[Swede44mag]

If your bullets are Round with a flat nose or SWC and if you have a 45-70 they should be about the right diameter.

Just a thought.

I shoot a RCBS RNFP in my Marlin 45-70 Lever Evolution.

[cajun shooter]

What did your bore slug out at? It seems that you might have tried doing too much at once. You may buy a Lee FCD die and crimp your bullet any where you want. The leading problem would be tough to figure with out testing your alloy. You should be using something in the 13 BHN if trying to push that heavy slug over a 1000 ft per second. I assume that is why you started with the GC mold. As others have said it would make a good light weight slug for a 45-70 and would work great with BP.