45 ACP and 45 LC mould?? Suggestions??

[Lizard333]

I am new to this and any help is appreciated. I just started casting with a 38/357 mould the other day and would like to try my luck with 45 ACP and 45 LC. I am just assuming that with the 45 ACP round it should be round because it is being shot though a 1911, but I'm just guessing. The 45LC is going to be shot though a Taurus Judge. If I should get two different mould that's fine. My first mould is a lee two cavity and I had to do some work to get the boolits dropping somewhat nicely. Still not perfect even after leementing.

Any advice you can give would be great. Thanks in advance!!

[Lizard333]

I forgot to mention that the rounds will be used for plinking. I know that makes a difference.

[garym1a2]

My Lee 200gr swc worked so well out of the 2 cavity that I got the 6 cavity version also. I had no luck with the 230 rnd bullet at all. The 230 dropped way too big and I had to beat the mold to get them to drop.
Mine go in a Kimber 1911.

[Bass Ackward]

Problem for multiple gun use is always diameter. Sometimes other variables.

Measure the throats on the judge and I think you are going to want a bigger and heavier design than will work for the ACP that will be much closer to bore diameter.

[MtGun44]

Keith's 452423 was intended for the .45ACP in the 1917 S&W and Colt revolvers. It have
been used by many in .45 ACP in 1911s, too - most getting good feeding with it.

I would suggest that, if as Bass says, you can sort out the diameter issues between the
guns, it would be a good candidate. Unfortunately, I think the Judge is mostly a
shotgun and I suspect that you may find problems getting much accuracy with boolit
loads. I hope you make it work, but I start off a bit skeptical.

Bill

[DAFzipper]

For the 45 ACP I'd get in on the NOE H&G 34 copy,
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=103443

For the 45 Colt any SWC in the 250-300 grain range would work. I love M&P's copy of the 45-270 SSA. A rerun of this mold has been started,
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=101009

[HeavyMetal]

Not a fan of "heavy" boolits in the 1911 platform so the 200 grain boolits usually get the nod when I look at mold specifically fo one of my 1911's.

Tough to beat the Lee H&G 68 copy I have a pair of 6 banger's and they work very well once prepped correctly!

As for the 45 colt I guess it depends on what gun your loading for! With a Ruger you can hit 44 mag ( or more) performance levels but feed those loads to a real Colt or a clone based on the "P" frame and you'll get scrap metal.

If I bought a Colt clone I'd take a real hard look at Lee's 255 grain RF 45 mold. It's got a shape I like and has the "right" weight for the caliber but I absolutely detest dual lube grooves. Still for the amount of shooting I do with a wheel gun I could live with the mold design as is.

Competing in Cowboy stuff might cause me to rethink that choice but as a first mold I don't think you'll find a better mold to start with.

[dk17hmr]

For plinking in my 1911 45 acp I use a 200gr SWC, and there are several different designs that work well for me in my gun. The lyman 452460 is a favorite of mine in most of my 45 caliber handguns including the 454 and 45lc. Lately I have had more money than time when it comes to casting and I just bought 1000 200gr swc's with a bevel base that have been shooting great in my 1911. For more punch on target I use a Lyman 454424, that cast pretty close to 260gr's, its the Keith booilt for 45lc but works equally as well in my 1911, my defense load equals orginal 45lc data out of my 5" 1911. I have shot alot of 230gr Round Nose bullets in my 1911 with good results and a 230gr would be fine in your 45lc also.

For all practical purposes I could do everything I needed to do with the 454424 in my 45acp's, 45 win mag, 45lc, and 454....the problem is for plinking 260gr compared 200gr. If you are looking for a gaschecked bullet (probably not needed) I would suggest the Lee 300gr, it shoots well in my larger 45's, the 45lc loves this boolit and it would serve well for hunting or defense for that matter if complete penetration wasnt an issue.

[44MAG#1]

The magma Engineering 250 gr RNFP is a good mold for double duty. Round enough with a flat point to feed in a 1911 and large enough as cast to size for both the 45 ACP and the 45 Colt.
This is the bullet Buffalo Bore uses in their heavy 45 ACP loads but will equally do well in lighter loads.
My mold cast weight is 252-253 gr. Good crimp groove for the 45 Colt. I have no bones to pick with it.
Try it you will like it.

[RobS]

If for both and assuming you can get a mold that will drop boolits at the larger diameter of the Judge then BRP can make you up a 453640 mold with one cavity hollow pointed. Or if you prefer the lighter side of things for the Judge then he could make you a 2 or 4 cavity HP mold in the design. The solid is to be at 260 grains and the huge HP boolits I have drop at around 238 grains or so depending on alloy used. I use this design as a dual purpose however I only use the HP version in a 4 cavity mold. It serves the revolvers well for the lighter side and works very well for my 45 acp loads. It is actually my go to boolit for the 45 auto.

The boolits dropped from straight WW alloy right at .454 when I first received the mold but I lapped it out a bit to drop at .455. I size .455 or .454 for the revolvers and size it down to .453 for the auto. Very accurate so far in everything I've shot it in.

BRP website: http://www.brp.castpics.net/

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt206/RobS01/Side-HP-1.jpg

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt206/RobS01/Bottom.jpg

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt206/RobS01/BRP453640HPmold.jpg

and the boolit:

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt206/RobS01/BPR230HP.jpg

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt206/RobS01/BPR230HP2.jpg

with some expansion:

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt206/RobS01/200gr805010BHNWW-1Sn.jpg

[white eagle]

tom @ Accurate Molds has some very nice boolit molds for the 45 acp that will do good cross over work in the colt
this is the one I use
http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=45-250C-D.png,
he does make the same without a gas check
but like others have said you may have to get a couple of different sizing dies to make it sing

[bhn22]

They may as well be two different calibers. The Judges seems to suffer from overly large throats, necessary to accommodate the .410 shotshell. You will want to slug your Judges throats & barrel to determine the necessary diameter & select you mould from there. Lightweight rifle bullets or a custom mould may be necessary. Such a proposition will likely hamstring the 45 ACPs performance. I don't believe you'll find one "do it all" mould for what you're looking for. The 45 ACP will be easy to select an appropriate mould for is you keep the two guns seperate

[mroliver77]

I like the H&G #68 style boolit in .45acp. The Lee 452-200 SWC is loosely based on this boolit and has been a very good performer for me. I replaced it with MP's #68 and really like this one. I shoot the 68 in .45 Colt also and it works great.
I started my .45 casting with a Lyman single cavity 452423 that drops boolits .456+ and shot it in my .45 Colt and .45ACP. I bought a Lee 6 cav group buy mold and still like this one. The original I Beagled to .460 and shoot in my 45-70's for fun plinking round.
I also have the Lee 452-255RF that I have shot in both 1911 and Wheel guns. It is heavy for the 1911 but functions fine and with light loads I believe does not abuse the gun too awfully bad. I also have MP 270gr .RCBS "clone" and love it in the .45 Colt.
Jay

[NHlever]

I have been shooting the Lee 45-200-RF, round flatnose, and the Lyman 452460 200 gr. semi wadcutter in both my .45 ACP, and .45 Colt guns with pretty good results. The loads are fun, and easy shooting, but I have just started working with the Lyman 452460 so I don't have a lot of experience with it yet. So far, so good, and it's a nice mold, and boolit.

[beagle]

The RCBS 45-230-CM works in both my Ruger convertible and in my 1911A1. Seems like a good compromise and .451" bullets shoot well in both. The .45 Colt cylinder don't seem picky about the sized diameter./beagle

[geargnasher]

That's a tough one because a .45 Colt revolver and a .45 ACP automatic have different needs for optimum performance, but if you keep it simple you should be able to find a production design both of your guns like. Notice I said "your guns", not "you" or "me". I have a 228-grain .45 RN mould that I absolutely love but NONE of my guns do, either .45 ACP or .45 Colt.

What I would look for, based upon what my guns like, is something really close to 230 grains, has a reduced-diameter nose base and full diameter nose band (like a semi-wadcutter or a truncated cone design), and one lube groove and one crimp groove. You can seat and roll crimp your .45 Colt cartridges either in the crimp groove or over the top band and fill the crimp groove with lube, on the .45 ACP fill both grooves with lube and seat where the gun feeds and chambers the best.

Gear

[RobS]

+1 on what gear stated and is what I do with the boolit I mentioned above.

[Catshooter]

I use this one

http://i379.photobucket.com/albums/oo235/Catshooter45/Lymanmould001.jpg

for both ACP and the Colt. It's a current production Lyman 452424. It's not what Elmer really wanted, but it works well. It weighs 255 or so.

I like it!


Cat

[turbo1889]

I have found what works best as 45-Colt loads in the Judge is a 45 caliber rifle boolit on the light end of the spectrum. We are talking 0.454" to 0.458" diameter and 300 grains or so. Basically just buy the lightest weight 45-70 mold you can find (with the exception of the really light weight collar button molds) and then size it down only as much as you have too to allow a loaded cartridge to chamber. You should try figure out how large of a boolit that is before you go mold shopping since this is the controlling factor with the Judge, fire a cylinder full of hot factory loads in your Judge and then measure the inside diameter of the fired case mouths. Smallest number you come up with (the individual chambers in the cylinder may vary) is the diameter of boolit your going to want to use. Hopefully it isn't something weird like 0.456" but rather is something that factory sizing dies are readily available for like 0.458".

For the 45-ACP I like a 230gr. mil. spec. ball nose profile. Pick your poison as far as GC or PB and one lube groove, two lube grooves, or tumble lube style. They will all work just fine.

I don't think your going to find one mold that will do both considering that your 45-Colt is the Judge. Nothing against the Judge and I like the ability to use 410 shot shells - its a good snake gun that can pull double duty to take care of most two and smaller four legged threats as well just by switching loads. A good gun for packing in the wilds just uses a lot larger diameter boolit then most 45-Colts do which is what is going to mess you up for trying to use the same boolit with both it and your 45-ACP.

Edit: Forgot to add, when loading boolits intended for the 45-70 in 45-Colt cases for the Judge lube only the bottom lube groove and seat the boolit just far enough inside the case mouth to cover that lube groove and crimp on the top of the driving band above it. You’ve got plenty of cylinder length and a cavernous throat, no reason to waste powder space and potentially drive up pressures by seating any deeper.

[RobS]

I have found what works best as 45-Colt loads in the Judge is a 45 caliber rifle boolit on the light end of the spectrum. We are talking 0.354" to 0.358" diameter and 300 grains or so. Basically just buy the lightest weight 45-70 mold you can find (with the exception of the really light weight collar button molds) and then size it down only as much as you have too to allow a loaded cartridge to chamber. You should try figure out how large of a boolit that is before you go mold shopping since this is the controlling factor with the Judge, fire a cylinder full of hot factory loads in your Judge and then measure the inside diameter of the fired case mouths. Smallest number you come up with (the individual chambers in the cylinder may vary) is the diameter of boolit your going to want to use. Hopefully it isn't something weird like 0.456" but rather is something that factory sizing dies are readily available for like 0.358".

For the 45-ACP I like a 230gr. mil. spec. ball nose profile. Pick your poison as far as GC or PB and one lube groove, two lube grooves, or tumble lube style. They will all work just fine.

I don't think your going to find one mold that will do both considering that your 45-Colt is the Judge. Nothing against the Judge and I like the ability to use 410 shot shells - its a good snake gun that can pull double duty to take care of most two and smaller four legged threats as well just by switching loads. A good gun for packing in the wilds just uses a lot larger diameter boolit then most 45-Colts do which is what is going to mess you up for trying to use the same boolit with both it and your 45-ACP.

Edit: Forgot to add, when loading boolits intended for the 45-70 in 45-Colt cases for the Judge lube only the bottom lube groove and seat the boolit just far enough inside the case mouth to cover that lube groove and crimp on the top of the driving band above it. You’ve got plenty of cylinder length and a cavernous throat, no reason to waste powder space and potentially drive up pressures by seating any deeper.

I'm looking at this one and scratching my head a bit. I bet you mean .454-.458?

[turbo1889]

Yes, I mean .454-.458. Just made the correction above.

Also, I'm talking strictly in reference to cast lead boolits (don't anyone start loading jacketed 45-70 bullets in 45-Colt and start blaming me for the results) and the Taurus "Judge" handgun which is designed to fire both 410-bore shot shells and 45-Colt loads and the OP has stated is the gun in question for the 45-Colt side of his question.

[justingrosche]

Lizard w/o out reading through all of the posts, and weighing in on the technical how's and why's, I have this to offer : I have a Lyman DC mold that casts one cavity the lyman 452374 RN and one cav. 452423 SWC FN. I'd let it go for $50 shipped. PM me if your interested.
Justin

[Fredx10sen]

I have been shooting the Lee 45-200-RF, round flatnose, and the Lyman 452460 200 gr. semi wadcutter in both my .45 ACP, and .45 Colt guns with pretty good results. The loads are fun, and easy shooting, but I have just started working with the Lyman 452460 so I don't have a lot of experience with it yet. So far, so good, and it's a nice mold, and boolit.

Those work great in mine as well. I use a Lee-230 TC in the Marlin to stop the blow-by. One of my favorite molds for the 45acp and the 45LC out of the ten different molds I have is a Cramer #5C @ 202 Grains with WW / #2. :bigsmyl2:

[Texasflyboy]

The original Colt Single Action Army projectile works well in both 45 Colt and .45ACP when hollow pointed to 225 grains (if you start with about 250 grains).

I've used the original Colt design with great success in both 1911's and 45 Colt Revolvers:

Link to Original Post with 45 Colt Mould that was Hollow Pointed to ~225 grains (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=67967)

[LabGuy]

I use a Lyman 452460 in both 45 ACP and 45 Colt. A Springfield 1911 and a Ruger 45 Colt\45 ACP Blackhawk. I typicaly use Bullseye in the ACP and Unique in the 45 Colt.

[NHlever]

I use a Lyman 452460 in both 45 ACP and 45 Colt. A Springfield 1911 and a Ruger 45 Colt\45 ACP Blackhawk. I typicaly use Bullseye in the ACP and Unique in the 45 Colt.

How far do you seat that 452460 out in the 45 Colt cases? I've been loading to 1.200 in my ACP, and it has worked well.

[LabGuy]

I've been running the 45Colt at 1.550 with the 452460 since the 1980s. Not sure where I got that number, but the new Lyman 4th ed Cast Bullet now has loading data for this boolet with the same 1.550 OAL. Guess I got lucky.

The 452460 was the first non black powder mould I ever owned. I got a used single cavity. I think the new handles cost me more that the used mould.

[BCB]

I have read through most of these posts...

I am looking for an article in Handloader or on some website addressing cast boolits in the 45acp...

A friend asked me today as he is having feeding problems with heavier boolits...

I think he is looking for something less that 255 grains...

Any articles/suggestions that I could print and let him read?...

Thanks...BCB