45 Colt Mold...

[BCB]

I presently have the 45-270-SAA mold and it works nicely with a Ruger Blackhawk…

But, I want to try either the Lyman 454190 or the RCBS 45-255-SWC…

I have started a poll and need the votes on each one…

I know there are many other molds for the 45 Colt, but those are the 2 I am interested in…

So vote and give me some info to use to choose…

Thanks…BCB

[Trey45]

I have the 45-270 SAA and the RCBS 45-255 SWC.
The RCBS gets used more.

[Old Shooter]

I plan to also load some 45 Auto rims with my 45-255's .

[Bent Ramrod]

I have a bunch of .45 Colt moulds, but I keep coming back to the 454190 for its cool factor. The RCBS 45-250-FN looks about the same as the 454190 when loaded,if you prefer RCBS moulds.

[9.3X62AL]

I have both Lyman #454190 and #454424, and use the latter about 5X as much as the former. Accordingly, I voted for the RCBS SWC.

One of the small surprises I got from both mould designs was the relative shortness of the boolits produced in both, though their as-cast weights are in the 255 grain ballpark with WW metal.

[MT Gianni]

Another vote for the 454424 and the Lloyd Small copy of the several versions ago 250 gr RCBS.

[Swindler1]

You could have Tom at accurate molds put both in the same block.:idea:

[geargnasher]

You could have Tom at accurate molds put both in the same block.:idea:

Now THERE'S an idea!

Gear

[white eagle]

None of the above

[Dale53]

If you are only buying one mould and plan to do big game hunting (deer, hogs, and black bear) then, in my view, the RCBS 45-270-SAA is the clear winner. I am presently using the Mihec clone of the 45-270-SAA in both hollow point and four cavity brass mould.

If you will have two moulds, then the Lyman 454424 (I use the NOE clone of this bullet) is a very useful bullet.

I voted for the 45-270-SAA (actually 285 grs in the Mihec design with WW's+2% tin and 270 grs hollow pointed).

Dale53

[justingrosche]

Where is 452423, 452424 and 452490?

[home in oz]

Opinions, opinions.

[justingrosche]

Opinions, opinions.
That's absolutely correct, there are so many options in this particular caliber, it's hard to nail it down to just a couple. I'd guess you would have to find out what the end purpose was. Paper punchin' I would go with a SWC first. SASS I would use the lightest 45 diameter I could find. Hunting with a hand gun from 5 to 50 yards the 452490 GC would get my vote. Of course, as always, your mileage may vary.

[onesonek]

You could have Tom at accurate molds put both in the same block.:idea:

That's what I would do!

[winelover]

I have the 45-270 SAA and the RCBS 45-255 SWC.
The RCBS gets used more.

Same here. Been using the RCBS 255 SWC mould for 20 years or more and been delighted with it. Works fine for whitetails in a BH. Picked up Mihec clone for it's versatility.

Winelover

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I like the RCBS 45 255
I also load that in 45 ACP for revovler.
it makes my Smith 1917 bark
Jon

[cajun shooter]

There are different bullets for different applications and for good reason. If you just want to paper punch then using a 300 gr slug is a waste of raw materials. SASS matches do much better when fired with a slug in the 200 gr area because of recoil time and faster on target times. The LFN and WFN bullets are made for taking meat and should be used as such. There just is not one bullet that will give 100% for all uses. Having said that I will add that when I was shooting 45 Colt for all my shooting I had Dave at Hoch moulds make me two custom moulds for the 45Colt. The 454190 Lyman is a copy of the original bullet. The lube grooves are too small and narrow for the BP shooting that I do so I had one made that increased this area and also had a wider meplat to be used in a lever rifle. They weighed in at 210 grs. and were perfect for the best all around slug. If you will never bge a BP shooter then look at the RCBS bullet moulds 45-230-CAV and the 45-230-cm for good shooting bullets. The 270 gr bullets are very good for meat bullets.

[white eagle]

let me explain the above post better
I happen to have two molds from Accurate Molds that is all I use for the 45 colt
one is a 275 gr boolit similar to the 270 saa but a bit longer in the nose
I actually had a RCBS and Mihec clone but sent them on their way
and I have a 330 gr lnfp sort of design
both are geared towards hunting

[Swede44mag]

I have the RCBS 255-KT and am in on a group buy for a Mihec 45-270 brass 4 cavity with HP and Solid as soon as the buy goes active. I ordered a Lee 6-Cavity Bullet Mold 452-255-RF but havent got it yet. I also have a H&G #68 and Lyman clone I plan to try.

I bought a Ruger Vaquero 45 Colt with a 7.5" barrel to shoot these in. I havent had a chance to try due to work and the weather. Rain, Rain, Rain

I want to try the 270 gr on deer this fall.

[RobS]

If only those three choices then 45-270-SAA.

Nice article and load data here:
http://www.riflemagazine.com/magazine/PDF/HL%20246partial.pdf

I've had both RCBS molds, the 255 and the 270, and when it's all said and done their is only about 20 grains difference between the two and the 270 simply shot better from both a 45 BH and a SRH 454 Casull. I found the 255 more forgiving regarding reloading different powders and it also has a much larger lube groove which may have been a bit better for my rifle. I like heavier lead so..................

[fredj338]

I also run the RCBS 270gr mold in my heavy 45colt loads. Erik HP one cav & I can go from 250gr-285gr. If I wanted a lighter solid, then the RCBS 255gr seems logical. I trust their molds more today than the new Lyman's.

[NHlever]

I like the RCBS 45 255
I also load that in 45 ACP for revovler.
it makes my Smith 1917 bark
Jon

Makes your Smith 1917 bite too I bet! :D

[cuzinbruce]

454190, it is the only mould I have for my one .45 Colt, a New Service revolver.

[StrawHat]

I presently have the 45-270-SAA mold and it works nicely with a Ruger Blackhawk…

But, I want to try either the Lyman 454190 or the RCBS 45-255-SWC…

I have started a poll and need the votes on each one…

I know there are many other molds for the 45 Colt, but those are the 2 I am interested in…

So vote and give me some info to use to choose…

Thanks…BCB

What type of shooting do you plan for the new boolit? Hunting? Target? Plinking? Black Powder?

If it were me, I would get some castings from some of the members and see what works best in your revolver for what you want to accomplish.

I have the 454190, the 283, the 454424 and several others and they all work fine for the purposes I use them. For hunting, I am happy with the 45-283 GB over a full charge of black powder. For other purpeoses, other boolits.

[BCB]

Thanks all…

As I sort of suspected, it is pretty even when it comes to the 454190 and the 45-255-SWC…

Yep, my 45-270-SAA works very well for the plinking and just messing around that I do. I did shoot a deer with it at about 30 (might be stretching that a bit) with a pure lead boolit that I hollow pointed with the Forster hollow pointer. It went straight through so the hollow point didn’t mean much, I don’t think…

I use this boolit with Trail Boss and Unique for just shooting at paper and some steel targets I had made by my nephews…

I was inquiring about the light boolits as a bit more fps (don’t ask me why I want to do this!) with a bit less recoil. Maybe the difference of 30 grains of boolit wouldn’t really matter all that much…

Really, I guess it is just the “I gotta try another boolit just because I can make it myself” frame of mind…

It seems I might have to flip a coin! Or, maybe just be happy with the 45-270-SAA, which I am…

Thanks to all who replied. I only submitted the poll for 10 days as I really didn’t want to tie everything up with posts that have probably been done dozens of times…

BCB

[NHlever]

I have been using a few of the Lee 452-200-RF in my .45 Colt guns lately. They seem to shoot well (at 25 yards anyway). I have a tough time getting good boolits from that particular mold though. I have carefully deburred it, but I can still see daylight in the area between the cavities when I hold it up to the light. It's funny, the other 200 grain mold I have from Lee is the same way. (429-200-RF) I guess I just wasn't meant to shoot boolits that light, or maybe 45 caliber boolits that light need fins to fly straight?

[Charlie Sometimes]

I do not own any of the particular molds you mention in your poll, but I favor the 255 gr boolit for the 45 Colt, so I chose the RCBS mold. That weight is the best all around for a 45 Colt, IMHO.

I use the following in my 45 Colt- Lee 452-255-RF, and the Lee C452-300-RF. I occassionally load the Lee 452-228-1R (my 45 ACP boolit) in it, too, just for something different. The 255 gr. is the one I shoot most, and I use the 300 for hunting.

I load these over Trail Boss or TiteGroup- my prefered pistol powders.

I have used a 200 gr. boolit when I used to shoot CAS, to save lead and cut recoil. Worked really good, and was accurate for the purpose.

[Charlie Sometimes]

I have been using a few of the Lee 452-200-RF in my .45 Colt guns lately. They seem to shoot well (at 25 yards anyway). I have a tough time getting good boolits from that particular mold though. I have carefully deburred it, but I can still see daylight in the area between the cavities when I hold it up to the light. It's funny, the other 200 grain mold I have from Lee is the same way. (429-200-RF) I guess I just wasn't meant to shoot boolits that light, or maybe 45 caliber boolits that light need fins to fly straight?

Forgot to ask- did you debur the pin groves, too? Something is holding it open. There may be a loose pin, or the grooves aren't deep enough for the pins, or the alignment grooves aren't deep enough, etc.

Look HARD, and if you can't find anything, it probably wouldn't hurt to give it a good squeeze in a vise to close it up. I HAD to do that to one of their molds a few years ago- after that it work just fine. It seems they may have taken off too much on the faces, and because the V-grooves are extruded, they weren't deep enough to accomodate the difference. As a matter of fact, I've recieved new Lee molds that appear to have been treated in this fashion from the factory. You could see that the V-Grooves had obviously been swaged/flared from some similar process.

Sad, to turn out something like that, but no manufacturer tests cast every mold, I'm sure, and you get what you pay for.

[C1PNR]

I like the 454424 for full power loads in the Colt.

For plinking, etc., I use the 454423. That means I save at least 25 grains of lead with each boolit.;) Not that I'm cheap or anything.[smilie=1:

[RobS]

BCB:

Also note that BRP molds, A.K.A BABore here on the forum, has a nice listing of 45 cal molds and lists the ones you are talking about plus a few others. His prices are close to a new 2 cavity RCBS mold and you also have the option of HPing or having more than one design in a mold etc. His work is top notch and his turn around time is very good, less than two weeks everytime I ordered. Also with Bruce's molds they cast out at the diameters listed or a bit larger with WW alloy as he uses 50/50 WW/lead. If you have questions on diameter just ask him as he is great with communication as well.

http://www.brp.castpics.net/P2.html