.454 cast for 45 ACP question????

[Terryrm1-03]

Hi guys, I just purchased a NOE .454 RN mold.
Got thinking about it, will the .454 chamber ok?
Or do I need to size down. I need to order a sizing die not sure what size if it won't fit. Its for a Kimber.
Thanks for your input
Terry

[Walt]

It would be a loose 45 auto chamber and barrel that would like a .454 boolit. If you do try it I would recommend starting with Remington brass because of its thin walls.

[Terryrm1-03]

Thanks Walt, I figured that. Then I looked for a .453 sizer with no luck, and so that won't work. Guess this will give me a true .452 bullet.
I was just trying to figure out what to buy before the mold gets here.
Thanks again.
Terry
PS Guess I should mike my chamber, DUH!

[white eagle]

that size should work
slug your barrel ....measure slug ....use for reference
I do not believe it will make that big a diff .002
that is of course if the mold drops as advertised and Swede's usually do

[Catshooter]

Terry,

Welcome to the site.

The only real way to tell is to try it. So many varibles it's not even funny. I have 45s (ACP & Colt) that run from .450 to .457 in their needs.

Both of my .45 Colt Winchester 94s have bores that just barely make .451, yet both will chamber a cartridge with a .456 boolit, but not .457. Go figure.


Cat

[Dale53]

I suggest a .452" bullet for your Kimber. That works well in my CDP II as well as a couple of Kimbers that my friends have.

That's what I use in my two National Match barreled 1911's and my two 625's.

Dale53

[birdadly]

My Kimber Ultra Carry's bore slugged at .451". My Mihec mould is a .452", seems to drop my 200gr HPs at .453". I picked up a .452" Lee sizer and they come out right at .452"; I was happy!

And now I'm in this section of the forums looking for numbers for loading them, OAL and whatnot, using Unique powder! Good luck! -Brad

[Dale53]

birdadly;
Let YOUR Kimber tell you the correct overall length. Just remove the barrel from the pistol, hold it vertically with chamber up and drop the loaded round in the chamber. The base of the case should be flush with the barrel hood. THAT is the correct overall length. This will headspace on the cast bullet and you'll be good to go.

If you wish, send me a PM with your Email address and I'll send you a picture of proper overall cartridge length.

Dale53

[Walt]

Thanks Walt, I figured that. Then I looked for a .453 sizer with no luck, and so that won't work. Guess this will give me a true .452 bullet.
I was just trying to figure out what to buy before the mold gets here.
Thanks again.
Terry
PS Guess I should mike my chamber, DUH!

Terry,
I have tried to load .453 boolits for 45 ACP in the past. The only way they could be 100 percent reliable was by using Remington brass only. For range/plinking loads I normally use mixed brass. When I tried that with the .453 SWCs many loaded rounds would not chamber in several of my 1911s. Federal cases were particularly bad. I also have a couple of Bar-Sto barrelled Colts that shoot a .451 boolit better than a .452. The Kimbers that I have loaded for in the past and currently load for all do well with .452. Good luck!
Walt

[MtGun44]

+1 on catshooter said.

Bill

[stubshaft]

In both of my 1911's the largest boolit I can use is .451" they have relatively tight chambers. Load a couple of dummies and see if they chamber correctly.

[thehouseproduct]

Has anyone had to have a barrel opened up? Think most smiths could do that if I sent out for a trigger job?

[thehouseproduct]

So I ran a casting of the chamber, the chamber at the case mouth is 0.478"-0.479" so the problem must lie with my reloading setup. I'll try some more later I guess.

[thehouseproduct]

So I finally figured the problem one or more cavities of my Lee mild cast VERY out of round. When sized, it smeared the lead higher up the boolit on the wide portion. This prevented full chambering. I solved this problem by buying a beautiful Mihec H&G #68 clone. Good boolits so far. Testing ASAP.

[Dale53]

thp;
You cannot beat a good Mihec mould for that bullet. It is my most used bullet (1911's, Kimber CDP II, and S&W 625's).:drinks:

My alloy for this mould is WW's +2% tin sized to .452" for all my particular guns.

FWIW
Dale53

[thehouseproduct]

Test rounds loaded. Now to either hit the range or talk to my canyon neighbor about shooting on his property.