Steel/brass/iron version of the Lee 452-228-1R?

[Whistler]

I love the Lee 452-228-1R for use in IPSC competition with my S&W 625.
I find the ogive to be far more suited for fast revolver reloads and my particular 6-cav mould drops them at .454, so when I size them to .452 I get really sharp edges and lots of bearing surface. Accuracy is simply amazing with a lot of different powders!

Another important factor is that I can use the top lube groove to roll crimp in, which makes for even faster reloads and better accuracy in the revolver.

Problem is... I'm starting to wear the Lee aluminum mold down. If it breaks for good my heart will too. Does anyone know if Lee copied the design so there is a Lyman/RCBS or something in more durable mould designs available? Or has there even been a group buy for it here on Castboolits?

Now that I'm thinking of it... A four cav brass version from MiHec would be the cats meow. :cbpour:

http://www.titanreloading.com/image/cache/data/Products/90352-250x250.jpg

[chboats]

You might check out Accurate Molds. If you could deal with a small flat on the nose. This is a possibility.

http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=45-215B-D.png

Tom will modify it almost any way you want. It could be made heaver by increasing the base band.

Carl

[bigboredad]

I would go with Tom hecould make you one just like it and can now make a 5 cavity mold. His molds are the only mold I like to use and his cs is better than anyone could hope for

[geargnasher]

+3 on Accurate Molds. You'll have to live with a small (.180") meplat as has been mentioned. You might like this one, or you can have him design one more like the Lee one if you like, it is the same price either way. He will make it cast the size you want with the alloy you choose, +.0015", -.0000". He can make aluminum with I think five cavities, brass in up to four, and steel I think only in two. His quality is on par with Mihec, and he's been turning them out in less than two weeks these days.

http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=45-230S-D.png

If you want a custom design, just shoot him an email and you two can work it out shortly.

Gear

[geargnasher]

Here's a pic of one of Tom's recent ones in 4C brass: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?p=1679828#post1679828

Gear

[frkelly74]

You know.you could also get another one or two Lee molds. Perhaps a little more of a gamble and possibly some prep work but It can work well. Or a 6 cavity of the same boolit. I have had good experience with the lowly old lee molds.

[Whistler]

Any kind of meplat on a bullet for fast reloads is just the opposite of what is desired when speedshooting a revolver in competition. Thanks anyway for the suggestions.

The one I'm currently using is a Lee 6-cav and I have plenty of them. I have also seen how big differences there can be, I've had moulds specced .452 that dropped .450 all the way up to .456. This particular one is great, but I was trying to find a higher quality mould that would hold up longer. The whole steel-on-aluminum really wears them down after a while.

[imashooter2]

What steel on aluminum problem are you having on a Lee 6 banger? The cutter cam contact is all I can think of, and a steel flat head machine screw fixes that in short order.

BTW, I use the same boolit in the same application...

<====================

[geargnasher]

Any kind of meplat on a bullet for fast reloads is just the opposite of what is desired when speedshooting a revolver in competition. Thanks anyway for the suggestions.

The one I'm currently using is a Lee 6-cav and I have plenty of them. I have also seen how big differences there can be, I've had moulds specced .452 that dropped .450 all the way up to .456. This particular one is great, but I was trying to find a higher quality mould that would hold up longer. The whole steel-on-aluminum really wears them down after a while.

I understand about the meplat, but one so small has never been an issue for me, but I'm not competing like you are, either. I'm not sure Accurate Molds ships overseas, either.

My advice then would be to get a six-cavity version of the one you like. I have two of those moulds you mentioned in your OP (one six and one two) and they both cast about .4525" with wheel weight alloy plus a pinch of tin at 675 degrees F or so, and the mould hot enough to give a light, satin frost over the whole boolit. If you edges aren't sharp, consider re-examining your alloy and your casting technique. I've heard of commercial casters getting 50,000 cycles out of a Lee six-cavity with proper care before wearing it out. The trick is proper application of mould lubricant and cutting the sprues at just the right time while they're still soft, but set up enough not to smear lead on the blocks.

Gear

[chboats]

Whistler - you might check out this group buy. If it gets on the schedule today it would take at least a year before it ships. Your Lee should last that long. I believe NOE does ship international.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=149499

[MikeS]

If I was you, I would just go ahead and buy another 6 cavity mould now, maybe even 2 of them as you like the design so well. I was going to comment about this boolit design needing to be seated deeply to feed, but that's in a 1911, and as you're using it in a 625 that doesn't apply. I have this mould, but in a 2 cavity version that's been converted into a hollow point by Erik Ohlen at hollowpointmold.com and I too use it for use in a revolver using the top lube groove as a crimp groove, but I was loading it in 45 Colt, I hadn't thought of loading it in 45ACP (or autorim) for use in my Smith model 22-4 (Modern Model of 1950) I'm going to have to give that a try when I load for it next!

If you can get ahold of either an H&G #34 or NOE's clone of it, that might be a design that you might like. It has a single lube groove, and no crimp groove, but if you really need a crimp you could probably crimp it over the front driving band as there's a very small shoulder going to the nose (I think it's .005" or less). I have a 5 cavity NOE mould of that design, and love it.