45 LC mold?

[nemesisenforcer]

What mold is best for modern production 45 Colt revolvers?

[rexherring]

Depends on what you want it for. I use a Lee 200 RNFP for plinking, an RCBS 255 SWC for most target and hunting as well as a Lee 300 SWC with gas check for bigger thump. RCBS also makes a great 270 SWC mold.

[Frozone]

Most accurate thing I've put down ANY 45 barrel in years is the NOE 454424.
Simply amazing accuracy out of all my 45s, it out shoots some old 454190s that I thought were as good as you could get.

[cbrick]

The RCBS 255 SWC works very well in my colt but the 270 gr SWC SAA really shines. For plinking the RCBS Cowboy 230 gr RNFP PB is also a good bullet.

Rick

[avogunner]

There are plenty of .45 Colt mold offerings from many manufacturers and when sized correctly, I'm sure they're all more than fine in a modern gun. I've used the Lee 452-255-RF for many years and it's suited my needs.

[427smith]

Most of my shooting is 44 mag, but I do have a nickel sw 25-5 and a pair if stainless 5 1/2 inch vaqueros in 45LC. Almost any cast bullet and load shoots well. The only thing I mite add is make sure your
bullets size big enough. Alot of the multi purpose molds cast .451. I like a 452.

[Smitty's Retired]

There are plenty of .45 Colt mold offerings from many manufacturers and when sized correctly, I'm sure they're all more than fine in a modern gun. I've used the Lee 452-255-RF for many years and it's suited my needs.

I use the same mold. It has done real well for me also.

[waco]

RCBS 270-SAA is my go to.

[StrawHat]

What mold is best for modern production 45 Colt revolvers?

Many years ago, I started with the Lee 452-255 SWC 2C mold. I have also used the group buys 454190, 454424, and 454423. And I am now working with a SAECO 453 (235 grain full wadcutter). What I have found is that most of my long Colts like something that weighs between 245 and 280 grains, the shape is not that important. I get decent accuracy from those mentioned.

[RobS]

I tend to lean toward heavy for caliber boolits but that's me. Really it depends on what you want to do and then if you want a design that is different than what is offered commercially. I've shot many different 45 cal. designs.
http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt206/RobS01/45calbulletsSM.jpg

There are 5 or so that are not even in the picture above including my more recent 310 and 345 grain designs that I shoot from my Ruger Bisley 45 Colt and Ruger SRH 454 Casull.

[runfiverun]

i keep things a little simpler.
i have a 2 and 4 cavity of both the 454424 and 452664

i won't even bother trying any of my other 45 molds if one of those 2 don't shoot well.

[RobS]

i keep things a little simpler.
i have a 2 and 4 cavity of both the 454424 and 452664

i won't even bother trying any of my other 45 molds if one of those 2 don't shoot well.


Me too, I now only have three 45 cal revolver molds; a 230grain HP/260 grain solid mold, a 310 grainer and then a 345 grain mold.

[geargnasher]

The Lee 255-RF is a tough one to beat, so is the 454190. I never had much luck with the SWCs myself, but obviously others have. I've never heard anything bad about the RCBS 270 SWC.

Gear

[cbrick]

I never had much luck with the SWCs myself, but obviously others have. I've never heard anything bad about the RCBS 270 SWC. Gear

Gear, haven't you ever tried the 270 SAA? If not I "think" I have a few of these cast up, wanna try them. Great boolit.

Rick

[cajun shooter]

The first thing you need to do is decide what use the gun will receive. The second is to slug your barrel and measure your cylinder throats.
I have yet to see a real 45 Long Colt but plenty of 45 Colts. I wish someone would show me a box of original ammo that is marked long Colt. The revolvers also have 45 Colt on the barrels.
It seems that we have a new generation of gun enthusiast who have decided to make a new caliber on their own. I have even seen this wording used in newspaper Christmas adds.
I'm in no way trying to be a know it all or some sort of nut. It is how ever quite disturbing to see this type thing take place and become known as fact instead of the slang that it actually is.
We have almost every anti-gun news paper reporter and other TV personality holding up a AR-15 30 round magazine and saying that we need to outlaw these "clips".
I hope that they use this nomenclature when writing the law as I will be more than happy to give up all the 30 round clips that I have! "By the way, has any one ever seen a 30 round clip"?
I have owned a few US Firearms in 45 Colt to use in SASS matches and the barrels slugged out at .4525 which makes the use of a .454 bullet the best fit.
Many gun companies such as Ruger has had guns all over the board in size but have tried to settle with .452 which is their way of keeping the gun the same as the 45 ACP.
The original 45 Colts were in the .454 range and fired a 255 grain bullet.
If you are just plinking then the 200 and 230 grain bullets that are used in the 45 Schofield. In fact the cases may also be used for putting together light fun loads regardless of your powder choice. Later Fairshake aka Cajun shooter

[Trey45]

I asked a self proclaimed know it all if there's a 45 Long Colt, where is the 45 Short Colt. He said, "What do you think the 45 Schofield is?"

I had to walk away.....

ANYHOW! LOL. I really like the RCBS 45-255 SWC and Mihecs own version of the 45-270-SAA.
Friday last week I ran about 10 pounds of the RCBS 45-255 boolits.
57096
Then again there's no flys on the Lee 452-255 RNFP mold either, I have the 2 cavity version but will probably buy the 6 cav version.
If all you're doing is loading standard 45 Colt (Not Ruger only hard hitter stuff) it's hard to go wrong with any of the 250gr+ molds. Just my experience with my 3 45 Colts has shown that they all like 250gr and heavier boolits. My Redhawk shoots 300+ grainers better than anything else. Go figure.

[cbrick]

One story is that while in the blackpowder days the length varied, Colt chambered for longer of the three variance within the 45 Colt chambering hence the name Long Colt. But I don't "think" Colt ever refered to it as Long Colt while jobbers did.

Here is an article that may shed some light on this 100 year old debate.

The Long & the Short of the .45 Colt
By: Jim Taylor (http://www.lasc.us/TaylorLongShort45Colt.htm)

I've never read an article by Jim Taylor that wasn't well researched.

Rick

[GLL]

The 45-270-SAA by Mihec/Dale or RCBS is a good choice.
I do not own a Colt but they work well in my S&W Model 25-7s !

Jerry

http://www.fototime.com/D45D14757ADABED/medium800.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/B54695C5FA9078D/large.jpg

[geargnasher]

Gear, haven't you ever tried the 270 SAA? If not I "think" I have a few of these cast up, wanna try them. Great boolit.

Rick

I'd love to, Rick, in fact I almost bought one of Miha's last year, but priorities shifted to other things. How about I swap you some lube for a few in the spring? It would be a shame to only shoot blue or green lube forever!

Gear

[cbrick]

Gear, PM me your address, I'll go look for those boolits. You'll like them.

I also shoot red lube cause my Speed Green is "red" so I guess it would be Speed Red :mrgreen:. When I made it I colored it to distinguish it from another lube I have that was close in color.

Rick

[cbrick]

Rick seems I read that one just could not recall where I did.
Thanks for posting the link.

Some really great articles and casting info on that web site huh? :mrgreen:

Rick

[jmort]

Jim Taylor is repeating what Paco Kelly has been saying for years on his Lever Guns web site:

"Those that voraciously disagree with the word ‘LONG’ in the phrase 45 Long Colt............don’t e-mail me.....my spiritual brother (for almost a lifetime), and dear friend, John Taffin, has been trying to change my position for decades....and John may be correct, as all of you may. But in this, I am unrepentant...why? Because among other reasons, I have a full box of 45 Short Colt ammo produced in 1883 and that got me to really investigate! Not Schofield...but “45 Short Colt” Ammunition.....(230 grain bullet/hollow base/28 grains B.P.) People back then called them LONG or SHORT Colts when making purchases......so do I today."

To the O/P - all the people recommending the 270 SAA are right on
I have been wanting to try something like the 270 "Pin Bullet" from Accurate
http://accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=45-270Z-D.png

[cbrick]

I'd love to, Rick, in fact I almost bought one of Miha's last year, but priorities shifted to other things. Gear

Ok, I found those boolits but I didn't have as many as I thought, only 41. They are clip-on WW +2% Sn, unsized & not lubed.

If ya need more than that I'll try to get some more cast.

Rick

[geargnasher]

OK, OK! I give in! PM inbound Rick...many thanks.

To PK, by the same logic I've NEVER seen load data or a box of cartridges marked .45 "LONG" Colt. The original designation was made by the Army. Sam Colt, the guy who invented it in the first place, called it ".45 Colt". Good enough for me until SAAMI comes up with an officially chambered "short" version which will not accept standard .45 Cold ammunition.

Gear

[Bob Busetti]

I use the Lee 340 gr. 45/70 bullet sized down to .454 from .457. as a heavy bullet load. Mainly I used the Lyman/Keith 255 gr. bullets as I got several double cavity molds in a trade. Also have a double cavity Lyman 255 gr. gas check bullet that works very well. I started out many years ago with the Lee 255 gr.mold. Always worked good for me. This is a fun caliber to play with.
Bob

[StrawHat]

... Sam Colt, the guy who invented it in the first place, called it ".45 Colt". Good enough for me ... Gear

Colt died years before that cartridge was considered.

[Saltner]

The first thing you need to do is decide what use the gun will receive. The second is to slug your barrel and measure your cylinder throats.
Many gun companies such as Ruger has had guns all over the board in size but have tried to settle with .452 which is their way of keeping the gun the same as the 45 ACP.

Is very important to know the bore of the barrel!!!

[ddixie884]

Elmer Keith called them .45 long Colt. I think this meant to him that this was a slang or unofficial name. Keith said the shorter round, also marked .45 Colt, was far inferior to the .45 long, which had 40gr black powder and did 900fps with a 255gr rnfp bullet.