Mold for XDS-45

[blade]

Hey guys,
Looking for a mold good for XDS-45 bullets. What do you guys think about wad cutters, hollow points and round. Would using wheel weights for the lead be too hard for the XDS's 3.3" barrel?

Thanks,
B

[RobS]

I don't know about a wad cutter in an XD and I know the older XD's didn't run SWC's. Most auto's won't run a wad cutter well. Truncated nose profile designs work well as do round flat nose and round nose designs and I've hear reports that the new line of XD's that have the small hump on the underneath side of the slide will feed SWC's. WW alloy will work fine for 45 auto boolits and even a mix of 50/50 wheel weight to plain lead works. There are people who water drop WW alloyed boolits (makes them much harder) for shooting and I've done this too for the 45 auto but it isn't necessary.

[gunoil]

http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/k511/putt2012/6A9457C1-6D22-455B-B1C6-28E40410A53E-13797-00000F8445D7B87D_zps12100af7.jpg

lyman 452488

[Crosbyman]

I have shot thousands of commercial cast (Dardas) 40 S&W 175 grain SWC (sized .401) through my FN with no problems.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

my XDs shoots very well with a 225gr boolit Lyman mold #452374 and 4.5gr of Bullseye
i use C/R for lube oh i just use range lead

[2wheelDuke]

I don't have an XD-S but I'd bet they love the Mihec 200gr RNHP.

[blade]

Awesome. I have heard that Lyman is better than Lee. Is there a great difference between the aluminum molds and others. I have also heard that brass and steel is better than aluminum. Anyone have a preference?

I am going to try to find a 4 cavity Lyman 452488 to start with. Anyone have a good link for purchasing them?

Thanks,
B

[RobS]

The higher grade aluminum that is used by customer makers will last a lifetime should a person take a bit of care by using a sprue plate lube. Heck even the Lee molds will last a very long time possibly even a person's lifetime with care.

I've had molds made of brass, iron and aluminum and they all have the positives and negatives. I prefer aluminum molds especially if they are 4 cavity or more. I currently have only aluminum molds and all but one are from custom mold makers who use higher grade 2024 aluminum.

A bit of info about different mold metals direct from Tom at Accurate Molds:

"What are some of the properties of the different mold metals?

2024 Aluminum is very durable, light weight, and inexpensive. Its propensity to change temperature quickly is seen by some as a disadvantage, since molds produce their best bullets within a narrow temperature sweet spot.

Ductile Iron is the most durable of the commonly used mold metals. It is easier to maintain a more consistent temperature. It is lighter weight than brass and heavier than aluminum. Its biggest disadvantage is propensity to rust. Iron is rough on delicate boring tools, and thus it is the most expensive.

360 Brass is a bit heavier than iron, and costs less because of ease of machining. It maintains temperature very well, and cavities machine mirror bright. Some see its weight as a disadvantage.

Sprew plates and hardware are carbon steel.

My favorite for my own casting is aluminum."

I think that sums it up.

[blade]

Thats awesome. So I guess I just need to experiment more. I'm guessing that the brass being heavy would tire your hands out after a while.
I wouldn't do anything less than a 4 cavity. Seems to be a waste to just do 2 at a time. My Lee 20 pound pot should be here next week. Guess I'll have to start doing some mold finding..

Thanks,
B


The higher grade aluminum that is used by customer makers will last a lifetime and should a person take a bit of care by using a sprue plate lube. I've had molds made of brass, iron and aluminum and they all have the positives and negatives. I prefer aluminum molds especially if they are 4 cavity or more. I currently have only aluminum molds and all but one are from custom mold makers who use higher grade 2024 aluminum.

A bit of info about different mold metals direct from Tom at Accurate Molds:

"What are some of the properties of the different mold metals?

2024 Aluminum is very durable, light weight, and inexpensive. Its propensity to change temperature quickly is seen by some as a disadvantage, since molds produce their best bullets within a narrow temperature sweet spot.

Ductile Iron is the most durable of the commonly used mold metals. It is easier to maintain a more consistent temperature. It is lighter weight than brass and heavier than aluminum. Its biggest disadvantage is propensity to rust. Iron is rough on delicate boring tools, and thus it is the most expensive.

360 Brass is a bit heavier than iron, and costs less because of ease of machining. It maintains temperature very well, and cavities machine mirror bright. Some see its weight as a disadvantage.

Sprew plates and hardware are carbon steel.

My favorite for my own casting is aluminum."

I think that sums it up.

[MtGun44]

H&G 68 clone is perfect if your XD is new enough to have the prominent bump on the underside of the center
slide rib just behind the breech face to depress the top round in the magazine as the slide moves back.
This product improvement was needed because the older guns dragged the rim of the extracted case HARD
over the boolit of the next up round in the mag. With a SWC, this often bumped the extracted case off of
the extractor prior to hitting the ejector, so the loose case jammed the gun.

Bill

[Miata Mike]

So far I have shot 150 200 grain LSWC from a Lyman 452460 4 cavity mould with no problems. Also shot 15 230 grain lead round nose commercial with no problems. Love my XDS so far!

[MtGun44]

If it will work with 452460, give H&G 68 a try, it will also work and you may like it more.

BOTH are wonderful designs, but in my experience H&G 68 is a 100% feeder in the overwhelming
majority of 1911s and 452460 is about a 99.5% feeder. Some guns just don't like it.

Bill

[magmoose]

Love my XDs45, but it doesn't like lswc. I'm currently looking at a tc bull from MP Molds #68. My 1911 doesn't like the LSWC either. I'm hoping to feed them both the 68 and/or a 230g LRN from RCBS.

moose

[MostlyLeverGuns]

I have been shooting commercially cast 155 grain SWC and a 200 grain SWC with HP38 in my new little XD-S. The little pistol surprised me when it ran with the 155 grain bullets. The sights are factory set for 230 grain ball so at 25 yards the 155 and 200 grain bullets do shoot low. The 155 grain bullets are much more pleasant to shoot in this very light .45. Again, I am very impressed by how well this Springfield Armory XD-S has functioned. Had it since June 14, about 300 rounds through it, 75 - 155 grain SWC, 200grain SWC and 25 GI Ball with no malfunctions. My 'Real' .45 is a Para-Ord 14-45 Limited, but for around the farm rattlesnakes this little pistol is much more comfortable on my belt.

[oscarflytyer]

New XDs 45. Running MiHec's H&G #68 200 gr LSWC w/ flawless results so far. All my 45s - XDs, Thompson 1911, son's Rem 1911, Ruger BH conv - shoot it very well. I gave up and just sit it on tip of 5 gr of Bullseye and be done with it... makes big ragged hole groups inside 10 yds.

[dnotarianni]

I got an XDm and it eats everything from the 155gr SWC 200SWC and 230 ball without a hickup
Dave

[Rick45Colt]

I will find out next week as my new Mihec .453 cal 200 grain HP mold came in today and plan on casting some on Sunday.

[fredj338]

This is the bullet all my 45acp get now. It runs in everything, loads smoothly in my M625 w/ moon clips too. Casts 205gr from range scrap. It is a Magma mold.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v703/fredj338/45200TCPB.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/fredj338/media/45200TCPB.jpg.html)

[Rick45Colt]

76827
These are the bullets we cast yesterday. The one on the right is from the new MiHec mold.

[blade]

Great info guys.
So I gave it a whirl and I am having some issues. The boolits pics are in my pic album.

I was using a Lee 452 diameter 228 grain round nose and a Lyman 452374 230 grain round nose. The lyman seems to have a longer cone shape.
I am using a RCBS carbide 45 ACP crimping/seating die but I am not crimping with it.

The issue I am having is that the boolit made with the Lee mold is having issues feeding into the XDs. It won't go all the way in the chamber. The Lyman is working better though. I did lube and size the boolits though a lumber/sizer so I am reasonably sure they should be good. I have put the calipers on them and they seem to be true.

So does anyone have any ideas on what I did wrong? I'm mostly sure it had to be something I did.

Pics of the boolits and the slugs are in my pictures. But I also posted them here as well.

779497794777948

[Miata Mike]

I have a feeling the Lee will need to be seated deeper. Have you done a Plunk test? (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?204895-Need-help-with-overall-length-on-a-45acp-load&highlight=plunk+test)

[RobS]

The lee is a 1R ogive where as the Lyman is a more true ball round nose ogive. The XD's do have short throats so much over .040-.050" full diameter front drive band outside the case isn't going to chamber. You will likely have to seat the Lee 452-228-1R to 1.19" minimum in your XDs