Accurate boolit for .45 Colt

[snaketail]

I’ve been buying cast boolits for the past two years and want to start casing my own now. I shoot a .45 rifle that likes 250gr, .454 for Cowboy Silhouette competition.

I’ve read most of this web site and know I have an interesting journey is store when working up an accurate load for the rifle. I’d like to start with a recognized “accurate boolit” mold – but need your help finding which one is best.

I’m currently loading a 250gr RNFN .454 diameter boolit with 10gr of Unique. Accuracy is acceptable, but I think I can do better.

Can any of you suggest that mold I should purchase? Round or flat nose and no hollow-points.


Michael

[osteodoc08]

I love the RCBS 45-270-SAA bullet. I use it for target and plinking. I just loaded up over 500 a few months ago behind a healthy dose of HS-6 for my Smith 45LC mountain gun and Marlin CB Limited.

[square butte]

What rifle are you shooting? If a Winchester 73 or 66 repro. - Overall cart. length might be an important factor in your selection

[GBertolet]

I like 7.5 gr 231 with the Lyman 250gr 452644 cowboy RNFP bullet. Delivers 1075 fps from my 24" Marlin CBL. This is pretty close to the traditional ballistics. Recoil is very light. I do not shoot competition, but rather I use this rifle as a fun gun. Everyone at the range wants to shoot the cowboy rifle. Even non shooters want to try it. Even though my bore is .451, I like the bullets oversized also, and shoot them as cast diameter, as I feel they shoot more accurate. 2 inch groups at 50 yards are the norm with aperature sights if I do my part. Might even do better if I had a scope on it.

[KCSO]

I still use and like the old Ideal/ Lyman 454091 the old standard 255 rnfp. I also like the lee 200 grain bullet of the same style.

[454PB]

My .45 Colt lever gun is actually a Puma .454 Casull. I've found it doesn't like to feed a SWC smoothly, but the old Lyman 454190 feeds perfectly. However, for "serious" loads, I use either the Lee 315 gr. GC or Lyman 452651 GC. Both require crimping in the bottom groove when used in the longer .454 brass.

[missionary5155]

Greetings
I have two 92 Rossi's that are about 20 years apart in age. Both shoot the 255 grain Lee rnfn very well with 17-18.5 grains of 2400. For practice I run WW. For hunting I use 50-50.
For a large target under 50 yards where pristine accuracy is not greatly needed I can up that charge a bit more and take on mean nasty bitty things. Accuracy will still be no more than 3.5 inches at that 50 yards with WW from both carbines. These are not the loads to pop the "Cowboy" wangers with.
Mike in Peru

[snaketail]

I'm shooting the 45s Rossi 454 Casull. I've found that .452s lead the barrel, but 454s do not. I've loaded RNFP and SWC and both cycle well. My targets range from 40 to 200 meters - lever action silhouette.

My real worry is that I'll cheap out and buy something like the Lee 255gr RNFP and then discover that it drops .452 boolits...too small for my lever gun and too heavy for my 1911.

I found a 454-250F Ohaus mold on eBay...any thoughts on this one for a lever gun? My other choice is the 270gr RCBS.

M

[HiVelocity]

Michael-

You can't go wrong with Lee's DC 452-255-RF; retails for $26.00; unless you want to buy a like mold at twice the cost. This is a flat RN design made for the .45 Colt. I can't see using anything else since you don't hunt with this particular rifle. Just food for thought.

HV

[sghart3578]

Second vote for Lee 452-255-RF. I shoot it from 6.6 gr HP-38 plinkers to 20 gr of 2400 in my Ruger Vaquero and Rossi 92.

[snaketail]

The 452-255 Lee is tempting, but I need to .454 diameter boolit - do you know what size the boolit is when it comes out of the mold?
I'm just trying to not make so many mistakes and have to buy everything twice (if you know what I mean).

Michael

The commercial boolits that are .452 and don't shoot well in my Rossi 92. And they lead my barrel. I bought some .454s and things got much better.

[dubber123]

The 452-255 Lee is tempting, but I need to .454 diameter boolit - do you know what size the boolit is when it comes out of the mold?
I'm just trying to not make so many mistakes and have to buy everything twice (if you know what I mean).

Michael

The commercial boolits that are .452 and don't shoot well in my Rossi 92. And they lead my barrel. I bought some .454s and things got much better.

I would not want to bet on getting one to cast much larger than .452". They weren't meant to, so it's not a slam, they will just likely be too small for you. Lapping is an option, but .002" is a fair amount to lap one out. I have a pair of older 454190's, and both cast at .454"+, and are a very accurate design.

[snaketail]

Thank you sir.
Looks looks I'll have to buy the expensive dies.
Michael

[bangerjim]

Agree with the Lee 255. I also cast and shoot the Lee 160rf, 200swc, 230tc2r, 252swc and 300rf in my rifles. All sized to 452 and work for me with PC. If you need 454, save up your $$ for much more expensive molds.

You MIGHT (?) be able to PC the 452's and run them thru a 454 die. The PC will add a few thou. I only use one ES gun coat and unsized, it adds .002 B4 sizing. The PC does NOT come off during sizing! Check the Harbor Freight gun for $59 (-25% coupon). I use their matte black powder for everything. Cheap at ~$5.50/#. Once you do PC, you will never go back to grease.

Happy experimenting!

bangerjim

[fouronesix]

snaketail,
Unless you're shooting longer range competition... recoil, reacquisition and cycle time are enemies in CAS-- you might think about a 200 RNFP .454" over 5-5.5 gr of Trailboss.

[snaketail]

Not shooting CAS - Am shooting Lever Action Silhouette. Speed not a factor.

And bangerjim, what is PC? I'm new to this.

Michael

[bangerjim]

Not shooting CAS - Am shooting Lever Action Silhouette. Speed not a factor.

And bangerjim, what is PC? I'm new to this.

Michael

PC = Powder Coated.

Check out the stickey on PC'ing boolits.

I prefer the REAL, ACCURATE way of doing it as the powder was engineered to be applied.....electrostatic discharge gun from Harbor Freight or Eastwood. I have had NO luck using the liquid slopping or dry tumble method.

I will not take the time to spell out all the advantages of PC'ing........just read all the stickies. There are a lot of them! Over the past months many of us on here have honed this tecnnique to a science. It is very successful.

Basically PC eliminates greasy old lubes, exlensive Lubra-Sizer sizing machines, smoke, AND .......leading!!!!!!!!!


bangerjim

[fouronesix]

Not shooting CAS - Am shooting Lever Action Silhouette. Speed not a factor.

And bangerjim, what is PC? I'm new to this.

Michael

OK! I never said the type load I suggested wasn't accurate! You never stated the ranges you were shooting in the LEVER ACTION SILHOUETTE. Longer ranges (that's a relative term and was never defined in the OP anyway) may favor a heavier bullet if needed to topple the sillywet. But a heavier bullet or even a faster bullet carrying more momentum that's not accurate and doesn't hit the metal has ZERO advantage.

[DanWalker]

See if Mihec has any molds leftover from our Hammer boolit GB. Casts at .460 and sizes down to whatever diameter you need.

[AlanF]

You might find this discussion helpful:
http://www.shootersforum.com/marlin-1894-lever-guns/22882-lyman-457122-m1894.html

[snaketail]

AlanF
Thanks for the link. That is the best info yet.

[RobS]

http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/product_info.php?cPath=41&products_id=163&osCsid=sgmffu76gsigr41qh4876go2i2

[RobS]

Or you can go here and look. Tom at Accurate Molds will cut a custom make if you don't see what you want........he has made several molds to my specifications. www.accuratemolds.com

[w30wcf]

AlanF,
Thank you for posting that link. THat bullet would be the best choice for harder set 200 meter rams. :grin:

Snaketail,
In looking at the available options for a 250 gr. bullet.....since you are shooting at distances beyond 100 yards I would suggest a bullet that is a little more streamlined. The Lyman 452190 that was mentioned is pretty much ideal and can be purchased from Accurate molds in the diameter of one's choosing. The only thing is that the meplat is slightly smaller than the primer and it does not have a crimp groove. It was originally designed to crimp over the lower portion of the ogive.
http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=45-250D-D.png

I have worked with the Accurate 45-260B at extended distances (300 meters / 327 yards) and it shot very well with black powder which is what I designed that bullet for. Thus there is no crimp groove and I roll the crimp over the front of the top driving band. It also shoots well with smokeless but I have not tested it with smokeless beyond 100 yards.
http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=45-260B-D.png

Based on my experience, if I were to choose a bullet that had a crimp groove in the 250 gr weight for longer distance shooting with smokeless, it would be the Accurate 45-250Y.
http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=45-250Y-D.png

Good luck,
w30wcf

[snaketail]

This is great info - thanks guys!
M

[Good Cheer]

This is an all around kinda .454 mold.
http://i791.photobucket.com/albums/yy192/SNARGLEFLERK/adjustable45_zps8651f1de.jpg (http://s791.photobucket.com/user/SNARGLEFLERK/media/adjustable45_zps8651f1de.jpg.html)

[btroj]

http://i1348.photobucket.com/albums/p733/Btroj/image_zpsf1334105.jpg (http://s1348.photobucket.com/user/Btroj/media/image_zpsf1334105.jpg.html)

Mine goes closer to 300 than the spec'd 280 or so but man does it shoot well. This was a Lee GB from years a go, great mould. Cahoots kinda heavy flat nose. All I shoot in my Blackhawk or Marln anymore.

[TXGunNut]

I have a Lyman 454424 that works fine in my SAA's and clones over BP. Reviews I've read on the Lee mould say it drops @ .454 but it'll cost you $20 plus shipping to find out. Not sure if NOE is making a version of RD's 45 Colt boolit, maybe heavier than you want but should function fine in a levergun.

[pmer]

http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=45-300G-D.png

Here's a heavy hitting boolit Tom made for my Rossi, feeds good in the lever action and I have used it in muzzle loaders too. It has traditional nose length.

[snaketail]

Has anyone tried Beartooth Bullets - the have a 300gr and a 340gr that they claim are accurate.
M

[jonp]

I’ve been buying cast boolits for the past two years and want to start casing my own now. I shoot a .45 rifle that likes 250gr, .454 for Cowboy Silhouette competition.

I’ve read most of this web site and know I have an interesting journey is store when working up an accurate load for the rifle. I’d like to start with a recognized “accurate boolit” mold – but need your help finding which one is best.

I’m currently loading a 250gr RNFN .454 diameter boolit with 10gr of Unique.Accuracy is acceptable, but I think I can do better.

Can any of you suggest that mold I should purchase? Round or flat nose and no hollow-points.


Michael

Thats kinda hot, it's a 1 grain or so over max in my books. Your not experiencing any problems with this load?

[snaketail]

10gr (and 10.4gr) of Unique has not given me any high-pressure signs - the rifle is a .454 Casull. I have since changed to 8.4gr of Unique to help eliminate leading issues.

[historicfirearms]

The lee 452-250-rf that I just bought last month drops WW at .453. It is the new style two cavity.