Cheap boolit mold for 45 ACP in 1917 S&W revolver

[DonMountain]

I have a 1917 S&W military revolver that shoots 45 ACP using star clips on the back of the cylinder. It seems to shoot Hornady 200 grain lead boolits pretty well and I was hoping to get a mold that makes a semi wadcutter about the same 200 grains to play with. Can anybody suggest a cheap mold for a 200 grain semi-wadcutter sized .452 that works well in the 45 ACP?

[mtgrs737]

You might look at a Lee two cavity mould, they have a clone of the H&G 68 that is pretty close. The Lee is a 200 gr. SWC and the mould and handles run less than $20 at most mail order sites. Get a Lee push thru sizer kit with it and your good to go.

[MtGun44]

Actually, I wouldn't call the Lee SWC 200 gr "pretty close" to an H&G 68, more like "reasonably
similar to look at" and not so similar in dimensions. Longer nose, smaller meplat, not so
much a clone as a pretender. OTOH, for a revolver, it may be absolutely
fine, where it can have some issues with semiautos. And they are very affordable and
work pretty well. Don't smoke the cavity.

IME, these S&W and Colt M1917 revolvers have .456 throats or so, and you need the largest
boolit you can chamber, and/or a fairly warm load with a fast powder like BE, RD or TG to help
bump up the undersized boolit to the throat so it doesn't tilt too much on the long trip
to the barrel. Shoot some unsized, assuming that they are under .456, which is
extremely likely.

Bill

[dubber123]

I personally would look hard at the LEE 200 RF. It shoots right around 2" at 50 yds. from my 625 S&W. Be aware that it just barely makes .452" from my mold, which may not fit the throats too well on an older S&W.

[Mohillbilly]

I have 3 old Colts 2 old Smiths , 1909 , 1917s and 1917 . All shoot best with .454 size boolits , unsized .

[Dale53]

DonMountain;
If you want the best results, you really need to measure the cylinder throats. Further, the 1917 revolver sights are regulated for 230 gr bullets. You may have difficulty finding a Lee mould that is big enough for your revolver (bullets need to be cylinder throat size).

If you can find a Lee mould that will cast large enough for your revolver, the Lee 230 gr TC bullet (I prefer the normal lube grooves) works quite well. The flat meplat gives good terminal effect and the tapered shape works extremely well with moon clips. After you measure your cylinder throats, call Lee and ask them the size their mould will cast using YOUR particular bullet alloy (cast bullets vary considerably in size depending on the alloy).

Just a thought or two...

Dale53

[makicjf]

You might look into a lee 230 truncated cone, either TL or normal. Mine drops just a touch under .454 in the tl version. A bit of beagling with ali tape and you should make .455 or .456 pretty easily. The Truncated cone tl has been a good bullet for me, and dropped a running pig cold from 25 yards at 45 acp hardball velocity. Broke two ribs, popped the lungs and was resting under the skin on the off side. Accurate and potent from my 1911 and various 45 acp revolvers.
Jason

[stu1ritter]

I just measured the throats on my 1917 S&W Commercial model from around 1949 and they are .454. I think you have to measure yours as they are all over the place. I've heard from .452 up to .456. I use pin gauges to measure mine.
Stu