Lyman 450229

[Thumbcocker]

Rummaging around in my mold boxes I found this mold that I bought several years ago to get the handles. I know it is for cap and ball revolvers. Anyone have any experience within in an Old Army?

[yeahbub]

No experience with it at all, but I have a question; Is it a hollow-point? I ask because the Lyman illustration lists it as a 155gr boolit, yet shows the stubbier 450225 ball-nose as 170gr. I thought if the 450229 was longer, but lighter, there had to be a reason.

The Old Army I once owned had .453 chambers and my 255gr Lee RNFP cast .452. I solved the problem by paper patching, sizing .454 and then sizing the base band .452. Laborious? Yep. Worked like a charm, though. The base band would drop right in and the remainder was a moderately stiff press fit. I used a card wad and a cookie of 541 to keep the fouling soft and smear of 541 on the paper to ease their entry. If that 450229 casts .450, it would be a good candidate.

[square butte]

Hollow Base