looking for a 45acp mold

[Strtspdlx]

So recently I've become very interested in finding a load for my 45 that has the potential to "mimic" a 38 special or 357 magnum load. I found load data for a 150~gn bullet in 45acp that runs about 1223fps. So off I went on the search for a 150gn mold. To my displeasure it was not easily found using a Google search. Could someone point me in the direction of a good place I may be able to find Such a mold. I don't care of the cavity count I'm just interested in pursuing this idea of mine. Thanks.

[B. Lumpkin]

NOE has a 155 gr SWC listed. Should be spec'd for clip on wheel weight alloy. I'd cast them out of lino and have a blast.

[Strtspdlx]

Thank you very much.

[B. Lumpkin]

No problem at all, and please report back with your results!

[OptimusPanda]

Slightly unrelated to the mold but I'm curious what you're gonna shoot 'em out of?

[Strtspdlx]

I have a s&w m&p in 45acp. It would be more related if I had a revolver. But I don't and funds don't allow the purchase of a revolver so I'm going with what I have.

[sghart3578]

I use the Lee 452-160-RF mold in my 1911. I size it to .451". Loaded over 9.5 gr of AA #5 I get around 1100 fps and it cycles flawlessly. My OAL is 1.124". It looks too short but it works.

Also, if you have not found a mold yet, Dardas bullets sells 150 gr LSWC's for .45's. My son buys these for his HK USP.

[seagiant]

Hi,
If you forget the 155, and go with a 200 grain boolit you have a lot more options and a bigger chance of finding a GREAT mold, used!!!

The Mihec, NOE, LBT, even a 6 cav LEE are all options and I would go with one that mimics the H&P#68 boolit!

[HeavyMetal]

the lightweight 150/155 grain 45 ACP mold was a fad in the 90's everyone thought they could replace the 38 super race guns with a 45 ACP race gun's

running 1200 FPS with a 150 grin SWC.

My experience with said mold, Lee made a few, was good velocity but mediocre accuracy!

Apparently I wasn't the only one who had this experience because the 150 grain 45 ACP load has gone the way of the dinosaur!

Once in awhile the thought comes back and it runs a cycle of trial and error but if the big boys aren't using it in national matches than it doesn't work!!

I will remind you of Colonel Cooper's mantra: Speed, Accuracy, Power! a balance of all three makes a self defense round.

so here's a few thoughts passed on through to years:

Speeds fine, Accuracy is final!

You can't make a 25 ACP into a 44 Magnum!

Magazine capacity is not a substitute for Marksmanship!

If you need more gun than a 44 Magnum stop beating around the bush and call in an air strike!

Play around with the 150 grain 45 ACP load, it's nice to have a hobby, but don't expect much from the effort.

Now if you still want to have an auto pistol with 357 ballistics get yourself a CZ in 40 S&W and load 145 to 150 grain boolits at 1200 to 1300 FPS!

This bore size give you more bearing area and better accuracy that the same weight boolits in the 45 ACP or stick to a load using one of the many 200 grain HP or SWC molds made for the 45 ACP and stick to the 800 to 900 FPS range and you'll be a lot happier I think!

Just my 2 cents!

HM

[Strtspdlx]

Hi,
If you forget the 155, and go with a 200 grain boolit you have a lot more options and a bigger chance of finding a GREAT mold, used!!!

The Mihec, NOE, LBT, even a 6 cav LEE are all options and I would go with one that mimics the H&P#68 boolit!

i do have a 4-5 #68 "clones". Of which the RCBS shoots best. I was more concerned with velocity. I think 1200fps in a 45 would be interesting. So far my gun doesn't prefer the #68 for accuracy although the rcbs bullet cycles flawlessly at about 200 rounds through the gun. Accuracy isn't as good as my H&G #130 but that boolit doesn't have 100% reliability. More or less I'm looking to spend some time trying to mimic a 357. Can it be done or am I the person to do it. I highly doubt it. But I think it would be fun.

[Strtspdlx]

the lightweight 150/155 grain 45 ACP mold was a fad in the 90's everyone thought they could replace the 38 super race guns with a 45 ACP race gun's

running 1200 FPS with a 150 grin SWC.

My experience with said mold, Lee made a few, was good velocity but mediocre accuracy!

Apparently I wasn't the only one who had this experience because the 150 grain 45 ACP load has gone the way of the dinosaur!

Once in awhile the thought comes back and it runs a cycle of trial and error but if the big boys aren't using it in national matches than it doesn't work!!

I will remind you of Colonel Cooper's mantra: Speed, Accuracy, Power! a balance of all three makes a self defense round.

so here's a few thoughts passed on through to years:

Speeds fine, Accuracy is final!

You can't make a 25 ACP into a 44 Magnum!

Magazine capacity is not a substitute for Marksmanship!

If you need more gun than a 44 Magnum stop beating around the bush and call in an air strike!

Play around with the 150 grain 45 ACP load, it's nice to have a hobby, but don't expect much from the effort.

Now if you still want to have an auto pistol with 357 ballistics get yourself a CZ in 40 S&W and load 145 to 150 grain boolits at 1200 to 1300 FPS!

This bore size give you more bearing area and better accuracy that the same weight boolits in the 45 ACP or stick to a load using one of the many 200 grain HP or SWC molds made for the 45 ACP and stick to the 800 to 900 FPS range and you'll be a lot happier I think!

Just my 2 cents!

HM

Mid still like to try it. Just to say I did it. Wether or not I can do it is questionable but I have to work with what I have for now. One day I'll have the money to buy a revolver in 357. Right now however the funds aren't there. So I'm going to attempt to make what I have "work". The way I see it, it should only be an investment of a $150 mold. It will be replaced with a gp100 at some point. But that's in the distant future.

[seagiant]

Hi,
Here is my LBT LFN!

It has the same height as the #68, so I can go from one boolit to another without having to reset the dies!

[Freightman]

I used the Lee 160 gr in my 1811 with so so results then used it in my 1858 BP revolver much better.

[HeavyMetal]

Freightman

That 1811 is a little before my time, LOL!

[Strtspdlx]

Sorry i I don't know all the acronyms. What's lbt Lfn?


Hi,
Here is my LBT LFN!

It has the same height as the #68, so I can go from one boolit to another without having to reset the dies!

[HeavyMetal]

Dude!!

LBT is: Lead Bullet Technology, the mold maker, LFN means Lead Flat Nose, or Large Flat Nose, depending on who's writing the story which is a boolit design

[EDK]

The LEE 452 160 was fine BUT 2 cavity moulds don't cut it for me.

I have a H&G original 68, an ACCURATE 45-175B, and a LEE 452 230 TC. I run all of them in GLOCK 30S and 41. I'd suggest you have ACCURATE cut you a custom lightweight.

[seagiant]

Hi,
LFN means Long Flat Nose!

WFN means Wide Flat Nose!

If you want the best little cast boolit book ever written...

Get the little blue cast boolit book, from Lead Bullet Tech!!!

http://lbtmoulds.com/

http://lbtmoulds.com/books.shtml

[nagantguy]

Hi,
LFN means Long Flat Nose!

WFN means Wide Flat Nose!

If you want the best little cast boolit book ever written...

Get the little blue cast boolit book, from Lead Bullet Tech!!!

http://lbtmoulds.com/

http://lbtmoulds.com/books.shtml

thank you for the link on the book, and I do understand that OPs desire to experiment and stay in budget, years ago I played around with turning a .45 acp into a real hammer, heavy boolits and bullets fast powders ect, 45 mag, 460 Rowland and on and on, didn't do anything my 44s couldn't already do but I found my sweet spot on .45acp, a 200 grain projectile going about 900 fps. imagine that played around and found out what many others had already found, the .45 acp is not nor was it intended to be a 45 long colt.

[birddog]

Accurate mold 45-160S is in the book. See what you think
Charlie

[Beerd]

Be a lot easier to "mimic" the 38 Special+p; 200gr at 890'/sec.
..

[Good Cheer]

Other paths to glory...
Take a medium weight round nose with a good reliably feeding profile and have it pinned for great big weight reducing hollow points. The round tippy top of the nose never gets missed. And if you ever wanted it to go splat, just tone down the alloy a little. In essence you will be duplicating the #452374 hollow point but doing it with a boolit that you already know will work for you. Did this with #452484 and it worked out very well.
Something else I want to try with 45ACP is the light weight Lyman hollow base #454068 cast with high enough in tin alloy to hold together. It has plenty of barrel contact length with light weight. Got one for percussion .44's years ago and then life decided I would go do other stuff. You know, that job thing that really interferes with fun sometimes. So the mold is sitting there in the toy box waiting.

[Boolseye]

I tend to agree with others–the 200 grainer is a nice weight for .45. I have the Lee 160 mold but don't use it much. I think it was designed for .45 Colt. That said, 4.5 grains of BE under that boolit or a 160 grain SWC is a good load. Cycles good and pretty accurate. Sounds like you may have a .357 SIG in your future. SIG and Federal had the same idea is you a couple decades ago. Also the HP idea-NOE makes a 187 gr. HP that will offer up 4-500 foot lbs. of energy and excellent accuracy in the .45. 'Course, once you're through buying these fancy molds ya coulda just got that revolver...

[Strtspdlx]

Sorry everyone life kind got me again. I'm still procuring the parts to venture into this theory to see if I can do it. I may order the lbt book as I feel like I can never have too many references. Keep the info coming. I really do enjoy learning.