Hensley & Gibbs #59 - 45 Colt 250gr. {Photos}

[Texasflyboy]

Picked up this Hensley & Gibbs #59 mold a few weeks ago and today was the first day to cast with it....

http://users2.ev1.net/~eastus1/molds/59_3.jpg


It shows as casting bullets .454, but they drop from the mold at ~.457~. Sizing down to .452 for my Colt Clone didn't reveal too much smearing, but the number of lube grooves and their spacing required adjustment of my Star sizer which was set for the Lyman 452424. Fiddling with the seating die resulted in filled out lube grooves.

The mold was a bit finicky at first, requiring a second and third cleaning to get it spotless. I preheated on an electric stove, but the first 10-15 projectiles were wrinkled. So, using a trick from the past, I concentrated on just this mold (I was also casting other molds at the time) and ran about 20 sets through as fast as I could get the sprue to harden up. Pretty soon the bullets were evenly frosted as they dropped out. I then cooled the mold briefly, and slowed my pace considerably. Problem solved. The bullets started falling out like shucked peas, nice and shiny.

I cast about 280 after culling. I weighed about 25, average weight was about ~248~ grains with deviations less than 1/2 grain either side.

I am in the process of loading up about 100 for a range session. Load is mixed headstamp cases, all trimmed to minimum spec. Winchester large pistol primers. Load is about ~6.5~ to ~7.0~ grains of Winchester 231. With the Lyman 452424, this load gives about ~775~ to ~800~ fps at 6 feet from the muzzle. Since this projectile has a much larger portion of the bullet inside the case I have decreased my normal .45 Colt load 10%.

I will post after action photos once I return from the range.

Post note: One interesting aspect of this mold is its very early design. The Hensley & Gibbs factory ledger shows the first cherry cut at the beginning of World War II, at a time hand loading, and shooting sports, was in hiatus due to the war effort (or so I am led to believe from numerous references). This particular mold appears to have been made during World War II, as its characteristics are unique to early Hensley & Gibbs molds. It is one of the earliest production H&G molds I have ever seen.

Here is one more photo:

http://users2.ev1.net/~eastus1/molds/HG59.jpg

For those interested in learning more about Hensley & Gibbs bullet molds, visit my website:

Hensley & Gibbs Bullet Mold Web Page (http://users2.ev1.net/~eastus1/Casting/hgmoldchart.htm)

[Char-Gar]

My eyeball tells me you seated/crimped the bullet to/in the scrapper groove instead of the crimp groove, one groove South. Any reason why?

[Bret4207]

That resembles the old Belding and Mull designs with that blunt nose. Neat looking thumper.

[Texasflyboy]

My eyeball tells me you seated/crimped the bullet to/in the scrapper groove instead of the crimp groove, one groove South. Any reason why?

You have a good eye.

Two questions:

What is a scraper groove?

Where is the crimp groove?

Thanks for the tip. This is a new mold for me, and I didn't know about the scraper groove, which I assume to be for blackpowder.

And the other poster is correct, this design is based on a Bedding & Mull bullet which Hensley & Gibbs copied for a customer.

[Texasflyboy]

OK, I think I have the error figured out...

This seems to be the right way...
http://users2.ev1.net/~eastus1/molds/59_4.jpg

Thanks for pointing out my error.

[Bret4207]

Yup, the scaper groove idea is that any fouling will collect there and not booger up the rest of the boolit. How well it works is open to argument. With smokeless powders I think it's a moot point mostly. With black it might be a big help. There have been a few rifle boolit designs with a scraper/extra lube gorrve way out on the nose. These are bore rider types, heavy for the cal, with loooong noses. The original lyman 266645 (I think) was an example.

[45 2.1]

I've worked with a series of Lyman mold # 311241. Different versions either had a dirt groove or not depending on when it was made. The dirt groove versions shoot better than the versions without it in all cases. Controlled groups and the same components were used. IMHO, I would rather have the dirt groove on any rifle bullet than not have it.

[Texasflyboy]

Well here are the range results from today's session. H&G # 79 shoot a bit low for my Uberti SAA clone. Groups were nice and I was able to hit all the steel I shot at. This one is a keeper.

http://users2.ev1.net/~eastus1/molds/79_13.jpg

[robertbank]

Interesting, I cast for my .41LC and the Lyman 194 gr. Heel base bullet has a "scrapper" grove on teh boolit. Could not figure out what the heck it was for. Now I know. Thanks.

Stay Safe