Best mold for heavy 45 LC rifle load

[rickt300]

I have a 16 inch barreled Rossi M92 clone And I am looking for information on the heavier cast bullets that will function in this rifle. I have a LEE mold that makes a 255 gr, RF style bullet but it seems to be a pretty short bullet design though nose shape is acceptable. The rifle will feed Keith style bullets. Would like a bullet in the 290 to 320 grain weight range. Prefer a flat based design.

[Wolfer]

The lee 452-300RF has a somewhat bigger meplat than the 255. Mine casts at 310 gr. It is a gas check design.
It won’t stabilize in my Ruger new Vaquero. I can’t/don’t push it fast enough. With a faster twist or pushed faster it would be a real thumper.

[shortlegs]

I tried a 300gr boolit in marlin rifle, it shot well but was no better than the 255 gr that I normally shoot. The 255 was flatter shooting making 200 yd hits on steel easier.

[Frank V]

Elmer Keith years ago used .45-90 300gr bullets sized down in his .45 Colt. I think he was using black powder. It might work for a modern steel rifle?

[DougGuy]

The heavier you go the more spin it needs to stabilize. If you have a 1:38 twist, a 300 has to be shoved pretty good to get it accurate enough at 100yds for hunting.

[Finn45Colt]

Marlin CB 24" barrel 1:38 twist, NOE 454-285 SWC load VV N110 22gr around 1730fps at muzzle, makes round holes inside 4-5"groups piipsight target standing at 150 meters/164yds. Me likes.

[rickt300]

The Rossi has a 1 in 30 twist. My scheme is to put together a cheap shootemintheass load for feral hogs. Distances are usually well within 50 yards. My property is over run with them and I am running traps, hunting them at night and even see them in the daylight mostly when checking traps. I try to sneak up on them but a lot of times they are running and just as I get my sights on them they are dissapearing into the brush. I want to be able to take those shots and have a good enough blood trail to find them. Of course I also want to break every bone the bullet hits also. Would the 255 grain bullets do this if cast hard? The 280 grain mold made by NOE seems like a good one.

[cwlongshot]

I have the same and my LEE 454-300 RD @ 300g shoots just fine!!

CW

[rickt300]

I want that bullet in plainbase form!

[Finn45Colt]

I cast those NOe boolits from 1:16 tin/lead, pan lubed with my own lube mix beeswax coconut grease and candle. No leading.

[cwlongshot]

250535

250536

[rickt300]

Are you using gas checks CW? Oddly enough I found 400 or so 270 gr. Keith SWC in a box I have been keeping on a shelf for years, must have cast them in the 70's. Going to start with 13.0 grains of Blue dot. My guestimate chronograph figures I will be getting around 1300 fps?

[cwlongshot]

I use a GC if the bullet. Alls for one. Its not needed but I use it.

CW

[Walks]

The Lee #452-255-RF shoot great in my Marlin Cowboy 24", pushing it over max charges of Ruger loads for the old #454190. Which is also a Great Bullet. I favor 2400 for Rifle Loads that hit hard. The longer bbl gives time to completely burn all the 2400.
Tried the Saeco #454 300gr SWC, but it didn't give me the accuracy I wanted. One of the few molds I've ever sold. But no Casull anymore, so didn't really need the mold.

If you trim all your cases to minimum when you start, you'll never have to do it again. And you'll get a very consistent roll crimp, which I've found to really increase accuracy in a Pistol-Caliber Lever Rifle.

[Idaho Mule]

Another mould to consider is RCBS 45-270-SAA. Cast of 16:1 mine drop about 282 gr. I am using Marlin Cowboy with 24" brl. Should get similar results as the above mentioned NOE mould. JW

[Screwbolts]

rickT300, I do not shoot a 45 colt pistol or rifle. I do shoot and have harvested a lot of deer with a smooth sided projectile very similar to the LEE 452-255 RF. In Smokeless muzzle loaders I and my family shoot my hard cast .452 ( water dropped Boolits ) in sabots. from smokeless and and other ML rifles using sabots . I have 3 smooth sided molds for sabot shooting. Verel Smith of LBT made one of my molds. he recommended Hard cast and 1500 FPS muzzle velocity to harvest any North American game. It has been my experience that his advice is spot on. Water drop frosted boolitz from your LEE mold and lube and size for your rifle, Load them for 1500 to 1750 FPS and they will break bones, leave a great wound channel to bleed and or shoot length wise of a hog with no problem.

Hard cast and let the meplat do its thing creating tissue spray as it passes threw.

Ken

[rickt300]

Unexpected good results from old cast bullets. The ones I have been shelving since the 70's, the Lyman Keith 270 gr. bullet. I really didn't have much hope for them as they were a bit beat up (some of them anyway) Loaded the first 6 on top of 14 grains of Blue Dot and they shot just fine but there was a trace of leading near the muzzle about an inch in so I dropped my powder charge to 13 grains and loaded 6 more. before I fired these I shot a jacketed bullet and it wiped all but the merest traces of lead out. I shot four of them into 1 3/4 inches at 75 yards! Having two loaded rounds left and a stockpile of filled water jugs for bullet testing I lined four gallon milk jugs full of water up spaced an inch apart, went back to 75 yards and hit the front one just over the tag. The bullet split all four jugs nicely and went through the 3/4 inch plywood used to hold my targets with, grooved 7 inches of mud before deflecting upward into the berm! I don't think 5 jugs would have stopped the bullet. Think I will pick through the bullets and use the prettiest ones for hunting, I didn't do this for my initial testing. Previously I had decided to use the 240 gr. Sierra HP because I had them. The water jug test with them was not as impressive as that bullet stopped in the 4th jug and didn't even split the third. These were loaded on top of 24.0 grains of IMR 4227 which sure left a lot of unburnt powder in the bore.

[Jeff Michel]

If your getting groups like that, you might consider sending one of those bullets to Tom at Accurate Molds and have him duplicate it. His molds are excellent

[rickt300]

Well I admit to having a 2.5 power scope on the rifle in a scout style and these bullets were made by a mold I owned long ago but gave away when I joined the Navy. I am really considering not getting fully back into casting just yet. I have to find some tin somewhere. Or I could just order some from a casting outfit and not worry about it. And truthfully I expected to get a cast bullet to shoot this well. Years ago when I did a lot of casting bullets I could get very tight groups from 30-06, 303 British and 30-30 military and Thompson Center barrels. Comparable to jacketed bullets. One of my 30-06 rifles would not shoot as well with jacketed as it would with cast.

[sac]

Another mould to consider is RCBS 45-270-SAA. Cast of 16:1 mine drop about 282 gr. I am using Marlin Cowboy with 24" brl. Should get similar results as the above mentioned NOE mould. JW

+1 but use h110

[osteodoc08]

45-270-SAA for me.

[PositiveCaster]

I had great success with the Lee 255RF in both my Winchester M95 Trapper and my short-barreled Ruger BH. Too, the 300 LFN bullet gave a higher-power load in both, although feeding could be a challenging in the M94.


.

[AlaskaMike]

Another vote for the RCBS 45-270-SAA here. Your Rossi 92 should be able to handle "Ruger" level loads just fine, but it's interesting that you found leading near the muzzle with your 14 gr. Blue Dot load, and dropping the load some fixed that. I wonder if the specific lube you had on those bullets had deteriorated since the time you cast them back in the 1970s? I'm assuming you lubed them back then, but if you lubed them recently, then maybe try a different lube?

Maybe there's really nothing to "fix" though--the load you settled on sounds like it has plenty of penetration at 75 yards and is accurate.

[John Van Gelder]

When I lived in Alaska I loaded this bullet in my 94 Winchester .45 Colt, and used the same bullet in my Ruger Blackhawk.

251372

It is the Lee 457 340. This bullet was used in developing some of the early heavy .45 Colt loads for the Blackhawk. It shot well in my Winchester.

[Outpost75]

Larry pressure tested this load for me to use in my Ruger Blackhawk and H&R Handi Rifle.

I've been very satisfied.

251403251405

Slightly exceeds SAAMI MAP for .45 Colt, at 17,400 psi, but well within design limits for modern Colt Clones, Colt New Service M1909 and similar sturdy pre-WW2 smokeless frames.

No issues for Ruger New Model Vaquero, etc.

960 fps for 295-grain bullet with 7.5 grains of Alliant Bullseye from 10-inch Contender.

[rickt300]

Well I concentrated on deer hunting and took three but only one with the cast load from my Rossi. A high shoulder hit dropped a 100 pound doe in her tracks and exited leaving a 1 inch hole. The bullet went through both shoulder blades on the thin end, the spine and out the other side. Pretty clean wound channel a bit over 1 inch in diameter that really didn't change much going through the spine. I also kept this rifle handy in the cab of the truck but no targets of opportunity came around. However hog hunting in earnest begins again.

[rickt300]

The lube which I can't remember who made is red and I don't like it much could be the problem. But still I think I can get away with shooting them up.

[rickt300]

Did you size the bullet down or leave it as cast?

[Outpost75]

Did you size the bullet down or leave it as cast?

As-cast and unsized, 1:30 tin-lead from Roto Metals, Lee Liquid Alox.

[Larry Gibson]

I have a 16 inch barreled Rossi M92 clone And I am looking for information on the heavier cast bullets that will function in this rifle. I have a LEE mold that makes a 255 gr, RF style bullet but it seems to be a pretty short bullet design though nose shape is acceptable. The rifle will feed Keith style bullets. Would like a bullet in the 290 to 320 grain weight range. Prefer a flat based design.

A couple problems with your Rossi M92; first is the 1:30" twist as already mentioned. I had a Rossi M92 rifle (24" barrel) and even with the longer barrel found the heavier Lee 300 gr bullet did not stabilize adequately for best accuracy across the ranges I intended to use the rifle, especially with SAAMI spec loads safe in my Uberti SAAs. Pushing it harder to top end loads it shot reasonably well, at least to 100 yards.

Pushing it at top end Ruger loads could lead potentially to the 2nd problem; the magazine tube was only held in with the barrel band/screw. Under the heavier recoil of several Ruger level loads the magazine tube would walk out and failure to feed would result necessitating disassembly to clear. Rossi solved this problem in heavier recoiling M92s [the 454 Casulls and 44 Magnums(?)] by threading the tube into the receiver. Apparently some don't have this problem but I did. You might check to see if the tube on yours is threaded.

Honestly I think you'll find top end loads such as mentioned by Outpost and tested by me or one of Unique under your 255 lee bullet at 1050 - 1150 fps will shoot quite well and give all the terminal ballistics needed for the pigs.

[rickt300]

It is always something. I feel 270 grains is heavy enough and the speed I am getting with 13.0 grains of Blue Dot seems fast enough. I still have at least three hundred of the 270 gr. bullets so I am good for the summer.

[GSSP]

I had Verl Smith spin me up a 280 gr (drops at 283-285) WFN mold several years back. That air cooled bullet has now been shot accurately in four different guns. Two Ruger Bisley 45 Colts; 3.75" and 5-1/2", a 20" Winchester 1892 and a Taylor (Uberti) 1873. The 3 modern guns all get the same 23 grs of H110, Fed 155 primer in Starline cases. Velocities run 1094, 1152 and 1546, respectively. In the 1873 I run 9.5 gr (SAAMI lower pressures) of Longshot for 1174 fps. So far, only the 1873 has harvested a game animal and that being a mule deer doe at 102 yds and it was quite effective. 260172

[Ramjet-SS]

My Henry 45 LC in the Original rifle is a 1:16 twist so I absolutely intend to shoot the 310 WFN in that rifle cast 90% plumbers lead and some tin and some Linotype mixed in. That rifle is the original style action so 14k loads is all I can use but it should stabilize just fine. That will be my deer hunting rifle this fall.

[Eddie Southgate]

Elmer Keith years ago used .45-90 300gr bullets sized down in his .45 Colt. I think he was using black powder. It might work for a modern steel rifle?


He did, he also decided it was not a good idea after he had a Colt come apart on him while using that bullet . That is when he started working on his line of bullets sold originally by Ideal and now copied by everybody else . In between there was a heavy bullet he had Belding & Mull make the mold for . It was something like the .38 200 gr or the old round nosed .41 bullet . He said it killed well but was only accurate at short range .

Not sure what you are shooting at in Texas now days but if my rifle worked with the Keith bullet that is what I would feed it . If I felt I needed a heavier bullet I would use the 270 version from RCBS . I can't think of a reason to go heavier for anything normally found where you live . The .45 Colt is a great killer at short range but anything over 75 yards to me is not short so that is as far as I am willing to shoot anything with it and at that distance his bullet with the load he developed for it will do all that the cartridge should be expected to do . If I wanted to stretch the distance a hair I would try working up a load with a somewhat lighter bullet to get a hair more speed .

Just my opinion and it's worth just exactly what you paid for it . :coffee:

[Gtrubicon]

Rickt300, you need firepower, at that range an ar with any soft point will thin the herd.

[38Special]

I had Verl Smith spin me up a 280 gr (drops at 283-285) WFN mold several years back. That air cooled bullet has now been shot accurately in four different guns. Two Ruger Bisley 45 Colts; 3.75" and 5-1/2", a 20" Winchester 1892 and a Taylor (Uberti) 1873. The 3 modern guns all get the same 23 grs of H110, Fed 155 primer in Starline cases. Velocities run 1094, 1152 and 1546, respectively. In the 1873 I run 9.5 gr (SAAMI lower pressures) of Longshot for 1174 fps. So far, only the 1873 has harvested a game animal and that being a mule deer doe at 102 yds and it was quite effective. 260172

Drool... is Veral still making molds?

[38Special]

Years ago... the best and the greatest minds here at CB wanted to recreate Elmers Genius and came up with a Heavy 45 Kieth both rifle and pistol. This bullet is a performer, specially with Plain Base checks.

I only wish I owned the 44 cal version now as well.

The group buy was drug in by a character named Cat.. :Fire:


260410


260412

[Gray Fox]

Does anyone on this site sell .44 and .45 plain base gas checks? GF

[cwlongshot]

I was worried about that Rossi Twist rate. But my RD 300g bullet shoots clover leafs at 50 yards. Open sites. I don’t see sights like I used to!!
It’s doing just fine for me!

CW

[cwlongshot]

Does anyone on this site sell .44 and .45 plain base gas checks? GF

Start powder coating. Ya won’t need a gas check till ya start shooting past 2000 FPS!

CW

[DHDeal]

Does anyone on this site sell .44 and .45 plain base gas checks? GF
While this may not be what you were asking, Sage's sells them. I've installed quite a few, and while I had good results with a Lube a Matic, trying to just install them with a Lee die didn't work so well.

They did shoot accurately, though not any better than a PB that was PC'd. In the end I considered it not worth the effort.

[rickt300]

Well It's been almost a year of the Rossi being in my truck and loaded with the Blue Dot load I settled on. I have shot around 150 of them doing general gun chores, killing trapped hogs, taking iffy shots at hogs as they ran off and even shot a few rabbits. I haven't actually cleaned the barrel one time other than ran a clean patch through it and for some reason leading is a thing of the past and it has remained sighted in. So far so good. This little carbine has been a real pleasure to use overall.

[cwlongshot]

Blue Dot is a favorite!

I just used 11g under a 220hp cast soft in a 350 Legend to restock the larder with venison! Plowed in and out leaving 1/2 of one lung and a nearly 2" hole Thru the heart.

CW

[Dinny]

Rick,
Are you familiar with the Lyman 457122? It's a 330gr LHP made for the 45-70 but some have sized it smaller. I mention this because in every test I have conducted that bullet lost it's nose, creating shrapnel, and the base penetrated fairly deep. It's also of RN design so it should feed well. I have a Rossi 92 45 Colt enroute to my FFL and will perform more tests in wet newspaper.

http://www.lasc.us/FryxellOldNewBorrowed.htm
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1010230362

Thanks, Dinny

[rickt300]

The 350 Legend has been calling me, need another toy Hah!

[rickt300]

I have heard of it and somewhere I think I have a similar mold that is not a hollow point. I was thinking about casting some and running them through a sizer and trying it but it is floating around in the mists of time shooting ducks with Fred Kimble lining the abyss of things I haven't seen in years yet know it is here somewhere.

[cwlongshot]

Rich. Its a common shape for Lyman and there is at least 3-4 using same profile only weight differences.

CW

[rickt300]

Found it! Or should I say I looked for a couple hours and the wife says "What are you looking so hard for?" And I said trying to describe it to her as a square piece of iron with a flat piece of metal screwed to the top of it. She says look in one of them coffee cans and goes back to cooking dinner. Last time I saw it was around a year ago, had it sitting next to the computer as I was trying to identify it. She had just cleaned up and put it in a coffee can of irregular stuff that surrounds me. And she remembered doing it. Lucky this time she didn't say "if you would put your stuff up you would know where it is wouldn't you"? I am too smart in my old age to say it couldn't have been there even a couple of days before you hid it from me. It is a 457191 two holer. Guess now I will have to cast some bullets with it.

[cwlongshot]

Thats a favorite in my 450 Bushmaster!! As stated it and many Lyman molds drop
Small and mine is no different. It sizes down to .453 easy and shoots very well. Its just shy of 300 in my alloy.

CW

[rickt300]

Thats a favorite in my 450 Bushmaster!! As stated it and many Lyman molds drop
Small and mine is no different. It sizes down to .453 easy and shoots very well. Its just shy of 300 in my alloy.

CW

If my Rossi will stabilize it I will load up all my empty brass with it. Good looking bullet.

[cwlongshot]

Many comment and worry. But in my experience they will stabulize. Mine shoots the 300+ g LEE. Bullet just fine.

CW

[rickt300]

Just got back from checking the cows, what a muddy mess. We have had a bunch of rain the last week or so. Ended up muddy as you can get with your shoes on. I cleaned off my boots enough to get back in the truck and while I was using a stick to get the mud out of my rubber boot lugs I hear something crossing the plowed field behind me. I lean the seat forward and get the Rossi which has been there loaded almost continually for as long as I have had it. Turns out to be a medium sized feral hog at the bottom of the field having slow going. First shot a hit and I saw the bullet hit the mud on the other side, second shot another hit and the pig rolls and starts trying to get back up, third shot down and kicking. Another good hog. Didn't even consider going over to look closely at it and I could tell it was solid coated with good ole Texas clay mud. This is the kind of use I have been getting out of the Rossi regularly for a while. I usually have it and a dedicated coyote rifle behind the seat and the Rossi rides on top of it. Next stop was the car wash. If I had to snivel the only thing I can come up with is that the back of the chamber is more than a little oversize which leaves a good bulge that is sized back to spec. I haven't lost any cases yet but I may retire some of them soon just to be safe.

[cwlongshot]

Good show!!

[John Van Gelder]

283181

I have this bullet is the lee 457-340 I size them down to 452 and load over 19 Gr. of H 110 for my 94 Winchester I used the same load in my Blackhawk.

[PositiveCaster]

I’ve used that Lee 340 bullet in my M94 Trapper for many years. Ahead of 26.0 grains of Reloder 7 it gives 1378 fps in the Trapper’s short barrel (use at your own risk, start five grains lower!). Accuracy is very decent, especially the first three shots. It would be a better hunting bullet if the meplat was wider, but it penetrates like nobody’s business.

[John Van Gelder]

A heavy load in the .45 Colt out of a rifle is pretty close to the old black powder .45-70 load. My 340 gr., bullet load in my Blackhawk will penetrate twice as many 1" plywood panels as a standard 240 gr. cast .44 magnum load.

[rickt300]

Well I can see the bottom of the box of long ago cast semi wadcutters. I ordered a .452 LEE sizer and cast some of the 457191 with a mix of very soft lead and wheel weights 50/50.Pan lubed with some old brown lube I sized them and will soon shoot some using a Paco Kelly load of H110 for somewhere in the 1500fps area from the 16 inch barrel. Got a feeling that steel butt plate is going to greet my shoulder with gusto.

[cwlongshot]

I have also used the 191 bullet in both the Bushmaster and Colt. Its a dandy in the bushmaster bolt pushed hard powdercoated!!

I always liked my 325 LBT as my heavy for the 45 Colt. But I loaned it and it never came home. So my heavy is the Lee 452-300. I have a MP 300 RUGER bullet. That shoots great and gets real good velocity but is way long and cannot feed.

CW

[Greg S]

WFN or WLFN @ 300-325 with a freight train of slow power, i.e. 300MP, H110 ect with an OAL of 1.650 (reliable feeding).

This is AKA Buffalo Bore 325 WFN @ 1325 in a pistol.

[Castaway]

Original post asked about a heavy bullet/mould. The 270 RCBS bullet drops about 280+ for me with a 1:20 mix. The coverall profile allows it to be seated “long” in the case and maximizes what will fit in a Black Hawk cylinder. It cycles flawlessly in my Win 92 and gives good accuracy in each. The Keith design cuts a full diameter hole in anything it happens to contact after leaving the barrel. The down side is, I could never get it to shoot well in a Rossi 92. What would be 1.5”-2.0” in my Win 92 would be 12”-14” in the Rossi at 50 yards. There are a lot of experts here that may have their opinion, but I think the accuracy problem in the Rossi comes back to the slow twist, which would be exacerbated by the heavy bullet.

[sixshot]

A 250-260 gr bullet at 1100 fps will pretty much handle anything in north america with ease. The heavier bullets are just added insurance. That 325 gr bullet at 1325 fps that Greg S. mentions is what I used a few months ago to take a Cape Buffalo in Africa. The first shot was complete penetration (water quenched) dropped it straight down, the second shot really wasn't needed but it stood back up & a second shot put it back down on all fours.
Heavy bullets have there place on really big stuff but I've rarely recovered a 260 gr bullet on elk or bears in 50 years.
https://i.imgur.com/O3yJj60h.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/U0ZiAtAh.jpg

Dick

[rickt300]

I just happen to have this particular mold which I want to try before I buy another. I have the 255 gr. Lee flat nose bullet mold which I will try powder coated soon but I think I will end up with the RCBS 270 gr. SAA mold before all is said and done. Gotta have toys to play with.

[smkummer]

I have been reading this post from the beginning and eagerly looking for rickt300 updates as I am a 45 colt shooter in both rifle and handgun. My neighbor uses a Win. 94 45 colt with factory win. or rem. 255 grain handgun ammo and maybe gets 1050-1100 fps out of his 20” barrel. It drops Indiana deer dead in it’s tracks. Rickt300 load would be a bonus with its big flat point. No doubt if the range is far enough, that after the bang, you could actually hear the bullet make a “whop” sound as it punches through the hog. I am going to experiment a bit more with Lyman’s 255 SWC but 454190 RF feeds so good in my lever rifle I just keep using it.

[cwlongshot]

I have really really been liking the LEE 45-255-rf bullet. Very nice meplat and seats deep for use in levers without issue.

The 6cav just rains bullets!

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1010210353



CW

[sixshot]

Ha! you better have a lot of ingots ready when you use that mold! The bullets are going to pile up in a hurry.

Dick

[rickt300]

Thought I would update this a bit. The 457191 powder coated and sized to .452 is great in my lever gun and my muzzleloaders. With the lever gun I stuck with 13 gr. of Blue Dot. Just guessing I figure a bit more than 1200fps. I picked up a LEE 255 gr. mold and cast both bullets at the same time alternating molds and giving them both the .452 sizing. Out of the Muzzleloader I have shot them both with as little as 60 grs. of 3F to as much as 100grains. My Muzzleloaders in particular are a Firehawk and an Encore. Both shoot a bit better than the Rossi. Interesting that in both rifles the 255 and 300 gr. bullets shoot close enough that I have no reason to resight either to use them. The Firehawk has a very slow twist of 1-38 but still runs the 300 grain bullet very nicely. The Encore likes the Black smooth sabot and the Firehawk like the Harvester black crush rib sabot. The LEE bullet gives a bit less recoil with full loads. Was hoping to use it deer hunting already but cracked a couple ribs and walking is too painful. Finally went to the doctor today got tired of the wife whining about it. Got Xrays but no diagnosis yet, hoping for the best.

[versa-06]

Rickt300; Prayers going up for your quick recovery. -06

[pls1911]

All the suggestions above are very good.
I have both the RCBS 270 and the Lee 300. I can't refer to target accuracy, but can guarantee great results from Marlins and Ruger Blackhawks/Redhawks.
Nine grains of Unique probably isn't optimal, but it does the job wonderfully, putting pigs down from about any angle due to superb penetration.

[cwlongshot]

I have a new favorite...

MP 454/308 with various HP Pins.

Casts beautifully as expected. Shoots magnificently! I havent played with many alloys yet sticking with a BHN equlivent to COWW thats more malleable.

But loaded so far in 454 but two guns is shooting and preforming very well. Taking for deer later this month so hope ta see what the small HP does. Dont expect to recover one.

CW

I did do a video on the mold.

https://youtu.be/MGAa0ouPNFs?si=QsRYVREtQldNQdgA

[versa-06]

Deer season will be starting here soon & I'll be using the LEE 452-255 RF through one of my 454's. From what I'm understanding is that full penetration is a definite & the meplat is plenty for tissue damage. Boy my 38-55's are gonna be mad cause I didn't use them first. -06

[Castaway]

I’ve used the Lee 255 RNFP on many deer and pigs without any complaints about penetration or performance. I really like the large meplat and the round nose reliably feeds in my lever actions

[cwlongshot]

That LEE 452-255 rf bullet has long been a favorite for my traditional sa pistols. It seats deeply and offers far better meplat then traditional RF bullet yet is no longer. The 454424 is great but is long for some cyl this lee offers darn close meplat dims.
That RCBS saa270 is another dandy & this MP 454/308 is very close in dims and look.

I compared 300s in my new 454 Rossi choosing the RCBS 45-300 swc, the mp 454-308 W/small hp, LEE 452-300 & Lyman 452651. All shot very well about 2.5" average @ 50 yards. RCBS eas least accurste & 651 & 308 most accurate. The LEE was solid 2" Lyman & MP often shot touching 1.25". I tried H110, 4227 & 2400. Finally choosing 2400. Velocities for all ran 1550-1600 fps. Drop out @ 100 was 4 -4.5" siting 1" high @ 50 made 100 under 3" lo.

This gun will be back up/ rain gun this season.

CW

[quilbilly]

The Lee mold you have is the one I use for my Henry 45. It shoots very well and feeds beautifully. I have also used the Lee 200 gr. RF and it also shoots and feed well. Using my alloy, the 255 gr mold actually drops boolits at 265 and the 200 at 215 gr. The loads are 5.8 gr of Bullseye (mv1045) for the 215's and 8.0 gr of Red Dot with the 265's (mv1070). No speed records set but very pleasant in both the revolver and the rifle.

[rickt300]

I have a new favorite...

MP 454/308 with various HP Pins.

Casts beautifully as expected. Shoots magnificently! I havent played with many alloys yet sticking with a BHN equlivent to COWW thats more malleable.

But loaded so far in 454 but two guns is shooting and preforming very well. Taking for deer later this month so hope ta see what the small HP does. Dont expect to recover one.

CW

I did do a video on the mold.

https://youtu.be/MGAa0ouPNFs?si=QsRYVREtQldNQdgA


Geez I really don't need another mold but I like that one. They removed your video for some reason.

[rickt300]

While looking at that mold I spotted this one. Hmmmmm

https://www.mp-molds.com/product/45-colt-carbine-275-grain-hollow-point-mold-multi-choice/

[cwlongshot]

NOE BLK Friday Sale got me using Full Lead Taco's code I got 25% off...

I ordered a 2 cav 454-360 mold.

Its a long bullet @ .900. Very very remicent of my MP 454-297 Ruger Only Mold. But heavier.

CW

[Outpost75]

Bullet Larry pressure tested for me is Accurate 45-290H.

[rickt300]

NOE BLK Friday Sale got me using Full Lead Taco's code I got 25% off...

I ordered a 2 cav 454-360 mold.

Its a long bullet @ .900. Very very remicent of my MP 454-297 Ruger Only Mold. But heavier.

CW

Looked into my 45 mold collection and found a almost new Keith style 260 grain Arsenal mold. Never cast any bullets from it myself.

[cwlongshot]

Looked into my 45 mold collection and found a almost new Keith style 260 grain Arsenal mold. Never cast any bullets from it myself.


Hahahaha. Yup!

My NOE Mold was just dropped on my doorstep!!

CW

[rickt300]

Getting cool enough to do some casting. Actually shot up most of what I cast last year.

[cowboy4evr]

I have the original H&G 501, The Elmer Keiths design 255 gr swc . It is an exceptional accurate design . I have found great favor with the LEE 255 RNFP as well . Those 2 designs do all I need . They both feed in my Rossi 45 Colt model 92 . Regards Paul

[cwlongshot]

I have the original H&G 501, The Elmer Keiths design 255 gr swc . It is an exceptional accurate design . I have found great favor with the LEE 255 RNFP as well . Those 2 designs do all I need . They both feed in my Rossi 45 Colt model 92 . Regards Paul
Empty cases feed in my Rossi 45 Colt!! ;)

[rickt300]

Empty cases feed in my Rossi 45 Colt!! ;)

Well the design featuring a large chamber near the rim helps. So far other than being a little picky about overall length with SWC designs everything feeds in my Rossi also.

[cwlongshot]

Well the design featuring a large chamber near the rim helps. So far other than being a little picky about overall length with SWC designs everything feeds in my Rossi also.. Aint this Winchester 1892 design awesome! ;)

[rickt300]

. Aint this Winchester 1892 design awesome! ;)

Yep so was the 1886. Pretty heavy rifles though. Still If I were to run onto a reasonably priced 1886 I might bite.

[pdgoutdoors]

My Marlin 94 really likes the MP 454640 CB's. Depending on the pins they can range anywhere from 260-290gr with range scrap. The Penta HP gets me a 261 grainer and solid pin gives be about a 290 grainer. They shoot extremely accuratly. I have yet to try it on game.

[cwlongshot]

I just received the MP 45–2 70 SAA mold and it cast beautifully. I've had the RCBS for a while but always wanted the hollowpoint version since receiving a bag of them from somebody here on the board to test. Just beautiful bullets. The MP is just a tad bigger than the RCBS because it's big Hollow point in my clip on wheel weigh. Allway comes in at about 268 grains. And of course the smaller hollowpoint is a little heavier and the solid is a little heavier yet where with the RCBS mold the same alloy runs about 272 or 273 grains. Last month I bought the MP four 54–308 mold and I'm liking that a lot as well. It's very close looking to this 270g bullet.

[versa-06]

Post #61 said it all for me. Not much need in more weight when penetration is so good at pistol velocities. Now put those 250-260 projectiles at carbine or rifle velocities and it gets even better. -06

[Tripplebeards]

I have a giant pile of the Lee .452, 300 grain flat noses all casted up, powder coated, and hornady gas checked. They are color-coded in one green increments and ready for action. I used them in my 450 bushmaster. I’d be interested in selling or swapping some since they’re more than I’ll ever use. They’re around 15/16 BH. I was getting MOA accuracy with them pushed hard (2,200 to 2650 fps) out of the American.

[Eddie Southgate]

Elmer Keith years ago used .45-90 300gr bullets sized down in his .45 Colt. I think he was using black powder. It might work for a modern steel rifle?

But he eventually ruined the gun he shot it in.

[Eddie Southgate]

I have a 16 inch barreled Rossi M92 clone And I am looking for information on the heavier cast bullets that will function in this rifle. I have a LEE mold that makes a 255 gr, RF style bullet but it seems to be a pretty short bullet design though nose shape is acceptable. The rifle will feed Keith style bullets. Would like a bullet in the 290 to 320 grain weight range. Prefer a flat based design.

I use the 454424 version of the Keith bullet from an original Ideal mold and the RCBS 45 -270 - SAA mold . One is an actual original Keith bullet and the other is a heavier RCBS copy of the Keith style. That's about as heavy as I see any need for. If a heavier bullet is needed I use a 45-70 Marlin instead.