45acp

[Russman]

What’s everyone thought on the best 45acp bullet to cast.Dont even have a 1911 yet but I might as well get me some bullets made for when I get one!

[kmw1954]

There are a good many number of 45acp molds available. In my case I found out the hard way that the Springfield XD Mod2 has serious problems with a SWC profile. It all has to do with the ejecting round catching on the lip of the next following round. From what I have read is Springfield made a modification to the XDm slide and that remedied the problem. I also ran into this problem with my Tanfoglio Witness. It may be worth while to obtain the gun then try some precast 1st.

[lightman]

The old standby 230 grain round nose is never a bad choice. My favorite is any one of the Hensly & Gibbs #68 clones.

[Bazoo]

The Lyman 452374 or the RCBS equivalent would be my choice. RN bullets run without aggravation compared to the TC or SWC varieties. The lee TL452-230-2R does well too if money for a mould is tight.

[Hickory]

The old standby 230 grain round nose is never a bad choice. My favorite is any one of the Hensly & Gibbs #68 clones.

Those two are the ones I'd chose also.
Because those are the two that I shoot.

[megasupermagnum]

I'm a very small sample size, but I have yet to see a 230 gr RN shoot great. That includes cast or the standard FMJ. They can be good for sure, but never past your usual 2-3" at 25 yards or so. They should feed good though.

If all you want is an accurate target bullet, then let me recommend the Arsenal 453-210 Grain TC – H&G 68 Bullet. Feeds like a dream too.

[Winger Ed.]

For a 1911 that's even a little tricked out, the 200 TC is hard to beat.

It is or was a big time favorite for competition shooters.

[Plate plinker]

Depends on the task at hand for the gun. H&G 68 can cover most my needs if not all.

[scattershot]

Personally, I prefer the 200 grain SWC style. In 230 grain, the truncated cone design feeds well and is a good choice.

[DougGuy]

When you do get a 1911, look in the barrel and if it has rifling running right down to the chamber mouth/headspace ledge, get the barrel throated then you can run whatever boolit you choose, seated out ever how long you want to seat it, as long as it will cycle through the magazine, and enjoy your newfound hobby!!

[sghart3578]

I have excellent results with the Lee 200 gr LSWC, sized to .451" and loaded over 5 gr of Bullseye.

I shoot a stock Auto Ordnance with GI sights.

[OS OK]

I've run them all in my Colt Commander, had it throated so it'll handle the Lee RNFP...a notorious cast for the un-throated pistol but a cool looking and I'm sure hard hitting cast.

After all the various casts and then getting this un-throated Kimber, my all time favorite is the Lyman 452374 RN...it just runs and runs and runs.


https://i.imgur.com/BrHe9bh.jpg

[tazman]

DougGuy makes a good point. I had him throat the barrel in my 1911 and it feeds/chambers anything.
Unfortunately, I own a couple of 45ACP pistols that have hardened barrels, making having them throated problematic. I am getting away from the semi-wadcutter boolits for that reason. They feed fine but won't chamber consistently.
The Lee 452-200-rf serves well for these guns and still works well in the 1911. There may be some small difference in accuracy, but I can't tell the difference without using a solid rest.
My handheld group sizes have not changed any by using it. It is fast becoming my boolit of choice for 45ACP.

[DougGuy]

DougGuy makes a good point. I had him throat the barrel in my 1911 and it feeds/chambers anything.
Unfortunately, I own a couple of 45ACP pistols that have hardened barrels, making having them throated problematic.

Throating salt bath hardened barrels no problem, it just costs more because carbide reamers are the only thing that will cut one and they are 3x and 4x the cost of a HSS reamer.

The ones I don't do, are the case hardened barrels. You can't "shave" case hard it just doesn't work that way.

[DonHowe]

H&G 68, hands down.

[2wheelDuke]

The old standby 230 grain round nose is never a bad choice. My favorite is any one of the Hensly & Gibbs #68 clones.

2 very solid choices there.

I honestly can't decide which I like better in a 1911, the classic H&G 68, or the Mihec 200gr RNHP.

[ole_270]

I cast with three Lee molds, 452-200 swc, 452-200 rf, and the 452-230TC. my Sig 1911 stainless target has been throated by Doug and all three feed great. I’m not good enough to tell the difference on the target so don’t really have a favorite. I tend to load the 230 and rf at hard ball velocities, and the swc at 750-800.

[tazman]

Throating salt bath hardened barrels no problem, it just costs more because carbide reamers are the only thing that will cut one and they are 3x and 4x the cost of a HSS reamer.

The ones I don't do, are the case hardened barrels. You can't "shave" case hard it just doesn't work that way.

Which category do the Springfield XDm barrels fall into?

[WRideout]

After my impulse purchase of a Star PD in 45 auto, I acquired a one cavity Lyman 452406 SWC 200 gr. Cast with range scrap sweetened with a little tin, it does not lead the barrel with target velocity loads, and is boringly accurate.

BTW: if and when you ever need boolits to experiment with, you can always work a trade with people on this forum. Every time I have posted about wanting to try a new boolit, members have sent me a box for free. I have also contributed when I can.

Wayne

[Taterhead]

The Lee clone of the HG 68 runs great in a 1911! I've been using up some old DuPont 700-X and then I will move on to WST.

[FLINTNFIRE]

My friend has a springfield xdm in 45acp , it has a match chamber and I had to adjust my seating for his pistol when he comes to load rounds , I have been extremely lucky in pistols from what I see and read here , and some are unique for loading for ,but then some brands are more cast friendly , I am using lee 6 cavity molds and several other noe and mp , hollow points and solids , as cast powder coated , for the 45acp and a swc hollow point mp mold all function and feed fine and have not determined which is my favorite yet , same with the pistols am shooting rock island 1911 , glock41 , hi point carbine and semi auto thompson and a safari arms with a remington rand slide , use some of those same bullets in the uberti clones 45 colt

[Kevins750]

250 round nose
230 Lee TC

[DougGuy]

Which category do the Springfield XDm barrels fall into?

Springfield says all of their poly framed models feature hardened barrels.

[Bigslug]

258509

From a loading and shooting standpoint, 1911's like the LBT 230gr LFN a lot. Seat it to where the ogive starts at the case mouth, and there are no problems with tight throats. This also happens to put it at perfect COAL. The feel when they feed is like they're not feeding anything - very smooth. The flat nose also hits hard and it has great penetration capability with hard alloys.4

I've since been playing with the similar NOE Ranch Dog because I wanted the same concept in a tumble lube slug.

[kmw1954]

The Lee clone of the HG 68 runs great in a 1911! I've been using up some old DuPont 700-X and then I will move on to WST.

I just had that same mold and really wished I could have gotten it to run in my Tanfoglio Witness and Springfield XD Mod2. It was casting very nice and very consistent bullets. The XD wouldn't feed a single round which later I found was an inherent problem due to a design in the slide. Also found that the XDm had a design change made to the slide to remedy this.

[tazman]

I just had that same mold and really wished I could have gotten it to run in my Tanfoglio Witness and Springfield XD Mod2. It was casting very nice and very consistent bullets. The XD wouldn't feed a single round which later I found was an inherent problem due to a design in the slide. Also found that the XDm had a design change made to the slide to remedy this.

I remember that thread.
That is why I started loading the Lee 452-200-RF. It works in any of the pistols perfectly(1911, XD, and XDm).
Any 45ACP pistol I have owned that would feed a Lyman 452374(230 gr RN) would also feed the Lee 200 RF.
It shoots quite well. It just doesn't cut the really pretty holes on paper target that the semi wadcutters do.

[daloper]

My go to bullet is the 452460 SWC at 200gr. I have that mold in the Lyman 4 cav. and I just picked up the 6 cav. clone from MP molds. When the weather warms I will put it to good use.

[tazman]

My go to bullet is the 452460 SWC at 200gr. I have that mold in the Lyman 4 cav. and I just picked up the 6 cav. clone from MP molds. When the weather warms I will put it to good use.

My 1911 loves that boolit. My striker fired pistols, not so much.

[kmw1954]

taxman I was finally able to shoot those Lee 200gr RNFP the other day and They functioned well in both the Tanfoglio Witness and the XD Mod2. The witness liked them and shot nice groups, the XD Mod2 didn't like them and shot patterns.

I am now working on a Lyman 452374 RN and once again found it has to be seated very deeply in order to pass the plunk test. Lyman book shows data start length at 1.272" and I have to push it down to 1.250" to get them to seat and turn in the Witness.

[Burnt Fingers]

The Lyman 452630, or RCBS 201-KT it's discontinued but I saw one on eBay the other day. I like the 200 SWC with a longer nose than the Lyman 452640 or the H&G 68 or any number of other short nosed 200 gr SWC boolits.

I've got somewhere in the neighborhood of 18 different 200-215 gr SWC molds for the .45 ACP.

The RCBS-201KT is my absolute favorite, however it's only available as a two cavity mold. The Lyman 452630 is VERY close to the same boolit, albeit with a beveled base. I finally latched on to a older four cavity mold and it's going to be my goto boolit once I run through the 45 lbs of the RCBS boolits.

I also prefer the RCBS 225 gr RN over the Lyman 452374. The RCBS 225 has more taper in the body, this makes it so you can load it longer in those tight chambers.

I picked up a Springfield XDM competition last summer. It HATES short boolits. Won't feed them at all. H&G 130, Lyman 452460, 452488, and others of the ilk stop that gun cold. It has no problems with the boolits I've mentioned above.

[Burnt Fingers]

taxman I was finally able to shoot those Lee 200gr RNFP the other day and They functioned well in both the Tanfoglio Witness and the XD Mod2. The witness liked them and shot nice groups, the XD Mod2 didn't like them and shot patterns.

I am now working on a Lyman 452374 RN and once again found it has to be seated very deeply in order to pass the plunk test. Lyman book shows data start length at 1.272" and I have to push it down to 1.250" to get them to seat and turn in the Witness.

Track down an RCBS 225 RN. It's not as fat.

[kmw1954]

Track down an RCBS 225 RN. It's not as fat.

I am starting to believe this barrel has little to no freebore. If I load to where the bullet just starts to stick in the barrel and I rotate the bullet, when I pull it out I can see a mark just above the case mouth in the bullet but see no marks from the rifling. I've seen this now on the SWC, RNFP and this new RN.

[tazman]

taxman I was finally able to shoot those Lee 200gr RNFP the other day and They functioned well in both the Tanfoglio Witness and the XD Mod2. The witness liked them and shot nice groups, the XD Mod2 didn't like them and shot patterns.

I am now working on a Lyman 452374 RN and once again found it has to be seated very deeply in order to pass the plunk test. Lyman book shows data start length at 1.272" and I have to push it down to 1.250" to get them to seat and turn in the Witness.


That particular .020 shouldn't matter much in the scheme of things. Just back off the powder charge a tenth or two.
The 45 ACP is a low pressure cartridge. It won't build up dangerous pressures due to OAL differences nearly as fast as a 9mm would.

The Lyman 452630, or RCBS 201-KT it's discontinued but I saw one on eBay the other day. I like the 200 SWC with a longer nose than the Lyman 452640 or the H&G 68 or any number of other short nosed 200 gr SWC boolits.

I've got somewhere in the neighborhood of 18 different 200-215 gr SWC molds for the .45 ACP.

The RCBS-201KT is my absolute favorite, however it's only available as a two cavity mold. The Lyman 452630 is VERY close to the same boolit, albeit with a beveled base. I finally latched on to a older four cavity mold and it's going to be my goto boolit once I run through the 45 lbs of the RCBS boolits.

I also prefer the RCBS 225 gr RN over the Lyman 452374. The RCBS 225 has more taper in the body, this makes it so you can load it longer in those tight chambers.

I picked up a Springfield XDM competition last summer. It HATES short boolits. Won't feed them at all. H&G 130, Lyman 452460, 452488, and others of the ilk stop that gun cold. It has no problems with the boolits I've mentioned above.

This just goes to show that each gun makes it's own rules. My XDm competition loves those shorter boolits and shoots them well. Go figure.

[kmw1954]

That particular .020 shouldn't matter much in the scheme of things. Just back off the powder charge a tenth or two.
The 45 ACP is a low pressure cartridge. It won't build up dangerous pressures due to OAL differences nearly as fast as a 9mm would.

Agreed, the Lee 200gr. RNFP I had to seat all the way down to 1.110" when I started and used a AA@2 starting load of 5.0gr and reduced it to 4.9gr and that was still very stout. I now have some tests loaded at 4.4gr of AA#2 and was able to move the bullet out .010" to 1.120"..

Hope this conversation is helping out the OP!

[Win94ae]

Round nose cast bullets don't work in my 45acps, (the wider bullet gets stopped by the lands,) so I use the Lee 200gr SWCs with great results.

[gwpercle]

Lyman 452460 200 grain SWC has worked in every 45 acp I have owned with no modifications to
any :

Colt Standard Government model
Colt Commander
Colt Gold Cup
A 2nd Commander
Star Model PS (1911 w/o grip safety)
AMT Hardballer
Auto Ordnance 1911

That boolit won a few trophies at local indoor bullseye and service matches for me ... I LIKE IT !
Gary

[Chihuahua Floyd]

The Lee 200g SWC has a very rounded profile for a SWC. I have run it in a couple of 1911s and Marlin lever guns.
CF

[Taterhead]

258509

From a loading and shooting standpoint, 1911's like the LBT 230gr LFN a lot. Seat it to where the ogive starts at the case mouth, and there are no problems with tight throats. This also happens to put it at perfect COAL. The feel when they feed is like they're not feeding anything - very smooth. The flat nose also hits hard and it has great penetration capability with hard alloys.4

I've since been playing with the similar NOE Ranch Dog because I wanted the same concept in a tumble lube slug.

That LBT looks like an awesome profile!

[nicholst55]

My go to bullet is the 452460 SWC at 200gr. I have that mold in the Lyman 4 cav. and I just picked up the 6 cav. clone from MP molds. When the weather warms I will put it to good use.

Back in the day, I used to shoot this bullet in all my 1911s, even the ones that belonged to Uncle. With just a little bit of polishing done to the feed ramp, an otherwise stock 1911 would gobble these up! I still use this bullet, but I don't have any 1911s that belong to Uncle these days.

[maxfam]

My Dan Wesson 1911's like a 200 grain flat point that is actually a 45Colt bullet. I haven't cast for the ACP yet. I will sometime soon.

[Petrol & Powder]

My 1911 45 ACP shooting falls into two separate eras. The first era was dominated by 230 grain bullets and the second era is almost entirely 200 gr SWC.
From my limited experience, the H&G #68 (or some clone of that profile) is hard to beat as an all-around bullet in 45 ACP. I'm using the SAECO #69, which is the flat base 200gr SWC and I can find no fault with that bullet.

Going over 230 grains is hard on the gun, even with a heavier recoil spring. Plus it consumes more lead per round.
Going lighter than 200 grains usually requires a lighter recoil spring if target velocities are the norm. I've never been impressed with lightweight 45 ACP bullets; the low recoil has its place in some target shooting applications but it loses most of the other attributes of the 45 ACP.

That puts us in the 200 - 230 grain range - which isn't a bad place to be for that cartridge.

My vote is for some 200 grain SWC !

[ioon44]

I also vote for the H&G style 200 gr SWC, I have been using it for the last 35 years in a lot of 1911's and every one else I know uses it also.

[Russman]

Sorry I haven’t posted since I started this thread but a lot of good responses!I ordered the lee 230 gr tc.If it doesn’t work for the gun I get I will melt me down and get a new mold,lol

[Walks]

Kinda depends on what you want from your Pistol.
Do you want light target loads ?
Or Heavy Ball loads ?
Or something in between ?

I'll start with a Hardball load;
Lyman #452374(225gr) or Lee #452-230-TC over close to max charges of W231 or Unique.

A very soft load for paper punching, with a light spring in a 1911 would be the old Lyman #452488, a stubby WC over a Light charge of Bullseye. A 1911 needs a very good ramp&throat job to feed this Load. But Very Accurate.

A fine in between load is an H&G 68 or one of the many Clones.
I've used the RCBS #452-201-SWC a lot the last 20+yrs, had 3 molds for awhile. 2 where marked SWC & one was marked KT. Not a penny's difference between them. RCBS told me years ago that Elmer Keith complained about using his "name" so they changed it to SWC.
I just got a MP 200gr Brass mold to cast an #68 clone, looking forward to using it.

Over close to a max charge of W231 I get good accuracy and perfect feeding in either of My Colt 1911's.

[PNW_Steve]

Personally, I prefer the 200 grain SWC style. In 230 grain, the truncated cone design feeds well and is a good choice.

I have killed more paper with .45 200gr SWC than any other bullet. I used to buy them from Raineer Ballistics 2000-3000 at a time.

If I had to pick one gun and one load for maximum enjoyment it would be a mild load with the 200gr SWC and a 1911. I enjoy seeing one ragged hole on my targets :)

K

[bigboredad]

258509

From a loading and shooting standpoint, 1911's like the LBT 230gr LFN a lot. Seat it to where the ogive starts at the case mouth, and there are no problems with tight throats. This also happens to put it at perfect COAL. The feel when they feed is like they're not feeding anything - very smooth. The flat nose also hits hard and it has great penetration capability with hard alloys.4

I've since been playing with the similar NOE Ranch Dog because I wanted the same concept in a tumble lube slug.That is a good looking bullet I have been lusting over the last few months.

Sent from my SM-T377V using Tapatalk

[Texas by God]

Sorry I haven’t posted since I started this thread but a lot of good responses!I ordered the lee 230 gr tc.If it doesn’t work for the gun I get I will melt me down and get a new mold,lol
I think you made a good choice. I’m liking that one more each time I use it, actually.

[Hossfly]

What’s everyone thought on the best 45acp bullet to cast.Dont even have a 1911 yet but I might as well get me some bullets made for when I get one!

I’m sorta in the same boat. My oldest son just won an auction CZ97, 45acp, so I’ve started to make him some Lee 200 gr RNFP as I’ve acquired 1500 once fired cases, cheap. So I don’t own a 45acp to try them out, just have a case guage. Now I (need) one also, may just get one for the wife, she needs one.

[Hossfly]

Now will have to build a boolit trap to catch those heavy suckers,this is a fun hobby.

[kmw1954]

I’m sorta in the same boat. My oldest son just won an auction CZ97, 45acp, so I’ve started to make him some Lee 200 gr RNFP as I’ve acquired 1500 once fired cases, cheap. So I don’t own a 45acp to try them out, just have a case guage. Now I (need) one also, may just get one for the wife, she needs one.

I would suggest to not get carried away loading up yet. From what I have learned so far is that CZ and Tanfoglio have very tight, short chambers. My witness would not cycle SWC profiles and with the Lee 452-200 RNFP I had to load it down to 1.120" and the Lyman 452374 the Lyman manual lists a starting length of 1.272" and I had to seat that bullet down to 1.250" to get them to seat and plunk in and out.

I'll be watching to see what you come up with!

[Hossfly]

I would suggest to not get carried away loading up yet. From what I have learned so far is that CZ and Tanfoglio have very tight, short chambers. My witness would not cycle SWC profiles and with the Lee 452-200 RNFP I had to load it down to 1.120" and the Lyman 452374 the Lyman manual lists a starting length of 1.272" and I had to seat that bullet down to 1.250" to get them to seat and plunk in and out.

I'll be watching to see what you come up with!

I’ll wait till he gets it and does some shooting and measuring before i make a bunch. Dillon is set up for 9mm right now and have several hundred to go till I’m out of cases anyway.

Then will set up to do the 45s.

[kmw1954]

If that CZ is like my Witness it's going to be great fun to shoot. I've almost given up on my 9mm.

I am also working up a load with a Lyman 225gr RN and cannot wait to try these too.

[cowboy4evr]

I have only 1 45acp hand gun , a Sig 1911 . I cast the Lee 452-230 RN Tumble lube bullet . I either tumble lube them or powder coat . Either shoots with great accuracy and feeds well in my gun . Regards, Paul

[Daver7]

I've always liked a 200 grain bullet, H&G-68 for paper targets and a lee RNFP for steel targets.

[Russman]

I already have a bullet trap I bought off of eBay.Its a heavy duty sucker.Dont remember who I got it from but there is always one up for action.You should check it out.If your patient you can get one for around 130.00 I believe.

[mjwcaster]

I would suggest to not get carried away loading up yet. From what I have learned so far is that CZ and Tanfoglio have very tight, short chambers. My witness would not cycle SWC profiles and with the Lee 452-200 RNFP I had to load it down to 1.120" and the Lyman 452374 the Lyman manual lists a starting length of 1.272" and I had to seat that bullet down to 1.250" to get them to seat and plunk in and out.

I'll be watching to see what you come up with!

I second this.
When I was just starting out reloading I didn’t have my gun (xd45) with me and just used a case gauge to check rounds.

When shot a round got jammed so hard into the rifling I about had to beat the slide open.
That gun has no throat at all and it was a very weird bullet (commercial cast) RN with a step in the body.
I had to show the bullet to other reloaders as they didn’t believe me when I tried to describe it.

I now only trust the plunk test and my pretty chamber gauge sits unused some where.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[kmw1954]

We also have an XD Mod2 to go along with the Witness 45acp. The XD is tight and short but the Witness is even tighter and shorter than the XD.

[Iowa Fox]

My wife bought me a old 4 cav 452460 with handles in the original box years before I owned a 1911. Its one of the sweetest molds I own, easy pouring and the 4 bullets fall out when you open the handles.

[GONRA]

GONRA votes for lightman.

[Bigslug]

Looks like Tom at Accurate Molds has a copy of the LBT: http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=45-230A-D.png

If you're looking for aluminum, it's going to be REALLY hard to beat the original from LBT for ability to cast great bullets fast, but it's hard to say what Veral's current production is into. Accurate CNC system lets you pretty easily customize dimensions and his delivery is FAST even if you DON'T consider that each order as a custom mold.

[Casper29]

Have excellent results with the 6 cavity lee round nose

[David2011]

Another HG 68 clone fan.

I also like the 452374 because it is an original FMJ clone.