Let's talk 185 gr 45 ACP Boolits

[Matt_G]

Which moulds do you guys have in this category and which ones do you like best?
I have a 2-cav Lyman 452488. It's a good mould, my only regret is that I didn't buy a 4-cav.
My Colt 1991A1 loves this bullet, though I have to admit, it seems to like the 452460 just as much.
Now I see that Lyman has discontinued it. Guess it worked to well. :roll:

I would really like to find a H&G 130, but the odds are long on that.
Seems the 452488 was a copy of that H&G.
Anyone here have a Ballisti-Cast 730?
I'd be interested in hearing a review on that mould. A pic of a bullet out of it would be great as well.

Looking at the Redding catalog, it looks to me like the Saeco 130 could be a fairly close copy of the 452488.
Anyone here have one of those?

Has a group buy ever been done on this style of .45 ACP boolit?
Closest I found while searching is the H&G 68 copy, but that's a 200 gr boolit.

I know there has to be a wealth of knowledge on this subject here.
I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts on these boolits. :D

BTW, I have found another 2-Cav 452488 mould. Guy wants 62.50 for it, brand new in box.
I don't know whether to grab it or just part with the money for a new Ballisti-Cast 730, or a Saeco for that matter...

[fecmech]

I have the Saeco 185 swc which I think is their version of the H&G 130. Excellent 50 yd bullseye bullet ove 3.8 grs. of Bullseye powder. If it's not in the 10 ring there is only one guy to blame!

[HeavyMetal]

I have a Saeco 131 which is the same mold as the Saeco 130 which is the same as the H&G and Lyman 452488.

The only difference is the 131 has a bevel base on it! I have shot a bunch of the 130 and the 131 ( both Saeco numbers) and can't tell the difference.

Switched back in the day to the H&G 68 style boolit since I thought it was a bit easier to make major with. The 131 has been holding down a spot in my mold stash since the 70's!

If you can find a place that sells the Saeco's at less than list price and doesn't have a back order issue you can't beat the quality!

[Willbird]

One odd thing about 185 cast bullets, using the same charge of bullseye as a 200 nets a LOWER velocity with a 185 than with a 200, at least in the target type loadings.

Bill

[GabbyM]

Here is a photo of one from my 4 cavity H&G #130 I bought off ebay last year. The Saeco would be the same bullet. Look up the price on a new Balisti-Cast mold before you bid up one on ebay.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=32&pictureid=407

[Dale53]

I have an H&G #130 four cavity and it is my most favorite mould. I use it regularly and it shoots EXTREMELY well (well under 1" at 25 yards with my 1911's AND my 625 Smiths. Using ww/2% tin they weigh 195 grs.

I also have two Saeco four cavity #68 moulds and they cast, with my alloy, about 190 grs.

The H&G is the easiest mould I have ever cast with. The Saeco is a close second. Either should do really well. The Saeco has less bullet in the case so heavy loads give less pressure per grain of powder (the Saeco is arguably a bit better for heavy loads and the H&G a bit better for target velocity).

However, either will work near perfectly for either task. You DO have to watch the powder charge with the #130 (you can't use just any 200 gr data source due to the difference in seating depth).

Dale53

[mtgrs737]

I bought a used 4 cavity H&G 130 off a gentleman at the last big Tulsa Gun Show. It is my favorite mould to cast with. The boolits just drop out upon opening! It casts clean sharp boolits that feed and shoot well. I have even loaded a few in 45 colt cases for reduced loads in my Vaquero. I gave $70 with handles and it was the "buy of the show" for me. Now if I could just find a flat based #68 in four cavity! LOL!

[Calamity Jake]

Don't over look the RCBS 45-185, it only comes in a 2 cav. but it is a good shooter

[Kraschenbirn]

Magma has (or had, anyway) moulds for their machines that dropped a bevel-base 185-grainer with a slightly longer nose - something very similar in profile to the H&G #68 - that seems to feed more reliably in all my 1911s. I used to buy these in bulk from the old Bull-X Company and squirreled away a few thousand when the original owner retired and sold the business. Glad that I did, 'cause the buyer went in the tank (bankruptcy) after about three years and all the remaining equipment (How 'bout 10 or so Magma Pro-Casters w/moulds and a half-dozen Dillon 1050s w/die sets for about $.25 on the dollar?) and supplies were sold off in a foreclosure auction within a year after that. Still got 3 unopened 500-round cartons on hand but wish I had some more.

Bill

[Matt_G]

Thanks all.

Fecmech, you wouldn't happen to have a pic of that Saeco boolit you could post, would ya?
BTW, mine shoots the 452488 and 452460 like a house on fire as well. :drinks:

Calamity Jake, the one thing I don't like about that RCBS is the BB. I hate wiping lube off of bases.

I'm still torn between taking the cheap route by buying that other 452488 and just run both moulds, OR just coughing up the money for a new Ballisti-Cast #730 or Saeco #130.

I'm leaning towards the expensive route.

Here's a pic of the 452488 to compare to GabbyM's photo of the H&G 130. (Thanks for posting that!)
Sorry for the piss-poor quality. Ansel Adams I'm not. [smilie=l:

http://i442.photobucket.com/albums/qq149/mwg47x/Lyman_452488006.jpg

[686]

matt g i just talked to lyman and thjey have not droped the 452460 mold and do have more in the making right now. i have brought up about lee droping there 190 gr swc fb 2 lube groves. i like the long barrel riding and would like the same profile with a single lube grove and a slight , very slight bb.

[686]

what about the saeco # 065 mold? it is a 180 gr swc bb bullet. i like the bb bullets. it cast easer. loads easer and shoots good. i do not have leading any different than flat base bullets. the 065 has a little longer nose loke some liks but noe as long as the h&g 68, that i do not like. well it is the short bottom that i do not like. the lyman 200 gr 452460 and old lee 190 gr look almost the same. i have both and some times have to look at them beside each other to tell them apart.

[ddeaton]

My 130 drops at 194 with ww lead. I havent loaded or shot any yet. They seem to be a tad small on the diameter also, they just about fall through the .452 sizer. I am looking forward to shooting some. I have some lighter recoil springs coming from Wolfe for my 1911. The HG sure casts a lot nicer than the Lee's do.

[Calamity Jake]

"Calamity Jake, the one thing I don't like about that RCBS is the BB. I hate wiping lube off of bases."

Mat, you need to get in the habbit of wiping bases anyway, BB or no BB, you don't want any lube on the base when loading.

[Matt_G]

Mat, you need to get in the habbit of wiping bases anyway, BB or no BB, you don't want any lube on the base when loading.

Your right and I do wipe them. I usually get very little on the bases, therefore very little to wipe off.
I've always assumed the BB would make this much worse, which is why I have never owned a BB mould.
It probably wouldn't be as bad as I think, and I won't let that stop me from buying a BB mould in the future.