Lee 200 Rount-Flat in XD-45

[Willbird]

I have had a 4" service model xd-45(45 acp) for some time now. I learned early on they HATE semiwadcutters. I read up a bit on XDtalk about the matter and the consensus is that the case that is being ejected strikes the semi-wadcutter shoulder on the live round in the magazine...thus masking a mess. Anyway more or less the gun does not work with semiwadcutters.

I went to order a 230 Truncated Cone 6 banger, none to be had. SOoooo I ordered a 200 Round-flat 6 banger.

Well, it WORKS great. I tried a few different seating depths and the gun gobbles up any seating depth within reason and asks for more.

I have been working with universal clays, started at 5.8 grains and worked up to 6.2 grains, everything worked great.

I will have some accuracy data later on.

Bill

[Curly James]

It works well in my S&W 1911 and my Colt. I used mostly Unique powder and found it to be very accurate and reliable. How are you lubing yours?
I am tumble lubing them at this time but will try something else soon. The Lee TC 230 grain is also a very good boolit in a 45 ACP. I have that one in a six banger and with the addition of a Redhawk 45 Colt may go looking for the 200 rnfp in a six cavity.

[Willbird]

I am running mine thru a Star lubesizer. If I got a vote I could do without the crimp groove in the 200rf because it is not needed or wanted in a cartridge that is taper crimped.

Bill

[Curly James]

Hmm....sounds like a good design for a group buy, and all Lee would have to do is leave off the crimp groove. To balance the weight back to 200 grains they could make the lube groove a little wider/deeper. I presently taper the crimp to just above the crimp groove but you're right it would be nice to adjust the OAL a little more. What do you think Bill? Group buy if we can get the interest.

[Willbird]

Are you saying you seat them with the lube groove showing, or covered by the case mouth ? In my gun leaving the groove showing seems to start engraving rifling when you chamber the round.

What would interest me more for a GB would be to create a bullet that had the same external profile when seated as some of the common premium self defense ammo like Federal Hydrashock

Bill

[OBXPilgrim]

I seat em to where the case mouth covers the crimp groove. Shoot great in my Colt 1911, won't in my bro's Ruger P90 (only RN is 100% reliable in his - 230gr TC is maybe 90%).

Minus crimp groove & bigger lube, would be great - you guys would definetly have a winner in my book. I'd have to scrape some money up for that one, and that would be hard to do right now. If the flat (meplat) were in between the 200gr & 255gr RF Lee's it would be picture perfect for the old Speer 200gr "flying ashtray". As it is now, the 200gr is too big, the 255gr too small. Both are close.

[Curly James]

Just as OBXpilgrim so well described, I seat until the case mouth covers the crimp groove. To look at the loaded round you would think it is too short to feed reliably, yet I have not had any issues with feeding and the accuracy has been surprising. I think I will call Lee tomorrow and see if a modified mold is feasible without a huge setup charge.

[j20owner]

After casting a few of the same today, I noticed a few things.
The lube groove seems small compared to some other designs I've seen.
The meplat on mine isn't really flat, more of a very flat dome.

[Curly James]

Yeah, the lube groove is a little stingy. After looking at some of my boolits I think that eliminating the crinp groove and enlarging the lube groove would make a dandy boolit for 45 ACP. Now we just have to see what Lee says. I'm hoping it will be a little easier/cheaper due to not desiging a new boolit and just altering slightly a design they are already cutting.

[Willbird]

I did run a few rounds as short as you describe, well ALMOST, the crimp groove was visible using SOME kinds of brass, I was using mixed brass. My guess is that Lee says any custom costs like any other custom. I have been thinking about carefully removing the crimp groove from my mold, it would not be impossible to carefully set it up and bore that section out...it would just get tedious doing 6 cavities :-).

Bill

[Willbird]

Still paying around with this bullet, accuracy is running 3" or so at 25 yards, I got one stunning FOUR shot group of 1.875" with the 5th shot opening the group up to 4" or so, that was with 10.5 grains of Blue Dot, that is a real stomper load from the Lyman manual. Some other groups with the same load seem to indicate it wants to shoot. I'd rather load with a faster powder for less cents per shot cost if possible. The bullets seem to want to lead the throat a bit. I was using LBT Blue with water dropped WW bullets, then I tried LBT with air cooled WW bullets and it leads worse....just a wash in the throat. Switched the lube sizer over to Felix Lube and tried that with air cooled WW with the same result....a lead thin lead wash in the throat and just ahead of the throat...more so at 12 o'clock in the bore.

Seems to me it just cannot be constantly accurate if it is leaving any lead in the bore.

Setting seating depth to headspace on the bullet leaves about 1/2 the crimp groove exposed...it seems to feed decent there, maybe one FTF in 30-40 rounds.

My goal here is to find a cast bullet full power equivalent for practice, this is my primary carry pistol for self defense.

Bill

[Curly James]

I spoke with Lee today and was advised it would be the same as a custom mold. he understood exactly what i wanted but stated he would need a drawing of the boolit. I will post this in the Group Buy forum and see if we get enough interest. I was also advised the wait would be 6 to 8 months as usual.

They were very familiar with the website and I was told they frequently direct new casters here who may have questions or are interested in learning more about casting. I guess that says something for the site when manufacturers are directing folks here to learn how to cast.

[Willbird]

OK I tried to change the topic on this thread to more accurately show what it is evolving into :-).

I tried some Lee 230 grain round nose today, these bullets seem quite soft, I cast them and water dropped them a few years ago. They are lubed with LBT blue. Firing 78 rounds loaded with 4.8 of tight group left only a little tiny bit of lead in the bore. These bullets have TWO grease grooves.

I am liking the theory that the Lee 200 RF does not have enough lubricant to get the job done.

I did find a 230 truncated cone 6 banger in stock at Natchez and it is on the way.