"Heeled" boolits for percussion revolvers

[Abert Rim]

This seems to have been a pretty quiet subject area until Kaido Ojamaa came along with his large-meplat bullets with heeled lower bands to allow them to be seated relatively straight in percussion revolvers. Not terribly revolutionary, but his was a well-publicized, practical and very functional answer to coming up with a conical projectile that delivers both accuracy and maximum terminal efficiency out of a cap and ball sixgun. There are a number of such bullet designs out there now, and I was looking at Youtuber "Omnivore's" Accurate Mold # 45-225L as a good candidate for loading in an Uberti Remington New Model Army clone. Omnivore also has a video on heeling regular .452 bullets by sizing the lower shank in a smaller than chamber diameter die.
Anyone wandered down this path? That Accurate mold is tempting.

https://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=45-225L

[Nobade]

Funny, just yesterday I was looking at the Accurate catalog and wondering if he had anything specifically for the Ruger Old Army and he dose, very similar at about 240 grains. I haven't tried one of his yet but do have the Eras Gone Kerr mold which works quite well in my Remington copy revolvers as well as in the 1860 Army. It's designed to be used with paper cartridges which I haven't tried yet but it works just as well naked just not as convenient to load and handle.

[Abert Rim]

I had the Kerr mold briefly, and have a few samples cast from it. From my range scrap alloy, the first band, beveled, measures .432, the second .438 and the head of the bullet .459. I wish I had shot a few, but the pointed nose is a poor choice for hunting. Sitting next to it on my desk is one from the Lee .452-255 RF mold. Thinking that sizing the bottom two bands to .446 in an RCBS die might make it a practical choice for a heavy hunting bullet.

[nekshot]

At Hawks bullets they have what looks like a decent bullet for these guns but I don’t see them available yet.

[HWooldridge]

I recently cast some heeled bullets (and round balls) from an original mold for an 1860 Colt Army. The ball side dropped at .456 diameter, while the bullet measured .437 on the heeled portion and .462 at the belt - and it weighed 220 grs. I know the general consensus is frequently ‘bigger is better’, but I believe 220-230 grs is about optimal for a cap and ball revolver. Another 20-30 grs won’t mean much unless you are trying to drop a buffalo.

[Abert Rim]

HW, I suspect you are right. Here's an Arsenal 230, the Eras Gone Kerr and the Lee 452-255.

https://i.postimg.cc/B8ZwC6rf/image-50443265.jpg (https://postimg.cc/B8ZwC6rf)

[Tall]

I think this is what you want:

https://oldwestbulletmoulds.com/shop/ols/products/44-coltremington-226gr-heel-bullet-double-cavity-mould

[Abert Rim]

Tall, gracias. I think I will try that RCBS .446 sizer first, as it is way cheaper ... :drinks:

[pull the trigger]

I have heeled bullets in the lee collet dies, specifically a lee 375-130 c&b boolit and put a shank on it to fit in a 38 special case. Didn't fit in my Ballard, but it worked.

[Abert Rim]

Hadn't thought of the collet die approach. Good idea.

[Tall]

Hadn't thought of the collet die approach. Good idea.

Old West contracts with Lee to have them make the collet crimp dies. OW makes the adjustable shell holders for sertain calibers. It works fantastic.

https://oldwestbulletmoulds.com/shop/ols/categories/crimp-dies