230gr lee mold drops at 245gr HELP

[yotatrd4x4]

OK I have a Lee truncated cone flat point mold for my Sig P220. I want to use straight WW and have molded only about 200 bullets yesterday. I have been reloading for a while but just got into rolling my own bullets. I want a general purpose round for plinking and to be able to make up some ammo to keep on hand for rainy days. I noticed when I cast the bullets they look fine but when I weighed them they are 245gr instead of 230. I know its because the WW only setup. I am unsure of how to and how much tin solder to use or where to get it for that matter. I am gonna use a muffin pan to make my ingots. I melt the WW use pliers to get out the clips and none lead weights. I then pour the lead into the muffin pan to make my own ingots. I used 4 of them to cast roughly the 200 bullets I made. Anyway on with the problem or is it? I am wanting to know if I can use the 245gr bullets for general purpose plinking. I shoot alot and dont wanna destroy my P220 with too heavy bullets. I have heard that anything over 230gr will damage my pistol and I dont want that. So I come before Cast Boolit shooters who have put a few million down range to get the correct info cause I know alot of stuff online is BULL. If I mix solder to my WW how much do I use and where do I get it or am I safe with using a 245gr bullet and using the load data in my speer #12 manual. Heres the man info. they used a sig P220 for their 45 auto tests. they used a 260gr semi jacketed soft point and it sits atop 5.8gr of unique and 6.3gr as a max. they also list green dot which I have .

260gr soft point-unique-5.8gr-752fps OR
260gr soft point-greendot-5.3gr-751fps

These are just a few listed but I was gonna use the above data to shoot the 245gr casts I made and I am sure the pressure will be lower with the 15gr lighter bullet. Any info or incite will help. Basically after my intense rambling. Am I OK to shoot the 245gr bullets from a sig p220 on a regular basis say 500 or so a month. Let me know what you think.

[mooman76]

I wouldn't think 15g would make that much difference especially for plinking loads. Myself I would go more like 200g if it's just for plinking but thats me. Look in you sig manual and see if it has such a warning or write sig and ask them if it is really that much concern to you. Load and shoot a few and see if if doesn't feel right. A few bullets arent going to destroy your gun being off that small amount.

[Wayne Smith]

I don't think adding tin is gonna make up 95gr! Are you sure you have a 230 gr mold?? If they are 15gr heavy instead of 95gr light then I agree with Mooman, it ain't gonna make much difference. You will get a slightly higher velocity and you are right, the pressure will be lower. No danger to a SIG, anyway.

[yotatrd4x4]

where are you getting the 95gr from? I have a 230gr mold and I am dropping bullets that are 245gr so I am wanting to know how many shoot bullets that are heavier than 230gr with no issues?

[Blammer]

I'm thinking that you have a 15gr difference? 230gr mould and bullets wt 245gr?

as stated above, adding a bit of tin won't help the wt problem. (I noticed when I cast the bullets they look fine but when I weighed them they are 145gr instead of 230.)< is that a typo? I'm assuming you meant 245gr....If you really want to reduce the wt, of your cast bullet you'll need to look at getting some linotype to add probably 50/50 to the WW's

I'd not bother trying to mix alloy for wt reduction and use your 260gr load data for the 245gr bullet.

Also make sure you have the "right" mould.

[Willbird]

where are you getting the 95gr from? I have a 230gr mold and I am dropping bullets that are 245gr so I am wanting to know how many shoot bullets that are heavier than 230gr with no issues?


This is what you said in your first post :-).............that is where he got the 95 grains from



I noticed when I cast the bullets they look fine but when I weighed them they are 145gr instead of 230.

[tommyn]

I have the same mold and it also drops bullets weighing 245 gr. Its a Lee 230 gr trunchated cone mold.

[Slogg76]

I have the Lee 230 grain TC (tumble lube version) mould and it drops bullets at 235 to 240 grains with straight wheel weights. Adding a little tin may help some, but simply using data for heavier as you stated bullets should work fine. I load mine over 4.5 grains of bullseye or 4.5 grains of green dot and they function great in my Springfield XD-45. I believe the weights listed with the moulds are for #2 alloy or something similar. So pure lead or straight wheel weights will drop heavier. Some one correct me if I am wrong.

[yotatrd4x4]

OK I see Im a tard I didnt proof read my post but I did edit it. I meant 245gr. Yeah I have the truncated cone 230gr tumble lube mold. I figured I would add a little tin to help with hardness since I accidentaly mixed sticky WW in the batch and later found out that sticky weights are nearly pure lead. I will not put the sticky weights in my next batch just clip style WW and I will post to let you know if the weights are slightly reduced. Also I appreciate the help and yes the bullets I have made so far are on top of 4.5gr of unique and will use maybe bluedot or greendot with low powder weights to try and see how my Sig likes them. I appreciate the help guys and I will let you know how it works after I shoot a few of the recipes recommended.