Whats a good boolit for 45 lc?

[Fish_N_Russ]

recently made a deal on marlin 45lc.....now just have to start reloading and casting for it. So what grain boolit do I need to be looking for, mold-wise, that is......I seen quite a few posts talking about 255 grain.....ideas? thanks :drinks:

[Boerrancher]

I found that in Both of my 45 LC rifles and my Blackhawk the Lee 452-255-RF, and the Lee 452-228-1R shoot really well. For some reason with strait WWs the 228-1R drops around 238 grs +or- 0.5 gr. When I was searching for a load for the RN I settled on 11.5 grs of Unique. Early last year I bought the 255 gr RF and settled on 10 grs of unique for it, because it shot well out of both the rifle and the pistol. I just got the second rifle and it shoots the 255 gr boolit real well with 10 grs of Unique.

With both boolits I started at 8 grs of Unique and worked my way up until I found a charge that had good velocity and shot acceptable out of both the rifle and revolver. Accuracy was more critical out of the rifle, as I never really had much use for a handgun as I have a rifle.

Best wishes from the Boer Ranch,

Joe

[cajun shooter]

Bullet design has to do with the use of the gun as you know from being a member on this site. The 454190 is the orignal mold and should be in every casters arsenal of molds. You might want to look at the RCBS molds in 45 Colt as I use them also. The 45-230-cm works great as does the Lyman 452664. It's like a huge candy store out there.

[leadeye]

I have two RCBS molds that I use for 45lc. The 250 RNFP covers my lighter loads, anything that be comfortable in my New Frontier and New Service. The 300 SWCGC is for my higher powered loads that are restricted to Rugers and my rifle. The different bullet types gives me an easy ID to keep from getting the wrong load in the wrong gun if the cartridges get mixed up. :-D

[Dean D.]

By the way, Opentop is running a group buy on a 6 cavity 454190 that has not closed yet. I think he plans on closing the group buy mid-March. Check it out here:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=44760

[Fish_N_Russ]

yeah that does look like a good boolit, cant really aford $65 tho

any of you guys interested in renting out your molds for a bit?? :)

[WildmanJack]

Russ,
I shot a 230 gr. boolet in my winchester and it looked like I was usin a shotgun at 50 yds. Switched to a 255 gr boolet over 6 gr. of 700-x and they all go in thne same hole.. But like Cajun Shooter said, it's a cndy stoire out there and you have to try everything till you find the right flavor. If you want, I'll send you some 255 gr. boolets you can load and try yourself. You'll have to lube them yourself..
Jack

[Don McDowell]

One of the better 45 colt bullets is the Lee 255 gr swc bullet. It works verywell in both sixgun and rifle. I've ran it slow and its topped out past 1655 fps from my winchester.
Then when you get a bit of money built up try the RCBS 255 Kt .

[EDK]

RANCH DOG doesn't have a boolit mould for 45 LC.

The LYMAN Cowboy boolits in 357 and 44 work in my Cowboy rifles. The 45 should work well also.

See what Glenn Fryxell recomends over at lasc.us. His article on 357-44-45Colt Marlins is a real good place to start.

Keep an eye for used moulds here...I've gotten good ones from people on the forum...Scrounger peddles a lot from time to time. I got good used ones from JLChucker, RichBug and Calamity Jake. EBAY can be a little iffy, but look them over and don't get in a bidding war.

WARNING: Marlins are notorious for over sized bores. Slug your barrel...or go with a .454 diameter to start if you don't. My 357 does better at .359 and the 44s like .432...as Ranch Dog suggests. I'd pass on the gas checks for now...they ain't giving them away!

:cbpour::redneck::Fire:

[cobbmtmac]

Fish_N_Russ,

I have a NEI 305 451 GC, that drop @.455dia. & approx 307gr. I size them @.452 after Lube and GC they weight about 317grs. The best best 5 shot group at 50yds. we have gotton, behind 12.5gr of 2400 is 1.80" but 4 of the shots were .80" which was one hole. The rifle is a PUMA 45LC, it and the Mould belongs to one of my B-in-Laws. I'm just the technition.

Have fun :Fire:

[Boomer Mikey]

Don't be afraid to re-size 300+ grain 45-70 bullets to 0.453"- 0.455" and shoot them in the 45 Colt. 45 Colt chambers are typically oversize and many will chamber a 0.457" - 0.459" bullet.

The traditional bullets are the Lyman 454190 and 454424 (now the 452424). The RCBS 45-255-SWC and 45-270-SAA are excellent as well. Gas checks are a waste of money at 45 Colt velocities.

Don't be afraid to shoot your 45 ACP bullets in the rifle too. The 200 grain 45 ACP SWC's shoot extremely well in my EMF 1892 Hartford and Ruger Blackhawks. The same is true for shooting the 454190 and 454424 45 Colt bullets in your 45 ACP handguns. 255 grain SWC bullets out of a 1911 or 45 ACP revolver are very effective.

The 45 caliber bullet is probably the most versatile of all.

Have fun,

Boomer :Fire:

[zxcvbob]

I shoot a lot of Lee TL452-230-TC's, lubed with Lee Liquid Alox. Roll crimp into the top lube groove.

452-255-RF is also a good one for heavy loads. I haven't tried 452-252-SWC yet, but what's not to like about it.

Edit: Just noticed this was a rifle thread. I've only used these bullets in a Blackhawk.

[runfiverun]

another vote for the lyman 452664.
i have made so many of these my mold is hard to recognize.
i might have to find another one in 20-k more boolits.

[Fish_N_Russ]

hmm so ur saying I shouldnt get rid of my lee 340grain 45-70 mold? :o


Don't be afraid to re-size 300+ grain 45-70 bullets to 0.453"- 0.455" and shoot them in the 45 Colt. 45 Colt chambers are typically oversize and many will chamber a 0.457" - 0.459" bullet.

The traditional bullets are the Lyman 454190 and 454424 (now the 452424). The RCBS 45-255-SWC and 45-270-SAA are excellent as well. Gas checks are a waste of money at 45 Colt velocities.

Don't be afraid to shoot your 45 ACP bullets in the rifle too. The 200 grain 45 ACP SWC's shoot extremely well in my EMF 1892 Hartford and Ruger Blackhawks. The same is true for shooting the 454190 and 454424 45 Colt bullets in your 45 ACP handguns. 255 grain SWC bullets out of a 1911 or 45 ACP revolver are very effective.

The 45 caliber bullet is probably the most versatile of all.

Have fun,

Boomer :Fire:

[Slow Elk 45/70]

I to have sized down the 300 gr 45/70 boolit for the 45 colt, i started doing this way back when I wanted a heavy cast boolit for longer range shooting from my ruger and did not have a 300 gr for the 45 at the time. It worked real well with a heavy dose of bluedot to push it.

I'm betting the 350RD would be a real Beastie in the 45 colt, Mabe i give it a go this spring..

Hard to beat a good 250-255 in the 45 colt for everyday uses

[cajun shooter]

I have shot the 300 grain RCBS number 45-300-FN out of my 92 and it does give you a wack but I'm using this one for Louisiana hog hunting.

[zxcvbob]

What about Lee's .45 Minié mold? It looks perfect to me for a .45 Colt rifle bullet.

Edit: Looked up the Lee catalog number for the mold, it's 90469

[Boomer Mikey]

hmm so ur saying I shouldnt get rid of my lee 340grain 45-70 mold? :o

It wouldn't be a big deal to try it. I'm shooting the RCBS 45-300-FN gas checked bullet that weighs 318 grains in my 45 Colt and 450 Bushmaster resized to 0.453".

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee174/Boomer_Mikey/450BM300RCBSCast-1.jpg
This is the RCBS 45-300-FN bullet; it weighs 318 grains with gas check.

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee174/Boomer_Mikey/450BM300RCBSCast-2.jpg?t=1231738013
Left to right: As cast 0.459" diameter bullet, sized nose first to 0.457" then lubed, and re-sized nose first to 0.452".

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee174/Boomer_Mikey/450BM300RCBSCast-3.jpg?t=1231738284
Bullets are sized nose first then lubed in the same 0.457" die the normal base first way, then re-sized nose first to 0.452".

I'm using H110 and WW296 in these "Modern" loads in my 45 Colt EMF 1892 Hartford at 30K psi for 1600 fps and at 45K psi in the 450 Bushmaster for 2000 fps.

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee174/Boomer_Mikey/450BM300RCBSCast-5.jpg?t=1231738461
Loaded to a COL of 2.15" for the 450 Bushmaster... ready to go BOOM!

These kick hard in both directions.

Have fun,

Boomer :Fire:

[helice]

Russ,
Congratulations on your Purchase. You're going to love the 45Colt. There are so many choices out there for the 45C. Don't be afraid to sink 26$ into the Lee double cavities. They may be a bit slower than the big Six Cavs but they're worth the price and I think you'll be pleased with them.

The mold you buy should reflect your need. If you need to Knock down Louisiana Hogs by all means follow the above information and get you the C452-300-RF. Its a great boolit and you'll want the heavy weight and wide meplat for those four footed Louisiana tanks. If you want a deer / black bear boolit try the 452-255-RF. The 300 and 250 Lees are about as close to an LBT WFN as you can get and for 26$. If you're wanting a Coor's Can Killer you can use about anything even the Round nosed type. I like the flat nosed boolits best even tho I had to finger lube them before I got my sizer. If you have the Lee Push Thru sizer you might start with his TL452-230TC and some liquid Alox. That truncated cone is a fine boolit for the 45ACP too. Keep velocities down in the normal range and you won't be scraping lead from your bore. Check out the Lee websight above and get started. You can't miss. Keep writin', I'm learnin'. Helice

[Boerrancher]

In the good mod 92 clones and the Marlin's, when it comes to ability to withstand higher pressure loads, is the brass, not the rifle. With the 300 to 340 gr 45/70 boolit it is not dificult to match factory ammo balistics of the 45/70. I wouldn't think about loading these this hot for the mod 73's or 66's, but my 18 year old Rossi is Just as tight today as it was when it was new, and I shoot some really hot loads out of it. What I do for load development for my Rossi's and Blackhawk, is use 44 mag load data as per 45 Colt boolit wt. I know the Blackhawk and Rossi 92 will handle 44 mag pressures, because they chamber them in a 44 mag. The slightly larger case and bore will run at slightly less pressure with the same boolit wt and powder charge as the 44 mag loads. Just don't let anyone shoot your loads in any other fire arms. Many of the replica revolvers are not as strong as the Blackhawk, nor is the 73 nearly as strong as the 92.

Best wishes from the Boer Ranch,

Joe

[Wills Point Pete]

Let's see, my 24 inch Navy Arms stainless "92 clone likes the Lee RNFP and just loves the Big Lube Pigeon Roost Slim 2250 grain over black. It likes the Remington swaged lead 250 grain, also, although since they shrunk the hollow base down to a little dimple I have to load it over a grease cookie or use smokeless. Note, though, that bullet is real soft, I won't load it very heavy. That RCBS sorta-copy of the Keith semiwadcutter hits like an earthquake and penetrates until a week from Tuesday.

For plinking and suchlike, a .454 ball over about three or four grains of Bullseye works great, just about all rifles will need those single loaded. Although a Nate Kiowa Jones rifle that will feed empties will feed those.

A favorite non cast bullet in that rifle is that Hornady XTP 250 HP over a max charge of H110. It and it's 300 grain brother bullet are really something. This rifle will do about anything that I need a rifle to do close to home. I would probably want something else if I lived in elk country, but it's fine for woods range deer or discouraging coyotes or feral humans.

[45&30-30]

Sounds like you have it all covered Wills Point Pete. I like the RCBS Keith style bullet with 18.5/2400 and a round ball with a little Bullseye out of my Marlin and Blackhawk.

[45&30-30]

I have to admit I thought Wills Point Pete was the original poster. :oops: So I was answering his post. I didn't see the other 20+...:roll:

[Lloyd Smale]

the rcbs 300 swcgc (my favorite 45 bullet) feeds well in my win and marlin.