New to casting, looking for some help!

[Jake McCracken]

I'm looking to start casting for 45acp. Either a 200gr swc or a 200gr rn. (maybe 230gr rn)

So far I have aquried all the nesecary equipment except for a mold, sizing die, and top punch. I have an old lyman 45, and will be casting with a ladle. I have been looking around on the web, and am still unsure what to get. I figured omeone here would be able to help me out (part #'s, where to go, etc...)

I was thinking 2 cavity would be a good start, but I'm open for suggestions. The only thing I'm sure of is that I would like to keep the mold die and punch under $100 total.

Thanks in advance,
Jake

[462]

Jake,

I'm not reccomending one brand over another, but you may want to look at what Lee has to offer. Their 2-cavity moulds can be had for under $20 from Midway or Midsouth. Sizer die and top punch should be under $30.

[sundog]

The Ly 452374 is a classic. It will feed and function in almost any 45 acp made with almost no tweaking. Easy one to get going on. BUT, you'll find that a 2 cavity mould for a handgun is antagonizingly slow.

You might consider a Lee 6-banger like the 200 gr RF. It works pretty good in the 45 auto loaded with the Lee taper crimp die.

One other thing. Don't be surprised if you order an H&I die of a particular size and it is +/- some amount as marked.

Just a few ideas.

[Echo]

Sundog makes a lot of sense. I have a Lyman 452460 4-gang mold that turns out good SWC 200-grainers that work in my guns. The 200-gr SWC will kick less than the 230-gr RN, and use less alloy in the process.
I don't have any TL Lee's, and probably will never have one, although folks around here seem to like them.
So get the Lee 6-banger, and size them .452 or .453 depending on what you find out by slugging your bore.
My zwei pfennig..

[mooman76]

I think getting a 2 cavity is a good choice for someone new. 6x are a little harder to use foe someone new to casting and they can get discouraged. The Lee 2x are a small investment and if your gun or you don't like the bullet you're not out much. You can pick up a 6x latter on. 45acp can be a little picky and some don't like SWCs so unless you know your gun loads them fine, you might want to think twice befor getting one.

[Le Loup Solitaire]

Hi, Mold designs for 45 are numerous. Generally they are either round nose or semiwadcutter. Both feed well , but SWC's punch neater holes in targets and are easier to score than RN's. The SWC's are usually in the 185 to 200 grain range whereas RN's are around 225-230 grains. Many folks are happy with Lee and Lyman, but I have favored RCBS's selection. There seem to be fewer issues with quality control + RCBS has a solid guarantee system. But they offer only 2 cavity molds. The other guys deal in 4's and 6's as well. Saeco has good offerings and they're certainly worth a look, but they are somewhat more expensive than the others. You are the sole judge of how many bullets you need and molds with 4 and 6 cavities will turn out many more castings than 2 cavs, but 2 holers will make quite a goodly number if you (are willing to) put in the time. Ladle and/or dipper casting will make good bullets that are in every way as good as those from a bottom pour pot, but the dipper/ladle method is decidedly slower. As for lube... many peolple like and use tumble lube; I prefer regular style lubes and use a lubrisizer, but a very simple and economocal system is marketed by Lee that utilizes pan lubing and a totally satisfactory push thru method on the loading press. I would suggest looking thru catalogs offered by all manufacturers, either printed or on-line to get an idea of what they have. Also ask questions on the forum about things you may be considering. As for where to shop. you will get opinions on that too. I personally have been doing business successfully for many years with MidSouth Shooters Supply in TN. Welcome to the world of 45ACP. LLS

[Jake McCracken]

Ok. I searched the Midway site, and found these...

Lee 2 cavity 228gr RN mould
RCBS 374 top punch (the cross refrence on this site says it is the right one)
and lyman .452 size die

all for about $50


Not sure on the lube yet, I have a Lyman 45. So I'm assuming I need a lube that will work cold?

Also, anyone have a detailed set of instructions (or know of one on the web somewhere) for setting up and rinning the Lyman 45? Would I maybe find this in the Lyman Cast bullet Handbook?

Any input is helpful!

Thanks,
Jake

[will-mo]

Jake, How many rounds a month do you plan to shoot? Like other said above, a 2 cavity will kill you.

I have the Lee 200g SWC, but the bullet profile doesn't work well in my competition 1911. The H&G #68 profile is perfect. Most RN bullets feed a little better in a 1911 ramped or non-ramped.

I use the White Label Lube 2500+. others swear by the Carnuba Red. I just warm up the Lyman 450 with a heat gun.. Just enough to make if warm to the touch.. The 2500+ flows perfect. Do a search for the Lyman 45. Should be plenty of information on the setup.

Good luck,
Will