458 in 452 cartridge?

[Tatume]

Hello Folks,

Awhile ago I accidently ran some 350 gr 458 bullets through a 452 sizer die. My load was on the light side of 454 Casull data, so I loaded and shot them. They shot to the same point of impact as my 320 gr bullets of the same design. The cartridges would not chamber in my Freedom Arms revolver, but they slipped right into my Ruger SRH.

So, I've been thinking about trying some RCBS 45-405-FN bullets. I may have to size them twice, or even use a smaller die (451 or 450) to get them to chamber in the Freedom Arms gun. They seem to "spring back" a bit.

Have any of you tried this approach? Any thoughts?

Take care, Tom

[x101airborne]

this is pretty common, i think. just go slow, use a lube when sizing, and only size .004 or less each step. you should be good to go!

[curiousgeorge]

Before I bought the Lee 300 grain WFN .45 Colt bullet mold, I used the RCBS 45-300-FN bullet in my Ruger Bisley. Would size them in a Lyman 4500 to .457, lube, and seat the gas check. One pass through the Star .452 die, load and shoot. I think that even though the lube grooves were narrowed considerably, the combination of the gas check and pistol velocities resulted in no leading. My load was a healthy dose of H110. The bullet was cast from straight wheel weights, air cooled with nothing extra done to it. Worked very well on deer.

Steve

[onesonek]

I just tried the same, and found also .0009-.001's spring back with this particular alloy. But as you found in the Ruger, if they will chamber,,,,they will shoot. As for the practice of sizing down rifle boolits,,,I don't know that it is not all that uncommon, but maybe not a widely used practice.

[DragoonDrake]

What ever you do, DO NOT put the gas check on until the last sizing. You will get bullets stuck in the die otherwise.

Adam

[pdawg_shooter]

I size .459 cast down to .4515 all the time for paper patching. Also .312 down to .3015 for paper. One pass through a push threw die does it for me.

[BABore]

Use your reloading press and a nose-first, push through die like the Lee or similar. I just sent Onesonek some 0.462 diameter boolits that were freshly water dropped from 50/50 WW-Pb alloy. A GC was applied and they were sized in one pass to 0.4527. I used a homemade sizing lube of lanolin and alcohol. The leverage of your average reloading press far exceeds the typical lubrisizer and makes sizing a breeze. You also don't run the risk of bending the boolit although this is unlikely in a 458 boolit. I lubed later in an oversized Saeco die.