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Thread: Casting pure lead .45 acp rounds for use in cap and ball revolver?

  1. #1
    Boolit Mold
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    Casting pure lead .45 acp rounds for use in cap and ball revolver?

    Anyone here ever done it?
    The diameter is great at something in the neighborhood of .452

    Im thinking a .45 acp lyman devastator.
    Im already looking to cast for my 1911, so when shopping potential moulds i couldnt help thinking "why couldnt that work in my 1858?"

    Would really appreciate any input on the topic.

    Thanks in advance, fellows.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master Sasquatch-1's Avatar
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    It might be a little difficult to load. When using a 45 cal. ball the cylinder is suppose to cut a ring of lead off the ball so that it seals well. Doing that to a full length pistol bullet might be difficult. This is just my opinion I have never done it before. If you try it let us know how it works.
    A vote for anyone other then the conservative candidates is a vote for the liberal candidates.

  3. #3
    Boolit Mold
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    I have a pretty solid powder inc reloading stand. Ive been casting and shooting some Eras Gone English Kerr conicals. TBH theyre enough of a pain to load on the gun itself that i always use the loading stand for them anyhow.

  4. #4
    Boolit Mold
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    Gosh, you got me thinking though, Sasquatch-1. Theres no taper to the base of the bullet, probably present a real issue getting the dang thing started in the mouth of the cylinder.

  5. #5
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  6. #6
    Boolit Master Sasquatch-1's Avatar
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    You may check to see if there is a gas check bullet mold available. The rebate on the bottom may be enough to allow you to start the bullet. The other problem I can see is that the bullet may not seat symmetrically.
    A vote for anyone other then the conservative candidates is a vote for the liberal candidates.

  7. #7
    Boolit Buddy
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    Accurate Molds has variety of heeled molds which work well for cap and ball and can be used in the 1911. That’s the way I would go. Much easier to use in the c&b…

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
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    Years ago I tried it. Had to load on the bench cause the bullet would not fit in the loading area of my Rem.

    I was using a bevel base TC bullet (Lee mold). The bevel base helped aligning it a lot. But, shaving that much lead off took a LOT of effort. I ended up using an arbor press. I loaded 6, fired them, and never did it again. Accuracy wasn't as good as RB, but, wasn't horrible.

  9. #9
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    dondiego's Avatar
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    If you can find a now discontinued 44 REAL mold, they work well in C&B's.

  10. #10
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sasquatch-1 View Post
    You may check to see if there is a gas check bullet mold available. The rebate on the bottom may be enough to allow you to start the bullet. The other problem I can see is that the bullet may not seat symmetrically.
    You dont want or need a GC for pure lead ,it loads fine unless you alloy and then it gets hard and you break stuff .Stay with pure and you cant lose /Ed

  11. #11
    Boolit Master Hellgate's Avatar
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    Big Lube molds makes a versatile 6 cavity 45 cal mold for use in C&Bs as well as 45 ACP, 45-70, etc. See URL below.
    http://www.biglube.com/BulletMolds.a...9-68ebfdaba982
    Hellgate in Orygun
    With 16+revolvers, I've been called the Imelda Marcos of cap&ball.
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  12. #12
    Boolit Master Oyeboten's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SlippyRider View Post
    Anyone here ever done it?
    The diameter is great at something in the neighborhood of .452

    Im thinking a .45 acp lyman devastator.
    Im already looking to cast for my 1911, so when shopping potential moulds i couldnt help thinking "why couldnt that work in my 1858?"

    Would really appreciate any input on the topic.

    Thanks in advance, fellows.

    Funny you should ask!

    I have been thinking about doing this lately, but I was figuring to use the old basic original usual .45 ACP Bullet, and in Pure Lead.

    It is so much like a so called "Conical", only to my own glance, a better version of same.

    Might have to size them down though, I'll have to see...my Various .44 Cap & Ball Revolvers are all over the place for Cylinder Bore diameters, but one I think is about .451, so...might be an easy fit for that one...others are .446 though, so, ugh!

  13. #13
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    I used to know a Cowboy Shooter who sold Bear Creek bullets on the side.
    He used a .452 200gr SWC in his Ruger Old Armies. Never had a problem. I think the pressure of the loading lever would be enough to crush any Hollow Point bullet soft enough to expand at those velocities.
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  14. #14
    Boolit Buddy johnnybar's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Edward View Post
    You dont want or need a GC for pure lead ,it loads fine unless you alloy and then it gets hard and you break stuff .Stay with pure and you cant lose /Ed
    He meant to use the soft lead slug with no GC on it to serve as an easy starting point when seating the bullet.

  15. #15
    Boolit Buddy johnnybar's Avatar
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    I just use a conical mold made for the purpose but as long as you make sure the cylinders are properly sealed after loading, it should be safe. Really depends on cylinder vs mold dimensions. If you have a sizer to tweek them, it will save the loading arm screws some wear and tear.

  16. #16
    Boolit Master Sasquatch-1's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Edward View Post
    You dont want or need a GC for pure lead ,it loads fine unless you alloy and then it gets hard and you break stuff .Stay with pure and you cant lose /Ed
    I was not advocating the use of a gas check, just the use of a bullet made for one. The rebate would allow the bullet a place to sit in the cylinder face while loading that a flat base bullet would not.
    A vote for anyone other then the conservative candidates is a vote for the liberal candidates.

  17. #17
    Boolit Mold
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    Thanks for all the excellent info guys.
    Im glad to learn its been done before and i appreciate the specific bullet suggestions.
    I think youre really onto something with the gas check rebate, Sasquatch-1.

  18. #18
    Boolit Mold
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    Excellent consideration, Walks.
    Thought i may be able to get creative with some kinda male conical tip for the end of my loading ram to protect a hollow point. Its a definite likelyhood of deforming a hollowpoint bullet during the loading process.

    I know many consider a pure lead hollow point to be redundant, but i thought it would be cool to experiment with.
    Last edited by SlippyRider; 11-18-2021 at 10:19 AM.

  19. #19
    Boolit Mold
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    Good thinking on a sizer, Johnnybar and Oyeboten.

  20. #20
    Boolit Mold
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    Hellgate, dondeago, Woodnbow, thanks for the mold suggestions.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check