Most accurate mold/bullet design for .455 Webley

[The Virginian]

What in your experience is the most accurate (on target not for historical accuracy) .454" or great sized bullet for use in a Webley .455 that is either in the original caliber or cut for downloaded to .455 pressures .45 ACP or .45 Auto-Rim cases?

[Outpost75]

H&G#68 as-cast of wheelweights, and unsized at .455", lubed with Lee Liquid Alox and 4.5 grains of Bullseye. Standard .,45 wadcutter load.
Point of impact is about 5-6" low at 25 yards, but it groups very well. Use the same in my S&W Hand Ejector. Also good is Saeco #954 with 4 grains of Bullseye.

[The Virginian]

That is a 200 grain bullet correct? What is Saeco 954?

[Bigslug]

Can't say I've gone beyond the original bullet at this point, but it doesn't suck.

Just some theory based on what works for other .45's and how Webleys run. . .

The HG68 gets it's accuracy from having most of it's weight towards the rear. A Webley's loose cylinder tolerances can make use of a long tapering round nose to help align the cylinder with the bore as the slug transitions between the two.

I'm thinking what might work is something LIKE the HG68 but without the sharp WC shoulder. Think truncated cones, like the Accurate 45-195J, 45-205J, 45-230E. A lighter round nose like the 45-200U might be worthwhile also.

[Outpost75]

That is a 200 grain bullet correct? What is Saeco 954?

Yes, H&G#68 is the standard 200-grain long-nosed wadcutter for the .45 ACP. Shape is the same as the old 1960s era Western Super Match lead wacutter and its base to meplat length is the same as hardball, so that it feeds in most pistols. While it is normally sized .451-.452 for use in .45 ACP, my two sets of older H&G blocks drop bullets from wheelweights which are .4545-.4555" which work well tumbled in the Lee Liquid Alox without sizing.

The Saeco #954 is the traditional style 230-grain flatnosed lead "Cowboy" bullet which has a large flat meplat for tubular magazine safety. The #955 is the same profile, but with a heavier base band, dropping at 260 grains in 1:30 tin/lead. The #955 was less accurate in my .45 ACP revolvers than the lighter #954, but if your Webley revolvers are regulated for 265-grain service ammunition, the heavier #955 will probably shoot closer to where your sights look.

Attachment 96341

These are both based on an old Elmer Keith design shown in Sharpe, originally produced in the 1930s by Belding & Mull, later by Cramer, bought out by Saeco in the 1950s. Very old and satisfactory designs, which typically drop from the mold at .455-.456". In the shorter Webley brass I would suggest seating bullets out and crimping in the lubricating groove, so that the longer bullet shank does not intrude so deeply into the powder space, which would increase pressure. I have done this successfully with light smokeless loads in Schofield brass, and such light loads at 680-700 fps with 4.2-4.5 grains of Bullseye are much more accurate than when the bullets are seated more deeply and crimped in the normal crimping groove.