Casting 45 acp
- Thread starter Moiecol
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David Bachelder
New member
Probably not. Keep the velocity below 1200 fps (rule of thumb) and you will not need a gas check.
Side note:
Velocity limits can change with Alloy. Another rule of thumb .... harder bullets can handle more velocity than soft bullets.
The statement above is not always true. In lead bullets "fit is king".
Side note:
Velocity limits can change with Alloy. Another rule of thumb .... harder bullets can handle more velocity than soft bullets.
The statement above is not always true. In lead bullets "fit is king".
Geezerbiker
New member
I've shot a lot of cast bullets out of my M911a1 and I've never used a gas check. Some of these I bought but later on I started casting my own and I've shot a lot of those too.
The Lee 230g RN mold for this caliber drops near perfect bullets ever time. It's my favorite of all my Lee molds and it's almost as good as my best Lyman mold...
Tony
The Lee 230g RN mold for this caliber drops near perfect bullets ever time. It's my favorite of all my Lee molds and it's almost as good as my best Lyman mold...
Tony
No gas check needed for 45 Auto. They're usually only needed for magnums and rifles, and even then not always.
If you get leading it's not because you don't have a gas check.
Size your bullets 1 or 2 thousandths over your gun's groove diameter, use soft lead for low velocities, and a harder alloy for higher velocities.
Good quality lube also helps. The crayon wax that commercial bullet casters use isn't always optimum... too hard for lower velocities like 45 Auto. They use it because it stays put when the bullets are piled into a box and transported in a hot truck.
If you get leading it's not because you don't have a gas check.
Size your bullets 1 or 2 thousandths over your gun's groove diameter, use soft lead for low velocities, and a harder alloy for higher velocities.
Good quality lube also helps. The crayon wax that commercial bullet casters use isn't always optimum... too hard for lower velocities like 45 Auto. They use it because it stays put when the bullets are piled into a box and transported in a hot truck.
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The softest alloy I use runs right in the 8'ish BHN range and the hardest runs around a 15BHN. Either of them and anything in between has shot wonderfully in my Colt 1911, as well as my .357, 41,& 44 mags, and my 45 Colt, within reason of course.
If I throw the soft stuff in the mags with upper end loads I get leading for sure, but not much harder and it goes away pretty quick. I do have some GC molds but for the most part I only shoot plain based bullets.
If I throw the soft stuff in the mags with upper end loads I get leading for sure, but not much harder and it goes away pretty quick. I do have some GC molds but for the most part I only shoot plain based bullets.
The .45ACP should never need a gas check IMO. I cast both the Lee TL230-RN and TL230-FP (tumble lube style). I cast them with clip-on WW alloy mixed 2:1 with a softer alloy like range lead or stick-on WWs. Loading as-cast and tumbled with thinned Alox, they are accurate with no leading in either of my 1911s. The RN design feeds much more reliably in the old Colt GI model.
Ifishsum....
Can you tell me the diameter of those bullets?
I am going to start casting for my RIA 1911 and I need to know.
I like a lighter bullet so I'm thinking I will go with 200 grain unless someone out there tells me I should avoid it.
The jury comes in about even on 200 and 230. I like a round nose as well but only for nostalgia reasons.
Most everyone is telling me SWC with some votes for hollow point thrown in.
(It won't be for home defense. I have a cat for that.)
Can you tell me the diameter of those bullets?
I am going to start casting for my RIA 1911 and I need to know.
I like a lighter bullet so I'm thinking I will go with 200 grain unless someone out there tells me I should avoid it.
The jury comes in about even on 200 and 230. I like a round nose as well but only for nostalgia reasons.
Most everyone is telling me SWC with some votes for hollow point thrown in.
(It won't be for home defense. I have a cat for that.)
Doc, I just checked some of the Lee 452-230gr TL's I poured up a couple of weeks ago. The bases run .453" and the lube rings are running right at .4525" on average.
I use the 45/45/10 lube on these and do shove them through a Lee .452 sizing die whether they need it or not. They shoot pretty well for general target work. I also pour up a version of the #68 type SWC and size them to .452 as well. They shoot great loaded over a charge of Bullseye or Unique.
As for the HP's I threw you a picture of, well save that until your really into the casting and have things well in hand. The others will get you plenty of cheaper shooting and will knock paper out just as well.
maillemaker
New member
Those look like Lee Round Nose tumble lube bullets, yes?
Steve
Steve
Can't make out just how well the TL rings formed. Not a biggie, and just throwing this out there.
If you find the rings aren't filling out well, dump them back in the pot and add in a 6 or so inch of 95/5 solder stir well and try again. You didn't spot your alloy, but if it is wheel weights then it only takes a little bit of solder to get mine pouring out nice and sharp. If they come out looking like they are sand blasted in appearance your running a bit hot.
Mine shoot very well with a dose of Alox or the 45/45/10 verson.
If you find the rings aren't filling out well, dump them back in the pot and add in a 6 or so inch of 95/5 solder stir well and try again. You didn't spot your alloy, but if it is wheel weights then it only takes a little bit of solder to get mine pouring out nice and sharp. If they come out looking like they are sand blasted in appearance your running a bit hot.
Mine shoot very well with a dose of Alox or the 45/45/10 verson.
Lee Molds
I use both of Lee's 200 gr. swc and 230 grain rn TL molds. Both drop bullets slightly undersized .451 or .4515 ,but accuracy is very good with a slight edge going to the 200 gr swc.I shoot pure range lead so the bullets drop a little heavy. I keep both bullets around 800 fps and the accuracy is very good. I've put around 8000 rounds of these threw my Springfield Loaded Target and the gun will still print around 2 inches at 50 feet from a rest. I own several other Lee molds and think for the money, their a great buy . hdbiker
I use both of Lee's 200 gr. swc and 230 grain rn TL molds. Both drop bullets slightly undersized .451 or .4515 ,but accuracy is very good with a slight edge going to the 200 gr swc.I shoot pure range lead so the bullets drop a little heavy. I keep both bullets around 800 fps and the accuracy is very good. I've put around 8000 rounds of these threw my Springfield Loaded Target and the gun will still print around 2 inches at 50 feet from a rest. I own several other Lee molds and think for the money, their a great buy . hdbiker
maillemaker
New member
Be aware, you may well have problems with the Lee Round Nose Tumble Lube bullets.
The problem is that the ogive nose of the bullet terminates in a step/shoulder where the lube grooves start. This shoulder is about where the brass case mouth ends up when the bullet is seated.
The end results is that you end up with a very significant step, about .027", as a result of the thickness of the brass and the depth of that step/shoulder on the bullet.
When your gun extracts a spent cartridge, the case rim will snag on that step. 3 things will happen, only one of them good:
1) The case will jump the step, and all is well.
2) The case will gouge the case mouth of the top round in the magazine, and jam.
3) The case will jump the step, but expend so much energy it will stall on top of the top round in the magazine, also resulting in a jam.
You can see my write up on this problem here:
http://www.forth-armoury.com/temp/bullets/problems/problems.htm
http://www.forth-armoury.com/temp/bullets/problems/sizes.htm
Lee's recommended "solution" to my problem was to over-crimp the case mouth. However, the .45 ACP is supposed to headspace on the case mouth so if you over-crimp it it may fall too deeply into the barrel. Lee said this was not a problem since many .45s actually headspace on the extractor. This may be, but it is not the way it is supposed to be.
My solution to the problem was to switch to the Lee Truncated Cone tumble lube bullet. The Truncated Cone bullet has the cone of the bullet nose go straight to the outer diameter of the bullet with no step/shoulder, so the only step is the thickness of the brass. I have had no problems with this bullet.
The gun is a Ruger P90.
Steve
The problem is that the ogive nose of the bullet terminates in a step/shoulder where the lube grooves start. This shoulder is about where the brass case mouth ends up when the bullet is seated.
The end results is that you end up with a very significant step, about .027", as a result of the thickness of the brass and the depth of that step/shoulder on the bullet.
When your gun extracts a spent cartridge, the case rim will snag on that step. 3 things will happen, only one of them good:
1) The case will jump the step, and all is well.
2) The case will gouge the case mouth of the top round in the magazine, and jam.
3) The case will jump the step, but expend so much energy it will stall on top of the top round in the magazine, also resulting in a jam.
You can see my write up on this problem here:
http://www.forth-armoury.com/temp/bullets/problems/problems.htm
http://www.forth-armoury.com/temp/bullets/problems/sizes.htm
Lee's recommended "solution" to my problem was to over-crimp the case mouth. However, the .45 ACP is supposed to headspace on the case mouth so if you over-crimp it it may fall too deeply into the barrel. Lee said this was not a problem since many .45s actually headspace on the extractor. This may be, but it is not the way it is supposed to be.
My solution to the problem was to switch to the Lee Truncated Cone tumble lube bullet. The Truncated Cone bullet has the cone of the bullet nose go straight to the outer diameter of the bullet with no step/shoulder, so the only step is the thickness of the brass. I have had no problems with this bullet.
The gun is a Ruger P90.
Steve
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chris in va
New member
I started with the TL and switched to the 'regular' Lee mold. I still tumble lube and get good results.
Caveat, you'll need to play with the seating depth specific for your gun's function. The ogive isn't the same as the original design and the full bullet diameter starts about 1/3 down from the top. Make sure it fully chambers without sticking in the leade.
Caveat, you'll need to play with the seating depth specific for your gun's function. The ogive isn't the same as the original design and the full bullet diameter starts about 1/3 down from the top. Make sure it fully chambers without sticking in the leade.