I have 2 .45 ACP pistols that I'd like to start making lead bullets for. One slugs at .450 and the other slugs at .449. I see that most dies and store bought lead bullets seem to be at .452 and I wanted to get something that would work for both guns. Is it possible or will I have to get 2 different molds?
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need help on .45 mold for (2) guns
- Thread starter CS86
- Start date
chris in va
New member
No real problems with the Lee 452-228-1r mold. I even got the funky 160gr mushroom looking mold to play with.
It's actually the only lee mold I have that drops as described diameter.
It's actually the only lee mold I have that drops as described diameter.
Edward429451
Moderator
Since the biggest concern in casting is leading up your gun, and leading can be eliminated with proper fit (read oversized to bore) you can shoot the same .452 bullets in both guns with no worries. With luck they'll both like the same load. Start with starting loads and work it up.
grubbylabs
New member
The over sized should not be a problem.
CS86, what you need is a basic understanding of casting and using lead boolits.
We seldom have molds that cast exactly what the maker is trying to arrive at. They always are a bit off from what they should be. That's where sizing the boolit comes into play. The sizer swages the boolit to arrive at the size we need to make a good fit with the bore of the gun.
Many types of sizers are around. The Lee system is a die that screws into your press like a loading die. Then there's a pusher rod that replaces/goes into where the shell holder goes. I pushes a lead boolit through the die and out the top. The boolit should be lubed first, as the die ONLY sizes. Lee's system of tumble lubing uses their liquid alox to do this. You dribble some on a pile of boolits, then toss them around. Lay them on some wax paper to dry. Then pass them through the sizer.
Lyman, RCBS, star, all make lubrisizers. The Lyman and RCBS are pushed into the sizer die, then lifted back out. While they're in the die, lube is forced into the lube grooves under pressure. The star is a straight though, nose first sizer. The lube is also put into the grooves under pressure as the boolit passes through.
Get the Lyman cast bullet handbook. It's forward section will give you a good tutorial on boolit casting. Then the back section will give you loads for the final product.
We seldom have molds that cast exactly what the maker is trying to arrive at. They always are a bit off from what they should be. That's where sizing the boolit comes into play. The sizer swages the boolit to arrive at the size we need to make a good fit with the bore of the gun.
Many types of sizers are around. The Lee system is a die that screws into your press like a loading die. Then there's a pusher rod that replaces/goes into where the shell holder goes. I pushes a lead boolit through the die and out the top. The boolit should be lubed first, as the die ONLY sizes. Lee's system of tumble lubing uses their liquid alox to do this. You dribble some on a pile of boolits, then toss them around. Lay them on some wax paper to dry. Then pass them through the sizer.
Lyman, RCBS, star, all make lubrisizers. The Lyman and RCBS are pushed into the sizer die, then lifted back out. While they're in the die, lube is forced into the lube grooves under pressure. The star is a straight though, nose first sizer. The lube is also put into the grooves under pressure as the boolit passes through.
Get the Lyman cast bullet handbook. It's forward section will give you a good tutorial on boolit casting. Then the back section will give you loads for the final product.
Thanks snuffy,
I have the Lyman book and have read most of the way through it. My hopes were to get a mold that I could use so I didn't have to drop a chunk money into a sizer and dies. The more I read the more it looks like you have to have one.
I realize that molds listed at a certain diameter doesn't mean they will cast at the listed dia. depending on the alloy of the lead may make a difference or how you cast them. I want to be able to create ammo for various .45 pistols so I don't have to sort the ammo per gun. I'm sure this will have to be played with to see what shoots well with each. From what I've read it sounded like I need to be .001 or .002 over the bore size to make a good seal. This is what brought the original question up. I have a .003 spread between the 2 bores.
I have the Lyman book and have read most of the way through it. My hopes were to get a mold that I could use so I didn't have to drop a chunk money into a sizer and dies. The more I read the more it looks like you have to have one.
I realize that molds listed at a certain diameter doesn't mean they will cast at the listed dia. depending on the alloy of the lead may make a difference or how you cast them. I want to be able to create ammo for various .45 pistols so I don't have to sort the ammo per gun. I'm sure this will have to be played with to see what shoots well with each. From what I've read it sounded like I need to be .001 or .002 over the bore size to make a good seal. This is what brought the original question up. I have a .003 spread between the 2 bores.
CS86, this should not be the case. Unless you are shooting a VERY old gun, where quality control was not up to modern standards, the bore diameters should be almost exactly the same.
Now, you CAN measure your bore diameter at the muzzle with a dial caliper--which is what I suspect you're doing. However, the best method is to slug the bore.
Here's how: get a SOFT lead bullet that is slightly over the diameter of the bore. You don't necessarily have to measure the difference, a calibrated eyeball will do here.
Since you have semi-auto pistols, the job will be simple. I would use a .45 rifle bullet, sized around .458. Make sure you're using a SOFT lead bullet.
Remove the barrel, and place it muzzle down on a non-marking surface. Lube the bullet well with a light oil, then use a close fitting NYLON punch, or hardwood dowel to tap the bullet through the chamber. Drop it in, and tap it through the muzzle.
However--with any modern 1911, this step is unnecessary. If you cast bullets, a good all around bullet is the 200 grain HG 68 design semiwadcutter. Lee makes a 6 cavity version of these molds. Get a sizing system--I have both RCBS and Star lubrisizers--with a .452 sizing die. I size them and lube with Javelina Alox, on top of 3.8 of Clays for target shooting; 4.5 of HP38 for general practice.
Now, you CAN measure your bore diameter at the muzzle with a dial caliper--which is what I suspect you're doing. However, the best method is to slug the bore.
Here's how: get a SOFT lead bullet that is slightly over the diameter of the bore. You don't necessarily have to measure the difference, a calibrated eyeball will do here.
Since you have semi-auto pistols, the job will be simple. I would use a .45 rifle bullet, sized around .458. Make sure you're using a SOFT lead bullet.
Remove the barrel, and place it muzzle down on a non-marking surface. Lube the bullet well with a light oil, then use a close fitting NYLON punch, or hardwood dowel to tap the bullet through the chamber. Drop it in, and tap it through the muzzle.
However--with any modern 1911, this step is unnecessary. If you cast bullets, a good all around bullet is the 200 grain HG 68 design semiwadcutter. Lee makes a 6 cavity version of these molds. Get a sizing system--I have both RCBS and Star lubrisizers--with a .452 sizing die. I size them and lube with Javelina Alox, on top of 3.8 of Clays for target shooting; 4.5 of HP38 for general practice.
m&p45acp10+1
New member
I have a Lee mold for .45 acp I shoot them as cast. I tumble lube with liquid allox. It works well for me. Have shot them in several different guns. No problems with lead in any of them.
CS86,
I have a couple of the Lee molds and they work fine with my ACP, and my 45 Colt. I see your concern on having to size, and this is valid as I had the same when I started out.
That said, I use the Lee push through sizers which are only around $20 per caliber, and they do a fine enough job for me to get 2" or so groups or less at 25yds offhand from most of my cast loads.
Also when you pick up the Lee sizer kit, you will get a bottle of the Lee Alox. This has also worked for all of my cast loading needs as well. I do however blend it into a mix known as 45/45/10, which can be found over on Castboolits under the "Tumble Lubing Made Easy" thread.
I have a couple of the Lee molds and they work fine with my ACP, and my 45 Colt. I see your concern on having to size, and this is valid as I had the same when I started out.
That said, I use the Lee push through sizers which are only around $20 per caliber, and they do a fine enough job for me to get 2" or so groups or less at 25yds offhand from most of my cast loads.
Also when you pick up the Lee sizer kit, you will get a bottle of the Lee Alox. This has also worked for all of my cast loading needs as well. I do however blend it into a mix known as 45/45/10, which can be found over on Castboolits under the "Tumble Lubing Made Easy" thread.
Thanks! I'll take a look at the lee sizer. I was looking at molds last night and I'm confused as to what the Ogive radius is. Some say they have 2 and some say 1.
There are 2 different .452 230gr RN molds that have a little different design and I don't know which would be better to start with. One says its for the tumble lube and i'm guessing the other is for pan lubing.
There are 2 different .452 230gr RN molds that have a little different design and I don't know which would be better to start with. One says its for the tumble lube and i'm guessing the other is for pan lubing.
grubbylabs
New member
If you look at the lube grooves it will become obvious which is a tumble lube or other lube. The tumble lube will have multiple small lube grooves along the body of the bullet while a bullet you can pan lube or lube in a press will generally have one to two large grooves that will hold a wider band of lube.
m&p45acp10+1
New member
Lee Tumble Lube molds will have the letters TL with the numbers to indicate that it is a tumble lube mold. I prefer them over the standard molds myself. Especialy in revolver rounds. The bands are like multiple canulures giving you more flexibility as far shere you can crimp at.
Can the molds that have the larger canulures still be used with tumble lube, or is that uncommon to do? The 2 guns I'd like to reload for would be for a 1911 and a Springfield XDS. I know I need the round nose molds for these guns to function better, but now I didn't know if tumble lube molds or the other worked any better.
m&p45acp10+1
New member
Any bullets can be lubed with tumble lube. I have the 200 grain semi wadcutter mold for .45 acp with the standard lube grooves. I tumble lube them, and shoot as cast when the lube dries. I wait about 2 to 3 days for lube to be completely dry. No problem with lead in any of the guns I have shot them out of. They even fed well in my friend's PT1911, and a HI Point carbine.
grubbylabs
New member
All I shoot is tumble lube. I shoot 230grn LRNFP in my XDc just fine. I bought the mold from a custom maker in Utah. I also had good luck with Lee's truncated nose mold. I am also shooting Lee's SWC in my 44 mag with good results. I also shoot a 270 grain RNFP with a gas check in the 44 mag. I have also shot the 270 grain bullet at 2,100 fps out of a Win 94 AE in 444. No leading and shot great. It is also a Lee mold. My 45/70 TL mold is from the custom mold maker. It also shoots very well.
The custom mold maker is Tom and his company is Accurate Molds. While he makes some outstanding molds at great prices, its still nice to be able to experiment with a $20.00 mold.
The custom mold maker is Tom and his company is Accurate Molds. While he makes some outstanding molds at great prices, its still nice to be able to experiment with a $20.00 mold.