Favorite .45 Colt boolit mold?

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Bill in Oregon
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Favorite .45 Colt boolit mold?

Post by Bill in Oregon »

Over the years, the Lee 452-255 has been my favorite. It has been nicely accurate, and although I have not taken game with it, my sense is that big, fat meplat would let the air out pretty effectively.
http://www.titanreloading.com/molds/bul ... 52-255-rf-
What's your favorite for the .45 Colt sixgun, and why?
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Re: Favorite .45 Colt boolit mold?

Post by Griff »

I have more than 1 favorite.

1 - LBT 185-WFN, light, accurate and can be loaded w/light charges for CAS, or heavier t equal my 185HPs I some times carry for PP. But doesn't work worth snot for BP, except outta my short barreled SAAs due to small lube groove; great with any smokeless load,

2 - RCBS 45-225CAV, a 225 gr truncated cone, accurate out of handguns AND rifles from 17" to 24". Has adequate lube capacity for BP outta rifles and maintains its accuracy. Yet still works well w/smokeless. Probably my favorite all-around 45Colt bullet. Loaded to match either Winchester 225gr Silvertips, it's a great practice round for both rifle & handgun.

3 - Big-Lube 45 Slim, a 170gr truncated cone that is my "go-to" bullet for BP handgun use in CAS. With my alloy, sized & lubed w/SPG they come out @ 160gr. For smokeless in the C45S I use a Lee 090 160 gr RFN.

4 - For all things .452, the #1 boolit is the Lee # 340. A 200 gr round flat-nose. However, I generally buy theyse from about 3 diffrent sources, depending who has stock. I particularly like them Moly coated for the 45ACP. I use them in the 1911 for "Wild Bunch" & 3-Gun and in the C45S case in the Marlin 1894 for WB.
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Chuck 100 yd
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Re: Favorite .45 Colt boolit mold?

Post by Chuck 100 yd »

RCBS 45-230-CA 230 gr. RNFP works in any .45 (.454-) and also great in the .45 ACP.
I own a bunch of .45 molds but this one gets used most.
Bill in Oregon
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Re: Favorite .45 Colt boolit mold?

Post by Bill in Oregon »

Chuck, that's a handsome slug. The Lee looks about the same with an extra grease groove and 25 grains added.
Griff, that conical feeds like glass I'm guessing.
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Griff
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Re: Favorite .45 Colt boolit mold?

Post by Griff »

Bill in Oregon wrote:Griff, that conical feeds like glass I'm guessing.
Image
That's it on the right; like popcorn thu a goose!
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arjunky
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Re: Favorite .45 Colt boolit mold?

Post by arjunky »

I've had really good luck with your Lee mould and with Lyman's 454424.

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Re: Favorite .45 Colt boolit mold?

Post by yooper2 »

RCBS 255-KT (or SWC, same thing).

Push it 1000 fps and it'll pass through any game animal in the Midwest and do it with target grade accuracy. Also, the lube groove is large enough that it does just fine with black powder. The only fault is that it is only available in a 2 cavity mold. If I could have only one (and I did for several years) this would be it.


Eric
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Re: Favorite .45 Colt boolit mold?

Post by Sixgun »

Lyman 454190. Standard design that replicates the factory bullet. I also use the 454424, which is the Keith design SWC. Dang! Then there's the 452?, anyway, it's a Lyman 200 gr SWC designed for the 45 auto.-----6
1st. Gen. Colt SAA’s, 1878 D.A.45 and a 38-55 Marlin TD

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Richardx
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Re: Favorite .45 Colt boolit mold?

Post by Richardx »

What Yooper said!

Use the John Taffin load: 9.0 of Unique under it and amaze yourself with the accuracy, especially in a S&W 25-5 4" or a '92!

I like the Lee six cavity when I'm making mouse fanny burp CAS rounds, the smelter empties fast. :lol:
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J Miller
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Re: Favorite .45 Colt boolit mold?

Post by J Miller »

I have three, but I can only remember the mold numbers on two of them.

Lyman 454190. Actually my mold is an old Ideal. It casts out a perfect 255grs when wheel weights are used.

Lyman 454424. A 70s vintage mold that runs around 265 ± grs when cast of wheel weights.

Lyman 452???. The two lube groove 200gr SWC usually used with the 45 Auto. Mine casts a bit large so I fill both groves with lube and it works superb in the big .45 Colt case.

Joe
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Charles
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Re: Favorite .45 Colt boolit mold?

Post by Charles »

Lots of good 45 Colt bullets, but if I could just have one it would be Lyman 454424
TomF
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Re: Favorite .45 Colt boolit mold?

Post by TomF »

I have taken 7 deer (2 WT/5Axis) and a turkey with the Lee 255 and 10 grs unique. All were one shot. This boolit from my cowboy is clay pigeon accurate out to 110 yards. It is my favorite rifle to carry on the ranch.

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w30wcf
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Re: Favorite .45 Colt boolit mold?

Post by w30wcf »

454424 or Lee 255 for the SA

For b.p. in the rifle......
First 3 - Swiss or Olde Enysford for no foul out and repeatable accuracy
Last 2 - Any b.p.

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Grizz
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Re: Favorite .45 Colt boolit mold?

Post by Grizz »

Bill in Oregon wrote:Over the years, the Lee 452-255 has been my favorite. It has been nicely accurate, and although I have not taken game with it, my sense is that big, fat meplat would let the air out pretty effectively.
http://www.titanreloading.com/molds/bul ... 52-255-rf-
What's your favorite for the .45 Colt sixgun, and why?
Bill, I like that bullet a lot. To shoot it in the 1911 and XD would I need to change out the recoil springs and maybe add a buffer? It seems like a great bullet to me, and the mold is Affordable.

thanks
Grizz
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J Miller
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Re: Favorite .45 Colt boolit mold?

Post by J Miller »

w30wcf wrote:454424 or Lee 255 for the SA

For b.p. in the rifle......
First 3 - Swiss or Olde Enysford for no foul out and repeatable accuracy
Last 2 - Any b.p.

Image


W30wcf
John,

Thanks for posting that comparison picture. If I ever escape IL alive I'd like to pick up a couple of those molds and try them out. I particularly like the middle one and the one to it's right.

Joe
***Be sneaky, get closer, bust the cap on him when you can put the ball where it counts ;) .***
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