Casting for .45 Colt

[unter1]

I have visited this forum before and always got the information I needed for my single action questions without the need to post. Great site!

Just finally acquired an old model Blackhawk Convertible and will be using my as cast bullets I use for .45acp for my first loads in .45 Colt. I would be surprised if I do not get a new mold for a Colt bullet. I have been lusting for a revolver chambered in this cartridge for years.....

The question is, what Lee mold to get that might be better than using the 230gr rn one I use for acp? The gun will mostly be punching paper but I will be (if I can make the time) slaying a hog with it in the next couple months and possibly a deer in the future. The game will be 50yd or less....

Thanks.

John O.

 

[J Miller]

John,

Welcome to the forum.

First I'd suggest getting the chamber throats checked for diameter and reamed out if needed. Ruger is famous or notorious for undersized and inconsistent throats. This condition will cause leading, higher pressures and inaccuracy.

Then for a combination of paper punching and hunting I'd suggest, you did say Lee, their 250gr SWC mold: 452-252-SWC. I've got an old one that has cast some very accurate bullets for me.

You can also use the 255gr RNFP: 452-255-RF as it has a big flat nose.

The only problems I have with either of these molds is they sit very deep in the case, reducing powder capacity.
That shouldn't be too much of a problem unless you want to crank em up to +P levels. And maybe not even them.

, I forgot to put in the link to the Lee bullet page:
http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi/catalog/browse.cgi?1284993388.1405=/html/catalog/bullmol2.html

Joe

 

[M'BOGO]

John,

Welcome. I agree with Joe, but I have no experience with OM .45 Rugers. I do recall hearing that they are prone to .454ish throats, which means the Lee moulds will be too small.

 

[unter1]

Thanks guys, will check them throats...

The reduction in case capacity, if any, should not affect me too much. I rarely go to max load in my .44 SBH.

I appreciate the advice.

John O.

 

[comanche]

Ruger 45colts are more likely to have factory throats in the 0.4495 area.
TOO small.

 

[unter1]

Throat dia is 0.450+ on 2 and 0.451 on 4 of the throats. The barrel seems to be .452.


The ACP cyl is good to go.....

 

[comanche]

For the best accuracy, all the throats in a cylinder should be the same.
Strangely, in the 7 Ruger 45 colts that I have; (9 cylinders, two 45 acp)
this was not the case. I found several different sizes in each cylinder.
So...
I reamed the throats of all my Ruger 45s to 0.4525" including the acp cylinders.
This is considered to be optimal for the Ruger 45colts and lead bullets.
The guns ALL showed a vast improvement in accuracy.

 

[DGW1949]

What Joe Miller said.
Lee's 452/252 SWC bullet is my bullet of choice but I've used both of the molds/bullets that he mentioned with good success.
Actual finished weight will vary according the alloy you pick.
Alox is your friend.

DGW

 

[Wireman134]

What Joe Miller said.
Lee's 452/252 SWC bullet is my bullet of choice but I've used both of the molds/bullets that he mentioned with good success.
Actual finished weight will vary according the alloy you pick.
Alox is your friend.

DGW

+1 with the 252 SWC for a all around boolit, mine drops 255gr. boolit's using approx. mix of 97%Pb/1.5%Sb/1.5%Sn Bhn 15 dropped in water. My leading in the barrel has been reduced since Cylinder Smith reamed my throats to .4525".

 

[unter1]

Alright then, looks like I have found the mold I want to try. Thanks guys!

I was fondling the gun yesterday and even the first time I slugged the barrel I did not see or feel the BULGE in it. Now I have been patiently waiting for the right gun for more than a year to turn up for the right deal. I prefer to think the gentleman I traded with did not know about the bulge since I did not see it either.

Have an email into Ruger to repair the gun, guess the bullets will be cast by the time I get it back.

I sure was looking forward to shooting this old gun.....

 

[Bucks Owin]

I have visited this forum before and always got the information I needed for my single action questions without the need to post. Great site!

Just finally acquired an old model Blackhawk Convertible and will be using my as cast bullets I use for .45acp for my first loads in .45 Colt. I would be surprised if I do not get a new mold for a Colt bullet. I have been lusting for a revolver chambered in this cartridge for years.....

The question is, what Lee mold to get that might be better than using the 230gr rn one I use for acp? The gun will mostly be punching paper but I will be (if I can make the time) slaying a hog with it in the next couple months and possibly a deer in the future. The game will be 50yd or less....

Thanks.

John O.

First off, congrats on the OM .45 BH, I'm envious! (Wanna trade? :lol: )
I'll throw my hat in the ring regarding the 252 Lee. I like Lee moulds, they turn out decent bullets and the price is right for experimenting. "Casting about" (little pun there :roll: ) for a good plinker load for my 80 lb son, I tried several recipes with the 252 Lee, and the most promising so far has been 7 grs of Green Dot. This 25 yd group on the left was with that bullet sized .452" and I expect it might do better left unsized in the large .455-6" throats of my .45 BH. Not a bragging group but showing promise. Nice thing about that bullet is the double duty role in your .45 ACP...I'm not sure I'd want to take on a big hog with it however, I'd feel better with something in the 300-325 gr range..(Like the sized down 457191 bullet on the right) But that's JMO..
Hope you get your sixgun back soon and keep us posted amigo!
Best, Dennis

 

[unter1]

Thanks for the kind words Dennis. It's good your son enjoys shooting. Mine used to really eat up the ammo and has been a better shot than me since he was 18. He lives in Texas now and I have no one to see just how good my guns will shoot.

I run my ACP and SBH with unsized bullets and tumble lube them. I do send some ACP lead to my son too so I guess they are accurate enough.

The last hog I shot was deep in the palmettos. I just knew one would come thru the tunnel system they were using in there and when a big sow came trotting thru I skewered her at 10' with an arrow thru the chest and out the nether regions while I was down on my knees and bent over.
I did not realize the two of us needed to fit in that lane until she bolted forward. The bow made a pretty good ram and I just held it with two fists and when I hit her we both moved over a bit and she was out of there like a train. Glad that arrow was not sticking out....

Never a dull moment during a pig encounter, especially in the swamp.

 

[AKGrouch]

Unter. You did say Old Model Blackhawk. Be aware that, if you send it to Ruger for repair, it will probably come back molested with the transfer bar installed. Whether they will return the old parts is anyone's guess. I've heard that they don't return the old parts now, but could be wrong.

 

[unter1]

Yea I know it may(will) be a bastard when it gets back, I will include all of my concerns in the letter with the gun and all correspondence to them.

We will see....Thanks for the reminder Mr Grouch.

 

[Bucks Owin]

It's good your son enjoys shooting. Mine used to really eat up the ammo and has been a better shot than me since he was 18. He lives in Texas now and I have no one to see just how good my guns will shoot.

.

I know whatcha mean pard. That 252 Lee group might be one ragged hole if shot by someone with younger eyes...I'm afraid I'll need a Ransom Rest for testing pretty soon (My 13 yr old sidekick is still in training.. :wink: )

 

[VAdoublegunner]

Another good mold to look into, although it isn't a Lee one, is the RCBS 45-270-SAA. Those bullets shoot exceptionally well in just about any 45 Colt made.

 

[Bucks Owin]

Another good mold to look into, although it isn't a Lee one, is the RCBS 45-270-SAA. Those bullets shoot exceptionally well in just about any 45 Colt made.

Yes, that's one on my short list. (Wish I could've taken advantage of the HP version over at Cast Boolits forum awhile back...Alas, low on dinero! )

 

[Dale53]

MiHec will have a few extras for the Brass Four Cavity version of the solid clone of the RCBS 45-270-SAA. I am currently awaiting delivery of mine. I have the two cavity Cramer Style Hollow point mould and it is a DANDY! He is still showing a few of the Cramer style moulds available, also. This is the group buy effort:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=89429

Here is his web site - send him an Email with your needs:

http://www.mp-molds.com/index.php?pr=Molds

I have been the "honcho" for several of these moulds (I have used everything that I have honcho'd) and find them of the highest quality.

If any of you need loading data for the RCBS 45-270-SAA, then Handloader Magazine has full information, here:

http://www.riflemagazine.com/magazine/PDF/HL%20245%20partial1.pdf

Dale53

 

[Cherokee]

If it was me, I'd see if someone has a barrel that I could buy and have a local gunsmith swap them out before I'd send that 3-screw back to Ruger. Just a thought.....

 

[unter1]

Got my new convertible from Ruger today. Gotta thank Wain Roberts Firearms for the reasonable priced transfer and the nice cleaning rod I got last week from them. Good people there.

The one I sent them to fix was not the prize I thought it was and correct repairs to it were more than I wanted to pay.I do not buy or sell guns often but that one should have been looked at better by the drooling buyer. I am over it.

The new one is a Blackhawk Convertible .45 with 4 5/8 bbl. Was sold to me by Ruger for their good buddy discount price. The gun looks good. Cylinder to bbl gap is .005 in .45c and .007 in .45acp. The colt cylinder chamber. I measured at .452 to .4525 and the acp chambers are .001 under that. I did polish them chambers a bit to arrive at that number and the polishing only removed the tooling marks(not quite on the acp). The base pin could be tighter... Trigger pull is better than most I have shot.

I have a myriad of acp lead loads to feed it and have loaded 200gr, 230gr, and 250gr(new Lee 2 cavity Mold) cast loads in the colt cases I have been collecting for a few years. Had run out of Unique powder and used Titegroup in the cases.

Will try to see how it shoots on Saturday!

 

[Dale53]

I have a rather new Ruger SS Bisley .45 colt/.45 ACP Convertible. I had to ream the cylinders (both), had a trigger job done and modified the original pawl to a free spin pawl.

The revolver is a delight. It shoots under an 1" at 25 yards with both cylinders and offers "mild to wild" in the form of light target loads in the .45 ACP and heavy hunting loads in the .45 Colt. That is a combination that is hard to beat.

I have been a .44 man (both Special and Magnum) for all of my adult life. I still am. However, I can certainly see the appeal of the .45 Colt/.45 ACP in these revolvers. Definitely in the "hard to beat" category.

This target was shot when it was new. I had not even adjusted the sights after my little bit of gunsmithing. It was COLD outside, so I was shooting in our indoor range at 50 feet off a makeshift rest:

Talk about getting your monies worth...

Dale53

 

[unter1]

That gun is a keeper Dale.

 

[Dale53]

That gun is a keeper Dale.

Amen to THAT! :lol: :lol:

Dale53

 

[Bucks Owin]

Excellent! That kind of group would warm your heart at least on a cold day! :wink:
What was the load?

 

[BrokNAirow]

I use a lyman mold old keith style 255gr rnfp...wheel weights.....dropped in cold water....alox lubed......loaded in both 45 acp and 45 colt......stoked with unique..heavy crimp..45 colt..and head shots for hogs down here........
did ream out both 45 acp and 45 colt cyls.......most all rugers need reaming....very accurate now....... :mrgreen:

 

[Dale53]

That target was shot with my SS Bisley .45 Colt/.45 ACP with the .45 ACP cylinder. Using ACP cases, Win LP primers, and 4.0 grs of Bullseye (or equivalent) with the MiHec moulded bullet for the #68 H&G bullet. The bullets were WW's + 2% tin sized to .452".

Incidentally, the target was witnessed (if that is important)...

Do I like Rugers? Naw-w-w, not me (not MUCH:lol. Wait 'til you get me going about my .44 Lipsey Special,,,

Dale53

 

[unter1]

Shot her yesterday! About 300 rounds. The new 240gr mold works great and the gun is accurate with any bullet I run thru it so far. Did not save any of the unrested target shots but did hit three clays at 75 yd in 5 shots with 200gr swc .45acp. My Colt loads are a little weak and I made some a little stouter with Unique. The 230gr cases were REAL sooty with 6gr of Titegroup.

I will keep the gun.

I get some light strikes on primers with the ACP cylinder and those chambers are hard to clean due to the tool marks. Will have to clean them up a bit.

I feel a shorter head on the cylinder pin will help the ejection of those Colt cases. Right?