After the thread the other day I went ahead and ordered the Lee 230 TC mold for my 45 acp. Yes I know the 200 #68 is more popular, but I've still got the 2 banger for that one and can always pick up a 6 cavity after the 30 lbs or so already cast are used up. Any excuse for a new mold, right?
Mold came yesterday so I washed it down with brake cleaner, then dropped it in a pan of soapy water and brought it up to a boil for a few minutes. After cooling a bit and rinsing it fairly well I put it in fresh water and brought that up to boil. This afternoon I fired up the pot with the latest alloy mix, 0.7% Sn, 1.7%Sb and tried it out. This one may be the easiest casting mold I own. I had the Lyman PID set to 730 and it made a pile of bullets in a hurry. After cooling, I miked a few and got .4515-.452. The low tin percentage was showing it's head. Shouldn't be a big deal since this Sig Stainless Target 1911 has a tight barrel and I normally size .451.
I ran a few through the luber/sizer filled with Ben's Red. Made up a dummy at 1.25 OAL and pulled the pistol apart. Lo and behold, it plunked, actually .005 below flush. Fits in the magazine fine as well.
What would you do about the oal? I know at this length the pressure and velocity will be down considerably since the published data I've found is for 1.17. I've thought about dropping to 1.20 like I use for the Lee 200RF, but thought I'd ask here. I'd like to run this one near full power and use the lighter bullets for lighter loads. If I stay at 1.25" should I take published velocity with a certain powder, increase the powder weight till I get close to the same velocity or what would you do?
Powders on hand are HP-38, Universal, 800X, and Longshot. Universal would be the preferred powder since I use it in other cases, especially 16 gauge, but any of them would be ok.
Mold came yesterday so I washed it down with brake cleaner, then dropped it in a pan of soapy water and brought it up to a boil for a few minutes. After cooling a bit and rinsing it fairly well I put it in fresh water and brought that up to boil. This afternoon I fired up the pot with the latest alloy mix, 0.7% Sn, 1.7%Sb and tried it out. This one may be the easiest casting mold I own. I had the Lyman PID set to 730 and it made a pile of bullets in a hurry. After cooling, I miked a few and got .4515-.452. The low tin percentage was showing it's head. Shouldn't be a big deal since this Sig Stainless Target 1911 has a tight barrel and I normally size .451.
I ran a few through the luber/sizer filled with Ben's Red. Made up a dummy at 1.25 OAL and pulled the pistol apart. Lo and behold, it plunked, actually .005 below flush. Fits in the magazine fine as well.
What would you do about the oal? I know at this length the pressure and velocity will be down considerably since the published data I've found is for 1.17. I've thought about dropping to 1.20 like I use for the Lee 200RF, but thought I'd ask here. I'd like to run this one near full power and use the lighter bullets for lighter loads. If I stay at 1.25" should I take published velocity with a certain powder, increase the powder weight till I get close to the same velocity or what would you do?
Powders on hand are HP-38, Universal, 800X, and Longshot. Universal would be the preferred powder since I use it in other cases, especially 16 gauge, but any of them would be ok.