Suggestions for a good cast bullet for 45 ACP

Brother_Love

Well-Known Member
I’m about to start reloading to feed my 1911 with some target loads. Which cast bullet do you use. I m looking for the most accurate and most reliable bullet you use. I am trying to find some brass now and I need your suggestions for a mold.
Thank you.

PS: I sure hope the Ruger PC carbine will one day be made in 45 ACP.
 

Ian

Notorious member
Lee TL452-230TC. Powder coat or liquid lube. I have about 15-18 .45 moulds in the 200-230-grain range and settled on the Lee TC because it feeds well in everything I have chambered in that cartridge, particularly the DI-45 which requires bullets with a smooth transition between ogive and full diameter. Plus it comes in a nice, new-style 6-banger block set for about $42 and casts great bullets.
 

Wasalmonslayer

Well-Known Member
I have shot many of the ones Brad recommended.
It is hard to find a load it does not like!

My next favorite but heavier design is the one Ian likes great all around bullet as well!

Just depends on what your ambitions are.
I like the lighter bullet felt recoil is less for the son and wife so the 200 swc hg 68 clone is my main load.
 

Pistolero

Well-Known Member
H&G 68 is my standard, but the 452460 is also highly esteemed. Hard to go wrong with either
at .452 diam.
Use a taper crimp separate die, of the short taper type as a final operation. There are some
newer TC dies that have a continuous taper from one end of the die to the other. IME, these do
not do as well as the short taper type. Older RCBS TC dies are good, as are recent Lee TC dies.

For H&G 68, LOA of 1.250 is a good starting point, although some guns with very short or
non-existent throating will require .010 or .020" shorter to chambr properly.
I user Titegroup, 4.8 gr is a nice load, will run in any of my 1911s. Many other powders are
good. About 850 fps up to 925 fps is a good range.

There is a thread on TC dies here somewhere.

Bill
 
Last edited:

CZ93X62

Official forum enigma
No flies on any of the mould designs mentioned so far. I have and use most of them, though my Lee 230 TC has the conventional lube groove and my H&G #68 clone is a Lee-made plagiarism. Most-used now by me are the Lee 230 TC and the Lyman #452374, which is a close copy of JMB's original bullet design for the 1911-series pistols. I use the 230s because my carry load is the WWB 230 JHP, a splendid goblin stopper--and 5.5 grains of WW-231 under both bullets does a fine imitation of my carry load's downrange behavior. My carry of the 45 ACP has slowed markedly, I prefer 14 x 40 S&W rounds before the slide locks back on the Glock 23 to the 8 x 45 ACP rounds before the P-220 or Gold Cup begs to be re-fed.
 

Intheshop

Banned
H&G 68 backed by 5g of 231 is the one and done target loads for our 70's Gold Cup and Gpa's 1911( circa 1917)..... which,even with it's issued,very small sights.... can shoot right with the GC. Good luck with your project.
 

Brother_Love

Well-Known Member
Wow many suggestions! Thank you. I think I will order a couple of these from the cast bullet manufacturers and try them before getting a mold. Maybe that will help me get one that works best with my Ruger SR1911. I picked up a used one from a law enforcement supplier who took it on trade. It camewith CT laser grips but I don’t really like them. It was engraved too but I think it gives it a story and a history.
BBD7CB35-E4AE-46C5-A0A0-BD4506F256BB.jpeg92A3F24E-3A1D-409F-AD05-CA7DA38C5477.jpeg2AE15B9D-4784-43A0-9644-19F0117373D8.jpeg
 

Cherokee

Medina, Ohio
All good suggestions. I also like the Accurate 453200E which is a 200 gr TC design.
If you still need bass, let me know, I have an oversupply.
 

Brother_Love

Well-Known Member
Lots of info to digest here so I will get a mold soon. Which one? Don’t know yet but I am researching all of the. Thank you.
 

462

California's Central Coast Amid The Insanity
If sharply cut holes aren't a necessity, the Lyman 452374 Al mentioned, gets the nod.
 

Ian

Notorious member
I'll add that the icing on the cake of the Lee 230TC is it kills stuff a little better than a RN and is more reliable than an HP and easier to cast in bulk. My one-size-fits-all load includes functional roles as well, meaning paper, targets, and killing things if necessary.
 

Hawk

North Central Texas
Lee TL452-230TC. Powder coat or liquid lube.

Ian,
I have read a couple of comments that state the Lee cast oversized bullets.
I need a mould to start loading for my BIL and am l [king at this one to PC.
Do you know what size your cast from COWW?
 

Ian

Notorious member
From straight WW with no tin, running the mould fast and hot hot and alloy cool (under 700) for a light satin frost all over, I get about .452-.4525". I then powder-coat and size right away in a .451" push-through die while they're still soft, they come out a shade over .451" and fatten another half thousandth as they age. Most of my .45s prefer a bullet closer to .451" than .452", even the revolver. Tight-throated plastic autos especially need the smaller diameter. 1.208" is my COAL with these bullets, that's a little loose in most but just barely deep enough for the un-modified M&Ps and a 1911 with a Bar-Sto barrel.

My six-cavity single-groove version casts closer to .456" and I consider it pretty well unusable except to add a pinch of tin for girth, powder coat, and shoot in my .458 Socom.
 

Hawk

North Central Texas
My FIL was Army (Artillery).
My BIL has his service pistol, a GI issue, full size colt 1911 that he wants to shoot.
The gun has been shot and shows a bit of wear.
BIL is not really a gun enthusiast, this is probably the only gun he owns, but wants to shoot the gun because it was his fathers.
He asked me to reload for him, trying to keep his costs down.