Cast bullets 45ACP

[wswisconsin]

Recommendations on an accurate cast bullet mould for the 45?  I bought some 200 grain semi wadcutter cast bullets from the store - shot all over the paper at 25 yards and leaded the barrel from breach to muzzle.  I was using 6 grains of Unique, Winchester large pistol primers.  I am not concerned with the style of the bullet; all I do is target shooting.  I'm concerned with accuracy.

[Iowegan]

I've used the 200 gr SCW with great success. I think you're probably running them a bit hot.  Try dropping down to 5.0 gr of Unique. That gives about 750 fps. Accuracy is great and fouling goes away. You will need a decent tapper crimp for good ignition and feeding. Seat the bullet where the hip is flush with the case mouth. Also, I use a 12 lb recoil spring with these target loads to make the gun function better.

[Questor]

I'm not familiar with that load, but I suspect something wrong with it.  Bullseye, Clays, or Winchester 231 powder is used with 200 grain SWCs as standard target shooting loads in bullseye competition.  I don't know of anyone that uses unique for 45ACP in light target loads.  Around 4 grains of Bullseye would be a good place to start.  I don't suspect the bullets at all.  I've used all hardnesses of them from swaged lead to hard cast and they all work fine.

[Iowegan]

Questor, Though I agree with using 231 or BE, there are a lot of competition shooters that swear by Unique. All three powders burn dirty and all three can produce fine accuracy. The key to loading 45 ACPs is to apply the proper taper crimp. The slower the powder burn rate, the more critical the need for a firm crimp, else "position sensitive" issues will result in poor accuracy. With BE, you can get by with a very light crimp because it burns so fast. The much slower Unique requires a firm crimp for good ignition and uniform velocities.

Last week I put the finishing touches on a 1911 that I built. I test fired it from a bench rest with several lead and jacketed bullets for feeding, function, and accuracy. The gun shot well with all loads but the 200 gr SWCs (loaded with 5.0 gr Unique) were the best for accuracy. I did have to install a weaker recoil spring to get positive function. I didn't try 231 or BE but I'm sure they would shoot just fine too. The point is; blowing out the 10X ring with the Unique loads tells me they work pretty good with a 200 gr SWC.

[Questor]

Cool! I didn't know that. I've only used Unique for shotshell target loads.  As for dirtiness, I use WLP primers with 231 and Bullseye. My loads burn much cleaner with those primers than with CCI 300 primers.  I believe it's because WLPs are "hotter". (as a trivial aside to this, I made some loads that would cycle fine when using WLP primers but would not cycle the action if I used the CCIs.)   I wonder if the WLPs would make your Unique loads cleaner.

In shotshells, I've found that Unique does burn dirty. My 20 guage load is very low pressure and burns filthy even with the new formulation of Unique.  It's a good load, though.

[Iowegan]

I use WLPs too. I don't know if they help that much with the soot. When you get unburnt powder flakes, it's a sure sign of poor ignition. That usually means the taper crimp is too loose. My sooty powder loads really don't bother me as long as accuracy is good.

[Mikey]

Questor:  Winchester puts a tremendous amount of quality control into their products and thier primers are one example.  There are a couple of rifle and pistol loads I use that get the best consistency and accuracy with the Winchester primers.  

For the loads mentioned I would use the Winchester Large Pistol primer - they work very well for me.  They burn cleanly and are quite consistent.  HTH.  Mikey.

[Questor]

They also cost less than others, at least around here they do.  I prefer Winchester brass to all others.

[dla]

Recommendations on an accurate cast bullet mould for the 45?  I bought some 200 grain semi wadcutter cast bullets from the store - shot all over the paper at 25 yards and leaded the barrel from breach to muzzle.  I was using 6 grains of Unique, Winchester large pistol primers.  I am not concerned with the style of the bullet; all I do is target shooting.  I'm concerned with accuracy.

Make sure that you're getting .452" diameter bullets. Sounds like the bullets were too small. The limiting factor to cast lead velocity in a 1911 is the recoil - the gun is not designed to be a .44mag. A properly fitting bullet will end the leading. I can't comment on the load as I stopped using Unique about 25years ago.

[Questor]

Get two four cavity moulds. I understand that Lymans are good. If I ever get back into casting it will be with four cavity moulds. My two cavity moulds make the going too slow.

[wswisconsin]

Found out what I was doing wrong.  I am using RCBS reloading dies.  I was running the case up too high in the taper crimp bullet seating die.  I took the decapping stem out of the decapping die and used that die to crimp the bullet.  I just came back from the range and at 25 yards sandbag rest, 200 grain semi wadcutter store-bought bullets, 4.6 grains Unique, Winchester large pistol primers - all 14 rounds in a 2x2 inch square (one large hole approx 1 3/4 inch in diameter).  All shots are 4 inches below point of aim, but at least they are consistant.  I had unburned powder grains after each shot, so on the way home I purchased a pound of Bullseye.

How are the Lyman 452460 bullet moulds and bullets in the 45 ACP?

[elyod56]

for a fast powder i found that 231 meters through a powder measure very consistently ans smoothly. its ideal for cast loads in the 45acp and also reduced loads in the 44mag and 45 colt using cast bullets.

[curiousgb]

I have really good luck with the 200swc and  4.5gns of WST,  WLP primer. Shot several thousand of these, very accurate.

George