Author Topic: cast bullets for 45 acp (Read 5459 times)

bugdust · « **on:** November 16, 2009, 10:59:53 AM »

I own a number of revolvers but no semi autos. I am planning to purchase one now. I would like it to be a 1911 but the price is too high for any name brand. I have been advised by my gunsmith to stay away from the imported models. I have narrowed my search down to either a Springfield XD or Smith & Wesson MP. Both are in my price range. I shoot nothing but cast bullets. Is there any problems with either using say a 200 grain semi wad cutter as far as jamming.Or would another design cast bullet be better. I am sure some of you have had experience shooting cast in these two guns and can offer some advice as to which is the better choice or neither.

Bugdust

rbwillnj · « **Reply #1 on:** November 16, 2009, 03:51:30 PM »

The Springfield XD 45 does not like 200 grain cast semiwadcutters, but has no problem with cast round nose.

I have a friend with an XD 45. He does all of his reloading on my equipment. He started out using 200 grain cast semi-wadcutters because that's what he shoots in his 1911. He had all sorts of problems with jams. He switched to cast 230 grain round nose, and had no problems at all.

gbjeep · « **Reply #2 on:** November 20, 2009, 01:17:46 PM »

Missouri bullet company makes a flat nosed 200gr, that is just for the XD. Haven't ran alot through mine yet, but they shoot good and don't jam like the swc.

1sourdough · « **Reply #3 on:** December 02, 2009, 11:53:07 PM »

I just ordered a Lee mold for the 45 acp. I have a bunch of lead & thought I would try cast to go with my 357 & 44 molds. I went with the 200 grn 'tumble lube' type SW design. Of course I don't have any experience with it yet, the reviews were pretty good on the Midway site.

Squib · « **Reply #4 on:** December 03, 2009, 01:16:08 AM »

I have used missouri bullet company (I live there) and it worked for me, 230grains hardcast roundnose pushed by 231, at ten yards it'll half penetrate bowling pins.... pretty good since I don't even try to do plus p's.

by the way a lot of those world war one super reliable divine weapons that collectors are so crazy about, came from american companies that had never before produced guns, or the phillipines. speaking of phillipines, armscore does some work for STI- no one bags on STI. Rock Island Armory is a company that supplied WW2 1911's and they're made by armscore- I own one and like it quite a bit.

another thing, if it's a carry pistol it's just a tool so you don't need it to be rediculously fancy, also you shouldn't have the beavertail, ambi-safety and such because it'll dig into you and print, stay with the gi schematics.

zoner · « **Reply #5 on:** December 03, 2009, 02:08:41 AM »

i've been shooting 200 gr swc bullets in my 70 series with 231 for 25 yrs....some pistols need a ramp and throat job to feed em......

skarke · « **Reply #6 on:** December 03, 2009, 03:45:30 AM »

I cast the 228 lee with WW, push them w 3.9 231 and wolf primers. They feed great and drive tacks.

Savage · « **Reply #7 on:** December 04, 2009, 02:53:30 PM »

All I load for .45acp are the 200gr LSWCs. They feed in anything I have. Cast is pretty much all I load in my pistol calibers from 9mm to .45 Colt. The only exception is the 10mm. Don't own an XD, but I'd bet with the proper COL and crimp they'll feed. If not, I'd have to let the XD go.
Savage

bugdust · « **Reply #8 on:** December 07, 2009, 11:11:45 AM »

Thanks guys. I ordered the 228 round nose from Lee. I will try it out and then try a semi wad cutter. Lighter weight . 230 grains of lead sure makes the pot go down fast.

Glenwood

Squib · « **Reply #9 on:** December 07, 2009, 06:06:57 PM »

best of luck... not to the bad guys though (or targets... sounds less dramatic though)

Jim47 · « **Reply #10 on:** December 20, 2009, 02:53:58 PM »

Quote from: bugdust on December 07, 2009, 11:11:45 AM

Thanks guys. I ordered the 228 round nose from Lee. I will try it out and then try a semi wad cutter. Lighter weight . 230 grains of lead sure makes the pot go down fast.

Glenwood

I own a Kimber 1911 and shoot both 200 gr semi WC and the 230 gr round nose but both are Lyman molds. The trick to feeding with the semi WC is seating the bullet to the correct depth. I tried the Lee semi WC and had nothing but problems, things would do nothing but jam no matter what seating depth. Personaly I'll never buy another Lee mold and I've tried several, even muzzleloader molds, they were so inaccurate that they were worthless.

If you need my seating depth for the semi WC shoot me a PM.

skarke · « **Reply #11 on:** December 20, 2009, 05:52:49 PM »

Jim,

Sorry that you've had problems with the Lee molds. The Lee SWC has way too small of a meplat to feed well. Don't know why they made it that way. However, the 228 is a great bullet. Plus, aluminum mold blocks heat up faster, make fine bullets, last a long, long time, and are inexpensive enough to try several different bullet designs.

Also, the 158 gr .358 is a super bullet. It drives tacks out of my 627, shoots way better than I can.

FWIW, sell the 200 swc and get the 228, a good rcbs luber/sizer, some good medium soft lube(I like the white label 2500), and try again. I think that you'll be surprised how fast you can be up and running from cold molds to making good bullets. The trick is SUPER clean molds.

I never made a bullet until I joined this forum. GB is a goldmine of knowledge, and Veral is the Grand Pubaa of casting. I've avoided many mistakes using advice from the fine people on this forum.

Mikey · « **Reply #12 on:** December 22, 2009, 03:24:33 AM »

Don't forget the Lyman 452423 238 gn cast Keith designed slug for the 45 Auto RIm - it works great in the acp, as do some of his other designs for the 45 Colt.

Basicguy · « **Reply #13 on:** December 22, 2009, 09:01:31 AM »

I use 200 grain RN FP in my 1911's They work the same (excellent) in all of my 1911's.

Consider, if you can afford a Colt, Kimber or Springfield new and want a US model then get a used one. My GI model Sistema, made on Colt equipment in Argentina, shoots these bullets in 2-3" groups handheld at 40 feet.

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #14 on:** December 25, 2009, 01:15:39 AM »

If it were my money id take the m&p hands down.

bikerbeans · « **Reply #15 on:** January 05, 2010, 01:47:23 AM »

Try the .452, 200 grn LSWCs from Quality Cast Bullet, Stow, OH. I believe their website is www.qualitycast.com. I have loaded several thousand of these bullets for my Taurus 1911 and my friend's Bullseye competition gun (Springfield I believe) and have no feeding issues. The overall length is 1.23

1911crazy · « **Reply #16 on:** January 30, 2010, 08:56:53 AM »

How about the new Auto-Ordnance Army WW2 copy 1911a1 its manufactured in the USA right here in Mass.

?

With each brand new 1911 the very first thing i do to it is polish the feed ramp. My new colt series 80 goverment model in nickle finish the ramp being plated was notorious for stoping rounds at the feed ramp(JHP's). I took off the nickle plating and it solved that problem. I polish the blued feed ramps too. Even if the feed ramp is polished or clean i polish it again using "simi chrome polish". Just to avoid a problem down the road.

oldandslow · « **Reply #17 on:** January 30, 2010, 12:20:14 PM »

I cast 225 gr. RN and 200 gr. SWD .45ACP. They feed equally well thru my Colt Series 70 Gold Cup and my "cheap import" Taurus PT1911. Never had one fail to feed in either gun. I seat both to the overall length shown in the reloading manuals and neither gun has had any work done to it.

gray-wolf · « **Reply #18 on:** February 01, 2010, 08:25:34 AM »

If a 1911 is what you want then what you have decided on is only a 45 and not a 1911.
A 1911 is a shooting platform all to it's self, and a hasty move may or may not satisfy the hunger.
My advise would be to put a few more beans together and get the 1911. Or look for a good used one from a Company that has a good reputation for customer service, in case you need it.
Every one is eager to tell you what to do and what works for them. The pistol you by will be yours
There may be many like it but that one is yours. It may feed this or it may feed that. It will be up to you to find out. Tooling is such today that one person with a good pistol does not mean the next one will be the same. Plus the pistols you are looking at are PLASTIC. If it's a carry piece the lighter weight may be nice. But if you want the feel of a 45 1911 Hey what can I say.
I would hold off and get the real thing, and at that you will have to see what it will eat and what it won't. Yes some brand of SWC"s have just enough of a difference in there profile to make them a little finicky. The original #68-SWC from Hensly & Gibbs is what the rest are copying. Some of the copies work and some don't. A good hard ball 230 gr. round nose should be reliable if it wont shoot a round nose 230 grain,you got a problem. You have to test the pistol to find out.
Or you may get lucky------------------------Do you feel lucky ?

brolin1911a1 · « **Reply #19 on:** April 25, 2010, 10:35:30 AM »

I've shot hundreds of Missouri Bullets 200gr. LSWC loaded to 1.240" OAL in my Rock Island Armory 3" bbl 1911CS Compact with no problems whatsoever. My Brolin Arms L45 5" Govt. 1911 also eats both the Missouri Bullet and H&G 200gr. LSWC bullets with no jams whatsoever.

BoshTank · « **Reply #20 on:** April 25, 2010, 07:39:10 PM »

i own kimber ultra carry II, glock 21 sf and M&P 45 smith i have shot reloads with SWC 185,200,and 230 in all guns and have never had a problem
the glock i have a 5in wolf barrel and it looks like the throat and ramp are worked pretty good

i have heard the XD45 have problems with going to full battery or feeding the first round?? but never seen it....fired a XD last week and all of my reloads went with no problems 230gr w/ bullseye ....

just my 2cents

Blackhawker · « **Reply #21 on:** April 25, 2010, 08:51:14 PM »

Isn't it best to break a barrel in with jacketed bullets first, before moving to cast bullets?

mdi · « **Reply #22 on:** April 26, 2010, 07:04:27 AM »

Don't know who your gunsmith is talking about but I am very satisfied with my Rock Isaland Arms M1911A1, made by Armsco in the Phillipines. http://forums.1911forum.com/ check out these guys for a lot of info/insight.

1911crazy · « **Reply #23 on:** April 26, 2010, 10:26:09 AM »

All my 1911's would eat any cast bullet. Its the larger soup bowel hollow points that are hard to swallow into the chambers. I had to extra polish the feed ramp.

Greeenriver · « **Reply #24 on:** May 02, 2010, 06:59:35 PM »

This looks like a good place to ask this. I recently bought a Colt 1911 in 45 ACP. A comerative of WW I. Engraved on the slide, 1917 WW I Comerative 1967
Nice blueing but shows some honest wear from cary and a little shooting. I personaly know this gun has sat in a drawer beside the bed for the last 20 years or so.
Was wondering, I cast a LEE 200grn RNFP lead bullet sized at .452" for Cowboy Shooting. Can I load this same bullet in the .45acp???
Sure would make life simple, as I keep several thousand cast ahead at any given time.

Greeenriver

Savage · « **Reply #25 on:** May 03, 2010, 01:50:29 AM »

Your RNFP bullets should work just fine in your Colt. You may have to work with the OAL a bit to insure reliable feeding. Just load a small lot at a time until you check them for function. Keep you velocities at a sane level and watch for leading. If leading is a problem, a "Lewis Lead Remover" will make cleanup a breeze. Good shooting!
Savage

Greeenriver · « **Reply #26 on:** May 08, 2010, 05:25:10 PM »

Quote from: Savage on May 03, 2010, 01:50:29 AM

Your RNFP bullets should work just fine in your Colt. You may have to work with the OAL a bit to insure reliable feeding. Just load a small lot at a time until you check them for function. Keep you velocities at a sane level and watch for leading. If leading is a problem, a "Lewis Lead Remover" will make cleanup a breeze. Good shooting!
Savage

Thanks for the info. I had my mind made up that these were the bullets I intended to use, as I cast thousands of them for my CAS usage. I size them in an old Lyman 450 lubrasizer at .452 dia and lube with White Lube that I havbe a lot of. Also have a lot of wax ring lube, but don't use it much any more. I'll load them in batches of 10, checking my OAL till I get a load that functions OK and set the dies there. I'll have to write down the die settings as I use the same 45acp dies for loading my 45 Cowboy Specials with APP for my CAS usage. I intend to only use this gun for SASS wild bunch matches so I willprobibly load it with APP BP sub. For any serious 1911 work I have a Colt Delta 10mm. I can't see this 45acp replacing the Delta for anything serious.

Again, thanks for the info.

Greeenriver

Elwood · « **Reply #27 on:** May 12, 2010, 04:54:33 PM »

For Squib,
you stated
"by the way a lot of those world war one super reliable divine weapons that collectors are so crazy about, came from american companies that had never before produced guns, or the phillipines. speaking of phillipines, armscore does some work for STI- no one bags on STI. Rock Island Armory is a company that supplied WW2 1911's and they're made by armscore- I own one and like it quite a bit."
Hey guy do you know that Rock Island Arsenal is different from Rock Island armory? Do you think that the Japanese let them export 1911s for the american military during the war?
I think that you'll find that our military did NOT use filipino 1911s.
Elwood