45 acp lswc bullet hardness ?

[rebs]

For target loads in 45 acp for a gold cup, what bin hardness bullet is preferred ? I have read the softer is better because the hard cast may not seal in the barrel and cause more leading, is this true ?

[Nick_C_S]

I've used hard and soft cast and have had no leading issues to speak of.

45 ACP is good that way. It's just not a round that is prone to leading.

[AlaskaMike]

I'd have to agree with Nick. I've used super hard Lasercast as well as my own softer (air cooled wheel weight metal) cast bullets and never had any significant leading in my .45s.

[Mike / Tx]

I have the H&G 130 mold and a clone of the #68 which both shoot VERY well from my Colt Govt.

I have run them both with alloys of around an 8 BHN up to around a 14 BHN with not much differences in groups sizes. I have tumble lubed them with Alox, as well as run them through my Lyman sizer with Carnube Red as the lube, with about the same discernible differences in groups.

With low velocities of around 680'ish fps, up to top end of around 950fps they run through nice and clean sized at .452". I can usually get at least a hundred or more rounds down range before the lube starts to gunk up the works.

You will find that the size plays more of a role than does the BHN. If it fits your good if it doesn't well not so good. The old saying is Fit is king and Lube is Queen. That said something in around a 10 BHN would work very well. If your casting them yourself, mix up a 50/50 alloy of clip on wheel weights to pure lead. Pour them up and go forth and have fun. Or if you have no pure straight WW will also work very well. Just it's almost a waste of WW alloy just for these.

[Wreck-n-Crew]

I agree with the above on hardness, though I rarely use softer lead because my suppliers are mainly hard cast. A 45 is a slow moving round and generally creates less leading than my 9mm.

I really like the 200 LSWC for reloading 45acp too. Seems to be a good round for accuracy and recoil. I have a buddy that loads nothing but the 230 GRN LRN for his 1911's because he says they feed better.

[Nick_C_S]

I agree with the above on hardness, though I rarely use softer lead because my suppliers are mainly hard cast.

^^ Yep. Me too. ^^

I really like the 200 LSWC for reloading 45acp too. Seems to be a good round for accuracy and recoil.

^^ Yep. Me too. ^^

[57K]

I definitely agree. I shoot 18 BHN 200 gr. SWCs and RNFPs down towards 800 FPS and have absolutely no problems. The key is in using a bullet that's at least .001" above groove diameter. Missouri Bullet Co. also sells a good number of their bullets cast at 12 BHN and I wouldn't hesitate to use them if I felt it were necessary. To remove any doubt about correct bullet diameter, slug your bore with a soft swaged bullet. You could also use the Mo. Bullet Co. bullets at 12 BHN to slug your bore and I've even slugged bores with 18 BHN bullets, just takes more time and effort. Not too many .45 ACP handloaders run 200 gr. cast bullets above 900 FPS, but I have on occasion, or very close to it. For higher velocities the harder cast bullets will help insure that there is no leading along with being properly sized at a minimum of .001" above groove diameter and some prefer to go even larger with .002" above groove diameter.

[Nick_C_S]

57K, I have never slugged a bore, but would like to do it for one of my 686's. I have some soft swaged bullets (would Speer's 158 RN do?) laying around. How hard is it to do? Could you explain the process in detail?

P.S. - Sorry to hijack the post.

[57K]

Nick, the SPEER Swaged 158 would be ideal for slugging the bore. I'm sure you're completey familiar with the casting process and how different alloys and methods of quenching effect BHN. Companies like SPEER and Hornady that sell swaged lead bullets buy soft lead in spools where each length for the bullet is cut from the spool and then formed by swaging into its final shape. Maybe someone will correct me if I'm wrong because I'm going from memory but I believe that BHN for swaged lead is down around the vicinity of 8.

OOPs, I didn't really answer your entire question and maybe the other posters will forgive us, but hopefully it will help others as well. With a revolver, you're gonna have to work from the muzzle. Use a plastic mallet if you have one along with a wood or aluminum rod under bore diameter. Just getting started, use very light taps until the bullet has completely entered the bore and then you can get a little more agressive but slower and lighter is always best until the bullet exits the forcing cone. For autopistols it's easier and you can of course start the bullet from the chamber. If you don't have a plastic mallet a block of wood can be used.

[Sure Shot Mc Gee]

I've got a couple 70 Cups here. One's a custom build the other is of my creation {for carry.} For targeting I've only used lino thru mine. Never seen any leading problems when hot or otherwise with either. I also cast /size & lube my own. But I do use a good store bought lube. {had trouble in the past with so called humdinger homemade lube recipes} Got real. Then started buying this> Saeco Alox. As far as I'm concerned its the Best.

[Nick_C_S]

Thanks 57K. I'll gather up the proper tools and do it. I'm going to remove the cylinder/crane for the procedure.

[57K]

Anytime, Buddy! Gotta love working on Ruger revolvers and removing the cylinder is a good idea I forgot to mention!

[243winxb]

When the alloy gets to soft, you may have feeding problems, when the bullet nose hits the feed ramp. Different between makes/models and bullet design.

[darkgael]

I have been using softer lead bullets for the last couple of years. I have experienced no loss of accuracy and have had no leading.
A friend of mine gave to me a very large number of .429 bullets, both lead and jacketed. Thousands. There were two thousand swaged 230 grain lswchps. I have no real use for them as .429s.
I do have a Corbin Swage press and so I swaged the 230 gr. .429s into 200 grain .452" LSWCs. The point is that the lead is soft enough that I can swage off 30 grains of weight without any undue effort. They make a sweet shooting bullet.
Pete