The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > The Skunkworks > Handloading, Reloading, and Bullet Casting > Bullet Casting

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old January 26, 2017, 04:05 PM   #1
nhyrum
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 9, 2016
Posts: 588
454 casull mould

Alright guys, I'm a little stumped here. I've read hundreds of pages on casting, books included.

I'm gonna be casing for 454 casull for dangerous critter protection. I've decided on 300 grain plus LFN design, most likely gas checked, but not 100 percent necessary( may be, I believe the gun I have on order has a brake...)

I'd prefer one with a meplat of .32-.34 (70-75% bullet diameter seems to be the golden number)

My problem... I have NO IDEA where to start looking for moulds...

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
nhyrum is offline  
Old January 26, 2017, 05:26 PM   #2
Chainsaw.
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 12, 2015
Location: Issaquah WA. Its a dry rain.
Posts: 1,774
Lee precision.
NOE.
RCBS.
Lyman.

For starters.

http://leeprecision.com/search.php?mode=search&page=1
__________________
Just shoot the damn thing.
Chainsaw. is offline  
Old January 26, 2017, 07:12 PM   #3
doctor j
Member
 
Join Date: March 13, 2000
Posts: 79
Arsenal Moulds
Accurate Moulds
Lead Bullet Technologies
doctor j is offline  
Old January 27, 2017, 08:30 AM   #4
Chainsaw.
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 12, 2015
Location: Issaquah WA. Its a dry rain.
Posts: 1,774
Heres a keith style thats .33 thou at the nose.

http://arsenalmolds.com/bullet-molds...it=99999999999
__________________
Just shoot the damn thing.
Chainsaw. is offline  
Old January 27, 2017, 11:47 AM   #5
nhyrum
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 9, 2016
Posts: 588
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chainsaw. View Post
Heres a keith style thats .33 thou at the nose.

http://arsenalmolds.com/bullet-molds...it=99999999999
Thanks, I'll probably get that mould.

I want to sweeten the mix with some linotype, the market price seems to be around 70 cents/lb, but ebay prices are 2 bucks a pound...

Maybe I'll just water quench the hot boolits?

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
nhyrum is offline  
Old January 27, 2017, 02:22 PM   #6
Chainsaw.
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 12, 2015
Location: Issaquah WA. Its a dry rain.
Posts: 1,774
Ebay can be sketchy, lots of people saying they get lead that isnt what is advertised. Id just go to rotometals and be done with it.

How hard are you looking to cast?
__________________
Just shoot the damn thing.
Chainsaw. is offline  
Old January 27, 2017, 04:06 PM   #7
P Flados
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 8, 2017
Location: Wilmington NC
Posts: 243
For molds, I am partial to the non-gas check (I powder coat if tumble lube does not work) Lee RF molds. I have been thinking of getting a 454 revolver (I have a Contender 45 colt), and have been considering bullet options.

If I were getting a mold for big animals, I would preffer better choices from Lee.

The Lee 452-255-RF looks nice, but it is a tad light



The Lee 452-300-RF is a good weight and it has a meplat that would deliver some real smack. For me, I do not like the gas check.



I was looking at E Bay for lead lately but could not find any "deals" worth the risk.

If I can not find some locally, I will be going with one of the vendors that do lots of buisness with the shooting crowd.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...hipping-12-10)

or

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...Buyer-s-Choice
P Flados is offline  
Old January 28, 2017, 04:08 AM   #8
nhyrum
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 9, 2016
Posts: 588
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chainsaw. View Post
Ebay can be sketchy, lots of people saying they get lead that isnt what is advertised. Id just go to rotometals and be done with it.

How hard are you looking to cast?
I'm looking to cast around a bhn of 20, coww water quenched iirc drops around bhn 16, and "from ingot to target" a minimum of 18 is needed for the 454. I'll lube size, don't care about GC.

I'll look into those two sellers if I need different lead.

25 pounds in a small flat rate box...my mail man is gonna hate me...

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
nhyrum is offline  
Old January 28, 2017, 12:35 PM   #9
Mike / Tx
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 8, 2000
Posts: 2,101
I use the Lee 452-300RF cast straight from wheel weight alloy and air cooled. After using it for going on a dozen or more hogs and a couple of deer I have no use for anything else.

That said if you want a darned nice intermediate weight mold look at the Accurate 454-280. It is a flat base and hangs right in with the Lee up to around 1500fps. After that though the GC seems to give the Lee the edge. Here is a link to a post that shows some of them I shot out of my 7.5" 45 Colt Redhawk...
Accurate 454-280C

Also just for kicks, here is a pic of that Lee slapping a bucket of water at 50yds,
__________________
LAter,
Mike / TX
Mike / Tx is offline  
Old February 6, 2017, 10:27 AM   #10
reloader28
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 13, 2009
Location: nw wyoming
Posts: 1,061
If your after a dangerous game boolit, it needs to be at least 300gr and you want as big a meplat as you can get. Something like the Lee. If you dont want a gas check, ream it out or go with an Noe, LBT, or Accurate. MP makes nice molds too, dont know if he has one for this purpose.

You can oven heat treat COWW for around 21-22 BHN. For my bear loads and some hunting loads, I use 50/50/2%, then a medium oven HT for about 14 BHN. That way I dont get the brittleness of a harder bullet, but a tougher one.
reloader28 is offline  
Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:34 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.04697 seconds with 10 queries