Did I waste my money on this mould?????

[okiefarmer]

I will try to post a pic, it's a gif file and dunno if'n I can. I have been having to much fun with the BP toys, and also have about as much fun casting my own pills for anything, BP and smokeless. Besides, with all this damn global warming white stuff on the ground, and colder that a witch's tit weather, there is little else to do but make pills for later.

I picked up the little LYMAN 450229 mould for my 45 rifle mainly. I kinda went nuts that day in the shop and also found the LEE 36 conical for BP. I already cast the 375 and 451 RB, but wanted to try the conical. WOW, throwin' same charge of powder down the cylinder sure makes one pack the conical tight to clear the forcing cone.

What makes me think I wasted my money is what I have read on here the past few days abour RB being the more accurate projo to start with. I kinda figured something that is spinning with the rifling might have an advantage. These hollow base pills mic .450 and I like the way they just slide right down the barell without the use of a starter. A patched ball even takes a starter usually, my thumb wears out real fast. My three single shot front stuffers are all 45, one rifle, one pistol and one flint pistol. Was hoping to use the 450 conical in the pistols too. Is this a mistake? I already have about a hunert of them greased up with the recipe I got off here long ago - - beeswax, alox, and crisco I think. I also coated up a bunch of 36 conicals for the wheel guns and some 456 for the ROA. I do prefer the conicals in the wheel guns to reduce the chance of chain fire, don't like to carry a whole can of crisco to the range, messy stuff anyway. I do shoot RB occasionally just for a change of pace. I don't shoot minute of anything, just like to make noise and try to keep it on the paper, and I like the smell of napalm (BP) in the morning, ha.

Will this 450 hollow base mould have been a good investment? Not to say I don't have a bunch of moulds I haven't used in a spell, I do.

[robhof]

I've tried a variety of conicals in my b/p guns and had mixed results; in my Italian replica flint Ky. the ROA lee conicals group tighter than round balls, the twist is 1 in 48" but in the ROA the round balls group tighter, but the conicals still hit in the center area just 4" instead of 1 1/2" to 2" at 25yds. In my Hawkins 54 with 1 in 48 the ball works better than the Lee 54 conical, but in my 50 Hawkins the hollow base heavy conical is the most accurate.

[okiefarmer]

I had never heard this, but it makes sense. I guess I can also use this in my 44 PB wheel guns then too. Below copy is just part of statement he included with the mould at auction. I always thought this mould was intended for the 45 cal rifle/pistols as a loose fit projo with the large expandable skirt. It really makes more sense to stuff it down those cylinders and seat it on the powder where the skirt could likely swell against the wall to hold in place.
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THIS IS A LYMAN BULLET MOULD NUMBER 450229. ONE VERY KNOWLEDGABLE MOULD EXPERT SENT ME AN EMAIL AND THIS IS A QUOTE FROM A WEBSITE HE CAME ACROSS...Bull Shop: No. 450229 was introduced by Lyman sometime in the early 1950's, "...for the [.44] cap and ball revolver[s]." (It was a "recycling" of the cherry number from an old Ideal #308229, discontinued just after 1900.) You are lucky it casts so large; you can re-size it as needed (takes a #460 top punch) for any of the .45 handguns, and should make a nice plinker for the .45-70 and up rifles, with the hollow base obturating to fit any of the oversize bores. Hope this helps.

[jaguarxk120]

If it's a Lyman mould you did not waste your money. Made of cast iron not a cheap aluminum alloy.

[okiefarmer]

jaguar,

Thanks, but that wasn't my point. I have many Lymans, same with RCBS, some Lachmiller, and a handfull of LEE. They all serve their purpose.

I bought it thinking the conical would be a better choice for a bit of accuracy if needed. I then read a thread while surfing that most consider RB the more accurate projo.

I've already cast up a big batch of conical with it, and intend to use them up, and now that I read that they work very well in the BP wheelguns, I will likely try them there too. The LEE 36 conical made for the wheelguns has a reduced lower diameter drive band to allow it to seat down in the cylinder so one can turn it under the loading rod, much like the ROA mould by LEE also. At .450 pure lead cast diameter, I think it might be a tight fit initially.

Ahaa, just as I thought. I tried it before I finished posting. LEE makes their conical a 1R design for a reason. Without a reduced diameter bottom driving band on the LYMAN, there is now way to get it in a .58 Remi, a 51 Navy, or .60 Army without destroying the skirt. One might get it loaded in a separate loading block, but there isn't enough room to work it into the cylinder beside the frame with a lot of cussing. The 450229 just ain't made for a wheelgun, especially in 44.

JMHO
Okie out.

[Gatofeo]

Each gun is an individual. You really won't know how well the bullet works until you try it in your rifle.
Until last year, I firmly believed that the ball reigned in my cap and ball revolvers. Then last January, using the Lee 200 gr. conical bullet made for the Remington, I shot groups at 20 yards that could cover a 50-cent piece.
That's as good as I've done with balls, with an occasional group of six balls going even tighter.
I used to think, and experience showed me, that conicals were not as accurate in my cap and ball revolvers -- until I tried the Lee. I still use balls, however, as I don't have to cast them, and they're easier to load. I don't need the greater energy a conical produces to put holes in paper and cans; balls work just fine for my advanced plinking needs.

As for Lee being a "cheap aluminum alloy." I own Lyman and Idea moulds made if iron, and a number of Lee moulds made of aluminum. Each require slightly different casting methods but both give me good, accurate bullets.
The Lee mould should be smoked before use, and a little lubricant dabbed on the top of the hot mould to keep the sprue cutter working properly. Some of my Lyman and Ideal moulds require smoking, some don't.
I own a Dillon 550B progressive press, and next to it is a "cheap aluminum alloy" Lee single-stage press that has reloaded thousands of rounds.
Both are useful and produce top-notch ammo.

Try the conical bullet in your rifle. If it works, it works. If it doesn't, it may work in someone else's rifle, or you may decide to sell the mould.
It's rather like someone asking, "Should I keep my new camera?" before they've taken their first photograph with it.

And by the way, I shoot a Nikon D300 camera ... not some cheap, plastic-bodied Canon ...