Ric--My edition of #452490 casts at 252 grains in 92/6/2. It was the only bullet that shot well in my current Bisley Blackhawk x 45 Colt that was 'Built Backwards'--.448" throats and .452" grooves. It has shot very well in all of my 45 caliber revolvers, but in 45 AR and most 45 Colt loadings a gas check is superfluous. I have stuffed enough 2400 behind some of these castings to enable 1250-1300 FPS in the Bishawk post throat surgery (now featuring .454" bullets into .453" throats and .452' grooves) and these stay accurate. Way fun, too--but 20 of those at the end of a session is enough for this old enthusiast.The original Ideal 358156 was a 38 Colt (Long) that only lasted a couple of years. Lyman #358156 was originally made for Thompson's private sales, but was adopted by Lyman in the early 1950's.
The Ideal number 429244 is also a recycled number from the 1800's. The Lyman original # 431244 is post #358156, so maybe around the advent of the 44 Magnum?
None of my references show a #454490. However they list a #452490 from 1951 through at least 1959 as a 235 grains gas check bullet.
FWIW
And you can fine tune cast bullets to different tasks.Gas checks are still cheaper than jacketed bullets.
I bought several thousand each of Lyman and Hornady GC's .358" in the 1980's. And I have many thousand for 30 caliber rifle and 32 pistol. As my shooting friends pass on, I seem to inherit all the GC's. When I go, someone will get all of mine, .22" to .458".When GCs ran 1 cent each in 1981, I was kinda DGAF about the cost factor--now that they run 5-6 cents each.....different story.
No doubt about it, sir.Gas checks are still cheaper than jacketed bullets.