Seeking advice on molds for 230gr round nose for .45acp

Pooka

New Member
Hello All,

I'm a newbie here looking to get back into casting.

I'm seeking advice on molds as I want to purchase a solution for molding 230 grain round nose to feed both a 1911 & G-30 with a Wolfe barrel.

I've used Lee molds in the past, mainly because that is what I could afford at the time.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Cheers
 

KeithB

Resident Half Fast Machinist
All I have are a couple of Lyman 452374 2C molds. The bullets work fine in all my .45s. I would go for a 4-5C in aluminum from one of the better mold makers out there if I were buying new.
 

pokute

Active Member
I use the Lyman 452374, but since I lob a lot of 230gr 45 acp out to 200m, I tend to use whatever swaged 230gr I can find because they fly amazingly true. I can hit the 1.5" post with the wind flag on it at 200m more often than should be possible with the Hornady swaged 230gr. With a 1911, of course.

I use the cast for +P loads and in 45LC at ~1200fps.
 
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Ian

Notorious member
DO NOT buy the Lee 452-228-1R, whatever you do. I most highly recommend the LEE 230-grain truncated-cone bullet, it feeds like butter in most 1911s and will fit most throats if seated to an overall length of 1.205" or so. Watch your load data, as this is seated more deeply than most 230-grainers and will need a powder reduction due to reduced case capacity. If you don't mind using a liquid lube, the Lee 452-230-2R that's like a SWC with a rounded nose, it's a very good choice as well, can be loaded to 1.256" OAL, and will fit/feed in anything.

My all-time favorite 230-grain 1911 bullet is made by Accurate Molds, LLC and is catalog number 45-230L, basically a copy of the Lee 230 but with a flat base and two, real lube grooves. The only reason I quit using it and went to the Lee TC is it won't work in my direct-gas .45 AR-15 and I like one load for all guns.
 

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
. I can hit the 1.5" post with the wind flag on it at 200m more often than should be possible with the Hornady swaged 230gr.

Hhmmm . . . Who's post would that be? Yours?

The LEE 230 TC BB shoots and feeds well in my Springfield but the SAECO 068 has a smaller meplat which should aid in hitting 200 meter wind flags.
 

pokute

Active Member
Hhmmm . . . Who's post would that be? Yours?

The LEE 230 TC BB shoots and feeds well in my Springfield but the SAECO 068 has a smaller meplat which should aid in hitting 200 meter wind flags.

Oops. I forgot where I was for a second there :oops: No, uh, I'd never... Err...

Hmm... Picturing it right now, I can't recall there ever being a flag on the post! The one to the left of Bank 1. Really. I'm only making it worse, aren't I?
 
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358156 hp

At large, whereabouts unknown.
I've had a checkered past with the 452374 Lyman. I buy, sell, and trade moulds way too often, and have run into a few that didn't fill out well above the lube groove. This allowed lube to foul the nose a bit in my Star. I haven't tried them yet, but the NOE H&G #34, or the RCBS 230-RN have parallel shanks, and seem to me to be a better route to explore. I do cast a lot of SWC 45 ACP bullets, and my favorites there so far are the LBT 230 LFN, Lymans 452460, and H&Gs #68. I have yet another 2 cav. 452374 around here somewhere, but have never cast with it.
 

gman

Well-Known Member
The NOE 452-238 H for me has shown outstanding accuracy in my 1911’s. Cast from 50/50 alloy and at that time lubed with FWFL. Which reminds me I need to make a pile of those.
 

KeithB

Resident Half Fast Machinist
I have a Saeco 230 gr truncated cone that works well in my .45s. Probably better terminal performance than a RN, a good pin killer. Also have a RCBS 201 gr SWC that makes a nice lighter bullet. A longer nose than the 452460 design, it feeds well. But that wasn't the OPs question so I didn't add this to my first response. Lots of better bullets that a RN but it should be the lowest common denominator for guns that will only feed ball.
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
my favorite 230gr RN is the Magma Engineering mold.
it only makes 2 at a time but they sure shoot good, I don't even know the oal I just seat the shoulder flush with the case mouth and shoot it.
 

Dale53

Active Member
I agree wholeheartedly with Ian - I use the Lee 230 gr. TC (regular lube groove) in both my 1911's and my 625's. In the revolver, using full moon clips, they just fall in the cylinder. They should function well in most any 1911 that's set up correctly. Further, the TC has much better terminal effect. It's a seriously good bullet for both the range and in the field.

Understand, my most used bullet in both autos and revolvers is the Mihec version of the #68 H&G 200 gr. SWC.

FWIW
Dale53
 

USSR

Finger Lakes Region of NY
...my most used bullet in both autos and revolvers is the Mihec version of the #68 H&G 200 gr. SWC.

Ah, yes, great mould, use it for Bullseye loads in my wad guns. However, for the bullet I use in both .45 autos and revolvers, that falls upon the Mihec hollowpoint version of the Lyman 452423. Weighs in at 224gr as a hollowpoint; never weighed it as a solid as I've never cast it that way.

Don
 

RBHarter

West Central AR
Ah, yes, great mould, use it for Bullseye loads in my wad guns. However, for the bullet I use in both .45 autos and revolvers, that falls upon the Mihec hollowpoint version of the Lyman 452423. Weighs in at 224gr as a hollowpoint; never weighed it as a solid as I've never cast it that way.

Don

The Lymans I was sent to try were 232 gr PC .