Bullet weights ( how many)
- Thread starter rodmkr
- Start date
If I can get away with it 1. I prefer a single mould for a caliber or cartridge when possible.
All 38 special will be a single bullet. Sadly my 357 Win 92 won’t feed that bullet so it will get a different one.
All 30/30 will be a single bullet.
45 Colt will be a single bullet.
I am trying to consolidate so I don’t have multiple bins for a single cartridge. I am not a guy with a desire to try multiple moulds or mess around with stuff. Once I get something that works I just load a bunch and stick with it.
All 38 special will be a single bullet. Sadly my 357 Win 92 won’t feed that bullet so it will get a different one.
All 30/30 will be a single bullet.
45 Colt will be a single bullet.
I am trying to consolidate so I don’t have multiple bins for a single cartridge. I am not a guy with a desire to try multiple moulds or mess around with stuff. Once I get something that works I just load a bunch and stick with it.
Rick H
Well-Known Member
Oh my, it depends. My Guide Gun in 45-70:
300gr. Ranch Dog
350gr. Ranch Dog
340gr Lee
385gr. Mountain Mold.
Mostly shoot the 385gr. MM loaded pretty hot(1800fps). Still need to work on the RD molds. Would like to find a load with the 340 Lee that shoots to the same point of aim at 50 or 100 yds with less velocity that is somewhere near the same point of aim as the MM. Easier on the shoulder for practice and fun.
Most of my cast pistol shooting is down to one bullet per caliber.
300gr. Ranch Dog
350gr. Ranch Dog
340gr Lee
385gr. Mountain Mold.
Mostly shoot the 385gr. MM loaded pretty hot(1800fps). Still need to work on the RD molds. Would like to find a load with the 340 Lee that shoots to the same point of aim at 50 or 100 yds with less velocity that is somewhere near the same point of aim as the MM. Easier on the shoulder for practice and fun.
Most of my cast pistol shooting is down to one bullet per caliber.
Spindrift
Well-Known Member
Brad, I wish I had a bit of your wisdom. Me, I’m severely affected by the chronic load development syndrome
.223: 52pb, 55gc, 57gc, 59pb, 60gc, 65gc
6,5x55: 92gc, 126gc, 126pb, 134gc, 140gc (x2)
.308&.30-06m 100pb, 109pb, 113gc, 127 pb&gc, 130pb, 140gc, 150gc, 155gc, 159gc, 160gc, 165gc, 170gc, 179gc&pb, 180gc, 185gc, 200gc, 215gc, 221gc, 225pb, 230pb
.35 whelen 140pb, 155pb, 160bb, 170pb, 200gc, 220gc, 260gc, 310gc
.44 auto mag: 200pb, 240 bb&gc, 250pb&gc, 256pb, 265gc, 300gc
When I find something that works, it’s time to move on, and try to make something else work
.223: 52pb, 55gc, 57gc, 59pb, 60gc, 65gc
6,5x55: 92gc, 126gc, 126pb, 134gc, 140gc (x2)
.308&.30-06m 100pb, 109pb, 113gc, 127 pb&gc, 130pb, 140gc, 150gc, 155gc, 159gc, 160gc, 165gc, 170gc, 179gc&pb, 180gc, 185gc, 200gc, 215gc, 221gc, 225pb, 230pb
.35 whelen 140pb, 155pb, 160bb, 170pb, 200gc, 220gc, 260gc, 310gc
.44 auto mag: 200pb, 240 bb&gc, 250pb&gc, 256pb, 265gc, 300gc
When I find something that works, it’s time to move on, and try to make something else work
Development is a task that is done when a mould or gun is new. Once done it is just that, done.
I tend to be a shooter and not a tinkerer.
Ben is a good example of a tinkerer. He loves new moulds and making them shoot. It is something he is very good at. It also makes him very happy.
I tend to be a shooter and not a tinkerer.
Ben is a good example of a tinkerer. He loves new moulds and making them shoot. It is something he is very good at. It also makes him very happy.
CWLONGSHOT
Well-Known Member
I don’t think I could list them. (Don’t really want to)
But I’ll tell ya I have molds from 22-500 and maybe a dozen plus multiples of some like 35 & 45.
CW
But I’ll tell ya I have molds from 22-500 and maybe a dozen plus multiples of some like 35 & 45.
CW
StrawHat
Well-Known Member
I try to stay with one weight per cartridge. That said, I might have several different mold profiles of that weight. For example my 45 ACP revolvers, I have come to like a 240 grain bullet. In this weight I have RN, WC, and SWC. Realistically, I prefer one load per firearm, so if I had several different but simial revolvers chambered for the same cartridge each might have a different load or bullet profile. My 25-2 thrives on the SAECO 453 bullet at 850 fps. I am building a load for the 1917 that will feature a 235 grain RNL bullet and 5 grains of Bullseye.
As has been mentioned, I am getting to the age that simplicity and simplification are important. Kevin
Kevin
Ian
Notorious member
One per cartridge in most cases. I've dedicated most of my handloading efforts in the past few years to developing loads that work reasonably well in all of the guns I have in the chambering.....which is one heck of a challenge because I have a lot of duplicates which are almost nothing alike internally. I've even worked up popgun subsonic loads for several other cartridges which utilize the same bullet as supers to simplify my bullet larder....I'm running out of room to stockpile 2-5 different bullet styles for every caliber. I have never counted my moulds but probably have over 100 and hardly use most of them now that I'm finding the winner for each cartridge.
So far the common denominator for .45 ACP is the Lee 230 TC tumble lube, works in everything and is a good compromise between target and working bullet. Revolvers, AR, 1911s, throatless plastic guns, feeds and hits hard from all of them.
.458 Socom only uses subsonic loads, Lee C459-500RF.
.45 Colt uses the Accurate 45-297G because it works in all.
.44 Maggot uses an Ideal 429421, usually in HP configuration.
.40 uses the Lee 175 TC.
.357 Maggot/.38 Special uses Lee 125 RF (heavier bullets shoot high in the fixed sight .38s)
.38 Super uses the Lee 150 1R.
.35 Remington uses the Lee C358-200-RF
I don't currently own a .30-'06 and don't see that changing for a while.
.308 Winchester (AR, M1A, two bolters) Lee 230 sub and MP 30 Silhouette
.30-30 Winchester uses the Lee group buy copy of the 311041
.300 BLK gets the 230 Lee, subsonic only. I have plenty of good moulds for supers but ain't going there...yet.
I don't shoot the 7mm-08 barrel anymore, but the Lee 130 did well.
I paper patch a shortened Lee cruise missile for my .270.
I shoot jax in the 6.5s these days
.223 is getting fed a heavy TC Eagan-style from NOE, for now. If I can ever figure out how to make good bases with the Lee 22/55 mould and get them to shoot straight I'll probably use that one for everything.
Is is odd that all but four of 15 are Lee moulds? When I have thousands of dollars of fine custom moulds and some good commercial moulds sitting on a shelf unused?
.
So far the common denominator for .45 ACP is the Lee 230 TC tumble lube, works in everything and is a good compromise between target and working bullet. Revolvers, AR, 1911s, throatless plastic guns, feeds and hits hard from all of them.
.458 Socom only uses subsonic loads, Lee C459-500RF.
.45 Colt uses the Accurate 45-297G because it works in all.
.44 Maggot uses an Ideal 429421, usually in HP configuration.
.40 uses the Lee 175 TC.
.357 Maggot/.38 Special uses Lee 125 RF (heavier bullets shoot high in the fixed sight .38s)
.38 Super uses the Lee 150 1R.
.35 Remington uses the Lee C358-200-RF
I don't currently own a .30-'06 and don't see that changing for a while.
.308 Winchester (AR, M1A, two bolters) Lee 230 sub and MP 30 Silhouette
.30-30 Winchester uses the Lee group buy copy of the 311041
.300 BLK gets the 230 Lee, subsonic only. I have plenty of good moulds for supers but ain't going there...yet.
I don't shoot the 7mm-08 barrel anymore, but the Lee 130 did well.
I paper patch a shortened Lee cruise missile for my .270.
I shoot jax in the 6.5s these days
.223 is getting fed a heavy TC Eagan-style from NOE, for now. If I can ever figure out how to make good bases with the Lee 22/55 mould and get them to shoot straight I'll probably use that one for everything.
Is is odd that all but four of 15 are Lee moulds? When I have thousands of dollars of fine custom moulds and some good commercial moulds sitting on a shelf unused?
.
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fiver
Well-Known Member
I could get by with 2... sorta.
as far as weights I stay pretty close to the nominal weight for the round.
50-65 in the 22's
150-170 in the 30's
240-250 in the 44-45's
200-230 in the ACP
200-220 in the 41
I rarely get all worked up about real heavy or real light weight bullets, I just switch cartridges up or down as necessary.
as far as weights I stay pretty close to the nominal weight for the round.
50-65 in the 22's
150-170 in the 30's
240-250 in the 44-45's
200-230 in the ACP
200-220 in the 41
I rarely get all worked up about real heavy or real light weight bullets, I just switch cartridges up or down as necessary.
25-20- over the last 30 years there's been 3 different molds used. 257420gc at 2000+fps for a long time, then 80gr group buy, now I've settled on the 260283 NOE at reduced velocities.
30-30 165 Ranch Dog for the Grandsons practice load though I used 31141 years ago when I had one.
308 #315 clone from NOE
38-55 Accurate 38-250B at 3 velocity levels
45 acp 200 swc, 200 rf, and 230TC all from Lee. The swc gets the lions share of action
30-30 165 Ranch Dog for the Grandsons practice load though I used 31141 years ago when I had one.
308 #315 clone from NOE
38-55 Accurate 38-250B at 3 velocity levels
45 acp 200 swc, 200 rf, and 230TC all from Lee. The swc gets the lions share of action
RBHarter
West Central AR
9/35/38 .....
90,125,148,158,200, 228,250,310. Of course that feeds 380 , 9mm , 2 38s , 2 357s , and a 358 .
6.5
120s and 140s , 2 or 3 of each .
225s
37,55&62
25
80,100,&120
27
124,130,135
28/7mm
130,154
30
97,155,172,190,230
32
175
40
2@175
45
2@RB,196,200,250,255,285 Minie',340,350,2@405,420,535 for 3 pistols and 2 rifles .
50
RB , maxi ,360 Minie' .
00B , .690 RB , 000B , and assorted RB and conicals for 36&44 revolvers and a 429421 relieved to .448 .
I guess I'm a bit fickle , but I have loaded for several cartridges in all but 6.5 .
90,125,148,158,200, 228,250,310. Of course that feeds 380 , 9mm , 2 38s , 2 357s , and a 358 .
6.5
120s and 140s , 2 or 3 of each .
225s
37,55&62
25
80,100,&120
27
124,130,135
28/7mm
130,154
30
97,155,172,190,230
32
175
40
2@175
45
2@RB,196,200,250,255,285 Minie',340,350,2@405,420,535 for 3 pistols and 2 rifles .
50
RB , maxi ,360 Minie' .
00B , .690 RB , 000B , and assorted RB and conicals for 36&44 revolvers and a 429421 relieved to .448 .
I guess I'm a bit fickle , but I have loaded for several cartridges in all but 6.5 .
Joshua
Taco Aficionado/Salish Sea Pirate/Part-Time Dragon
I turned ten years old in 1984. My favorite book then was an old copy of Gun Digest that I had read from cover to cover. There was an article about paper patching .577 Nitro Express, I thought to myself "I'm gonna do that someday".
Fast forward to the fall of 2018. I'm now a middle aged man who had read a lot but never got around to doing any reloading. I wanted to shoot my antique Japanese battle rifle but didn't want to spend $1.75 every time i pulled the trigger. So what do I do. I jump in with both feet. I spend the next year and a half buying a little bit here and a little bit there, every week. So now it doesn't matter what I shoot it all costs around a dollar a round. I can shoot a 7.7x58MM Japanese or a 38 special and it costs a $1.00 per round. Now, next year it will only cost $0.08 per shot, right?
My wife thinks I'm crazy. Happy but crazy.
So in answer to your question. I reload for 32acp, 38 special, 357 Mag, 40 S&W, 45acp, 30-06, and 7.7x58mm. So I should only own six molds. Nope, I own 19 molds. I have three different versions of the Lyman 311291 and I don't know why. First I bought a single cavity, then I bought a "U" stamped undersized double cavity mold, and finally I bought a "normal" sized double cavity mold.
I own the most molds for the 30-06, I have: 93pb, 100pb, 150pb, 160gc, 3@ 170gc, 173gc, 2@ 210gc
For the 7.7x58 I use 8mm molds that I size down to .318": 175pb, 165gc, 216gc
For 45acp: 200 and 230
For 40s&w: 175
For 38sp/357mag: 2@148, 150
For 32acp: I just bought a Lee 311-100-2R (two days ago I cast 300 of these to try in the 30-06) and will mill it down to a 80-75gr.
At some point I need to thin the herd, especially the 30 Caliber situation.
JM
P.s. Now, I need to buy a R8 Fly cutter for my bench-top mill. I just keep saving money!
Fast forward to the fall of 2018. I'm now a middle aged man who had read a lot but never got around to doing any reloading. I wanted to shoot my antique Japanese battle rifle but didn't want to spend $1.75 every time i pulled the trigger. So what do I do. I jump in with both feet. I spend the next year and a half buying a little bit here and a little bit there, every week. So now it doesn't matter what I shoot it all costs around a dollar a round. I can shoot a 7.7x58MM Japanese or a 38 special and it costs a $1.00 per round. Now, next year it will only cost $0.08 per shot, right?
My wife thinks I'm crazy. Happy but crazy.
So in answer to your question. I reload for 32acp, 38 special, 357 Mag, 40 S&W, 45acp, 30-06, and 7.7x58mm. So I should only own six molds. Nope, I own 19 molds. I have three different versions of the Lyman 311291 and I don't know why. First I bought a single cavity, then I bought a "U" stamped undersized double cavity mold, and finally I bought a "normal" sized double cavity mold.
I own the most molds for the 30-06, I have: 93pb, 100pb, 150pb, 160gc, 3@ 170gc, 173gc, 2@ 210gc
For the 7.7x58 I use 8mm molds that I size down to .318": 175pb, 165gc, 216gc
For 45acp: 200 and 230
For 40s&w: 175
For 38sp/357mag: 2@148, 150
For 32acp: I just bought a Lee 311-100-2R (two days ago I cast 300 of these to try in the 30-06) and will mill it down to a 80-75gr.
At some point I need to thin the herd, especially the 30 Caliber situation.
JM
P.s. Now, I need to buy a R8 Fly cutter for my bench-top mill. I just keep saving money!
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rodmkr
Temecula California
Well I don't feel so bad anymore.
Reason for original question was I got to counting molds and found I had 45.
Now only use maybe 5 as I have found loads I like.
Felt a little foolish that I even had molds I didn't know I had.
When I cast I usually fill a 30 cal ammo can so only cast maybe once a year.
With this shutdown will have cast enough to last the rest of my life, I am 86
and life kinda slows down for everything at this age.
rodmkr
Reason for original question was I got to counting molds and found I had 45.
Now only use maybe 5 as I have found loads I like.
Felt a little foolish that I even had molds I didn't know I had.
When I cast I usually fill a 30 cal ammo can so only cast maybe once a year.
With this shutdown will have cast enough to last the rest of my life, I am 86
and life kinda slows down for everything at this age.
rodmkr
fiver
Well-Known Member
I ain't tried all of my 30 cal molds in all of my 30 cal rifles yet.
I kind of mean to,,,,, but some of them have a pet load,,,, why change it?
and I don't think some of the bullets will even fit in some of the other rifles, I'm surprised at the wide array of throat shapes and diameters that come in the 30 cal. rifles.
I kind of mean to,,,,, but some of them have a pet load,,,, why change it?
and I don't think some of the bullets will even fit in some of the other rifles, I'm surprised at the wide array of throat shapes and diameters that come in the 30 cal. rifles.