Lyman 452374

[Ben]

Found a fairly good deal on a 2 cavity, Lyman 452374, 230 gr. RN.
The mould arrived early this morning.
Of course, I had to get outside and cast with the mould.
The cast bullets are round and drop at .454".
I size to .4515 " for my 1911, 45 ACP and my Smith Stainless Model 625,
If your 1911 won't function with this one, you better start asking some questions.

Ben

 

[462]

If your 1911 won't function with this one, you better start asking some questions.

Some serious questions.

 

[Charles Graff]

Why would you handload any other cast bullet? I know, I know, just to have fun, but fun aside, ask a serious question. Just how many rounds do you fire for social purposes and to put down critters with nerves and blood? The answer is probably, very few. A box or two of good factory 230 JHP will last most of us quite a spell.

 

[Bisley]

When I in-processed to Ft. Meyer, VA, in 1993, and got my pay straightened out, the Clinton panic was well underway. GAR had sold Dad some good stuff shortly prior, and so I found the address in Shotgun News and sent, I think, $1 and/or SASE to get a catalogue. I called NJ where GAR was located. No Lyman #358429, or #452374 in 2 or 4 cavity, so I followed their recommendation and got 4 cavity SAECO 067, 45 ACP 225 truncated cone bevel base, and SAECO #382, neither of which has given me any problems. The others weren't available, and I wanted to get to casting as soon as I got home to Alaska for leave.

That's my excuse and I am sticking to it.

 

[Bisley]

And, congratulations on your acquisition, Ben!

 

[Ben]

Thank you ! !

The mould ran real well this morning.
I'm a happy camper.

Ben

 

[462]

Ben,
You'll have to cast more than that pile to keep Trevor well supplied.

 

[Ben]

Trevor will certainly head all of these downrange, pronto quick.

Ben

 

[smokeywolf]

I need to get one of those.
Anxious to see some pics of Trevor shootin' the 1911.

 

[Brad]

I don’t have one and likely won’t ever get one. My 200 swc does all I need and I tend to settle on a single mould/load for a cartridge and stick with it,

I am likely one of most mould pour members here. I could sell 1/2 the moulds I own and never miss them.

That said, if I was new to the 1911 this would certainly be a mould high on my list.

 

[Ian]

That one is hard to beat. Only problem is it isn't a 4-cavity, though the older I get the less I like heavy moulds and reality is I could probably cast more bullets with less hangover with a two-cavity.

 

[fiver]

I donated [a NIB] one of those molds to pay the server fees once somewhere or other.

anyway you gotta watch the 2000's versions, they tended to run about 451+/-.
but the real problem was they run much too small right where the case mouth tapered to the bullet [you know,, from the lube groove forward]

 

[Ian]

My Devastator hollow point circa 2007 was just like that. I bought it directly from Lyman and it is the first mould I ever had to lap. Sucker casts .453" with soft scrap lead now though! If I'd known about powder coating back then I only would have touched it up enough to make it cast round bullets and left it at about .4515".

 

[462]

My first 452374 was a four-cavity with the awkward-to-use nutcracker handles, which were soon replaced by grinder-and-file modified Lee six-cavity handles. Now, I'm using a single-cavity that S Mac so generously donated to my son-in-law, who, shortly afterward, bought an Arsenal five-cavity and re-donated the single-cavity back to me.

 

[Brad]

I am a die hard 4-5 cav aluminum mould fan. I haven’t used an iron mould in many years. A few brass but they are too heavy as well.
I have limited time for casting so a 1-2 cav mould just isn’t gonna cut it.

 

[358156 hp]

I have had many Ideal and Lyman 452374 moulds. I did have some dimensional issues in front of the grease groove in some of the Lyman marked moulds. The cavities seemed to be cut a wee bit small in that area for a spell. Many others were just fine. Right now my "user" mould is a 4 cavity Mihec, and there are still a few Ideal and Lyman single cavity moulds hanging out around here somewhere.

 

[KeithB]

I have 2 two cavity 45237 molds. Turned one into a HP with an inset bar system. I think I posted it on this forum at one time. It casts just as fast as the plain unaltered version at about 212-215grs.

Don’t expect any expansion from my version but it does use 7-8% less material.

 

[CZ93X62]

My #452374 is a two-banger from the late 1980s, and it casts wonderfully. Of all the 230 grain RN mould designs out there, this one is the most faithful to John Browning design/dimension specs.

 

[Mowgli Terry]

I already had a four cavity 452374. This bullet ran very well in whatever 45's came my way. I was at a club trade day when a citizen sold me a single cavity Lyman mold for $10.00. Sent that mold to hollowpointman without delay.

I had read an article by notables on this converted hollow point mold. A s;sightly improved version was made. That bullet has a cavernous hollow point. Unalloyed lead was recommended. The hollow point was made with the old time pin. I have not cast any of these lately since the carry gun is no longer a 45 ACP. Either way that is a good bullet.

 

[Creeker]

I think you will be well pleased with that bullet Ben. Mine is somewhat of an odd ball falling from the mould at .457" & 212 grains. Still it is a very accurate, even way out there.