Which is better.....45 Colt cast bullets?

W

Wallyl

Active Member
In my Ruger BHK .45 Colt I have done comparisons (same powder charge) the Lee 252 SWC & a Lyman 452424 Keith. Both are quite accurate. I find that the Lee bullet is always faster than the Keith, using the same powder charge. I favor the Lee version because I find it easier to cast w/ a Lee bullet mold vs a Lyman (it's lighter). The Lyman mold takes longer to cool; I can cast faster w/ the Lee mold. Was wondering what others think of these two bullets?

1592402802550.png
1592402899514.png
 
W

Wallyl

Active Member
I would guess that the demand isn't there. I can cast 300 an hour w/a DC mold. It is light and comfortable to use. I don't shoot thousands of .45 Colts so I don't need high volume.
 
Matt

Matt

Active Member
I’m a big fan of the 452424 (mine is actually the
454424) but I have the Lee SWC and RNFP. I’m guessing you are getting higher velocity with the Lee because more of the bullet is inside the case increasing pressure and velocity. If you are getting all the performance you want from the Lee stay with it. I have a couple of Lee molds that are my favorite for certain cartridges and I cast, load, and shoot them without shame! In two cavity .45 caliber molds I’ve found that all heat up quickly and slow casting. I’ve never liked “cooling” aluminum molds on a damp cloth or sponge. This seems to cause cold spots and less accurate bullets. The solution I’ve found in 44/45/475 molds is getting the Lee six cavity if offered in the style I like or ordering an NOE in 4 or 5 cavity. They have more mass and don’t slow casting as much. Luckily Lee makes your bullet in six cavity. Two six cavity molds really produce a lot of bullets in an hour. By the way I like the 454424 because it’s very accurate in my SAA,
has a big grease groove, and Elmer Kieth designed it. Kieth had a lot of influence on me growing up!
 
Matt

Matt

Active Member
Oops! I see that Lee does NOT make the 452 252 SWC in six cavity. Pardon my error.
 
W

Wallyl

Active Member
Matt,

The 452424 was my first bullet mold in the .45 Colt. I then tried the Lee 252 SWC and found that it was as accurate, shot to higher velocity, had lower Std Deviations, and was easier to cast with. For some reason the Lee mold doesn't need a big grease groove; it's dual shallow grooves do just fine. It shoots a bit less smoky than does the Lyman. I also have the favorite 454190....I just hate it not having a crimp groove, although it is an accurate bullet. To me no big deal Lee doesn't make a 6 cavity version for it.
 
Outpost75

Outpost75

Active Member
For the OLDER guns having large cylinder throats and barrels I've found none better for the .45 Colt than Accurate 45-262H with 6.5 grains of Bullseye in the pre-1930 Colts and 7.5 grains in the Rugers, modern Colt clones and H&R Handi. Nose length fits Colt New Service and SA cylinders. Full-diameter nose can be sized to fit cylinder throats EXACTLY. Bullets from my mold drop .4545-.4550 in wheelweights. I load as-cast and unsized, lubing with Lee Liquid Alox. No need to fill the lube groove, except if using black powder, when I use SPG. Forepart lightly engraves upon chambering in the H&R Handi Rifle just like a big round of Eley Tenex in Dad's Winchester 52 Match rifle. VERY accurate. Large meplat for good game performance. Accurate doesn't make a six-cavity, but Tom does make a 4-cavity. As for me, I find 3 cavities quite enough.

45-264H-D.png
 
Last edited:
W

Wallyl

Active Member
That's quite similar to the Lee 255 RF that many laud. I have one as well, but for some reason that I cannot explain, I favor the SWC.

1592407941359.png
 
CWLONGSHOT

CWLONGSHOT

Well-Known Member
The Lyman 454424 is my long standing favorite 45 Colt bullet.

Just picked up a Arsenal 45-250 FWC that I am also really liking. I was worried about carbine feeding but shouldnt have as its just fine. Over a .400 meplat!! WOW!!

8AF08C1C-B5E8-46CA-B906-755F26142F63.jpeg

CW
 
O

Ole_270

Well-Known Member
I've only had a 45 Colt for about a month(Ruger Flattop Stainless Convertible), and so far the only mold I've bought for it is the Lee 255 RF. I do use the Lee 230TC in ACP cases though. I've had very good luck with both in the 800-850 fps range. Right now I'm using up a pound of Green Dot at 7.0 gr with the 255RF, but will go with 8.0-8.5 Universal when the GD is gone. I have quite a bit of the Universal, use it in 16 ga.. 38-55, and light cast loads in 308.
I keep thinking I need to get a SWC mold, but so far I'm still trying out different loads with what I have.
 
W

Walks

Well-Known Member
I favor the old Lyman #452423, a 240gr SWC.
For some reason when Lyman shrunk the #454424 down to .452, the bullet "nose" grew longer and bullets cast from the new #452424 were too long to chamber in My 2nd Gen Colt SAA.
The #454424 bullets cast from My Dad's Mold would work just fine. Whether the cases were trimmed to minimum case length or not.
The bullets cast from the #452423 worked just fine.

I bought a N.O.E. 5cav mold for that #452423, it is a thing of Beauty. N.O.E. # .453-247-SWC, it's perfect for paper punching

The bullets cast from #452424 were reserved for warmer loads as they wouldn't fit in a Colt SAA cylinder or clone. Had a 100 rds sitting on the shelf for 30yrs plus.
 
Brad

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
I have been shooting lots of the NOE 454424 with 6 gr of Red Dot in my Mod 25. Accurate as I can hold, recoil is not an issue. Goes 900 FPS or so.

Never tried that Lee bullet. The old Lee 255 RNFP is a good one.
 
fiver

fiver

Well-Known Member
the old books gave load details for the 424 seated to both the crimp groove and over the front drive band.
 
StrawHat

StrawHat

Well-Known Member
Lyman has changed the 454424 mold several times over it production span. Some have square grooves, some have round grooves. Some have a crimping groove closer to the base, others have a crimping groove closer to the nose. There is at least one write up in Handloader magazine.

Here is one article by Glenn Fryxell.

The .45 Keith SWC, how Elmer Keith designed it and what is available today. History, differences, similarities.

From the pages of The IHMSA News, Shooting sports, hand gun, ammo, cartridges, xp 100, reloading, firearm, cast bullet, bullet casting and more information articles
www.lasc.us

Kevin
 
Last edited:
CZ93X62

CZ93X62

Official forum enigma
I have 2 of the Lyman #454424, 2 of the Lyman #454190 (1 each of 2-cavity and 1-cavity), and a MONSTER Lee 310 grain round FN with GC. I also have a 325 grain RCBS for the 45/70 that casts too small for any 45/70 I have ever owned, so it gets sized twice to .454" and used in the Bisley Blackhawk for megafauna......assuming they return. Turning those loose at 1200 FPS is an EVENT in its own right.

I prefer the "424" from the double cavity in 45 Colt. The "190" is fine, and both have found their ways into the 625 in some numbers.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.