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Cast bullet selection for my .454.....

robsgunsrobsguns Member Posts: 4,581 ✭✭
edited August 2002 in General Discussion
I cant find enough info. to substantiate my theory, but I think I can use a Lyman mold, # 457643, a 400gr. bullet mold, designed for a 45 cal. rifle, in my .454 Casull. My bullets are sized to .455 for my 454. Lyman molds cast small with my lead mixture, and this mold would cast normally around .459, but smaller with my mix, so most likely around .457-.458, which is ok, because my bullets cast at .457, and I have no problem sizing them to .455. So my question is...does anyone see a problem with this idea? I have researched other bullets of similar design and weight and believe the crimp groove would be approximately where I would want it in the 454, and the nose to crimp groove measurement seems to be pretty close to what it is in the .454's bullets. Has anyone tried this? I believe the base is pretty close to the type I have, like a PB, and the lube grooves are smaller than mine, but it has 2 and I only have one actually, so that should be alright, wouldnt it? So long as I have enough room for the powder charge, and the crimp groove is close to being in the right spot without causeing the bullet to be sticking to far out of the case, causing a longer than max C.O.L., I should be ok, right??? Please advise if you have any experience in this.

Posting this in both 'ask the experts' and 'general discussion', so just answer in one forum please, thanks.

SSgt Ryan E. Roberts, USMC
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Comments

  • agloreaglore Member Posts: 6,012
    edited November -1
    Ryan, why such a heavy bullet for that caliber? You won't be able to drive it as fast as a 480 with the same weight bullet, sort of defeats the purpose. If you want to shoot bullets in the 400 grain + weight range, go with the 480 and put the caliber and weight to your advantage. That bullet will take up lots of powder space. You might be able to get 23 grains of H110 or W296 in there. But hell, that would make it even slower than the 45 Colt with a good 370 or 350 grain bullet. Then again, you may have to use 45 Colt cases just to keep it within the cylinder when crimping.

    AlleninAlaska

    Free men are not equal and equal men are not free
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  • Shootist3006Shootist3006 Member Posts: 4,171
    edited November -1
    Ryan, I doubt that your barrel is larger at the middle or forcing cone end. I suspect that the reason a bullet is easier to push after it gets past the muzzle is that it (the bullet) is now formed to the barrel and further forming is not required. I would listen to wheelgun as you could be getting into dangerous ground.
    You might check with some of the custom bullet makers and see if they can make a heavy bullet for you. I know it will be a bit more expensive than casting your own but I suspect you will not want to shoot enough heavy ones to justify the cost of the mold!

    Beartooth makes a 405 gr. bullet just for the .454 http://www.beartoothbullets.com/bulletselect/index.htm

    (Since you posted both places, I thought I would answer in both, just for the ease of our readers! )

    Quod principi placuit legis habet vigorem.Semper Fidelis
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