Author Topic: 200 grain, or 255 grain?  (Read 2754 times)

Offline Froogal

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200 grain, or 255 grain?
« on: July 25, 2022, 02:36:33 PM »
I shoot .45 Colt in both rifle and revolver. I've been casting my own 200 grain bullets, but they have just ONE lube groove. Playing around with black powder. It works good in the revolvers, but quickly fouls the bore in the rifle. I think MORE lube is needed to slow down the fouling. I can get a LEE mould that casts a bullet with TWO lube grooves, but it is 255 grains.

A 255 grain bullet seems like overkill for CAS, but maybe that is what I need?

Any opinions?

Offline Cap'n Redneck

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Re: 200 grain, or 255 grain?
« Reply #1 on: July 25, 2022, 03:38:40 PM »
You could try sesame-seeds as a filler between the blackpowder and the 200 grain bullet. 
Sesame-seeds contain about 50% oils, that will help keep fouling soft between shots.
Swiss 2Fg blackpowder is also a good idea; cleaner-burning than other brands.

LEE bullet-molds generally don't have very deep grease-grooves. 
You might be better off investing in a custom mold with extra deep grease-grooves...
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Offline Abilene

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Re: 200 grain, or 255 grain?
« Reply #2 on: July 25, 2022, 04:08:00 PM »
Springfield Slim sells a 200gr big lube bullet (J/P).  I don't know if that mold is available or not.

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Re: 200 grain, or 255 grain?
« Reply #3 on: Today at 07:13:13 AM »

Offline Drydock

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Re: 200 grain, or 255 grain?
« Reply #3 on: July 25, 2022, 08:00:33 PM »
you want to look for something like this: http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=45-220C
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Offline Coffinmaker

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Re: 200 grain, or 255 grain?
« Reply #4 on: July 26, 2022, 07:59:17 AM »

PLUS ONE for Abilene and Drydock.  You want to look at Accurate Molds.

Offline Blackpowder Burn

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Re: 200 grain, or 255 grain?
« Reply #5 on: July 26, 2022, 04:49:20 PM »
You might also look at the Accurate 45-220C or 45-220R.  They are basically the same bullet except the 45-220R has a rebate on the base to make it easier to use in cap'n ball revolvers.  I use the 45-220R for everything from 45 ACP to 45 Schofield, 45 Colt and my Ruger Old Army's.  It carrys plenty of lube for what you'll need for revolvers or rifles.
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Offline Crow Choker

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Re: 200 grain, or 255 grain?
« Reply #6 on: July 26, 2022, 07:16:37 PM »
Check out Dick Dastardly's Big Lube bullets also. I cast and shoot the Mav Dutchman 200 grain in 44 Colt and the Snakebite 38 caliber loaded in 38 Special brass, loading both with black powder, shooting both calibers in lever rifles and revolvers. Very happy with performance. Dick also has a 45 Colt big lube bullet and as with all of Dicks bullets, all have big lube grooves that carry alot of lube and work very well. Think Springfield Slim casts alot of the big lube bullets from reading over the years here on the forum. Check 'Big Lube Bullets' on the web. Dick used to have his business web link on his posts.

By the way regarding Dick, has anyone talked with him recently? See he hasn't posted for around a year. Hope he's OK. Back in the old days he would be on this thread like flies to horse pukey advising of his big lube bullets.
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Offline Drydock

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Re: 200 grain, or 255 grain?
« Reply #7 on: July 26, 2022, 07:43:04 PM »
http://www.biglube.com/Default.aspx

I have the original PRS bullet mold, great BP bullet.  Most of the molds on the site are listed out of stock.  Could be Lee still has not caught up on custom mold orders.
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Offline Wallace Foster

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Re: 200 grain, or 255 grain?
« Reply #8 on: July 27, 2022, 02:28:42 PM »
I use a lot of the Big lube bullets I have the .45 250, 170, 150 and the .38 158 I love them with black powder they hold so much lube I can run my 1873 rifle with the 250gr for a whole match without a hitch. The gun is greasy and dirty but it is still running smooth and hitting the steel and the same thing with the 150's or the .38's in my revolvers. I liked the 170 but the mold never worked well for me so I stopped using it and put it on the back shelf, it had issues dropping bullets.   ???

Offline Blackpowder Burn

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Re: 200 grain, or 255 grain?
« Reply #9 on: July 27, 2022, 07:38:39 PM »
I like the Big Lube design, and have quite a few of the molds myself.  The only issue I had was quality of some of the molds Lee (although I think he had someone else make them, eventually) made.  Accurate has molds with very similar designs and the molds are the best I've found.  Very durable and drop bullets easily from the first time they are used.  I also shoot a lot of long range BPCR rifle, and the molds Tom makes at Accurate drop the most consistent weight of anyone I've tried - by a significant margin.
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Offline greyhawk

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Re: 200 grain, or 255 grain?
« Reply #10 on: July 28, 2022, 12:42:53 AM »
You could try sesame-seeds as a filler between the blackpowder and the 200 grain bullet. 
Sesame-seeds contain about 50% oils, that will help keep fouling soft between shots.
Swiss 2Fg blackpowder is also a good idea; cleaner-burning than other brands.

LEE bullet-molds generally don't have very deep grease-grooves. 
You might be better off investing in a custom mold with extra deep grease-grooves...

LEE does make some good blackpowder molds - the pictures in their catalog give a good accurate guide as to what you get

Offline Froogal

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Re: 200 grain, or 255 grain?
« Reply #11 on: July 28, 2022, 08:39:21 AM »
Guess I've never seen an actual LEE catalog. I assume it is on-line? I'll do some digging.

Offline Drydock

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Re: 200 grain, or 255 grain?
« Reply #12 on: July 28, 2022, 10:15:42 AM »
Lee makes some good Muzzleloader bullet molds.  But fot this application nothing in the catalog will be suitable.

https://leeprecision.com/bullet-casting/hand-gun-bullet-molds/
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Offline Froogal

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Re: 200 grain, or 255 grain?
« Reply #13 on: July 28, 2022, 12:30:12 PM »
Lee makes some good Muzzleloader bullet molds.  But fot this application nothing in the catalog will be suitable.

https://leeprecision.com/bullet-casting/hand-gun-bullet-molds/

Thank you. I did visit that site already and did not find anything that is different from what I already have.

Offline Drydock

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Re: 200 grain, or 255 grain?
« Reply #14 on: July 28, 2022, 05:57:50 PM »
This is my personal favorite, it's largely replaced the PRS in my loads, mostly as it works easier for fast reloads.  And I just like 250 grainers.   ;D  http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=45-250J
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Offline King Medallion

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Re: 200 grain, or 255 grain?
« Reply #15 on: July 30, 2022, 08:57:24 AM »
OK, I'll say it. 45 Colt is not meant for leverguns!! 44-40 is the way to go! There, I said it.  ;D ;)
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Offline Lucky R. K.

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Re: 200 grain, or 255 grain?
« Reply #16 on: July 30, 2022, 09:14:29 AM »

Oh, so true as some of have found out the hard way. Without seeking advice, I bought 45 caliber everything when I started CAS with the intentions of shooting black powder. I now shoot 44-40 both black and smokeless in my Pedersoli Lightnimg and Uberti Henry. Much more fun.
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Offline Froogal

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Re: 200 grain, or 255 grain?
« Reply #17 on: July 30, 2022, 03:28:48 PM »
OK, I'll say it. 45 Colt is not meant for leverguns!! 44-40 is the way to go! There, I said it.  ;D ;)

BINGO!! I agree 100%, and just as soon as I can find a 44-40 lever action, AND a good amount of 44-40 brass, I'll make the switch.

Offline Drydock

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Re: 200 grain, or 255 grain?
« Reply #18 on: July 30, 2022, 03:41:10 PM »
45 Colt is meant for those manly men amongst us who prefer our rifles to be in RIFLE calibers.    ;D( ::)
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Offline King Medallion

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Re: 200 grain, or 255 grain?
« Reply #19 on: July 31, 2022, 07:48:45 AM »
45 Colt is meant for those manly men amongst us who prefer our rifles to be in RIFLE calibers.    ;D( ::)

Hmm, seems the word Colt needs to be replaced with the number 70, 75, 110, ect.  :)
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