Armory Sponsor
Posted: 2/13/2013 11:33:36 AM EDT
|
I am gathering all of the necessary parts to begin casting .45 ACP and i had a question about sizing.
The round nose .45 molds that i got are .452 and the sizing die that i got is a .451, Should i have got a sizing die that was the same size as the molds? I know most commercial projectiles are .451 but i have been reading that the lead projectiles need to be slightly larger to better engage the rifling. What are your thoughts? |
|
The mold may cast larger than .452 , my lee mold casts at .454''.
As for sizing I size to .452'' for my 1911 but I have shot them as cast with no ill effects. Cast some and see if they chamber feely in your gun if they do shoot them and check for leading,pressure etc. You may find that 451 works fine for you but it is generally accepted that lead boolits for 45 acp should be .452''. You really won't know untill you cast them and make a few dummy rounds. |
|
I've seen a few posts on this. I cast 45 using the lee 6 cavity molds and I resize with the 452 die. The only way you can really tell which sizing die to use is to slug your barrel. In other words, you get a lead slug near the diameter of the bore and literally push it down the barrel and measure it. You should check out http://castboolits.gunloads.com/forum.php.
Here's a forum you might find interesting http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?78293-How-to-slug-a-barrel |
|
Quoted: Slug the barrel, measure with a micrometer, and then add one or two thousanths to determine the sizing die. Clean the hell out of the barrel before AND AFTER shooting cast. Copper and lead fouling wil cause the cast bullets to lead the barrel. Added my 2 cents above. I resize mine to .452, haven't got around to slugging my barrels, but it's on my to-do list. Need to get some soft lead balls... |
|
Quoted: Quoted: Slug the barrel, measure with a micrometer, and then add one or two thousanths to determine the sizing die. Clean the hell out of the barrel before AND AFTER shooting cast. Copper and lead fouling wil cause the cast bullets to lead the barrel. Added my 2 cents above. I resize mine to .452, haven't got around to slugging my barrels, but it's on my to-do list. Need to get some soft lead balls... I've been using egg sinkers with good results. The little hole in the end is also handy - put a toothpick in it and it makes it easier to hold while measuring. |
|
I've shot some fairly large bullets through my 45. It seems to not care. From .452 to .454. If it fits the chamber mine will send them downrange. I do normally size them to .452 but primarily for reliability of chamber fit.
eta: make sure you measure you bullets from the mold. Just because the mold is labeled doesnt mean the bullets will drop at a particular size. all sorts of variables will affect this. I have a Lee mold that drops bullets at various sizes but my MP molds are consistant. Consistency is a must. It is best to run through a sizer. You have no idea what kind of a bitch it is to load inconsistant sized bullets or those that arent perfectly round. A sizer eliminates this. |
|
Cleaning guns is over rated and can actually negatively affect your accuracy with cast bullets. A good bore conditioning from the lube on your cast bullets is a good thing.
I don't clean my Glock until the lube and powder fouling have built up to the point that it will affect functioning. This is generally after around 700 to 800 rounds and that's only because I use a very soft lube. OP, try a few at .451 since you already have the sizing die and see if they work. My KKM barrel likes a .451 bullet. If they don't work get a 452 sizing die and go from there. |
|
Thanks for the help everyone. i guess since i am using a Lee sizing die it wont really break the bank to have 2 or 3 different sizes.
I am slowley learning that in the world of reloadfing the best thing to do is just try it and see how it works. Too many variables to get it right the first timeevery time. |
Armory Sponsor