Pick the right 45 mold

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otter

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Well, I have narrowed it down to 2 molds, I want to get a 230 grain 45 caliber round nose bullet makin dye. They are both .452" diameter, I believe this to be the correct size for my usage, I have an old 1911, a Springfield XD, and a Ruger Blackhawk all 3 in 45acp. One mold creates a bullet with 2 grooves, the other with 5 or 6 grooves(hard to tell from the picture) Why the difference in # of grooves? is it just about the lube holding ability? Why would one be superior to the other? They are the same price, and could it also be used for 45LC as I have another cylinder for the Ruger to shoot that also? I have checked several sources and can't get a clear answer on the different # of grooves.
 

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The bullet with all the grooves is a tumble lubed bullet, it does not need to be sized as it comes from the mould. The other bullet will need to be run thru a sizer like a Lyman 4500. Info at the Lee link below.
 
Thank you

Thank you for the fast response, I looked all over that LEE website and couldn't find the answer but I knew someone here would know.
Thanks again, as soon as I land a job I will be ordering a set. Just hope I can get my hands on the stuff B4 it is outlawed.
 
I've been told you can tumble-lube both, or size-and-lube both.

I assume they work best for their intended lubricants, but at .45 ACP velocities, a layer of Lee Liquid Alox should hold up just fine on the two-groove.
 
If you plan on doing very many of them, get the 6 cavity mold. The 2-banger is really SLOW! When I sit down to cast I do 1,000 at a time.

I use the TL style, (TL452-2 OG)and love it. Get the sizer die anyway, you will get much better quality reloads if you go ahead and size them. Sizing leaves a nice clean slick edge on the driving band. The Lee sizer setup is less than 20 bucks and worth every penny. Spray them with an alcohol/lanolin spray before sizing, ( I use the Cabelas store brand) towel them off before tumble lubing. I cast 5-10K of these a year and love them for accuracy and cheapness. Check with Bob in the components for sale area on this forum for top quality foundry lead, cast it as is and you will get great bullets!
 
when i buy casting equipment, and i will, it will be the second one with all the small grooves (tumble lube) mold. however, i think i will buy the six bullet mold instead of the two mold.
 
243winxb is correct in his post. I used to cast the two lube groove bullet and size and lubed it in a RCBS lube-sizer. This bullet shot very well in my Colt Gold Cup for pin matches. I have also used tumble lubed bullets several times and have had them lead slightly using the same powder load. Nowadays I just use Oregon Trail's "Laser Cast" bullets and am as happy as a pig in s--t! :)
 
As several folks have mentioned, the Lee 6 cavity mold is a better mold. I also recommend the Lee .452" push through sizing die to assure uniformity. For some reason, every once in awhile, the Lee molds seem to drop a slightly oversize bullet.

I highly recommend Bullshop Sprue plate lube: http://bullshop.gunloads.com/new bullshop__3_008.htm A little bottle will last a very long time and will prevent galling of the top of the mold/sprue plate. It's also great for pivot points and alignment pins. Use it very sparingly.

You can use LLA tumble lube on any bullet and it's worked great for me for over 25,000 rounds (45, 40 and 9mm). X-lox seems to be the same thing as LLA and is lower in cost and works just as well: http://www.lsstuff.com/lube/index.html
 
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