Home Forums Reloading Bullet Casting Accurate 45-200E

Going to try this bullet in my 45ACP Blackhawk cylinder. The mould came a week or so ago. I gave it a good scrubbing & run several heat-cool cycles on the stove. Sprayed the top of the mould & both sides the sprue plate with Frankford Arsenal Drop Out. Also coated all the screws with some sprue plate lube.

I placed 8 lb of 92-6-2 & 8 lb of pure lead in the pot & preheated the mould. This mould took a while to throw good bullets. I expect it will settle down after a couple casting sessions. The bullets came in at 205 grains & .455" diameter. Can't wait to try them.

What was wrong with them?

Jim by the time I finished all but one cavity were casting perfect bullets. The problem cavity is having trouble making a sharp base. Not that it didn't but not consistently like the other 3. I'm thinking at this point the sprue plate may need a touch on the stone at the point of the problem cavity.

Ahhh...gotcha.


Thanks.

Still learning all I can.

Same here.

The castings should have good shape bases, not rounded. If the base doesn't fill out it could be from things being too cold or the sprue plate being too tight. Since the other 3 are casting good sharp bases & the problem cavity appears to be vented as well as the others I think maybe, just maybe the sprue plate may be a tad tight over the problem cavity. Sometimes a little whetting on a medium stone at that point on the plate will do the trick.

Tied up most the day at the Hospice House. A friend is about ready to step out into eternity. I came home, took a shower & walked downstairs to the shop. Once the Star was warn I ran the bullets through a .452 die. They are ready to load. Maybe tomorrow between Church services.

[img]https://i.imgur.com/n0LJqdF.jpg?1[/img]

Sorry about your friend Creeker.

I am gathering info and supplies to start casting bullets.

I ordered 1000 from a company and they took my money but sent no bullets.


Have to start my own now.



Thanks for the info.

There's a learning curve to casting Jim but it's not magic. I'm a bulk shooter so I try not to over think casting. I just make them the easiest way possible & shoot them. I'm pretty much the same when it comes to making ammo. Simple is as simple does. If I was closer I'd try to get you started. BTW I drove from up Rt 93 into Missoula & east on 90 to Crow Agency & Rt 212 into Wyoming.

Yeah, thats a nice trip!

Thats a nice looking design. I shoot a H&G#68 clone, Lee 452-200SWC and the Lee 452-200RF in a Sig 1911. Just loaded 300 of the latter today. My barrel has been throated so I can seat them to 1.2 oal, more if I wanted. With 5.3 to around 5.5 HP-38(231) it makes a nice backyard plinking round.

As you probably know, that's all about venting. Loosening the sprue plate a little will usually fix it, but other methods work too and I don't really like a floppy loose sprue plate. One trick I do to most of my molds for base fillout is to stone a small bevel on the top edge of each block where the faces meet; the idea is the bevel is another vent under the sprue plate, although a little deeper than normal vent lines.

I also like to use a fly cutter with a V shaped tool to cut a series of vent lines in the top of the mold block, same thing Lee does on their six cavity molds lately. That works really well when done right, allowing air to escape under a snug sprue plate easily so bases fill out well.


One old H&G mold I have is really interesting - it has no vent lines at all on the block faces, they are just smooth and flat, and fit closely. The only vent lines are on top of the blocks, under the sprue plate. The interesting part is that it's one of the easiest casting molds I have, but you wouldn't guess it from comparing the venting to a more modern mold.

I'd thinking it's a vent issue also. Need to put the sprue plate on a piece of glass & look for a high spot. Could be all wet here but the mould blocks don't appear to be the issue. Time will tell.

The first check I do for a suspected venting issue is to just loosen the sprue plate. I don't like to leave it that way permanently, but if the mold casts better that way, I know that I need to improve the venting somehow.

I loosened it 3 times while casting these bullets & it wasn't what most people would call tight before I began. Most of my steel/iron/brass moulds I cast with have what I call swinging sprue plates. While running the business I never closed a sprue plate except with gravity. I do run them a little tighter now though but not much. I agree with you the problem is most likely venting but don't believe it's from too much tension on the sprue hold down bolt. I could be wrong but won't know till I cast the next batch.

I sized & lubed the bullets yesterday & loaded a few hundred today so I haven't took time to check the mould yet.

I recently purchased an Accurate Molds 230F and a 230 FG in the same block. It casts 3 of the 230F and 2 of the 230FG.
I like those bullets the best of any I have used in a 45 Auto.
1.205" OAL and it feeds slick with a .469" taper crimp. 6.5 gr PowerPistol runs 840 in a 4 inch with Fed 150 primers.

Thanks for all the replies gentlemen. I'm using 1.22 with this bullet. I did try a few in my 1911 to see if they would feed from the mag & sure enough they did & seated with no problem. This was hand cycled though.

You used to run a casting business?

What is a good lube to use? What did you use on these bullets?

I shoot revolvers and lever guns mostly.

I operated Dry Creek Bullet Works for 12 years.



I've used a lot of LBT Blue Soft in the past. I'm now using from a case of Carnauba Red which the bullets pictured are lubed with. Either will do you a good job.