Home Forums Reloading Bullet Casting Post pics of Keith style bullets

Very cool!

How close do you think your 429421 is to Keith’s original design?

Not Longarm, but here is what I see:

The round bottomed lube groove is wrong, and the top driving band looks* a bit undersized.

*I can't really tell that well.

Mathman is right. Creeker and HawkI could likely tell you more than I can - and I'd be happy if they do - but the rounded lube groove is something that came after Keith. My original post said "Keith style" and I chose those two words intentionally.
60%+ meplat, lot of weight out front to allow for max charge, wide drive bands with crisp shoulders.. all hallmarks of 'Keith style'

I would agree with mathman and longarm. The round lube groove for sure. The radiused ogive looks the same.

In Sixguns there is an illustrated list of Keith's designs and favored bullets, but even by then (1955), Lyman had began altering them. The 358429 already had a narrower front band and rounded lube groove when compared to his 359431 (hollow base) bullet, which was unaltered I believe.

The 454424 (255 45 Colt bullet) was featured some years back in Handloader with two or three different documented designs.

The changes honked Keith off, to the point Hensley and Gibbs was commissioned to make the 220 41 Magnum bullet and later the 503 260 ish 44 bullet.

Here's a site I found interesting, it's a mold alteration service:

http://www.hollowpointmold.com/

An example that caught my eye:

http://www.hollowpointmold.com/band-modifications/?picture=605#605

Another:

http://www.hollowpointmold.com/band-modifications/?picture=847#847

I have one of these that could use the treatment:

http://www.hollowpointmold.com/band-modifications/?picture=785#785

That's pretty slick.

Keith basically wanted all bands the same width & diameter plus a deep square lube groove & beveled crimp groove. If you met him & asked, this is what he said.

I sold this 41 bullet. It mostly weighed 230 grains. It was a hit with customers. I wouldn't call it the perfect Keith but it was a near perfect 41 bullet.

Creeker
That looks like the real deal. Very nice

A bit of a departure, but of possible interest..
I cast a few of these Ideal 360271 to see what they looked like.
Designed in 1903 or thereabouts as a target round for the .38S&W, and considered a prototype SWC. you have to wonder how much it's design may have influenced Mr. Keith..


i want to love you forever

Nice.

I really like those Keith bullets. I cast the Lyman 429421 (square lube grove) and the RCBS 44-250 (which I think is closer to the original Keith). Both molds have a little age on them and both bullets shoot very well in my 44 Specials and my 44 magnums.

Ballisti-Cast cut this bullet for me, a 475-400-K. In the lower pictures it sit beside the 44-300-K.

Nice!

Creeker those are beauties.

Carolina Blue 429-421
pretty unique baby girl names

Nose pour!

Those look nice!

Not nose pour. The meplat is marked going through the Star sizer pushing the bullet before out the bottom.

Thank you.