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kempin
HB Full Member
| Joined: | 18 December 2006 |
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| Posts: | 21 |
| Photo: | | | Are you a handloader?: | Yes | | Favorite type of cartridge to load?: | I load everything! |
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Posted: 27 September 2007 05:15 PM |
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Well guys, I did it. I took the plunge and started casting. (Thanks in part to feedback I got an an earlier post.)
I bought a Lee production pot for around $50, and the convenience of a bottom pour pot makes me really glad I went that route. I found pure lead at a scrap metal plant, and cast a bunch of REAL bullets for my pumpkin thrower, and I also cast a bunch of wadcutters for my 38.
In fact, it went so well, I would like to expand, but I have a question:
Back when I started hand loading, a knowledgeable friend told me that I should not bother to shoot lead bullets out of my 1911 .45. The problem is that I don't remember why. He said that the 1911 wasn't designed to shoot lead, but I don't know if he meant that jacketed are just a better route to go, or if using lead is a problem.
Now that I'm casting, I could do a lot more shooting with cast bullets than if I have to buy jacketed. What is your experience? Do any of you shoot that cartridge with a cast bullet? Would I need to get a different barrel? Any insight is appreciated.
God bless and straight shooting,
-Kempin
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jburlingham
HB Full Member
| Joined: | 27 September 2007 |
| Location: | Lyme, Connecticut USA |
| Posts: | 4 |
| Photo: | | | Are you a handloader?: | Yes | | Favorite type of cartridge to load?: | pistol |
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Posted: 27 September 2007 05:21 PM |
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I have a colt govt modle (1911) and It seems when I have tried to shoot cast bullets they like to catch the feed ramp and jam up pretty well.
There are only 2 solutions to this that I know of some big money at a gun smith or different ammo. As far as cast bullets it is the SWC and the TC that have the problems. Lyman round nose cast bullets seem to work pretty well in it.
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Charley
Administrator
| Joined: | 9 September 2005 |
| Location: | San Antonio, Texas USA |
| Posts: | 2207 |
| Photo: | | | Are you a handloader?: | Yes | | Favorite type of cartridge to load?: | I load everything! |
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Posted: 27 September 2007 10:48 PM |
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Your friend is very, very, mistaken. The .45 ACP, due to the velocity and pressure levels is one of the most llead bullet friendly cartridges there is. All my 1911 style handguns shoot 100 lead bullets for every 1 jacketed bullet. Some older guns don't handle some of the SWC designs without help, but it is often a magazine issue rather than the feedramp. In that case, simply use a RN bullet design, and don't worry about SWCs.
I must admit, it is kind of ironic. I cast a lot of bullets, but I don't bother casting .45s. There are seemingly dozens of cast bullet companies out there, and they all produce .45 bullets. Most of them shoot very, very well. I concentrate my casting on bullets I can't buy easily.
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RatherBHuntin
HB Pro Staff
| Joined: | 7 February 2005 |
| Location: | McDonough, Georgia USA |
| Posts: | 53 |
| Photo: | | | Are you a handloader?: | Yes | | Favorite type of cartridge to load?: | small bore rifle |
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Posted: 28 September 2007 02:08 AM |
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| Reading about Drinks's cast bullets got me casting too, and I think I started with the .45 ACP. I don't have a 1911, but shoot them in my Taurus PT145 with no problems. I am using the Lee Tumble Lube Truncated Cone 230 gr mold. Last edited on 28 September 2007 02:16 AM by RatherBHuntin
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72coupe
Handloading Master
| Joined: | 11 June 2006 |
| Location: | Iowa Park, Texas USA |
| Posts: | 1465 |
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Posted: 28 September 2007 02:14 PM |
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I don't shoot pistol a lot, but I have a Gold Cup that shoots 185 grain cast wadcutters very well. As long as I get the length & crimp correct they function perfectly.
Many bullseye shooters shoot cast wadcutter bullets out of 1911s.
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Ohio Rusty
HB Full Member
| Joined: | 31 March 2007 |
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| Posts: | 16 |
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Posted: 17 October 2007 11:09 PM |
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You can shoot cast .45 acp bullets just fine. Prior to the start of WWII, all the .45 ACP bullets for both the 1911 and the Thompson were all lead bullets. The reason the .45 had to be jacketed was due to the rules of war. At the onset of WWII, millions of lead bulleted .45's were dumped overboard on the transport ships and replaced with jacketed bullets. For 30 years, ALL of the .45's shot were lead bullets. So you can shoot them just fine. Play with lubes, powders and velocities to give you a load that is clean, accurate and enjoyable to shoot. Just another thought ..... Every gun ever made of every caliber from the 1600's all the way up to 1941 all shot lead bullets exclusively. With 400+ years of lead bullet success, don't let anyone tell you that you can't shoot lead bullets in pistols and long guns ....
Ohio Rusty
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WILDCATT
HB Pro Staff
| Joined: | 11 September 2007 |
| Location: | South Carolina USA |
| Posts: | 59 |
| Photo: | | | Are you a handloader?: | Yes | | Favorite type of cartridge to load?: | I load everything! |
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Posted: 14 December 2007 02:37 AM |
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your quite right Rusty:I am amazed at where these people get there storys from.I have 3 1911s.all have shot lead since I got them and the AMT longslide was used in compitition for 30 yrs.200 gr swc and 3.6 of 700x.crimped.thats another fallacy not to crimp.bullet set 1/32 out and crimped.that forces the case against the breach.Dinin[spell]? the Conn shooter and gunsmith advocated crimp.
 
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buffybr
HB Full Member
| Joined: | 31 October 2006 |
| Location: | Bozeman, Montana USA |
| Posts: | 41 |
| Photo: | | | Are you a handloader?: | Yes | | Favorite type of cartridge to load?: | I load everything! |
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Posted: 16 December 2007 12:09 AM |
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Ohio Rusty hit the nail square on the head.
I got my first 1911 in 1970 right after returning home from Viet Nam. As a college student on a limited budget who liked to shoot, I began casting bullets for my .45 ACP. My first mould was a Lyman 452 560 and later bought a Lee .452-190-SWC hollow point mould. Both moulds cast semi wadcutter bullets. I cast wheel weights.
I have shot thousands of these lead bullets through my 1911, and I have never had any jamming or other malfunctioning problem with them.
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Drygulch
HB Full Member
| Joined: | 10 April 2008 |
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| Posts: | 13 |
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Posted: 4 June 2008 07:34 PM |
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Kempin.
I got the Colt S/S 1911,model STX, and it shoots my cast 200 grain SWC very well.This pistol does have the improved ramp though! Good luck! Rod
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WILDCATT
HB Pro Staff
| Joined: | 11 September 2007 |
| Location: | South Carolina USA |
| Posts: | 59 |
| Photo: | | | Are you a handloader?: | Yes | | Favorite type of cartridge to load?: | I load everything! |
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Posted: 4 June 2008 08:02 PM |
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i POSTED ABOVE BUT will again.I shoot the masters load,200 gr SWC 3.6 gr 700X or bullseye.its accurate at 50 yrds.some guns may not fuction with this load but I used to shoot 3.2 grs but when I tightened my slide I had to break the gun in and liked the load so I kept it.I use WWs.nice recoil to.I am not into pain so I shoot light loads.
and why waste money when a light load will do the job. 
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sniper-66
HB Pro Staff
| Joined: | 6 November 2007 |
| Location: | Topeka, Kansas USA |
| Posts: | 89 |
| Photo: | | | Are you a handloader?: | Yes | | Favorite type of cartridge to load?: | I load everything! |
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Posted: 14 June 2008 03:42 AM |
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Ohio Rusty wrote: You can shoot cast .45 acp bullets just fine. Prior to the start of WWII, all the .45 ACP bullets for both the 1911 and the Thompson were all lead bullets. The reason the .45 had to be jacketed was due to the rules of war. At the onset of WWII, millions of lead bulleted .45's were dumped overboard on the transport ships and replaced with jacketed bullets. For 30 years, ALL of the .45's shot were lead bullets. So you can shoot them just fine. Play with lubes, powders and velocities to give you a load that is clean, accurate and enjoyable to shoot. Just another thought ..... Every gun ever made of every caliber from the 1600's all the way up to 1941 all shot lead bullets exclusively. With 400+ years of lead bullet success, don't let anyone tell you that you can't shoot lead bullets in pistols and long guns ....
Ohio Rusty Where does your information about lead to jacketed come from? I have numerous boxes of WWI military .45 rounds and they are all copper jacketed.
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Bountyhunter
HB Full Member
| Joined: | 8 June 2008 |
| Location: | Rabbit Ears, New Mexico USA |
| Posts: | 16 |
| Photo: | | | Are you a handloader?: | Yes | | Favorite type of cartridge to load?: | I load everything! |
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Posted: 20 June 2008 02:50 PM |
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I shoot cast bullets almost exclusively in my 2 1911's.
We are experimenting with some new loads and are having fine results at this time with Lee 255gr Keith SWC's. I am testing Unique, my shooting pard is using 241. They feed flawlessly, and they are very accurate.
I have been looking for a Lyman 452423 mould for the 245 gr SWC. I have found that magazine feed lips being worn or bent can cause feed problems. Also, as little as .030 lack of the magazine to completely seat in the mag well because of latch placement will foul up feeding, and as already mentioned proper polish of the feed ramp and chamber will mess you up too. There is no reason to have a 1911 that will not feed SWC or HP ammo.
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miestro_jerry
HB Life Member
| Joined: | 28 June 2008 |
| Location: | Somerton (AKA BFE), Ohio USA |
| Posts: | 626 |
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Posted: 29 June 2008 05:42 AM |
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I have two Kimber 1911s and a Kimber Ultra Carry, all in 45 ACP. They shoot lead really well. I have a Sig P220, its in 45 ACP and it shoots really well. I have been casting and reloading for the 45 ACP for over 35 year now.
There were some of the Colt Clones back in the 70s that had problems with feeding certain shapes, but redoing the ramp fixed that problems.
I use a very standard 225 Grain Lyman RN mold, with either WWs or Lyman #2 alloy with a great deal of success.
Jerry
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