Could you recommend any bullet design features and / or vendors for a good Hollow Point gang mold for the 45 Colt?
I have a Ruger Redhawk and a Henry Model X to load for. These firearms shoot well using both round and flat nose LEE .452 250 Gr Plain base molds powder coated and sized to .452. The alloy used has been straight WW water quenched.
What I want to do is find a good gang mold to make Hollow point bullets using +P loads such as listed in the Hornady data (for Ruger, Freedom Arms & T/C only).
I'd like to try and dilute down the WW alloy with pure lead until I can get soft enough alloy to achieve good reliable bullet expansion. Maybe at +P speeds a hollow point will expand using straight WW metal? If I were to guess I'd say 100% WW alloy is too hard.
Should I plan to use gas checks with +P loads? Maybe the alloy required for good expansion will be so soft it would require a gas check?
Max pressure for the +P loads is around 30,000CUP according to Hornady, an informal internet search says checks are generally recommended for cast bullets when velocities exceed 1400-1500 fps or when pressures exceed 20,000PSI. There's no way to convert between PSI to CUP so I'm not sure if I need to use gas checks for +P cast bullets or not. Load data says they should move around 1400fps (with a 7 1/4" barrel).
I'd like to get a mold that is in the +/- 250 grain area as I'd like to also use it for loading in 45ACP cases for light plinking in the Redhawk. With a soft enough alloy, would I still get expansion at slower 45ACP speeds without the use of a gas check?
Another bullet design feature I'm after would be a crimp groove and at least one grease groove for no other reason other than I have a Lyman 450 sizer for sizing to .452. I'd also use it for crimping on the gas check, should they be needed. I don't mind powder coating too, depending on what I'm loading for. I also have a Lee .452 push-through sizing die.
It's been a long time since I have bought a new mold, maybe this is my opportunity to get a fancy brass one.
Lots to unpack here. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thank you
I have a Ruger Redhawk and a Henry Model X to load for. These firearms shoot well using both round and flat nose LEE .452 250 Gr Plain base molds powder coated and sized to .452. The alloy used has been straight WW water quenched.
What I want to do is find a good gang mold to make Hollow point bullets using +P loads such as listed in the Hornady data (for Ruger, Freedom Arms & T/C only).
I'd like to try and dilute down the WW alloy with pure lead until I can get soft enough alloy to achieve good reliable bullet expansion. Maybe at +P speeds a hollow point will expand using straight WW metal? If I were to guess I'd say 100% WW alloy is too hard.
Should I plan to use gas checks with +P loads? Maybe the alloy required for good expansion will be so soft it would require a gas check?
Max pressure for the +P loads is around 30,000CUP according to Hornady, an informal internet search says checks are generally recommended for cast bullets when velocities exceed 1400-1500 fps or when pressures exceed 20,000PSI. There's no way to convert between PSI to CUP so I'm not sure if I need to use gas checks for +P cast bullets or not. Load data says they should move around 1400fps (with a 7 1/4" barrel).
I'd like to get a mold that is in the +/- 250 grain area as I'd like to also use it for loading in 45ACP cases for light plinking in the Redhawk. With a soft enough alloy, would I still get expansion at slower 45ACP speeds without the use of a gas check?
Another bullet design feature I'm after would be a crimp groove and at least one grease groove for no other reason other than I have a Lyman 450 sizer for sizing to .452. I'd also use it for crimping on the gas check, should they be needed. I don't mind powder coating too, depending on what I'm loading for. I also have a Lee .452 push-through sizing die.
It's been a long time since I have bought a new mold, maybe this is my opportunity to get a fancy brass one.
Lots to unpack here. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thank you
