GP .45 Colt bullet

[J Miller]

For some time now I've been looking for a source of a bullet to be used as a general purpose, all around bullet for my various .45 Colts. I'm tired of not having a consistent supply of bullets. I seem to have a bit of this and a bit of that, but none I really like. Even the Keith bullets are hit or miss any more.

I have narrowed it down to one design, but I have no idea who might make or sell it.

This, or something similar is my "dream" bullet:


As you can see it has a nice big meplat for punching holes and a nice tapered ogive that would feed in every kind of rifle I can foresee using it in. It also has a flat base and a large lube grove.
I do not know who makes this bullet, I had the pic on my hard drive, and it's listed as a 454 at 275 grs. That's too heavy.
What I need is a bullet like this one, sized to .454", weighing no more than 260grs, with wheel weights or 20-1 alloy.

Does anybody know of any such bullet? Please don't recommend the normal run of the mill production RNFPs. They are unacceptable for many reasons.

I'm not set up to cast at this time, so a mold will not do me any good. I'm looking for someone who might these for sale.

Any ideas?

Joe

[smilinbob]

Try Beartooth Bullets

[J Miller]

Try Beartooth Bullets

smilinbob,
Thanks for the suggestion. Their 255gr bullet is what I want, but at $18.00 per 100 they are way out of my price range.
I've also done business with Beartooth before and although excellent bullets, they are harder than wood pecker lips, so they'd be too hard for my needs.

Joe

[deerwhacker444]

they are harder than wood pecker lips

That must be dang Hard..!

[Idiot]

J Miller, the bullet you show is an ogival wad cutter of LBT type design. Would this bullet design really work at all 45 Colt velocities? The design has proven very effective once velocities creep up into the upper end of those shot out of the NM Ruger Blackhawks. But because a lot of the bullet weight is in the nose of the bullet, low velocity loads, like those for Colt SAA and Ruger's New Vaquero, don't always provide adequate bullet stabilization. This of course can result in poor accuracy.

May I suggest a good Keith style semi-wad cutter bullet. I am currently experimenting with the Dave Scovill developed 270 grain SAA bullet available from Mt. Baldy Bullets (45/270 SAA) http://www.mtbaldybullets.com/asp/products.asp

You can find a picture of it on the RCBS website.

I went through the same thing you are going through with a 44 Magnum. After a lot of experiment, I settled on a Keith style semi-wad cutter bullet. It's accurate throughout the 44 caliber velocity range and hits hard at the target. That's about all one could ask from a general purpose bullet.

[deerwhacker444]

.
It looks like Montana Bullet Works has exactly what you're looking for sized all the way out to .454, although might be a bit more than you want to pay. In this day and age with metal prices how they are, we're going to have to pay more.

It is what it is..!

[J Miller]

they are harder than wood pecker lips

That must be dang Hard..!

Marshall Stanton, the owner of Beartooth, has developed an excellent balance in alloys and lubes, and produces a very hard bullet.
For high performance they are hard to beat.

I've had a S&W 25-5 with over sized throats, they slug out at .457", since 1983. It's a leading fiend with any bevel based bullet, and any flat based bullet under about 455".
I discussed this with Marshall Stanton and he made me some of his 265gr Keith SWCs sized to .457" as an experiment for the Smith. I loaded them over 9.0grs of Unique and for 100 glorious rounds I had a lead free, accurate S&W. His bullets are wonderful, but not for folks such as me on tight budgets.

Joe

[J Miller]

deerwhacker444,
I looks like all of your post had not downloaded or you edited it when I posted my last comment.

Take a look at the hardness (22) of those bullets, that's twice as hard as I need them. Wheel weights or 20-1 is around 9 to 11 or so on the scale.
You're right about the price, it's steep.

Idiot,
I've been shooting Keith type bullets for over 30 years. Even have several molds for them. But none of them will work in all types of rifles. For instance, they won't feed right through the 1860, 1866, and 1873 designs. That is one of my goals, to have general purpose bullet that will feed in anything. I can use the Keiths for when I get serious. I could use the Ideal 454190 mold I have, but I wanted a bigger meplat. So I'm searching.
I've not tried LBT bullets before. As I said I didn't know who made it. So they don't do well at standard velocities. Hmmmm, that complicates things don't it?

I have 50 of the RCBS 270 SAA bullets as cast by Montana Bullet Works to play with. Unfortunately what ever alloy they used cast out at 280grs rather than 270. So even for my serious loads they are a bit too heavy.

I suspect that if I end up stuck with the Keith bullets I have trouble finding a consistent supply of 255 to 260gr bullets. They all seem to be heavier, or sized to small.

Arrrgh

Joe

[gon2shoot]

jmiller,
Its hard to find a commerically cast bullet without the "woodpecker lip" problem. I have a 255 gr. mould that looks a lot like your dream bullet, but you're not looking to roll yer own yet.

You might try Tennesse Valley bullets, I haven't tried any of his but he has a good rep, and will cast the alloy you want.
Good luck.

[Hobie]

I get mine from Mt. Baldy bullets. I am using the Keith for cast and jacketed for all other. Now, I know that's not what your mind is set on but it is my solution. You're absolutely right about the current fetish for hard as nails cast bullets. I have used the LBT 260 gr. from Cast Performance in my New Vaquero over 9 gr. of Unique and I thought the accuracy was adequate. It did well in the 92, too.

[mike454]

Here you go:
http://www.hunters-supply.com/shop/prod ... 8f9a990298

[J Miller]

Hobie,
It looks as if I keep being swung back around to the Keith bullets. But the problem remains, consistency and now it looks like cost will put me out the running too.
Joey not be rich or famous.

Here you go:
http://www.hunters-supply.com/shop/prod ... 8f9a990298

OK Mike, that's the critter in my picture all right. But e-gads look at the price! $24.75 per 100. For that price I could go to all jacketed and have all the consistency I want.

Wow, I guess I opened a pandoras box for myself didn't I?

Joe

[J Miller]

jmiller,
Its hard to find a commerically cast bullet without the "woodpecker lip" problem. I have a 255 gr. mould that looks a lot like your dream bullet, but you're not looking to roll yer own yet.

You might try Tennesse Valley bullets, I haven't tried any of his but he has a good rep, and will cast the alloy you want.
Good luck.

I still have all my casting equipment from 20 years ago packed away. It might still work. Although finding enough lead around here will be all but impossible.

Will check out Tennesse Valley bullets.

Joe

[J Miller]

Tennessee Valley only lists bevel based bullets. They are on my "not a chance" list.

Mt Baldy bullets are out of my price league.

Well guys, it looks like when my loaded ammo is gone and the bullets I have stashed are loaded and gone, I'm in deep poo. Unless my wife wins the lotto.
I'm not gonna pay $20.00+ per 100 bullets. THAT is not gonna happen.

Joe

[Hobie]

Joe,

With lead prices continuing to rise and no real end in sight, you will be in big poo. Big poo won't be too bad, if you can shoot lead bullets. "They" don't want you to do that. See Kalifornia.

Seriously, if I were you I'd utilize your creative engineering and get that casting equipment up and running.

[jerry b]

I get my general purpose 255 gr swc cast bullets from MidStates Cast Bullets. OK, they're bevel based. I will tell you that they are dandy indeed in my Rugers over a variety of powders and loads. The rifle likes them OK, too. I have zero complaint about the product, and they are as reasonable as you'll find.

[Leverluver]

Compared to it's peak (~$1.75) in Oct 07, lead has tanked. It closed at $.86 today. Mr. Miller is not off base to be expecting to start to see some reductions in pricing, although once something gets jacked up, it rarely gets jacked back down again. I'll join the chorus and squall like a cat caught in the radiator fan, if prices keep going up with lead going down.

[w30wcf]

Joe,

That's a tough one. The Hornady 250 gr. swaged bullet might be an option. I bought a box of 200 about a year ago at the local Gander Mountain store for $22.00. You may be able to find some at reasonable $ at a store near you. These bullets shot just fine in my Marlin Cowboy @ 1,200 f.p.s.

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.e ... t=11082005

Another option - scroll down to the .45 250 gr. Lyman - decent price but alloy is #2 which could mean 16 bhn OR the old #2 which is a tin lead alloy at 10 b.h.n. A call to them would verify which one.
http://westernbullet.com/cbip/cbip.html

And lastly, maybe it's time to pull the trigger on the 'big lube" bullet.
At $26 for 250, that's not too bad + shipping by usps in a flat rate box ( $10.00) You can get up to 750 shipped for that amount. THey are made from 25/1 lead tin...in other words, soft.
http://www.whyteleatherworks.com/Accessory%20page.htm
scroll down the page to see the PRS 45 250 gr.

Good luck,
w30wcf

[NonPCnraRN]

Try the Penn 45 cal 270 gr Thunderhead. It has a meplat of .443".

[C. Cash]

they are harder than wood pecker lips

That must be dang Hard..!

[Griff]

Eh... how 'bout these:

.45 (250 gr.) RNFP .452 1,000 $89
"These prices include USPS priority box, flat rate shipment."

CB Bullets

or these:

250 gr hardcast .452 from Buffalo Brothers Company, # 902 250 Gr RNFP* .452 $50.61 .45 Colt 16#/box

[J Miller]

Lots of good choices, some better than others. Most of the bullets I see are too hard. I would like to try the Hornady bullets. I've heard good things about them from several people, just got to get around to it.



Here is one that was recommended to me over on Handloads.com:
Stonewall Bullet
http://www.marlinowners.com/forums/inde ... 847.0.html

He has a bullet that's pretty close to what I want, not too hard and the price is decent compared to some I've seen.

Joe

[.45]

Try High Plains Shooters Supply. I picked up a flyer from them at a gun show not to long ago and they list a 250 grain rnfp @ $5.25 per 100. Nice guys and they said they would make just about anything you want.

http://highplainsshooterssupply.com/

[sore shoulder]

I'll join the chorus and squall like a cat caught in the radiator fan, .

I've actually heard that a couple times. One survived it.

[J Miller]

I'll join the chorus and squall like a cat caught in the radiator fan, .

I've actually heard that a couple times. One survived it.

OUCH, and YUCK!!!! We find cat fur under the hood of my wifes truck all the time. I keep telling her to do what I do, honk the horn before you start the thing. So far no sliced and diced kitties.

Joe