I need some advice on a "do all" bullet mould for my soon the be here 6" Freedom 454.

I would also like to use it for my 45 Colt Blackhawk.

I was thinking 300-320 and no gas check.

I plan on doing lots of shooting with mild 1000-1100 FPS and hunting with the same bullet around 1350.

I've been happy with my Lyman 429421 mould in my 44 Magnums but everyone seems to like the WFN and LFN pattern bullets now.

I find that the FA .454 with it's 1 in 24 twist dose not like heavy bullets so heavy hard cast like the 375 gr. wfn's I cast for my .45 redhawk won't work. For a blackhawk or my M 25 S&W a friend has a 340 WFN mold that I like but I think your right that 300 gr or a little over is in the ball park.

I shoot My FA .454 hot so with the 300 gr weight I shoot @ near 1700 fps I need jacketed so I use the Hornady 300 gr. XTP mag. It has worked well but I would prfer a hard cast.

I did a lot of experimenting with 325 gr. hard cast and some 300 gr. HC. They shoot well at 1400 or under but still not as well as XTP's and since the XTP's were the ones that I could run the fastest and were the most accurate I had to go with that.

Lazer cast makes a fairly hard 300 gr. .45 bullet that is cheap you might try them for a light load in the .454 and it should be great in the Blackhawk.

I would think one of Veral Smith's LBT WFN or LFN would work well. Something weighing between 280 and 320 gr with a plain base (PB). Staight wheel weights should cast about 13 BHN. Using air cooled and a good lube like LBT blue or soft blue and a slower powder such as 110, you should be able to hit your 1300 fps mark. If you get some leading you can always water drop the same bullets and up your BHN to about 19.

Alan

quote:

Originally posted by GSSP:
I would think one of Veral Smith's LBT WFN or LFN would work well. Something weighing between 280 and 320 gr with a plain base (PB). Staight wheel weights should cast about 13 BHN. Using air cooled and a good lube like LBT blue or soft blue and a slower powder such as 110, you should be able to hit your 1300 fps mark. If you get some leading you can always water drop the same bullets and up your BHN to about 19.

Alan

Do you think you can load H110 that light and still get accuracy? I was thinking of trying 2400 for these loads.

Anyone have a good long range rock shooting load that won't tear you hand off?

i guess my overall favorite mold for the 454 and heavy 45s is the rcbs 300 swcgc

Dogchaser,

quote:

Do you think you can load H110 that light and still get accuracy?

I don't load for or shoot the 454 Casull. I do for the 45 Colt. My LBT WFN PB 280 gr (drop at 284-5 gr) have so far hit 1200 fps from my 4-5/8" Ruger NMBH. I do a bit more room to move up in powder charge with H110. The only H110 data I've seen posted for a 280 gr bullet is the Handloader article by Brian Pearce using the RCBS 45-270-SAA. Thus I used his top powder charge as my top which is 24.5 gr.

Alan

I'd go with a 300-320 gr LFN. I'd also spring for a gas check mold. Gas checks a tad bit more $, but make for a bullet that is much more flexible in terms of how hard or soft you cast it w/o getting problems with leading. Heck get one of the lee 300 gr rf molds in addition to whatever you choose, as it shoots very well and the mold is too cheap not to have one.

I never use H-110 for reduced loads. It provides outstanding accuracy at top end levels, but it is not a powder to be backed off on.

I really like unique for reduced accurate loads.

quote:

Originally posted by Paul H:
I'd go with a 300-320 gr LFN. I'd also spring for a gas check mold. Gas checks a tad bit more $, but make for a bullet that is much more flexible in terms of how hard or soft you cast it w/o getting problems with leading. Heck get one of the lee 300 gr rf molds in addition to whatever you choose, as it shoots very well and the mold is too cheap not to have one.

I never use H-110 for reduced loads. It provides outstanding accuracy at top end levels, but it is not a powder to be backed off on.

I really like unique for reduced accurate loads.

I have considered the Lee 300 since I am almost out of cast .45 265 right now.

As far as Unique goes, this gun seems to like between 11 and 12 grains. Velocity is 1180 with 11 and 1280 with 12gr. Barrel is 6", 85* F, 5000' ASL.

I need a .430 front sight as I am bottomed out on the rear sight with these loads.

Anyone have a .430 or .480 front sight for a Freedom they don't need?