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Post by bcelliott on Dec 20, 2018 15:06:42 GMT -5
I'm looking for a bullet (or mold) for my .45 Colt Redhawk. I'd like it to be my heavy hitter, so I'd prefer something in the range of 350-380 grains. Since the Redhawk cylinder allows a longer COL than most other factory revolvers, I'd like to maximize the powder space and use a bullet with a nose length of around .500". I don't need to shoot this bullet at long range, so the meplat can be as wide as is possible for stabilization. After a long internet search, I'm having trouble finding something like this.
I'm thinking that I'd like to try the Miha MP 45 HP Ruger only bullet mold for all-around use, but I want a deep penetrating solid for this one.
Summary: .45 caliber 350-380 grains, wide meplat, .500 nose
Does anyone have a good source for this bullet, or a good design for a mold? Thanks!
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rug480
.30 Stingray
Posts: 139
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Post by rug480 on Dec 20, 2018 15:20:25 GMT -5
Not aware of a commercial one in that weight range but you can go down the rabbit hole with Mountainmold's design program. Dan's molds are exemplary, my .501 450gr WFN casts perfectly and practically leaps out of the mold, real joy to use. www.mountainmolds.com/
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Shakey
.327 Meteor
Central Arkansas
Posts: 543
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Post by Shakey on Dec 20, 2018 16:14:18 GMT -5
Shouldn't be any problem to get Veral Smith to make an LBT mold with whatever meplat and nose length you want.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Dec 20, 2018 17:22:53 GMT -5
Beartooth bullets make a wonderful 350 Long Cylinder Medium nose bullet. it kills good from my experience using it on deer.
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Post by bigbrowndog on Dec 20, 2018 17:24:32 GMT -5
I think Beartooth bullets offers a .500 nose .452 bullet. flexjr, ya. BEat me by just a bit.
Trapr
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Post by boatswainsmate on Dec 20, 2018 17:38:09 GMT -5
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Post by bcelliott on Dec 20, 2018 17:48:19 GMT -5
Thanks for the replies and advice. I've seen the Beartooth .500 nose bullet. It is a LFN with a .34" meplat. I prefer something in the range of >80% meplat, or greater than .36". Their 345 grain WLN with a .45" nose is almost perfect, as is their 350 grain .458 rifle bullet with a .455" nose. I know I'm being picky here, so I just wondered if someone already made a WLN with the wider meplat and a .5" nose for the Redhawk to save me settling for something a bit shorter or getting something custom made.
I've seen the difference a wider meplat makes in a wound channel when comparing a .41 mag with a .45 Colt and a .500 JRH, so I'd like to have a bullet for short range in the .45 Colt to maximize the "smack factor" for that caliber.
Rug480, what is the meplat and nose on your 450 grain bullet? I'm interested in the specs on that bullet. Looks like you're loading it in a .500 JRH. I've read that anything over a 440 grain bullet will bulge the brass--are you seeing this at all? I'm also looking into getting some GC bullets/molds that would be fairly similar to your design.
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rug480
.30 Stingray
Posts: 139
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Post by rug480 on Dec 20, 2018 20:20:08 GMT -5
.4 nose 80% meplat Plain base, seats .5-.52 inside chopped 1.4 brass hornady and starline.
I did play with deep seating the 450gr swcgc from Matt’s 1.414 hornady brass seated .587 inside the case leaving a .4 nose, just deep enough for a light roll crimp. Surprisingly did not have any trouble chambering. Perhaps from the bevel of the gas check.
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Post by Lee Martin on Dec 20, 2018 20:40:25 GMT -5
The longest nose I've used in .45 Colt is Beartooth's 350 gr LCMN. Crimp groove to tip is around 0.510". They print tight out to 100 yards. I later designed my own 380 gr LFN through Mountain Molds. Here are the specs if you're interested in ordering one: • As cast = 0.453” • Final weight = 380 grs • Naked weight = 371.2 • Nose length = 0.450” • Driving band height = 0.100” • Front band diameter = 0.453” (dropped diameter) • Meplat = 74% • Crimp groove = 0.070” • Base = 0.425”, Hornady straight GC • Shank height = 0.100” • Body bands = 3 • Lube grooves = 2 • Groove angle = 45 degrees • Groove c. to c. = 0.156” • Groove to band length ratio = 1.0 • OAL = 0.991” • Length inside case = 0.541” • Ogive length = 0.332” • Ogive radius = 0.965” • Sectional density = 0.265 Proportionally, it mirrors my other Martin LFNs. There’s nothing magically about the design. It simply uses a 74% meplat, 0.100” driving band, single-radius ogive, 2.2 ratio total length to caliber, deep crimp groove, and a 45% nose length-to-total length. The profile has done well at 100 yards in a variety of calibers (41, 475, 500, 510, 585). -Lee www.singleactions.com"Chasing perfection five shots at a time"
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Post by bcelliott on Dec 20, 2018 20:44:59 GMT -5
Thanks, Rug480. Very nice.
Many thanks, Lee. I will study your design as well.
For anyone who has studied bullet design, if the nose is .500" long, does the meplat have to be narrower than 80% so that the center of gravity is at or behind the geometric bullet center for stability purposes in air and then in the target? Perhaps this is why no one makes the bullet I think I want?
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Post by Rimfire69 on Dec 21, 2018 8:43:06 GMT -5
Interesting last comment bcelliot, I don’t have those answers. My LBT 360gr LFN is a .400” nose, no where near what your looking for.
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Post by bradshaw on Dec 21, 2018 10:27:51 GMT -5
"Thanks, Rug480. Very nice. Many thanks, Lee. I will study your design as well. “ ----bcelliott
*****
Without specifying a TARGET, DISTANCE, or ACCURACY requirement, and wanting a bullet apart from any you have seen, it is time to ORDER & TSET your own design. For hunting, we name a species or series of animals. For target, we specify target dimensions and distance, and some measure of time. Without distance, “accuracy” is meaningless.
Here, the show is designed around a .45 bullet of 350-380 grains, with a requirement for the widest meplat and greatest powder volume, with the bullet to fit the Redhawk cylinder.
A full WADCUTTER satisfies criteria. To shorten the bullet for maximum powder space, may I suggest depleted uranium? The supply is inexhaustible. From what I hear, it is very dense, with superior penetration qualities. A nylon driving band may be necessary to protect the rifling and hold down pressure. Hell, the bullet may be so short you have to glue it to the case mouth, leaving plenty of room for Bullseye. David Bradshaw
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Post by bula on Dec 21, 2018 11:01:56 GMT -5
Humor ? Ooooh , that's my bailiwick. I recall asking for a depleted unranium cored bullet. If it's good enough to shred T-51 Rooshin tanks...LOL. OK,back to subject , max bullet weight and meplat in a 45 Colt chambered Redhawk. Hmmnnn..one of the gourmet loaders has a 405gr offering for Redhawks. Name not coming up in my lack of memory banks right now. Garrett ?
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Post by bula on Dec 21, 2018 11:18:35 GMT -5
Ok so it is Garrett but I'd not say it a max meplat bullet. Seems to cover the other wants.
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Post by bcelliott on Dec 21, 2018 16:34:21 GMT -5
Thanks, Bradshaw and bula! Nyclad DU bullets! Something I didn't realize I wanted until now! Not sure I'd want to eat game shot by those bullets...
My purpose for this bullet is simply for dangerous game backup duty, not remarkable accuracy, but I do want straight line penetration stability.
Besides Garrett, I also looked at Veral's LBT website catalog, and he doesn't make a long nose WLN with a broad meplat, but does make long nose LFN. So the pattern seems to be that those who make molds and shoot a lot of heavy cast bullets don't like my bullet idea. I'm a newb at this, so I'm absolutely ok with the experts here schooling me on bullet design and stability. I'd like to learn and have already benefited from what I've read so far on many threads by the various experts including the thread about the 640 hp designs by bullitdesigner.
There's another solution to using proven LBT-type designs with shorter noses, I suppose. I could ream my cylinder chambers to lengths shorter than .454 Casull but longer than the standard Colt so I could use shortened Casull brass. That way, I could still use the entire Redhawk cylinder length. No doubt, this is also a bad idea!
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