Lee 200gr conicals-hand cast

[Captainkirk]

Here are a few pics of some Lee 200gr conical bullets, .450 dia. that I cast from pure lead several weeks ago

IMAG0468 by buellosaurusrex, on Flickr


IMAG0467 by buellosaurusrex, on Flickr

This is an excellent .44 cal. conical bullet in my opinion. They load easily in Army-style revolvers ("Navy" .44 versions may require loading off the gun or opening up the loading ramp area) and hit hard. They can be soft-lubed at the range using any good BP bullet lube, or hard-lubed using Beeswax-blend lubes (i.e. Emmert's Lube) before you head to the range. Here is a link to the mould info:

http://leeprecision.com/mold-d-c-450-200-1r.html

Many of your typical suppliers carry the moulds, such as Midsouth, MidwayUSA, etc:
MIDSOUTH:  http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=0000690382

MidwayUSA: http://www.midwayusa.com/product/285116/lee-2-cavity-bullet-mold-450-200-1r-450-diameter-200-grain-1-ogive-radius-conical

Like all Lee moulds, these come complete with handles and is a two-cavity mould. Gets my vote!

[ssb73q]

Here are a few pics of some Lee 200gr conical bullets, .450 dia. that I cast from pure lead several weeks ago

This is an excellent .44 cal. conical bullet in my opinion. They load easily in Army-style revolvers ("Navy" .44 versions may require loading off the gun or opening up the loading ramp area) and hit hard. They can be soft-lubed at the range using any good BP bullet lube, or hard-lubed using Beeswax-blend lubes (i.e. Emmert's Lube) before you head to the range. Here is a link to the mould info:

http://leeprecision.com/mold-d-c-450-200-1r.html

Many of your typical suppliers carry the moulds, such as Midsouth, MidwayUSA, etc:
MIDSOUTH:  http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=0000690382

MidwayUSA: http://www.midwayusa.com/product/285116/lee-2-cavity-bullet-mold-450-200-1r-450-diameter-200-grain-1-ogive-radius-conical

Like all Lee moulds, these come complete with handles and is a two-cavity mould. Gets my vote!

Hi Captain, use a lubed felt wad and you don't need to lube the bullet. At least that's what I found for these conicals in an 1858. I would expect the same from a Colt.

Regards,
Richard

[Captainkirk]

Soft-lubing at the range can be a messy PITA when using Crisco or Bore Butter, etc, just like with round balls. The Emmert's can be done before-hand by melting it in a shallow dish and using a 'cookie cutter' (such as a piece of brass tubing that will just slip over the bullet). They can then be stored until ready for use, but the Emmert's can crack off so stand them upright and pack them carefully.

[StrawHat]

For a while, Lee also produced a hollow point version of this mold, and the 36 caliber counterpart.

[Captainkirk]

 Dang! Wish I had both!

[treadhead1952]

Dang! Wish I had both!

I do, they are excellent. 

I also shoot 230 grain round nose .452 Lee mold bullets in my Remington 1858 Sheriffs Model, now you want to talk about hard hitting, they flat put the smack down on what ever you shoot.

Lee's Liquid Alox lube works great too.

[Mad Dog Stafford]

+1 on Lee's Alox. Great stuff. 

[Don]

I have the 200 grain .44 mold and the 130 grain .36 mold. The .44's load easier than the .36's but both are very accurate out of my guns. Casting your own bullets is a fun and useful piece of the BP shooting hobby.

Don

[mazo kid]

Guys, I have this mold and have cast a few bullets with it, but honestly.... I have never shot any. They are supposed to be .450" diameter so what keeps them in place in the cylinder?  Especially when a lot of you are specifying .454" diameter round balls?! Is the surface area great enough that they don't slip forward due to friction? Curious minds want to know!

[Captainkirk]

I believe the driving bands are larger dia. than .450. At any rate, they seat fairly easy but don't move forward under recoil. I will measure some of mine when I get a chance.

[ssb73q]

Guys, I have this mold and have cast a few bullets with it, but honestly.... I have never shot any. They are supposed to be .450" diameter so what keeps them in place in the cylinder?  Especially when a lot of you are specifying .454" diameter round balls?! Is the surface area great enough that they don't slip forward due to friction? Curious minds want to know!

Hi mazo, current .44 Pietta's have a cylinder chamber dimension of 0.446-0.447". The conical is .45". The tail band of the 200gr Lee conical is smaller than the chamber to ease loading. I use a lubed wad between the powder and conical to guarantee chainfires don't occur. No lube is then required on the conical.

Regards,
Richard

[Southron]

The Lee Conicals don't move forward in the cylinder when the pistol is fired.

In my experience, the Lee Conicals are not as accurate as round balls, however IF I were planning on hunting with a pistol, I would definitely use a conical bullet.

I basically hate aluminum moulds because at casting temperatures, aluminum loses half of its strength.

Sue wish Lee would come out with a Premium line of moulds-identical to their aluminum moulds but made out of 360 Brass. Now, those moulds would be GREAT!!!! 

[StrawHat]

The Lee Conicals don't move forward in the cylinder when the pistol is fired.

In my experience, the Lee Conicals are not as accurate as round balls, however IF I were planning on hunting with a pistol, I would definitely use a conical bullet.

I basically hate aluminum moulds because at casting temperatures, aluminum loses half of its strength.

Sue wish Lee would come out with a Premium line of moulds-identical to their aluminum moulds but made out of 360 Brass. Now, those moulds would be GREAT!!!!

While I agree that Lee uses some bottom line aluminum, with care, they can last a long time.  I have Lee molds in use since the 70s and they still produce decent casts.

If you want a better grade of aluminum or brass molds, check out Night Owl Enterprises,

http://www.noebulletmoulds.com/

Great molds and he can produce them to your needs, even custom cavities if you order enough.

Kevin

[bigted]

another great posting ... just a question on lube tho ... Lee liquid alox ... does this work well with blackpowder as a lube or does it get black and crusty?

[Captainkirk]

I have never tried the Alox but I've heard some less-than-stellar reports from some who have. Pan lubing with plain ol' Emmert's lube works very well for me. As Richard mentioned, I have also shot lubed wads with no bullet lube with good results, though loading is slower.