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What is your favorite lead 200 gr swc?

7K views 67 replies 51 participants last post by  apipeguy 
#1 ·
I'm trying to get back into reloading after being out for several years. I used to buy my lead bullets from a source who is no longer available.

What is your favorite lead 200 gr swc for the 45acp? Where is the best place to buy it and what is the cost?
 
#28 ·
Precision Bullets out of Kemp TX., Bayou or X-treme bullets, are the best going. I have changed over to the X-treme plated for most all my different pistol calibers. Use W231 or the same HP-38 with enough to make major running about 170 power factor. Use a little less and have easy shooting paper puncher. I will use this with all 200gr bullets no matter RN, HP, or SWC. and they all shoot great.
 
#30 ·
I love that RCBS 201 KT. I've got an H&G 68 4C mold coming to me soon. I can't wait to get that one hot and make some bullets.
 
#38 ·
Like cannibal and lightman, I cast my own 200gr. H&G68 clones. I'm using a Mihec 4C plain base mold, and alloy my bullets at about 9.5 BNH. Very accurate. Before my Mihec mold, I used plenty of LaserCast, but they got expensive and weren't as accurate as my own. Penn also makes good bullets, at least the ones I tried in .38Super.
 
#43 ·
I have a problem with almost all commercially offered 200 gr SWC bullets.

The lead used is WAY to hard. Normally 15-18 bhn. All that's required is an 8 bhn bullet. I've even shot pure lead cast and had no problems.

Bullet fit is key. I've started sizing almost all my .45 bullets to .453. I use a 50/50 mix of pure lead and wheel weights for ALL my pistol bullets. Even in the .44 Mag this isn't a problem.

Try and find a bullet caster than doesn't use such hard lead.
 
#48 ·
My 200gr is a RNFP. I don't use SWC much anymore.
 
#52 ·
Swaged bullets are always softer than commercial cast.
 
#53 ·
Umm, not at the same alloy.
Sent out a post to various companies a few hours ago and have the following results (and, yes, the current commercial overly-hard cast bullets are harder than the commercial swaged bullets, but they can swage ANY lead alloy).

Magnus reports 97/3 alloy for 650-800 fps for 11 BHN.
Comment: This is hard enough in real life for .44 magnum, as all I ever cast were 10-13 BHN.

Precision Bullets uses 92/6/2 and report the bore-riding surfaces are 13-14 BHN. They also restrike after the coating process.

Hornady reports 95/5, for 13 BHN.

Those numbers are right where I cast all my lead bullets, for use in .45 Auto up to .30-06.
 
#60 ·
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