.451 or .452?

[radtuck]

I've been shopping for plated bullets to reload, and it seems like some stock .451 and some stock .452. Some even have both. Is it that big a deal if I buy .452? I realize that some of you will tell me to slug the barrel, but that would require me to buy some bullets...I would like to get a box to start reloading, but don't want to buy both sizes to compare. What say you?
John

 

[leas327]

Either will work in 45 acp. Plated bullets are softer than real jacketed bullets so the .001 bigger in diameter isn't that big of deal. I've used both without any problems. You might gain some accuracy with one size or the other.

 

[GBertolet]

I would go with the .452 as a first choice, although I think either size will work just fine. Some of the best shooting plated bullets I ever had, were oversized Rainier 230 gr RN, that miked out at .453. Even if you have a tight barrel, the plated bullets swage down easy.

 

[radtuck]

Awesome...thanks, guys.

 

[Skip Sackett]

One thing that you need to do is get out of the "short cut" mentality. You simply cannot do that when it comes to reloading.

With plated bullets, it makes no difference in the size of bullets you use. They are soft enough not to cause too much trouble should they be too big. Truth be told, I would think the larger would be better just to make sure they fill in the lands and grooves. Just me though.

Now, if you were using lead, we would have to go back to the earlier discussion about shortcuts! Slugging the barrel for lead bullets isn't a must but, what usually happens is someone buys too small, too hard of bullets and then wants to drive them too lightly. That is as bad as trying to drive too soft of a bullet too hard and leading will occur. As long as you don't mind cleaning lead out of your barrel, it doesn't matter what lead bullets you buy either. Now for me, I want the ones that work the best in my firearms.........That is why I cast my own!

Hope this helps.

 

[Titegroups]

What are you loading them in 45acp or 45C? Revolver or auto?

 

[radtuck]

Auto...haven't gotten the gun yet, but I bought a 4586 from a member here.

 

[johngalt]

I bought some Rainer plated bullets several years ago. They were sized .451 and I had really bad setback problems. Never tried .452.

After my experience, I never used them again. I use either jacketed .451 or lead .452.

 

[radtuck]

Anybody ever tried these? I was thinking about the 230 gr. RN in .452
X-Treme Bullets - (800) 482-2103

 

[blujax01]

A lot of indoor ranges will not allow bare lead and jacketed ruins into $$$, so for practice plated is a viable alternative. There are several reputable vendors of plated bullets, including X-Treme, Rainier and Berry's (use the search function to find some reviews and discussions). I have two 45's - a Colt Gov't. 1911 and a Smith &Wesson MP45C and send hundreds of these downrange every month. 0.452.

45 caliber plated pistol bullets