45 Auto cast bullets?

I am shooting well in EIC 22 pistol.  I am struggling with the 45.  I need to shoot the 45 more.  Accurate molds has several choices.  I think I want something around 180 grains to match the trajectory and feel of match ammo. 

What mold to pick??  I will get a 5-cavity.  I hope to tumble lube or pan lube, luber-sizers are tedious.  

https://www.accuratemolds.com/catalog.php?page=18#catalog-anchor

45-190H  (H/G 130 clone) 8 of these sold

45-200H (H/G 68 clone) 108 of these sold

Also interesting:

45-185A

45-185H (taper base)

45-195H (8 sold)

I do not see a popular 180 grainer. 

Thank you.

H&G #68 bullet type shoots excellent in all 45 barrels. 185’s profile not as consistent in my experience.
The #68 bullets are capable of 1” groups when all is perfect in the universe and typically will hold 1.5” easily. To me they are the go to bullet when I’m testing for accuracy. Fortunately 45acp is very forgiving cartridge and shoots many powder and bullet combinations well. But to most the #68 is King! 
Jon

Thanks for the information.  I'll place the order.  

Any idea on who has FMJ bullets for matches in stock?

OK, first unless you are already casting and have lots of low cost lead; why not just buy and spend the extra time dryfiring?  There are lots of 185 LSW bullets by various commercial casters available. A lot of people go for the coated lead bullets rather than lubed these days as well. 

Second, why do you want FMJ for .45?  They are not required for EIC matches anymore. Most everyone uses 185 JHP target level loads, same as for .45 NRA / CMP Match Pistol matches.  Unless they have a lot of the old 185 FMJSWC bullet laying around....

CR

I second Cecil.  A very accurate bullet is the Brazos 200 SWC.  
https://www.brazosprecision.com/. They come HiTek coated so no lubing is required.

So I’d buy a couple of bags of Brazos 200 grain bullets, 1000 Starline Brass, primers and powder and go play.  This was shot with Brazos bullets.

I agree with both of the above.
I shoot the same 185jhp/N310 load from my EIC gun as I shoot at 50 in my wad gun.
At the 25, I shoot a Missouri 155gr coated swc (skinny nose H&G 68) with the same 4.3gr of N310 as my 185jhp load and it is quite accurate and pleasant to shoot for me.
I have a bunch of 200gr #68s set aside for "just in case". I also have a few hundred 230 fmjs if you really need some, for some ungodly reason, to batter your wrist.

Cecil are EIC matches the same as service pistol matches? CMP 2022 rule 4.4.1 doesn't allow non-jacketed, wad cutter, or lead bullets, yet.
Stan

If your goal is more shooting, I would suggest buying cast bullets instead of casting them.

I have found that 185-200gr have similar enough performance that I have found them to be almost interchangeable. 45 is fairly easy to load for, pick the most popular mold or the one that seems to provide you the most benefit or as others have stated buy a case or two of bullets of a reputable make.

Chopper:  

Yes, "EIC" are service pistol matches, by common usage.   

But, FMJ is not required for EIC.  I did not say anything about lead bullets for EIC, but that FMJ are not required.  JHP or any jacketed or metal plated bullet can be used and most people will use the JHP. 

I think the 185 FMJSWC is allowed since it is not specifically a "wadcutter" bullet.  It has a nose that tapers to a specific caliber diameter shoulder unlike a "wad-cutter" which has no nose and the same cylindrical diameter for its length.  Re: "Non-jacketed, wad-cutter or lead bullets  may not be used."   But in any event, they did not say "semi-wadcutter."

About the only common FMJ .45 is 230 gr FMJ and its not needed these days or as accurate or generally able to be loaded to target levels with much success accuracy wise.  

Additionally, its generally been my observation that the 185 JHP "Nosler" style bullet tends to feed better than the 185 FMJSWC bullets for a lot of wadcutter guns and even ball guns.   

Any safe ammunition can be used for the CMP Centerfire or .45 Match Pistol or Service Revolver competitions, even lead.  

Second, why do you want FMJ for .45?  They are not required for EIC matches anymore. Most everyone uses 185 JHP target level loads, same as for .45 NRA / CMP Match Pistol matches.  Unless they have a lot of the old 185 FMJSWC bullet laying around....

Thank you Cecil, I miss read the OP's post he mentioned EIC but that was for the 22. So 185 JHP would be a dandy bullet for service pistol, when some use it for the long line in match's
 Thanks again, Stan

Not the hijack the OP's thread, but to add. 

I could have been a little clearer as well.  EIC matches (Distinguished 22 / Distinguished Pistol and the New Distinguished Revolver) are different than the CMP Match Pistol matches and it helps to remind shooters to read the specific rule books (and the specific requirements in the CMP rule book).  

My assumption was the shooter was going to do EIC Distinguished Pistol (Service Pistol for Distinguished Pistol Badge) base on his comment about looking for FMJ bullets.  I apologize to the OP if I was mistaken.

I'm sure that there will be some confusion since the Distinguished Pistol (Service Pistol) matches uses rule 4.4.1 (as you quoted) and the Distinguished Revolver (Service Revolver) matches uses rule 4.4.3 even though it also has "Service" in its name.    

And competitors should remember that for Distinguished .22 the .22 pistol ammunition is limited to long rifle only with weight up to 40 gr.  (4.4.2). 

I once had a competitor that had some old military .38 special ball (FMJ) ammo that he was going to use to shoot the NRA Distinguished Pistol when the NRA rule required lead bullets.  Then he also has some 230 RNL bullets to shoot the CMP Service Pistol (EIC) match for his .45.  He had an educational day dealing with 2 different rule books.  (And another reason I don't mind the NRA renaming their "Distinguished Revolver" to "Precision Revolver".  Anything to reduce confusion and help shooters is a good thing.)

CR

Thanks for all the great information.

I do not mind casting.  I have a large amount of lead alloy.  I went ahead and ordered an H&G #68 clone gang mold. With a 6-cavity mold I can cast 500 or more before I get tired.  Once everything is casting well I have very few bad bullets.  

I also have a significant amount of Bull's Eye powder.  IF that does not work out I can try something else.  I also have Unique, AL-5 and 231.  

For matches I will have to get some jacketed bullets.  I will have to see if I need to correct my dope between match ammo and cast.  It seems logical that I will.

With your cast bullets, I’d  coat them with Eastwood powder coat, size them then load them with 4.0 Bullseye.

A word of caution, I had 3 of the noe 68 clones. They throw arround 215. Others I know say the same so unless al has changed things, they will throw heavy. They shoot good, just heavy.

I used to powder coat, but now Hi tek or bcb coat. Same result, but significantly faster than standing up bullets to avoid globs of plastic coated lead. Yes, even with two coats vs one.

Push threw sizer die,  load and shoot.

Scota4570 wrote:"A word of caution, I had 3 of the noe 68 clones.  They throw around 215."


Thanks for the "heads up".  


I sent that concern to Tom @ accuratemolds.  Since I already have a gang mold for the 230 gr round nose, a 215 grain bullet would be redundant.  I gave him permission to substitute a similar profile mold designation.  I gave him discretion to do what he needs to keep the bullet in the 180 to 200 grain window with wheel weights.  He knows his business, I have confidence in him.  

The accurate molds I have throw pretty true to weight as do most of the NOE molds I have. The NOE 68 clone is the only one that throws real heavy

The Lee 90310 6 cavity #68 style wasn't expensive and performed well.

I run at least two moulds at once. Fill one, set down, empty other, fill, set down...repeat

Casting is it's own hobby with details for good quality.