That is, if the loading table calls for 40 grains of black powder, then one uses a 40-grain volume powder measure for the same amount by volume of Pyrodex. Lyman Reloading Handbook 49th edition. RCBS also offers an excellent bullet of standard weight with the #45-255KT that has a better crimping groove than the Keith bullet. The .45 Colt operates at notably less pressure, produces a slower, more. hi guy, for awhile now i have slowly been adding to my collection,,i just got 2 molds, a rcbs 255 grain ,,and a lyman 325 grain gc,,,i got the dies, the powder, had dale put my name on miha list for his 45 long colt hollow point mold, ,i have some brass, i got the dies,, but still looking for that one 45 long colt gun. These two bullets in a custom five-shot Blackhawk or Freedom Arms Model 83 five-shooter can be driven to 1,450 fps with W296 or H110. Bullseye, Unique and 2400 are products of Alliant (formerly Hercules) Powders. I normally stay under 900 fps with a 250-grain bullet in Colt Single Action Army revolvers and its replicas. Over the nearly 15 decades since its arrival, there have been many attempts to pronounce it dead. The availability of all of these bullets is dependent on how much time I have to cast my own. We switch now from the use of PC (Powder Coated) bullets to cast bullets. 53 pg. Note that the Ruger New Vaquero uses a smaller frame and cylinder Bad Idea! Winners will be notified by certified mail on official letterhead. In actual weight, Pyrodex is lighter than black powder, being about 80 percent of the weight of black powder. Prizes will not be awarded if illegal in jurisdiction of winners. These black-powder guns should not be fired with smokeless powder loads. like original Colts. Elmer Keith was way ahead of his time in developing everyday working and hunting loads. (III) Giveaway winner(s) chosen by random drawing. I use the same industry measurement as the .45 ACP .470 inch. This same bullet can be loaded to much higher velocity in Rugers large-frame single- and double-action sixguns. and while they do not have the slick action of the slightly smaller Model 1892, they are fast handling and come up to the shoulder quickly. The weight would more properly be closer to 32 grains. I was fortunate to find one of each. Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife, State Agency: For several reasons they should not be used. For many decades reloaders have been arguing over whether or not H110 and W296 were identical. Unique and Universal still dont fill the case up as much as a yet slower powder (like No.9, AA5724, H-110/W296, AA5744, and Alliant 2400). so when i find my gun,,i can get busy asap with this . It is my most used powder both in cap-and-ball and cartridge-firing sixguns when black powder loads are desired. All entries must be received by giveaway end date. My brass of choice is Starlines excellent 45 Colt brass with CCI 300 Large Pistol primers for all powders, except I switch to CCI 350 Magnum Pistol primers with IMR 4227, H110, W296, and all black powder and black powder substitutes. Deployed military should use stateside address. The day of the percussion revolver would soon be over, and even Colt could see the future and began converting 1860 cap-and-ball sixguns to fire cartridges. Cartridge Type: Pistol/Revolver. your comments are very greatful. With multiple powder charge weights there has been considerable confusion on this subject. However, it cannot be approached the same as smokeless. Discussion: The old Western Style COLT normally uses big, heavy and slow lead bullets. Winners must respond within 30 days of receiving notification or an alternate winner will be selected. I chose the Herco powder to utilize as much case capacity as possible. But keep in mind, both Lyman and Alliant publish only standard pressure loads for the 45 Colt. There are some excellent jacketed bullets available for use in the 45 Colt, including the Sierra 240-grain JHP, Hornady 250-grain XTP-JHP, and the Speer 260-grain JHP, all of which I prefer for deer-sized game. The on-line Hogdon load data shows the following for TiteGroup and a 255 gr LSWC: Starting load of 5.0 gr for an approx 716 feet per second and a pressure of 7.6K cup. That is black powder loads or Black powder level only. Winners must respond within 30 days of receiving notification or an alternate winner will be selected. Box 488, Escondido, CA 92033. I would conclude this powder is much more consistent in speeds than others that I have tried in the .45 Colt. .449 inch to .460 inch, and Smith & Wessons from .451 to .458 inch. Mail-in entries accepted; send postcards (no envelopes) to: GUNS Magazine, GOM March 2022, P.O. Actually, we can divide 45 Colt sixguns into several reloading levels, and I have moderated these somewhat over the past several years, with the first two levels being very close together. It takes at least two rounds to be able to see if the rounds are too long to accomplish both operations. Rim Rocks 255-grain SWC with gas check is accurate and alleviates leading issues with revolvers (or barrels) that are prone to that. Checked and verified, page 285, 4th Ed.Lyman cast bullet handbook. Again using 255-grain factory loads at 860 fps, the .45 Colt reaches a factor of 14.09, while select standard-pressure handloads containing 280-grain bullets pushed to 950 fps factor at 17.17. The Oregon Trail 250-grain RNFP bullet should be seated with an overall cartridge length of 1.570 to 1.580 inches, depending on case length. The vast majority of my 45 Colt handloads over the last 60 years, however, has been put together with cast bullets. Michigan Deptartment of Natural Resources, State Agency: You find load data for cartridges in caliber .45 Colt with all common powders and bullets by clicking the "Loads in this caliber" button above. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Others are the New Model Blackhawks, the Bisley Model, the Redhawk, and the Super Redhawk. It follows Keiths original idea of three equally sized driving bands, one forming the base, the middle one serving as the top of the grease groove, and the front driving band helping true up the bullet in the cylinder and is located above a generous crimping groove. As always there are occasional exceptions, including two guns manufactured in 1900 and 1902 that slugged .458 and .453 inch, respectively, but they seemed to be more out-of-spec than the normal. www.hodgdonreloading.com Broc NES Member Rating - 100% 15 0 0 Joined Sep 18, 2010 On the other end are the Ruger Only loads. Normal powders vary quite a bit and also have a larger spread between shots. If your Hornady book says 45 Colts use a 458 bullet, they are wrong. Most of these are custom, tuned and have accounted for several head of big game. (I) Giveaway ends March 31, 2023. Clays, Universal, HP38, HS6, HS7 and H4895 are products of Hodgdon Powders. youd need for most critters in the lower 48. Soon after smokeless powder came into use, throats were increased to .4555 inch (according to Colt specifications), which worked fine with .456-inch lead hollowbase bullets contained in Remington and Winchester ammunition. No purchase necessary. Most manufacturers have recognized the need to offer revolvers with correct throat dimensions including Smith & Wesson, Ruger, Uberti, USFA and others, but not Colt. In fact, an axiom with me is, When all else fails, try IMR 4227 before giving up. Years ago, after tiring of oversized 45 Colt chambers in Colt Single Action Army revolvers and New Frontiers, I started with a 357 Magnum New Frontier, had the cylinder rechambered properly and tightly to 45 Colt, and then had a new 4.75-inch Colt New Frontier barrel fitted. In guns with .452-inch throats, the Magma designed 250-grain RNFP offered by most commercial cast bullet companies (Oregon Trail used here) can be surprisingly accurate. (Note: These are near maximum loads, you should use 10% less to start, unless it is lesser of several loads or other indications like mild or cowboy etc.) Low Recoil Loads | Hodgdon Reloading Handloading allows the flexibility to adjust load ballistics for a particular purpose. One problem inherent with the original #454424 was the fact that when sized to 0.451 to 0.452 inch, the crimping groove almost disappears. Taurus Marketing Manager Caleb Giddings highlights the features of the new Taurus Raging Hunter 460 Magnum, a purpose-built revolver with a 10.5-inch barrel and an effective recoil-taming brake, with Guns & Ammo Executive Editor Joe Kurtenbach. However, Dick Casull started with the 45 Colt single action and the weak 45 Colt case to come up with his cartridge, which eventually became the 454 Casull. I have been surprised by the fact the Marlin feeds Keith-style bullets perfectly. Some of my most accurate loads are as follows: The Lyman/Thompson #454490 GC over 20.0 grains of #42274 gives a group at 1,275 fps or 20.0 grains of #2400 for 150 fps more velocity and a group just over 1. Those first Winchesters were 16 Trapper Models, with mine being purchased in 1985. Cast bullets can be sized to .455 inch (assuming the mould casts bullets large enough), which again helps to reduce bullet tilting in the throat. This significantly improved its accuracy when compared to the original cylinder with its typical oversized throats, and resulted in increased velocity. When tactical lights first came out, we all thought the 50 lumens they offered was astounding and could never get better. I normally stay under 900 fps with a 250-grain bullet in Colt Single Action Army revolvers and its replicas. I have yet to find any levergun or sixgun that does not shoot this Dick Casull-designed bullet exceptionally well. A favorite pastime of many dedicated sixgunners is sitting around a campfire arguing the merits of their particular choice of caliber. Employees and agents of Publishers Development Corp. are not eligible. Failure to do so could result in severe personal injury (or death) and/or property damage. VihtaVuori Oy Company, reloading booklet (1995) Numerous magazine articles on reloading special calibers and personal loads where noted. These Smith & Wesson .45 Colts include a (1) Model 25-5 with 838-inch barrel, (2) Model 25-5 with 6-inch barrel, (3) Model 25-5 with 4-inch barrel and a (4) Model 625-6 Mountain Gun with a tapered 4-inch barrel. (II) Limit one (1) entry per household; multiple entries will disqualify entrants. 11; firearms used: Universal Receiver & Ruger Blackhawk; barrel length: 7 1/2"; twist: 1-16"; groove dia. (WC= WadCutter, SWC= Semi-WadCutter, HP= Hollow Point, RN= Round Nose, FMC= Full Metal Case, FMJ= Full Metal Jacket, JHP= Jacketed Hollow Point and if GC indicated, means Gas Check at bottom of lead bullet), Loads for .45 Colt: Incidentally, many jacketed bullet loads will produce higher velocities in revolvers with shorter barrels. Bullets from RCBS mould 45-270-SAA, which usually weigh around 280 to 285 grains, are designed to maximize powder capacity, are accurate and an excellent choice for hunting big game. Here you will find load data for some of the most recent cartridges on the market, with more being added each week. Contest open to U.S. residents only. It is impossible to go wrong with the 45 Colt. Elmer Keiths custom Colt single action was used to develop his heavy 44 Special loads in the late 1920s, and for a long time the 45 Colt cartridge was accused of being weak. .45 Colt (180-200 grain bullets) .44 Mag (180-200 grain bullets) .38-40 (180 grain bullets) I had hangfires in the .45 Colt with less amount of Reddot. If reliable expansion is desired, consider 230-grain JHP bullets designed for the .45 ACP or the Hornady 225-grain FTX, which can be pushed close to 1,000 fps while staying within pressure guidelines. I would think that the load you are using would be safe. It is my most used powder both in cap-and-ball and cartridge-firing sixguns when black powder loads are desired. Because case capacity is large, trying to produce lighter loads with slow-burning powders can give very poor results. I didnt realize how many different powders from Hodgdon I use in loading the 45 Colt until I began putting this article together. These two bullets in a custom five-shot Blackhawk or Freedom Arms Model 83 five-shooter can be driven to 1,450 fps with W296 or H110. When time is a problem, actually when sometimes my own energy is the problem, I look to Oregon Trail Bullets. Pyrodex is cleaner burning than black powder and results in less fouling of the barrel. The TaurusTX 22 Compact delivers class-leading reliability, capacity, and shootability in a 22 LR platform, and it's cut for a slide-mounted mini red dot. Note that the "Ruger New Vaquero" uses a smaller frame and cylinder like original Colts. When he died in 1862, the company was dedicated to producing the same percussion revolvers. My Rugers like a 355gr with 21.5-22gr H110, CCI 350, starline brass, nice tight crimp. Addeddate 2019-02-27 13:08:05 Identifier LymanReloadingHandbook48thEdition2002Ocr_201902 Identifier-ark ark:/13960/t9093sd5t Ocr ABBYY FineReader 11.0 (Extended OCR) within an inch or 2 of each other at 50 yards. Not interchangeable. * which is just a little over maximum Colt loads (but mild for Ruger) shot an average of 880.2 fps pointing up and 708.0 fps pointing down, but the spread between shots was 146 fps and 235 fps respectively. While there were multiple experiments with different cartridges, the .45 Colt was a joint development between Colts Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company and Union Metallic Cartridge Company. (IV) Winners must undergo a background check (if required) and comply with all other federal, state and local laws. This was achieved with 40 grains of black powder. One problem inherent with the original #454424 was the fact that when sized to 0.451 to 0.452 inch, the crimping groove almost disappears. Handgun Data. I load 7.5gr of HP38 in Starline brass and crimp in the crimp groove of each of these bullets. Two other powders for standard loads include W231 and HP-38. Their 10mm Devastator (Lyman #401638 HP) has a listed weight of 155 grains, and is a HP version of their very accurate 175 grain TC design. Employees and agents of Publishers Development Corp. are not eligible. SCCY DVG-1 Sub-Compact Striker-Fired Pistol: Full Review, Buyer Beware: Buying 'Bargain' Guns Can Be Risky. Here is what Lyman #4 has to say on 45 Colt, maximum Unique , standard pressure loads: Lee 452-200-RF , 200 gr. For testing I go with three shots at 45 yards. Giveaway prizes may have evidence of being test fired or exhibit minor handling marks. Winners will be notified by certified mail on official letterhead. Lyman now offers it as #452424, and it is a 255-grain bulletor thereabouts, depending upon the alloy used. Even with their short barrels, they still carry nine rounds in the tubular magazine. This is probably when it became so common to use cast bullets sized to .454 inch with pre-World War II guns but was largely confused with groove diameter. The accompanying data was developed using Starline cases that are strong, offer long life and are available factory direct. Maryland Department of Natural Resources, State Agency: With the 45 Colt, IMR 4227 is almost magical in being able to provide excellent accuracy when other powders will not. Make sure your gun can handle it before We were soon shooting 300-grain bullets at 1,200 fps from a 7.5-inch-barreled Ruger revolver. Georgia Department of Natural Resources, State Agency: Nitro 100, No.2, No. I custom tailor my loads for the Trapper to match with the sixgun I am using alongside. (IV) Winners must undergo a background check (if required) and comply with all other federal, state and local laws. At 1,400 fps it is an excellent hunting bullet. I shot all kinds of bullets and powders from my 45 colt from 200gr to 350 gr trying to find something that was better than the other. Balloonhead cases were discontinued around World War II but still show up regularly on handloaders benches. Reddings excellent Dual Ring Carbide sizing die was used to prep cases as it works the case less, results in longer case life, seems to improve accuracy and eliminates the Coke bottle shape forward of the head. Quality 300-grain jacketed bullets are also offered by all three of these manufacturers. Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks & Tourism, State Agency: When crimped in its cannelure, the overall length still exceeds industry specifications at 1.652 inches. We were soon shooting 300-grain bullets at 1,200 fps from a 7.5-inch-barreled Ruger revolver. This same bullet can be loaded to much higher velocity in Rugers large-frame single- and double-action sixguns. Keiths #454424 was an excellent bullet, but it has been improved by Dave Scovill and is offered by RCBS as #45-270SAA. The Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute (SAAMI) has established the maximum average pressure for .45 Colt at 14,000 psi (commonly referred to as standard pressure), which should only be used in guns originally designed for smokeless powder ammunition. Load data for caliber ".45 Colt". ew eginnings - Mark 7 is now part of the Lyman family! I have been pleasantly surprised by the Marlin Trapper. Not only do the Hodgdon folks offer excellent powders, but also they are simply some of the nicest folks in the industry. patterned after the one worn by Theodore Roosevelt. Cast bullet loads in the Marlin .45 Colt all the power and accuracy To protect the privacy and security of winners, names will not be made public. 458 is a rifle bullet. Missouri Deptartment of Conservation, State Agency: They are my choice for everyday use and also for hunting larger, tougher game. The SCAR 15P is chambered for 5.56 NATO and, with its 7.5-inch barrel, is the most compact SCAR to date. Pyrodex P is the equivalent of Triple-F or FFFg black powder. In fact, an axiom with me is, When all else fails, try IMR 4227 before giving up. Years ago, after tiring of oversized 45 Colt chambers in Colt Single Action Army revolvers and New Frontiers, I started with a 357 Magnum New Frontier, had the cylinder rechambered properly and tightly to 45 Colt, and then had a new 4.75-inch Colt New Frontier barrel fitted. His #452490GC was originally made for the 45 Auto Rim cartridge for use in the Smith & Wesson 1950 Target revolver, but I also use the Thompson design, which weighs around 255 grains, for heavy-duty loads approaching the energy of the 44 Magnum in the Ruger Blackhawk. darrel williams parents,