Dumb question?

[v8r]

I was just wondering if a 45 long colt be loaded up to 44 mag performance/velocity levels safely.Would it be safe In a handi? It seems like the case capacity would be there. I am trying to decide wether to send I'm a frame for a 44 barrel, or just invest that money towards a reloading press.If the performance difference between the two is negliable then why bother right?

[Rustyinfla]

 The .45 can be loaded to higher levels of performance than the .44 Mag. due to the larger diameter of the case head.

[quickdtoo]

That would be true on an SB2 frame, the 454 Casull and 460S&W work fine on an SB2, so hot 45 Colt loads aren't an issue, I wouldn't recommend hot Colt loads on an SB1 frame tho, the Colt case head is quite a bit bigger, loaded to equal pressure may be more than the SB1 frame will take. H&R won't fit a CR45 barrel to an SB1 frame.......yet!

Tim

http://stevespages.com/page8d.htm

[petemi]

There is no such thing as a "dumb question".  The very concept that you thought of the question and asked it displays intelligence.  A moron would never ask.  I'm very, very new to reloading, so please pay attention to my two grandfathers, Tim and Rusty.

Pete

[v8r]

Well the rifle in question is a 45 colt classic carbine.I have not had the chance to take the buttstock off to check if it is a SB-2 frame or not.It just seems like a 45 colt would be better than a 44 could ever be, if loaded properly.Larger caliber means larger hole right........

[petemi]

Hey Tim, whereyaat?  The .45LC is on a SB2 frame to the best of my knowledge.....depending of course if you bought it new or used.  If  so, you're good to go all the way to .460 S&W.  Yeah, it'll make a big hole.  I've found some load data that's sniffing right around two grand fps.  I sure wouldn't want to stop that puppy.

Pete

[Default_Required]

V8R,

 Always told my guys that " The only stupid question is the one you dont ask " 

 The 45 Colt and 45-70 can have a whole new breath of life breathed into them with a strong action that can handle the horse power. The H&Rs are such an action , Just be mindful of what levels of recoil you want to dabble in Some of our rowdy members think they are still 20 with a shoulder of steel ... But those little 45-120s do their best to keep them in check 

[quickdtoo]

The CR-45LC 45 Colt Buffalo Classic Carbine comes from the factory on the same SB2 frame as a Buffalo Classic 45-70, at least it always has unless Remington has changed their policy on it, unfortunately you can't tell by the model number like most other H&Rs.

Tim

[wtroger]

The only thing to watch with hot loads on a 45 colt is the brass check to make sure you don't have any old balloon head cases.The are pretty rare anymore but still out there. I find that IMR4227 works real well in rifle loads for the 45 colt.

[Land_Owner]

Yeah, and if you also have a 45 Colt pistol that isn't specifically designed for them, you will want to keep those hotter loads at a distance and not get them mixed up between the two guns or you could be in for a world of hurt.

I am always skeptical about my own long term ability to keep track of such matters, so I load for the weakest link...usually the pistol, and then I don't have to worry whether my hand/fingers/eyes/face, etc., are going to still be there after I pull the trigger.

You only get one chance.  Kind of like not being able to recall the bullet after the trigger is pulled.  Why "play with fire"?

[guns-o-fun]

I don't load mine all that hot - just on the warm side with 4227.  Accuracy is good at that level.  The hottest load is certainly not always the most effective (i.e., you gotta hit em in the right spot to begin with)  .

[coues2506]

you heavy handed powder dumpers better take it easy with that .45 Colt. Even new modern brass is not as heavily constructed as the .44 Magnum. Moderation boys - moderation!

[quickdtoo]

you heavy handed powder dumpers better take it easy with that .45 Colt. Even new modern brass is not as heavily constructed as the .44 Magnum. Moderation boys - moderation!

http://www.leverguns.com/articles/paco/45coltlevergun.htm

Because of the changes in today’s steels (since the discoveries during the 2nd WW, I would worry about any converted old 1892 Winchesters to 45 long Colt) modern Browning, Winchester, Legacy and Nave Arms, are made today from excellent steels and will take magnum pressures...Remember the first 357 magnum S&W rounds were rated at 47,000 psi. We tested original 1935 first run ammo in 357 revolvers last year and they gave well over 1500 fps from an S&W N-Frame 8 inch+ revolver...so the pressures had to be up there. The modern 92s no matter the caliber will easily take magnum handgun pressures. Certainly they take hot 44 magnum pressures without problems, so they will take the same in reloads with the 45 long Colt. I’m sure most know by now that friends John Taffin, Brian Pierce, Jim Wilson, Jim Taylor, myself and others have killed the big lie that 45 Colt brass is weaker than 44 magnum brass...or any other type. So 45 brass at these high pressures is not a problem.

http://www.sixguns.com/tests/tt45lc.htm

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BQY/is_7_47/ai_75287317/

[Couger]

I am always skeptical about my own long term ability to keep track of such matters, so I load for the weakest link...usually the pistol, and then I don't have to worry whether my hand/fingers/eyes/face, etc., are going to still be there after I pull the trigger .....

Understand what you're saying ..... However for those 'special' or hotter loads, a bright colored Sharpie does a good job "coloring" any brass one might choose.  I've "painted" the backs of casings to seperate loads or different "lots" of brass.  Comes off with lighter fluid or when tumbling.

However your points about too much powder and pressure are prudent!

[petemi]

An excellent idea.  The headstamp is the last thing you see before loading just about anything.  I like it.

Pete

[guns-o-fun]

That's always a good idea.  When I load at several different levels for load development, I mark the progressively hotter loads with a black sharpie - 1 tick mark for the lowest up to 3 for the hottest and then immediately make a note in my loading journal as to what each set of marks means.  Whatever you do, write it down (at least for us older folks, it is a must do). 

[Rustyinfla]

   I've been reloading since 1973, when I bought my first Lee Loader for a S&W M 15. In all those years I have never tried to load for Maximum velocity. Accuracy has always been more important to me that power. I always figured a good hit with a moderate powder level was more important than a miss with more energy down range. If I need more power I'll move up in bullet weight first and it that doesn't work then I'll go up in caliber. Thus far I've never found anything that a .44 mag @ 1100-1200 FPS wouldn't put down. I do live in central Fla. though and not in Alaska.

[quickdtoo]

That's always a good idea.  When I load at several different levels for load development, I mark the progressively hotter loads with a black sharpie - 1 tick mark for the lowest up to 3 for the hottest and then immediately make a note in my loading journal as to what each set of marks means.  Whatever you do, write it down (at least for us older folks, it is a must do). 

I write the charge in grains on each load with a superfine sharpie, then when recording the velocity at the range I know exactly what it was, it also helps me put the rounds back in order when I dump the cartridge box!! 

Tim

[Land_Owner]

Where are you Rusty?  I live in Merritt Island...sorry for the highjack 

[Rustyinfla]

 Plant City, between Tampa and Lakeland.

[mechanic]

A red sharpie is good.  It keeps me from shooting those hot 45-70's that I load up special for special friends to shoot.............

It is a good idea if you have a rifle and pistol in the same caliber...45 long colt is a potent round in pistol loadings, it could be potent on both ends if loaded for a rifle then accidentally shot in the pistol.......

[dangerranger]

A red sharpie is good.  It keeps me from shooting those hot 45-70's that I load up special for special friends to shoot.............

It is a good idea if you have a rifle and pistol in the same caliber...45 long colt is a potent round in pistol loadings, it could be potent on both ends if loaded for a rifle then accidentally shot in the pistol.......

my rifle only loads, I have found that I can load them 1/10" to long for the revolver cylinder, and still easily chamber them in the lever gun or the handi. keeps them out of the weaker guns. DR

[bikerbeans]

Lot's of good reasons here on why you should always pull bullets and dump powder for ammo bought at an estate sale.  I wonder about the liability of folks that sell handloads (both their stuff and reloads of others) on the big auction sites.  Everytime someone donates ammo to me that they didn't personnally buy new, out comes Mr. Bullet Puller.

BB

[Sourdough]

I made the big mistake a couple of years ago, of not keeping differant loading of same caliber ammo seperate.  The wife loads .44 mag for a carbine.  Her loads are way too hot for a pistol, and we all know it.  She always put her loads in a baggy and marked them with a Sharpie.  Over time the writing got rubbed off and one morning I grabbed them to go shooting with my pistol.  Got to the range and the first shot I knew something was not right, too much recoil, then hammer would not pull back.  Looked at gun, forced the hammer back and found cylinder was split.  I was lucky gun held togeather.

Sent gun to Ruger, they were able to straighten the frame and replace the cylender, and return the gun to me, along with a letter.  The letter stressed how close I came to losing my head.

[tacklebury]

I really enjoy my .45 lc buffalo classic.  I liked it even more when I loaded some "rifle" .45 colt rounds after reading this article:

http://www.leverguns.com/articles/paco/45coltlevergun.htm

There is a whole world of surprises waiting the reloader using the rifle powder ReL#7 in the 45 long Colt case for rifles. (Rifle powder not #7 pistol powder) With the 260 Keith I start with 25 grains and work up. I want anybody that wants to try it...to work up slowly so I’m not giving the top load..but the top velocity from the Winchester is 1800 to top end 2000 fps. And in the Browning 1892 action it will reach nearly 2200 fps or more and a SK of 82. Go slow with mag/pistol primers, and ReL#7 and because of it’s slow burn rate, it gives great velocities. H4227 is the other really good powder, but obviously not as slow as ReL#7

I am currently using 25 gr. of Reloader7 and a Hornady 250gr. XTP pistol bullet and getting terrific performance.  It seems to convert the snap of H110 to more of a push also.  I was getting good groups with the factory buckhorn and bead sights.  I intend to try some other loadings with RL7 also, but currently it went back to the factory to have an oversized chamber reviewed.  That was honestly my only complaint with the rifle.  It was blowing out my brass about 25 thousandths.    Another plus is Reloader7, here at least, is about 7 dollars less expensive per pound than H110.  One thing to keep in mind is making sure you have a separate container for your rifle rounds as you get a heck of a fireball if you fire it in a short barreled pistol from what I have heard.  I have a bright orange case with Carbine .45 Colt Only written on it.