Author Topic: .454 Casull sub-sonic loads (Read 859 times)

Selmer · « **on:** January 28, 2004, 05:26:48 AM »

I'm wondering if anyone has ever tried to make up any sub-sonic loads for the .454 Casull. I know this is akin to taking your '67 Shelby GTO out on a Sunday drive, but my wife is interested in shooting my Encore and the only barrel I have is a .454 Casull. I have some light plinker loads, but they even bark a little bit and have a little recoil. The speed of sound is roughly 1100 fps depending on atmospheric conditions and elevation, so would some light .45 Colt data with Unique be the way to go with this goal? My gun loves Unique, but I usually keep it toward the higher end of the velocity possibilities. Some of the .45 Colt data shows 7 gr. Unique and a 300 gr. bullet running at aroun 700 fps. Would this be the way to go? Let me know if any of you other crazy reloaders have contemplated such an idea. My goal is very little recoil and virtually no muzzle blast. I have bullets from 250 gr. to 370 gr. (thanks Lloyd!) Any info is greatly appreciated. Would I be better off with heavier bullets or lighter bullets for the recoil part of the equation, or better yet, should I just buy some .45 Colt brass and use .45 Colt data? Then I'd have to buy different primers and reset my dies, which would be a pain in the rear, and if I find a good load, it would be a great practice load for close range plinking, right? Sorry, I'm rambling and bored.
Selmer

Catfish · « **Reply #1 on:** January 28, 2004, 06:52:59 AM »

I would recomand the you try 5 to 6 grns. of Bullseye and a mag. primer with a bullet weight around 250 grns. plus or minus a bunch, in a Colt .45 case. I shoot 6 grns. of Bullseye behind a 240 grn. cast bullet in the .44 mag. It`s very accurate if you use good bullets and runs about 950 fps. from a 7 1/2 in. barreled Ruger Super Black Hawk. Make sure that you use mag. primers as there is very little powder in the case and you want to make sure that the fire gets to the powder no matter which direction the barrel is pointed. They are still pretty loud and you should wear muffs, but the recoil isn`t bad at all, she should have no trouble with a load like this.

Selmer · « **Reply #2 on:** January 28, 2004, 06:59:55 AM »

Thanks for the help. All I have is Unique for lower power loads, AA#9 and H110 are my other options, I don't think they'll work so well.

I've loaded up 7 gr. Unique behind a 255gr, 300 gr., and 330 gr., I'm going to fire one of each today to check recoil and blast, then group them this weekend.
Selmer

Catfish · « **Reply #3 on:** January 28, 2004, 07:26:44 AM »

I`ve been hand loading since the 1960`s and load for for over 20 different rounds. I load both hunting and plinking rounds for the .357 and the .44 mag. Years ago I settled on 2 powders for my handguns. Win. 296 for the heavy loads. This powder gives you more velosity with lower presure than any other powder, and Bullseye for the lite loads. Bullseye is a very accurate powder, I always said that if you have a .38 sp. and it don`t group well with a 158 grn. semi-wadcutter an 2 1/2 to 3 grns. of Bullseye it won`t shoot anything. If you load 5 grns. of Bullseye and don`t spill any powder, you should get 1,400 rounds out of a 1 lb. can. I buy it in eather 8 or 12 lb. cans. For cheap accurate ammo you`ll never beat Bullseye and a good cast bullet.

Castaway · « **Reply #4 on:** January 28, 2004, 07:41:07 AM »

My favorite 45 Colt plinking load is a cast, 255 grain bullet over 6.8 of Unique. If using a Lee disk, it's the 0.88 cavity. Gives 680 from my 7.5" barrel and 820 from my Trapper (16")

unspellable · « **Reply #5 on:** January 28, 2004, 08:04:49 AM »

For a straight load it in the 454 case I would not go any lighter than the 45 Colt factory loads.

If you do want to go much lighter, it's time to think about putting a wad behind the bullet to reduce the powder room. Given the appropriate wad I would think you can get the lightest available cast bullet down to 750 fps. For this sort of thing 45 ACP load data might be useful. Make the wad of such thickness that you duplicate the 45 ACP powder room. If the wad and this or that factor run the pressure up a bit, no sweat, the 454 was designed to take a lot more pressure than the 45 ACP.

BTW, you slipped a decimal or something on the speed of sound.

Selmer · « **Reply #6 on:** January 28, 2004, 10:44:46 AM »

Thanks for the correction, I meant to say the speed of sound is around 1100 fps, not 110 fps, I missed a keystroke. Anyway, I took each of my rounds out today just to shoot them, they all hit a pop can at 25 yds with a little support, not a rest. The 255 was very little recoil and blast was about what a .22 LR is in a regular .22 LR pistol, so I was happy with that. The blast on the 300 gr. and 330 gr. was about the same, but a little more recoil. When I get some more money in my reloading budget, I'll pick up some Bullseye and give that a shot, but Unique is being good to me so far. I'll post target pics when I'm done grouping them this weekend, we'll see what I come up with.
Selmer

Bluedog · « **Reply #7 on:** January 29, 2004, 09:14:58 AM »

I have used unique and a 325gr bullet to get as low as 500fps, and they are very nice loads. I did not get good consistency with faster powders (velocity wise, my aim is not an issue because I have to be inside the barn to hit it anyhow). Unique is probably to the 454 what bullseye is to the 45 colt. Makes a nice target load with a fairly full case. It seems to pick up about 150fps with a magnum primer. This is with the "new improved, clean burning" Unique. I won't quote a charge from memory and I don't have them in front of me, but tonight if I get a chance I'll post some of my results. I use 2400 a lot too.

I use a 255gr gas check kieth and a 325 gr gas check RNFP almost exclusively for all 454 loads. You really need a gas check with the 454 lite casull (454LC) to prevent leading, no matter how you like to crimp. This is from a taurus, so your results may differ.