45LC rifle

[bishopgrandpa]

Anyone had any luck with a 300 gr. cast in 45LC H&R? I have a 300GC rcbs that needs to be used.

[silver surfer]

Wow what a timely post!  I just got off the phone with the wife and my youngest wants a "Buffalo Rifle" like mine.  He also wants a 45 LC.  I think this little baby would do the trick!  Does anyone think it dangerous to load one of these up into the upper limits of 45/454 range?  I would like him to feel confident if we were Hog hunting.  A 45LC will do the job, but a 454 Casull will do it quicker .  Advice would be appreciated.

God Bless and Godspeed.
Mike

[Dee]

I live in the heart of hog country, in North Central Texas, I would feel REAL confident with a rifle in 45LC. But I also feel confident with one in 357mag loaded to 1900fps, with a 158 grain bullet, and I have killed some hogs pushing 400lbs. I had a 4570 for a while, but became concerned with over-penetration when hunting with friends and their dogs.
A 45LC rifle in my personal opinion would make a splendid hog or deer, or black bear gun in close, and elk for than matter if the range was under 100 yds.jmo

[quickdtoo]

I've not shot any 300gr loads in mine yet, but I've shot the 250gr Speer Gold Dot and 250gr Hornady SST at 1900+fps with max FA/Ruger loads, there's room to go higher and I'll be working on that soon with Starline brass instead of Hornady just for fun, I've got some Linebaugh data to work with too, but I'm also working on a rechamber to 460 S&W, but no one rents a reamer for it, as soon as Fred at 4D gets one in, my gunsmith will do the rechamber for me, he's already done 3 to Casull, was going to do it first, but decide to wait for the 460.

Tim

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,127218.msg1098457259.html#msg1098457259

[GrampaMike]

45 Colt Carbine Cast Bullet Tests.

20” Stock rifle plus a 1-4x32mm Bushnell scope, from a bench at 50 yards.

Winchester brass with WLP primers used with all loads.  Cases trimmed to 1.275”.

I only used gas-checked cast bullets because of the pressures involved.  Used the pressure limits (16,100 - 28,300 PSI) of the 45 Colt loads in current manuals for Ruger, Dan Wesson, Thompson Center, I added our Carbine into this group based on the opinions of the knowledgeable of this forum.  I tried every powder listed in my manuals.  Chronograph used to come up with velocities, software used for PSI values and load densities.

300 grain hard cast bullets tested are:

Beartooth 300gr LFN GC .452  C.O.L. 1.690

   Most accurate 24.6 grains of Hodgdon LilGun
   Velocity averaged 1653 fps; 92% Load Density; 26,446 PSI

   Next accurate 21.1 grains of Vihtavuori N110
   Velocity averaged 1527 fps; 97% Load Density; 23,645 PSI

Beartooth 300gr WFN GC .452  C.O.L. 1.595

   Most accurate 14.8 grains of Vihtavuori N105
   Velocity averaged 1417 fps; 85% Load density; 24,146 PSI

   Next accurate 22.4 grains of Hodgdon LilGun
   Velocity averaged 1576 fps; 97% Load Density; 26,245 PSI

Beartooth 300gr WLN GC .452  C.O.L. 1.675

   Most accurate 23.7 grains of Hodgdon LilGun
   Velocity averaged 1622 fps; 94% Load Density, 26,12 PSI

   Next accurate 16.1 grains of Vihtavuori N105
   Velocity averaged 1481 fps,; 85% Load Density; 26,509 PSI

The most accurate 300 grain is the Beartooth WFN GC with 14.8 grains of Vihtavuori N105.  50 yards gives me a 10 shot group of one ragged hole.  I tried other bullet weights but the question was for 300 grain. 

I have all the Laser Cast True Shot bullets (only gas check) and most of the Beartooth gas checked.  My order for Cast Performance bullets have not arrived yet.  If anyone can recommend any others Brands, I would like to try them.  I just started using cast bullets, just don’t cast my own, use all my extra time loading and shooting.

Mike

[quickdtoo]

Western Bullet has a 325gr .452" FNGC bullet that should work for ya and is priced right at $10 per 50 for testing purposes.

Tim

http://westernbullet.com/cbip/cbip.html

[bishopgrandpa]

GrampaMike -- Thanks, that gives me a starting point.

[Fred M]

The 45lLC and the 44 mag has always intrigued me since many years ago I hunted with a S&W 29 Handgun. I killed quite a few deer a black bear and a moose with it, and lots of ground hogs when I lived in Ontario. With a membership in a pistol club you were allowed to hunt with your handgun.

This no more allowed, subsequently I sold the 44 and the 357 S&W.

I think a Handi would make a nice tree stand gun. But since the 44Mag had such an oversized bore .433 I never bought one, because factory ammo at .429" would not shoot well in a bore of that size.

Has H&R improved the bore size of the 45 and the 44 to shoot factory ammo
well, since I would not plan on hand loading?

[LaOtto222]

Fred - The new 44 magnums have a better bore size. They are being reported at .429 and .430. The new ones have a much better reputation for accuracy with standard sized bullets. The 45 Long Colt when loaded by hand will out do a 44 Mag. in the energy department. If you are going to buy factory loads exclusively, the 44 Mag is the way to go, the 45 is not loaded very heavy due to the old/weak guns still in circulation.

[Fred M]

Thanks LaOtto222.
This winter when I am down in the US I will scrounge up a barrel and
a laminated forearm to suit my 6x47 action. Or I may buy a new 44 Mag rifle
here?

[quickdtoo]

Fred,

Just make sure it's a 2007 production, those made before this year were overbore.

Tim

[georgeld]

G/Mike:
Great to have those loads. Copied them down as I intend to get a barrel for 45 colt one day.

Tim: have you tried cast w/o gc's??
I cast 250gr SWC's fairly hard and would like to know how they might work.

Great thread, thank guys,

George

[quickdtoo]

Haven't tried any unchecked cast bullets in any chambering except the 45-120 a long time ago.

Tim

[Fred M]

Tim
Perhap the 45LC would be best that way I get a new model HX I hope.
Though this may not materialize at all. Since my 375 Winchester does all that
45LC will do for me I might not get a 45LC barrel.

My 257 Handi gave me trouble again today, case head separation and no tool
with me to remove the case stuck in the chamber. There is never a dull moment with that rifle but it did shoot really well, even in the wind.

I got to through out all those old cases and make some new brass.

[whiteoper]

georgeld

I have shot both pure lead and wheel weight 250g boolits without gas checks.   I have had good results with little or no leading up to 1200 to 1300 fps.  Mostly my loads for the 45 run about 1100 fps as I also shot them in my NRV.

I find that I generally get about 200 fps more out of the 20 inch verses the 7.5 inch.

Roscoe