Author Topic: 454 rifle loads (Read 1168 times)

scratchmark · « **on:** February 20, 2013, 01:45:32 PM »

tried finding previous posts but had no luck. I need some stout yet accurate loads for my 45/454 BC carbine.

kynardsj · « **Reply #1 on:** February 20, 2013, 01:57:38 PM »

www.hodgdon.com I loaded 300 gr XTP mags over a load of Lilgun when I had mine. Absolutely awesome.

tacklebury · « **Reply #2 on:** February 20, 2013, 03:56:13 PM »

300 gr. XTP Mags over 23 grains Reloader7 rifle powder.

jammer308 · « **Reply #3 on:** February 20, 2013, 04:32:33 PM »

how does this stack up in a 18-20" barrel? muzzle velocity and energy wise???

rdlange · « **Reply #4 on:** February 20, 2013, 04:33:37 PM »

http://www.reloadammo.com/454casull.htm

kynardsj · « **Reply #5 on:** February 20, 2013, 11:12:54 PM »

Data will be for a handgun so add about 300 fps to the speeds. Energy wise, as I mentioned before, absolutely awesome.

scratchmark · « **Reply #6 on:** February 20, 2013, 11:39:12 PM »

all ive got are 250grainers right now. trying to find anything for reloading around here is getting tough

dpe.ahoy · « **Reply #7 on:** February 21, 2013, 03:39:23 AM »

If those 250's are for regular 45 colt loads, be careful loading them up to 454 speed. Terminal performance may suffer if too fast, pressures can also raise with the softer jackets and core, just work up loads carefully. DP

Spanky · « **Reply #8 on:** February 21, 2013, 04:02:15 AM »

Get ahold of CWlongshot and pick his brain about the 45LC. He's spent alot of time loading for and shooting the 45 and knows what he's talking about. I used to shoot 44 mag. Handi's because I thought the 45 was gutless... ol CW made me see the light.

Needless to say... I don't own a 44 anymore but I've got a real nice 45 in the rack.

Spanky

nanuk-O-dah-Nort · « **Reply #9 on:** February 21, 2013, 04:41:40 AM »

Quote from: dpe.ahoy on February 21, 2013, 03:39:23 AM

If those 250's are for regular 45 colt loads, be careful loading them up to 454 speed. Terminal performance may suffer if too fast, pressures can also raise with the softer jackets and core, just work up loads carefully. DP

if they are in the range of about 12-15BHN, they should be fine!

kynardsj · « **Reply #10 on:** February 21, 2013, 10:24:38 AM »

I shoot a 45 LC in a 20 inch Encore. I started out with the 250 XTP's over a load of Lilgun. Very accurate but would come apart at the increased speed from a rifle when passing thru a deer. I switched to the 240 XTP Mags and don't have that problem anymore. That 454 in a rifle is a screamer, even with the 300 gr pills. You can easily get around 2000 fps. I doubt if the 250's are going to act right in them.

revbc · « **Reply #11 on:** February 21, 2013, 10:56:14 AM »

Here's a load for the 200 ftx, don't care for the bullet much.

nanuk-O-dah-Nort · « **Reply #12 on:** February 21, 2013, 08:46:55 PM »

revbc

looks pretty good

what distance? 200M??

cwlongshot · « **Reply #13 on:** February 22, 2013, 03:22:44 PM »

Hey there... I have one of these too!!

I lucked into a very good shooting load with a starting load of H110 and a 300G GD bullet!!

This was 5 shots at 50 yards. The bullet that dropped outta the group was me, not the gun or the loading.

The four holes that are chopped off, at the bottom of the picture are a different loading. Also a pretty good shooter, just not to the same P.O.A. as the H110 starting load.

CW

RPRNY · « **Reply #14 on:** February 22, 2013, 04:12:14 PM »

As mentioned above, if the 250s are Colt bullets or soft lead, they will not want H110 / W296 loads. If you have Trail Boss, @ 80% of case capacity (non - compacted) or Bullseye from SAA loads down to mousefart are things I would be looking at. 6.5 - 7.5 grs of Bullseye for example would be an area I would be looking at with lead. The more lead I shoot in. 452-.454, the slower I like it and the better it seems to go....

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2

cwlongshot · « **Reply #15 on:** February 23, 2013, 12:37:55 AM »

YES I AGREE!!

At least if your shooting game with them.

Early on I found that the Hornady FTX 200 bullet was very very accurate too!! Well, I shot a coyote with it, thru the ribs at about 40 yards broad side... The bullet left a horroffic hole IN THE BRISKET! The bullet TURNED on the ribs!!!! I have switched to the 250g bullets intended for the SoCom whos ballistics resemble the Cassull so preformance should be better.

I also tried the 200 FTX in the LC.. even there at 1600 fps it was pretty explosive. I have switched to the 225 thats designed for the LC... BUT have not yet tried them on game. But they all shoot very accurately!

The XTP bullets are a bit better, meaning they hold up to the higher velocities BETTER, but still NOT designed for the Cassull vels ESP from a longer NON VENTED rifle barrel.

Personally, if your shooting big game, stick with ''cassull'' designed bullets OR hard cast wide meplat slugs.

CW

hoytcanon · « **Reply #16 on:** February 23, 2013, 02:57:28 AM »

Quote from: cwlongshot on February 23, 2013, 12:37:55 AM

Early on I found that the Hornady FTX 200 bullet was very very accurate too!! Well, I shot a coyote with it, thru the ribs at about 40 yards broad side... The bullet left a horroffic hole IN THE BRISKET! The bullet TURNED on the ribs!!!!
Personally, if your shooting big game, stick with ''cassull'' designed bullets OR hard cast wide meplat slugs.
CW

Hey CW... I am sure that you have heard of "jumping the string..." as in a deer hearing the twang of a bowstring and crouching to leap away, only to have the arrow go over its back and miss completely even though the shot was bang on... you have to see it in slow motion to even tell what happened... it happens so quickly, that in the moment, the hunter is baffled at how he could have missed and shot that high... I say all that to say this... I have seen many coyotes on camera "jump the trigger..." NO, I am not saying that they hear the click of the trigger and beat the bullet... what actually happens is that the coyote is alerted and his senses are on high alert... when the hunter makes some minute movement at the moment of the shot (raisng and elbow, settleing into the sights, adjusting grip, or even a jerking motion at the trigger etc...) the coyote reacts by turning "inside-out" to flee... when the bullet gets there the coyotes body posture is entirely different than it was in the sight picture for the hunter when he squeezed the trigger... it happens so fast that your brain can't play "catch-up" and register the new image... and I say that to say, it is more likely that this happened with your coyote and the bullets path was into the ribs and through the brisket on an animal that was contorted to flee away, than it is to have had that heavy bullet deflect on the ribs and changed its path to that degree... the momentum of that big bullet is impressive and it really resists changing its path... it would likely blow right through the yote without slowing down very much at all... again, you would have to see this in slow-mo to believe how quickly an animal can react, even when only slightly alerted.

rdlange · « **Reply #17 on:** February 23, 2013, 05:05:15 AM »

The BC carbine was my first 'real' Handi. It would never shoot jacketed or 45LC store bought well. It slugged .454+, so I had to learn to reload and switched to lead. It did very well with .454 325gr GC bullets someone nice on this forum sent me. Used 4227 or 2400 as I recall. But then I got the 'disease' and bought a Maxi and a 45-70 and I haven't shot the 454 since. Thanks to whomever it was that sent me the bullets.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #18 on:** February 23, 2013, 06:54:45 AM »

Quote from: cwlongshot on February 23, 2013, 12:37:55 AM

I have switched to the 250g bullets intended for the SoCom whos ballistics resemble the Cassull so preformance should be better.

You mean 450 Bushmaster, don't ya?

The 458 SOCOM uses .458" bullets, although .458" bullets will chamber in my 460S&W, haven't tried .458"s in the other 45 Colt yet, it's still a virgin!

Tim

cwlongshot · « **Reply #19 on:** February 23, 2013, 07:28:11 AM »

Quote from: quickdtoo on February 23, 2013, 06:54:45 AM

Quote from: cwlongshot on February 23, 2013, 12:37:55 AM
I have switched to the 250g bullets intended for the SoCom whos ballistics resemble the Cassull so preformance should be better.

You mean 450 Bushmaster, don't ya? The 458 SOCOM uses .458" bullets, although .458" bullets will chamber in my 460S&W, haven't tried .458"s in the other 45 Colt yet, it's still a virgin!

Tim

YES, my misstake, the 450 Bushmaster!!

Thank you sir!!

Sure enough do know all about ''jumping the string''...More than one deer ran off with a arrow in its ass...

$:-\$

I have herd the anaelogy and seen slow motion dogs at impact too... Altho I cannot explain results, I have a hard time... extreamly hard time believing that any animal can move any appreciable amount after bullet impact... But it is a theory...

CW

hoytcanon · « **Reply #20 on:** February 23, 2013, 01:58:46 PM »

Quote from: cwlongshot on February 23, 2013, 07:28:11 AM

I have herd the anaelogy and seen slow motion dogs at impact too... Altho I cannot explain results, I have a hard time... extreamly hard time believing that any animal can move any appreciable amount after bullet impact... But it is a theory...
CW

You misunderstood me... they don't move "after" impact... they move in response to a cue from the hunter at the moment of taking the shot... animals are quick but they can't beat a bullet at 40 yards... not like they do with an arrow.

cwlongshot · « **Reply #21 on:** February 24, 2013, 01:56:18 AM »

Quote from: hoytcanon on February 23, 2013, 01:58:46 PM

Quote from: cwlongshot on February 23, 2013, 07:28:11 AM

I have herd the anaelogy and seen slow motion dogs at impact too... Altho I cannot explain results, I have a hard time... extreamly hard time believing that any animal can move any appreciable amount after bullet impact... But it is a theory...
CW
You misunderstood me... they don't move "after" impact... they move in response to a cue from the hunter at the moment of taking the shot... animals are quick but they can't beat a bullet at 40 yards... not like they do with an arrow.

Got-ya... But in this case, the bullet impacted where I aimed...

This guy was ''hunting'' down a stone wall working his way toward me. He was concentrating on the mice and chippies living in the wall when he crossed and was impacted with my 200g FTX.

If you remember my thread, its the one I broke my nose shooting left handed.

CW

kynardsj · « **Reply #22 on:** February 24, 2013, 02:05:17 AM »

Good shot but "OUCH" !

RPRNY · « **Reply #23 on:** February 25, 2013, 03:46:05 AM »

My 250 SST load (the Mini Bushmaster) is 35.2 grs of H110. It's a screamer and I have yet to use it on game but I think the 250 SST should handle @ 1,800 - 2,000 fps terminal velocities well.

tacklebury · « **Reply #24 on:** February 25, 2013, 03:38:25 PM »

The nice thing about Reloader7 is that I got about 400 more fps with less felt recoil than the H-110 loads I started with. I started on the rifle powder due to reading an article here:

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