Rifle Powders for 45LC / 454 Casull?

[quickdtoo]

+1 on the Reloder 7. 

I'd be usin RL7 in the 45LC myself. 

Tim

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

I have only used Lil'gun in mine, but TB has got much better results from RL7.

Tim

Paco Kelly's done some pretty extensive .45 Colt testing through the years and he had this article a while ago:
 
http://www.leverguns.com/articles/paco/45coltlevergun.htm
 
Specifically for the Reloader7 Question, the section is towards the end of this article. 

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 have tested his data and found it spot on.  I shot my buck this year using RL7 under a 300 gr. XTP Magnum and it is a great combination.    I've also used his data in .32 Special, .223 Rem and 45-70, so I feel very confident of his research.

[RPRNY]

I cam across an interesting article of Glen Fryxell's (IHI Sixgunner Dec 1996) talking about using slower burning powders, chiefly Re7 and IMR 4198, in a "new" cartidge he was developing: the 45 KGF (Keith Gould Fryxell). This was essentially 45 Colt brass filled with these slower powders and topped by long seated 45-70 bullets swagged down to .454". He was shooting them from a 10" Contender and getting modest pressures (he "projected" 26,000 - 28,000 psi), moderate velocities, and reasonable expansion.

http://www.sixguns.com/crew/fryxell.htm

Of chief interest to me (he also shot AA1680 and H322 to less successful results) were the following:

Grier 350 gr hardcast FP
OAL 1.87"

27 grs IMR4198 => 1185 fps
27 grs Re7 => 1175 fps

Lyman 457193 (405 gr FP - his dropped at 415gr)
OAL 1.96"

24.5 IMR 4198 => 1090 fps
24 grs Re7 => 1085 fps

As he notes, these are near Springfield Trapdoor BP level loads. Pretty Interesting. Assuming another 300 fps ?  for a 20" Handi barrel, even more so.


Thoughts, observations, remarks, warnings?

Now, what about putting the same bullets seated long in the 454 Casull brass with nearly full loads, say the 350 gr over 31 grs of IMR 4198 and the 405 gr over 27 grs IMR 4198. Anyone with Quickload care to run some simulations?

And finally, from a load data perspective, how different is H4198 (which I have) from IMR4198 (which I do not)?
 

[tacklebury]

+1 Tim, thanks for helping me not have to look for it again.  hehe