Field report on Beretta Stampede

[Chris B.]

I just shot my 1st 100 rounds in my new stampede. I was surprised how little it kicked, it was very comfortable to shoot!  I was shooting 250 gr winchester cowboy ammo. The gun seemed very accurite, I was shooting at pop cans from between 30 and 40 yrds out and hit every time with no problem.  Is this good for a gun like this?  I tried to point shoot from the hip and had a little luck hitting targets about 10 yards out but still need a lot of practice!!! The gun performed flawlessly with no problems. I did notice a small "chip" in the frame just left of the hammer wher it seems like a "clear coat" is chipped and peeling. Do these guns have a clear coat on the frame? I'm not complaining as this is a using gun and will get scratches and nicks. I know I only shot 100 rounds but the gun was still tight like new. The last thing I shot was a steel plate made up of about 30 plates about the thickness of a dime(total thickenss aprox 1 1/2 inch) It was out of an old fan motor. I hit it from 30 yrds out and hit the corner and the bullet put a good bend in all the plates. I know this is not siencetific but it was still impressive and fun! I hate to get hit with this round! :eek:

Overall I like this gun a lot!!! It is built very well and is a very high quality firearm! I just wish it was as strong as a Vaquero so I could shoot +P hot loads but that is why I will buy the Ruger VQ!  :grin:

[Lloyd Smale]

sounds like a nice gun the clear coat was probably applied to protect the case harndening hopefully it wont flake off.

[44 Man]

Glad you like your gun, I'm thinking real hard about one of those.  Isn't it amazing what fat, heavy bullets will do at moderate velocity?  The .45 colt has always been a great stopper.  A fat, 250 gr bullet at about 900 fps will do anything you want to do.  Your cowboy load is advertised at 650 fps but the Winchester clocks 580 fps from my 5 1/2" Hartford, Magtech ammo does 615, and my favorite handload, 8.2 gr unique (with 250 cast) does 825 fps.  Read the article by Brian Pearce in Feb. Handloader magizine for some more input.  I used to want to push a cartridge as far a I could safely, but I find that is not necessary anymore.  You probably don't need that RV for hunting, unless you are doing Grizzly with it.  At 900 fps (9 gr unique) load will shoot thru any game animal in the U.S. with four hooves.  Skeeter Skelton shot a lot of mule deer with it and alway said it "killed all out of porportion to it's paper ballistics."  Enjoy that Stampede and don't worry about having to make it a "Magnum".    44 Man

[Glanceblamm]

My .45 Vaquero is shooting very well and have recently graduated from paper to metal plates. My best five shot group on paper was 1.338" at 25yds shooting offhand.

.44 man
You sure are right about the 250gr in the 900fps range. Was shooting at schedual 10 stainless plates, but had to weld two of them together because it would bend them up so badly. (have not got to try these yet)

About these +P loads...My Lyman manual reports very limited case life when using the T/C & Ruger loads. Say's many cases showed signs of longitude splits after only a few reloads.

Kind of makes me wonder if it is worth going there in the first place. Especially since my Hornady manual claims a safe 1,000fps with a 250gr bullet, Fed 150 primers, and 21.6gr Win 296
The test firearm was a Colt Buntline special with a 4-3/4" barrel. Final note said this barrel was indeed only 4 3/4 inch.

[Chris B.]

So where can I buy Factory 45LC that can do 900fps? Most of the boxes don't really say how powerfull the bullit is. Will the Stampede have any trouble handeling this kind of bullet safely?

I looked at some Cor-Bon +P in 45LC and it said to use the bullet in modern firearms in good condition, that is all it said. I saw nothing where it said for Rugers or other guns only. Will the Stampede handle these safely? Thanks again!

[DzrtRat]

Chris,

If your just looking for support to do something really stupid, then just do it.  You've been told by several guys that it's not advisable to shoot the heavy Cor-Bon loads in your handgun.  Those who've told you this DO know what they are talking about.

Since you're apparently not willing to take the majority's opinion on this, here's a quote from the Q&A page on Cor-Bon website.

Q: What guns can I use the 45 COLT Magnum loads in?

A: We use this criteria: Any model gun that is also offered in 44 Magnum will handle the Cor-Bon 45 COLT Magnum loads. The 45 COLT Magnum loads are loaded to 75-80% of 44 Magnum pressures. It must be used in modern hunting revolvers such as the Ruger Blackhawk and Redhawk, Freedom Arms revolvers, Colt Anaconda, T/C Contender and the lever guns that can handle this cartridge's longer length.
*NOTE* Never use the Colt Magnum loads in old guns or COLT single actions nor any COLT clone.  

You don't even have to take my word on what's in the quote.  Here's a link to their website so you can read their advice for yourself.

Then if you decide to shoot them in your Baretta pistola, you're on your own.

Good luck!

~Rat

[Chris B.]

[Chris B.]

No no no I believe you. I was told to look for a warning on the box about Rugers and all the Corbon box said was "use in modern firearms in good condition". There are so many types of ammo so I guess a Corbon is a corbon and to much for this gun! Got it!

It has not yet been said what is  the SAFE limit for a colt clone and this Stampede... 600fps, 700fps, 800fps, 900 fps, 1000 fps?

I'm sorry I have been so repetitive but I have always been a slow learner. I just want to make sure I'm going down the right path.

I really appreciate your help please forgive my thickness! :oops:  :lol:

[West Creek Charlie]

Hey Chris

The criteria to govern what type of loads to put in your gun are based on operating pressure as follows but doont quote me on the exact pressures - I'm going from memory here and just trying to give you the basic idea

45 colt - SAA - 20,000 psi
45 colt - ruger, TC corbon ammo Etc - 32,000 psi
44 magnum - 36-40,000 psi

Pressures are measured in several different ways - Pounds per Square Inch, Copper Units of Measure being the most common - you'll see loading manuals indicate PSI or CUP typically

Dont get them confused they both use measuremeents in the thousands and can be confusing for example the 45 colt will say 20,000 PSI in one manual and 14,000 CUP in another or even the same manual depending on what equipment they used to measure that particular load.

Get a Lee Loading manual and it will help you understand

The 45 colt is a less than 1000 fps gun with standard pressures for bullets in the 230-250 grain weights sometimes a little faster with lighter bullets. These would be maximum velocity out of a revolver. Most 250 grain full power factory ammo would be around 8-900 fps a 200 grain bullet full power factory load would be in the 900-1000 fps range out of a standard 7.5" barreled gun.

Guys with Rugers are getting 1100-1200 fps with the 45 colt

Since you dont reload your own ammo - just buy standard factory 45 colt ammo and you'll do just fine. Gun shows are a good place to get localy reloaded ammo that would be much cheaper than factory new ammo. Corbon is a major producer of high performance hunting ammo. There is also alot of factory cowboy ammo out there loaded to reduced velocity ranges for the cowboy action Shooting game

I paid $27.50 for one box of 45 colt ammo when I got my first Colt - that was the last time i bought any factory ammo. It was a real jump start to want to learn how to reload. I would guess relaods would be in the $10-12 range from a local reloader. Cabela's sells thier reloads for $15 a box of 50 which I think is just outrageous.

Anyway - good luck with your new gun and have fun - I shoot mine alot but I also reload my own ammo for about $3 a box

[Chris B.]

Thank you for the info! I'll get the book and read up! $3 a box!!!! I need to get that relaoder fast! The cheepest Factory ammo I found was $16 a box of 50.

[Gunruner]

I reloaded 100 rounds of .45 Colt today for $9.75 a box of 50 and that was using all new brass and commercial 255gr cast bullets.  The next time I reload with this brass it will be approx $3 a box of 50!  You must start reloading if you want to shoot alot inexpensively.  I started reloading in 1983 as I was shooting .41 Magnum and the cost for factory ammo back then was $27 per 50(wow).  I can say my Ruger single action never saw one round of factory ammo and it had more than 5,000 jacketed magnum loads when I retired it, due to frame stretch...............Mike

[44 Man]

Ok, here's a good start.  I prefer Unique for most of my reloading.  There are other powders out there, but it's been an old friend.  If I were starting new today, I would probably use Universal as it leaves you gun a little cleaner after shooting.  (Unique leaves a coating of graphite around the front of the cylinder and barrel.  Easy to wipe off if you do it as soon as you are done shooting.)  Brian Pearce and Dave Scovill have researched these loads a lot and a must buy for loading a modern Colt or clone is the book "Loading the Peacemaker" by Dave Scovill.  I believe it's out of print but I understand it can still be found.  It is the best investment for anyone wanting to do much shooting/loading for the Colt style guns.  This data is the old standby and is also in the book.  Any 250/255 gr bullet and 8 grains of Unique/universal will get you about 800 fps or a little more.  This is a great all around load.  9 gr of either will do 900+ in your Beretta.  For a hunting load use a SWC bullet (250 gr) and 20 gr of H4227.  This will bump near 1000 fps and is perfectly safe in colt/clones but is a max load.  This is a hunting load and recoil is stout!  You won't want to shoot this load all the time.  I shoot the 8 gr loads 95% of the time.  When I carry as a side arm when hunting, I use the 9 gr load.  The hunting load is reserved for deer hunting only when I plan to hunt with the pistol as my primary gun.  Enjoy.  44 Man

[Chris B.]

Thank you once againe gentelmen! This is exactly what I'm looking for! I'll try to find the book "loading the peacemaker" but if I can not find it what is the next best thing still in print? Thanks!

[bigjeepman]

Chris ...

First the Beretta Stampede .. the gunshop I frequent is selling them like "hotcakes." They are awesome looking pistols and the ones I looked at had nice "fit and finish." They have several models and they all looked good. I chose to go with the Ruger Vaquero because I have other Rugers that have performed very well for me and because of the feel and confidence it gave me when I held it. As you stated yourself in your original post, you understand you cannot use +P ammo in your Stampede.

As this great group has already stated, stay with Cowboy-type factory ammo and you will not have to be concerned about pressure problems. I highly recommend that if you start reloading for your Stampede, that you stick with "cowboy" loading recipes. If you ever purchase a Vaquero in the future, make sure you keep your reloads clearly identified so you do not shoot the hotter loads in your Stampede.

Have fun with your Stampede and be safe ....

[Chris B.]

Thank you for the added info! I appreciate it!