Author Topic: Heavy bullet for 45 Colt (Read 1183 times)

jpuke · « **on:** April 23, 2003, 12:15:01 PM »

Does anyone out there shoot heavy bullets in their 45 Colt? I've been shooting a 340 gr load over 13.5 of 2400 - it's a good load. I've worked it up to 17.5 without any signs of high pressure (but I read an article by John Taffin, I think, that said high pressure indicators aren't easy to spot in hot 45 loads) and the heavier load seems to be fine. Anyone think I'm pushing it?
I know lots of you guys are fans of H110 and W296, but if anyone has any extra insights as to bullets heavier than 300 grs in their 45 Colt - let me know.

Nobade · « **Reply #1 on:** April 23, 2003, 05:11:31 PM »

My favorite hot 45 Colt load uses the Lee 310gr. WFN (the one that looks like an LBT bullet) with the gascheck shank cut out to make it plain base. I load these over WC820, and usually run them around 1000 fps. I can easily break 1250 fps in my little 3.5" Ruger Sheriff model, but it's needlessly hard on the revolver and my hand. Just for grins once I ran some of the Lee 340gr. 45-70 bullets through a .452 sizer and loaded them over 2400. Don't remember how much but it was pretty mild. They were three feet high at 25 yards but hit right to point of aim at 200. I had a fun afternoon ringing our gong out there with my little pocket pistol and keeping the rifle guys amused.

Hcliff · « **Reply #2 on:** April 24, 2003, 04:57:27 AM »

I like H110 because I have had much better velocity. less variance and stanadard deviation, and less burnt powder residue that with 2400. 2400 has not worked well for me in many different cartridges ad well as other powders. The advamtage is that is does have different data that is lower that some other powders. I have been using Lil Gun also. This has shown great potential. Hornady and Hodgdon has great reloading data for the Ruger, TC and other strong guns. I shoot lots of LBT style bullets.

What gun are you shooting the 340 out of? How are your primers? Hodgdon's has the velocity for 1150-1250fps for data .

Hcliff

jpuke · « **Reply #3 on:** April 28, 2003, 02:46:18 PM »

I'm shooting my loads in a 45 Ruger Blackhawk convertible with a 5 1/2 inch barrel. My load is a kind of a funny one because I use a 340 gr paper patched bullet. The pre-patched diameter of the bullet is .446 and then I patch it in 16 lb. layout paper, lube the patch with Lee liquid Alox and size it down to .452. It's a lot of work but I don't worry about leading or the alloy that I'm using - and I get 3" groups at 25 yards. The primers come out with the edges still rounded and only a slight bit of flattening. I do seat the bullets out so the OAL is 1.75" - they fit in my Ruger cylinder just fine. If I had the money for a chronometer I'd tell you what the velocity is, wish I knew.

daddywpb · « **Reply #4 on:** May 10, 2003, 01:07:11 PM »

I use a 300 grain gas checked WFN over 15.5 grains of 2400. I don't have a chrono, but the manual says velocity should be about 1100 fps. They shoot great out of my 7 1/2" Bisley.

JohnK · « **Reply #5 on:** May 10, 2003, 02:42:22 PM »

I've done a bunch of shooting with heavy bullets in the 45 Colt, up to 400 grains but mostly in the 310-350 range.

http://www.handloads.com/articles/45coltheavybullets.asp

I'd suggest switching to Lil'Gun, or at least trying it out. I used to be a big fan of H110, burned I don't know how many pounds of it, but the testing I've done in the last year with Lil'Gun shows it to be more consistant than H110, often by quite a bit.

Castaway · « **Reply #6 on:** May 12, 2003, 04:35:20 AM »

Jpuke, are you using the Lyman 11 mm Spanish bullet?