New FA & Questions

[SingleFan]

Well I took the plunge.  Out driving around on biz and stopped into Cabelas - walked out with an FA83 MagnaPort Stalker 454 w/45acp cylinder.

Set up is a 10" (4) port bbl with a Bushnell 2 X 6 Elite setting on TSOB mounts.  To say it's pretty is an understatement.  I'm going to use up a little camo tape covering the 'jewelry'.  It's a Handgun Hunters International piece.  Jeweled Hammer & trigger, polished pins & screws, the parts of the trigger not jeweled are polished to mirror finish with polished bands on the barrel and top of the back strap, the gate is polished, the action has been tuned, micarta grips, and the bbl is finished off with a target crown.  The main frame is the field grade bead blasted finish.

Here are my questions:

What are your pet medium 454 loads...I've searched the forum and found some info, but tell me what YOU like.  I have some beartooth 280 gr WFNGC's I'll load for it (to shoot tomorrow)?

What other bullets do you find shoot well out of your FA 454....diameter, wieght, & design?

[msmith]

While I am FAR from being knowledgeable on the subject, I do have a FA model 83 in 454.

I am still experimenting, but this is what I have found so far:

21 or 22 grains of AA9 behind 250 gr Hornady XTP (not XTP mag). Managable recoil, good for farm pests and deer size game. Do not push this load over 1500 fps. This is a fun load to shoot and is economical. The 250 grain XTPs are not expensive at all, and can be found most anywhere. The Wal-Mart here has them.

36 to 39 grains of H-110 behind 240 gr Hornady XTP mag. This one is a hoot to shoot! Hand the gun to a friend to shoot and see the look in his eyes! If you are recoil sensitive, this is not the load for you. I took a Whitetail doe with this load last year and it works. I thought that while shooting game in the woods, I wouldn't notice the sound. Wrong! This load hurt my ears.

21 to 23 grains of AA9 behind Penn Bullets lead 270 grain Thunderhead. This load is fun to plink with. Recoil is managable. I would imagine that this would be good for deer size game.

31 grains of H-110 behind Penn Bullets lead 270 grain Thunderhead. This is another one that is not for the recoil sensitive. Definitely good for deer and other farm pests.

I cannot comment on accuracy as I only shoot iron sights off hand. I am still getting used to this hand cannon. So far, the latter load shows the most promise as I have been able to contain a 25 yard 10 shot group enough that I can cover it with my fist, about 2.5 x 4 inches.

All of these loads were taken either directly from the FA book that come with my gun, from speaking with FA representatives, or from Penn Bullets.

As a note: I am not sure about other brands, but the FA 454 has a twist rate of 1 in 24. If you slow the velocity to much less than 1400 fps, accuracy will suffer. These guns were meant to squirt bullets out fast, up to 2000 fps with a 240 grain XTP mag bullet. High velocity is where these guns shine.

[palgeno]

My FA .454 Casull is also a 10 incher with the 4 ports----VERY loud with any load---I use plugs and muffs together. I tried the Penn 270's and could not get decent accuracy whether loaded mild or hot  . The Hornaday 300gr. XTP Mag bullets are phenominal in my gun. :grin:  Starline brass, CCI mag primers and 31 gr. H110. Velocity is 1700 fps and from a heavy bag will go under an inch at 100yds. They make clean holes in whitetails without expanding (although they will open up in a hog if shot through the shoulder.)--- Kills 'em dead anyhow. :twisted:   pg

[msmith]

I may have to give the Hornady 300 grainers a shot. Like I said, I cannot comment on accuracy since I shoot off hand. I get shakey but at 35 yards, am keeping 90% of my shots inside of an 8 inch circle, and probably 60% of them are in a 5 1/2 inch shoot-n-c target. I figure when I get good, then I can worry about loads that I can cut holes with.

My 83 is the Premier with micarta grips and a 7 1/2 inch non ported barrel. I kinda wish I had gone with a 6 inch barrel. I think the 7 1/2 is a little long...but I like it.  :-)

[MS Hitman]

Congrats on the new FA.  If you have not done so, go to the FA website and print out a copy of their load data.  The data lists the FA bullets, but I have found it works well for other bullet makes.  I have found WW231 and 265 cast SWC bullets to be a very accurate and effective out of both my 10" and 7.5" barrel revolvers.  Can't put my hands on the chrono data just now, but it's around 1000 fps if memory serves me correctly.  My 10" is not ported, but I have the same make scope on it.  It will do 1 1/4- 1 1/2 inch groups at 100 yards just because that's only as tight as I can hold it.  

The 250 grain XTP is a good bullet, just keep it under 1600 fps.  The 300 grain XTP-Mag is very accurate as well.  I have run the 260 FA JSP bullets to nearly 2000 fps, but it is not a very pleasant load to shoot.   I like to use the Speer 260 JHP ahead of 32.0 grains of 296.  This is 2.0 grains below the new load data, but shoots very well and clocks just under 1650 fps out of my 7.5".  It is another 1 1/2 " and under load at 100 yards for my 10".  Similar weight Cast Performance bullets give the same accuracy with a bit more velocity.

My only complaint is the loads are loud whether it's a light practice/plinking load or a full house hunting load.

[44 Man]

Just a quick word of advise.  Try several loads and determine the one that meets your needs (deer, hogs, etc) the best.  When you find the one that works for you, adjust your sights and use only that load from then on.  It stops the confusion about "did I re-zero my sights to this load last time?"  Every time you pick up that gun, you will know where it will shoot.  And using that load for all of your shooting will keep you sharp as to trajectory etc.  Each of my guns are sighted for a specific load and that is what I shoot in that gun.  If I want to shoot a lighter load, I use a different gun sighted in for it.  Just my 2 cts.   44 Man

[RCL]

SingleFan, take those Beartooth 280's and load them in some Starline .45 Colt cases over 23-24 grains of H110 with a CCI 350 primer. Should make for a good mid-range load in your FA. I've gotten good results with a similar load in mine. Just make sure you give your chambers a good cleaning before you go shooting .454 rounds again. Good shooting!  

[Graybeard]

The Hornady 250 XTP is NOT made for use in the Casull. IT is the bullet for use in the .45 Colt. Use the 240 Mag XTP for the Casull.

Speak with Bob some time at FA and ask him about using those soft bullets at full pressure levels he lists for his FA bullets. Says they will crack the forcing cone and has even seen a barrel split the full length from it. He says NONE of the other jacketed bullets are hard enough to usse his data for FA bullets with. In my own opinion the Sierra bullets seem as hard as the FA bullets and sure don't expand at all on deer and just plow thru like hard casts. But Bob says nope they are not as hard and shouldn't be used at full FA bullet load. Wreck your gun if you wish but be aware you're voiding your warranty in the process.

GB

[msmith]

GB,

You are correct. The 250g XTPs are not to be used at full pressure levels. That is why MS Hitman and I made the disclaimer of not pushing them past, I said 1500 fps, and he said 1600 fps.

The load I use with the 250s is just a hair over 1400 fps. I got this load from Cory at FA directly so I don't have a problem using it. I have talked with Mr. Bob Baker and yes, soft bullets will erode or crack a forcing cone. The loads I have that have some "bark" to them are using the 240g XTP mag bullets, the FA bullets, or the Penn "casull alloy" lead bullets (on the milder hot side if there is such a thing... 1600 to 1700 fps).

I don't want to wreck my gun that's for sure, so I adhere to what the experts recommend.

[dvnv]

I have had good luck with the Nosler HGP 260 gr with 33-33.5 gr of H110.  It runs +/- 1,700 fps out of my 7.5" and accuracy is good in mine. Seems to thump critters hard...YMMV, dvnv