Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection, State Agency: Clays, Universal, HP38, HS6, HS7 and H4895 are products of Hodgdon Powders. Mail-in entries accepted; send postcards (no envelopes) to: GUNS Magazine, GOM April 2023, P.O. For comparison the above .44 Magnum factory loads (which are admittedly conservative) have a TKO factor only slightly higher at 17.35. Do Pistols Benefit From Popular Aftermarket Modifications? When using a revolver with large throats, there are solutions to improve accuracy. Camp Guns: Sometimes Perfect, Other Times Not But Often Essential! When the new 454 Magnum revolvers (as they were first called) arrived, however, the brass was lengthened so it could not be used in standard 45 Colt sixguns. The original .45 Colt bullet profile is known as a truncated cone or round nosed flat point (RNFP). I have been surprised by the fact the Marlin feeds Keith-style bullets perfectly. What the John Wick is 9mm Major, Anyway. Mail-in entries accepted; send postcards (no envelopes) to: GUNS Magazine, GOM March 2022, P.O. Energy in foot-pounds (ft-lbs) is not a good method to measure a straight-walled cartridges effectiveness, particularly when using nonexpanding bullets. Winners will be notified by certified mail on official letterhead. Handgun Data. However, the first known commercial listing is found in the 1880 UMC catalog. For handloaders shooting modern Colt SAAs that feature oversized throats and want to use modern cast and jacketed bullets, the best option is to change cylinders with one that is chambered correctly. Moving up to the second level, loads at around 1,000 fps with the same-weight bullet are used in the Colt New Frontier, Smith & Wesson Model 25/625, Ruger Flat-Top New Model, and the Ruger New Vaquero. There were no 45 Colt heavyweight bullets available at the time, so we sized down 300-grain 45-70 bullets in several stages, going from around 0.460 inch to 0.452 inch. Georgia Department of Natural Resources, State Agency: The (top) Model 25-5 has .458-inch throats while the (bottom) Model 25-5 has .451-inch throats and is far more accurate. All entries must be received by giveaway end date. It is often associated with its vital role in settling the western frontier, where it found favor with lawmen, outlaws and anyone that needed a potent sixgun. Keiths #454424 was an excellent bullet, but it has been improved by Dave Scovill and is offered by RCBS as #45-270SAA. Unique is better. Data can be searched by cartridge name, powder name, and bullet weight. Most manufacturers have recognized the need to offer revolvers with correct throat dimensions including Smith & Wesson, Ruger, Uberti, USFA and others, but not Colt. All of the Keith-style bullets mentioned feed and chamber even though they have shoulders in front of the case. SWC), 853 (Powder UP see note) (Hi=872.5 Lo=827.5 Spread=45 fps)(some unburned powder), 802 (Powder DOWN see note) (Hi=809.2 Lo=792.6 Spread=16.6 fps). We are blessed to have many excellent cartridges and sixguns available to us, but it would be hard to find any cartridge that is as versatile as the old 45 Colt. It was submitted to the U.S. Army in 1872 and would become known as the Colt Single Action Army, Model of 1873, Peacemaker, Model P, Thumb Buster and a host of other affectionate names. S.A.A.M.I. Exactly when the .45 Colt factory load containing 250-grain bullets propelled by 40 grains of black powder was first offered is unknown, but it was probably assembled at the Colt factory. All entries must be received by giveaway end date. Elmer Keiths custom Colt single action was used to develop his heavy 44 Special loads in the late 1920s, and for a long time the 45 Colt cartridge was accused of being weak. It's like shooting a .38 special in a gun chambered for .357 magnum. Over the past 35 years all four of these leverguns have shot extensively with both jacketed and cast bullets. Keiths #454424 was an excellent bullet, but it has been improved by Dave Scovill and is offered by RCBS as #45-270SAA. FWIW Dale53 #Permalink 1 0 Load data for caliber ".45 Colt". Note that the "Ruger New Vaquero" uses a smaller frame and cylinder like original Colts. Again using 255-grain factory loads at 860 fps, the .45 Colt reaches a factor of 14.09, while select standard-pressure handloads containing 280-grain bullets pushed to 950 fps factor at 17.17. Iowa Department of Natural Resources, State Agency: The day of the percussion revolver would soon be over, and even Colt could see the future and began converting 1860 cap-and-ball sixguns to fire cartridges. For little more power I move up to the above-mentioned #454490 GC with 10.0 grains of Unique for just over 1,235 fps and groups of less than 1". Then something dramatic happened in 1869: Smith & Wesson brought forth the 44 American sixgun that used fixed ammunition. Box 502795, San Diego, CA 92150-1377. Colt191145. Associated taxes and fees are the responsibility of winners. (I) Giveaway ends May 31, 2023. Checked and verified, page 285, 4th Ed.Lyman cast bullet handbook. Everyone who has a Ruger Blackhawk or Freedom Arms single-action revolver realizes the roots of these modern guns go back to the Colt Single Action Army. Lyman has been an important name for shooters for well over 100 years. For several years Smith & Wesson cut throats at 0.455 inch or even larger, but now they seem to be running at a more proper 0.451 to 0.452 inch. Cast bullets can be sized to .455 inch (assuming the mould casts bullets large enough), which again helps to reduce bullet tilting in the throat. Giveaway prizes may have evidence of being test fired or exhibit minor handling marks. The original loading was a bullet of approximately 255 grains with a muzzle velocity of somewhere around 850 to 900 fps. In fact, an axiom with me is, When all else fails, try IMR 4227 before giving up. Years ago, after tiring of oversized 45 Colt chambers in Colt Single Action Army revolvers and New Frontiers, I started with a 357 Magnum New Frontier, had the cylinder rechambered properly and tightly to 45 Colt, and then had a new 4.75-inch Colt New Frontier barrel fitted. (I) Giveaway ends December 31, 2022. The final level includes custom five-shot Rugers and the Freedom Arms Model 83. Any time I have a 45 Colt that doesnt shoot the way I think it should, I dont give up until I try this load of IMR 4227 with Keiths bullet. Employees and agents of Publishers Development Corp. are not eligible. This Colt SAA .45 was manufactured in 1893 and saw extensive use on the frontier prior to being professionally restored. My brass of choice is Starlines excellent 45 Colt brass with CCI 300 Large Pistol primers for all powders, except I switch to CCI 350 Magnum Pistol primers with IMR 4227, H110, W296, and all black powder and black powder substitutes. All Rights Reserved. (WC= WadCutter, SWC= Semi-WadCutter, HP= Hollow Point, RN= Round Nose, FMC= Full Metal Case, FMJ= Full Metal Jacket, JHP= Jacketed Hollow Point and if GC indicated, means Gas Check at bottom of lead bullet), Loads for .45 Colt: No data for RX7 and this bullet in the 1886 Winchester & 1895 Marlin section. However, it cannot be approached the same as smokeless. The 45 Colt brass was up to the task. This database has 6400 loads for cast bullet loads. It is loaded not by weight, but by volume. My most used powders for these loads are #2400, #9, #4227 and H110. The Freedom Arms Model 97 also is in this group. As always there are occasional exceptions, including two guns manufactured in 1900 and 1902 that slugged .458 and .453 inch, respectively, but they seemed to be more out-of-spec than the normal. No substitutions or transfers to third parties allowed. No substitutions or transfers to third parties allowed. Not only do the Hodgdon folks offer excellent powders, but also they are simply some of the nicest folks in the industry. Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, State Agency: Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife, State Agency: For the 45 Colt, I especially prefer the 250-grain RNFP and the 255-grain SWC. The charge weight is 9.2 grains. Use a COL at 1.572". now im looking for top performance load data to ass to my load data book for this caliber. The original conical bullet found in black powder 45 Colt loads from the 1870s is very close to the Lyman #454190 and the RCBS #45-255 FN. 2020, Lyman Products Corporation, printed in U.S.A. All other trademarks in this catalog are the property of their respective owners. In part one of this series we saw the history of .45 Colt leverguns, which turned out to be quite recent, beginning in the early 1980s. For developing the accompanying data, a 1970 vintage (second generation) Colt New Frontier SAA with 5.5-inch barrel was. (See note on NEW Nitro 100 powder at bottom of page). Employees and agents of Publishers Development Corp. are not eligible. Winners will be notified by certified mail on official letterhead. The Colt SAA .45 Colt with a 4.75-inch barrel ranks as one of Brians favorite handgun configurations. And about 1450+fps out of the 20" 454 Puma Levergun. Below you'll find some basic data for each cartridge to help get you started. H110 works well for heavy bullet loads in the .45 Colt levergun. His #452490GC was originally made for the 45 Auto Rim cartridge for use in the Smith & Wesson 1950 Target revolver, but I also use the Thompson design, which weighs around 255 grains, for heavy-duty loads approaching the energy of the 44 Magnum in the Ruger Blackhawk. There are some excellent jacketed bullets available for use in the 45 Colt, including the Sierra 240-grain JHP,Hornady250-grain XTP-JHP, and the Speer 260-grain JHP, all of which I prefer for deer-sized game. I use the same industry measurement as the .45 ACP .470 inch. This is a plain base bullet and I found out very quickly it was not very accurate in either rifle. Elmer Keiths custom Colt single action was used to develop his heavy 44 Special loads in the late 1920s, and for a long time the 45 Colt cartridge was accused of being weak. All Freedom Arms cylinders are held to very tight tolerances and whether using 45 Colt or 454 Casull brass, I size with a special 454 die. Note that the Ruger New Vaquero uses a smaller frame and cylinder You can certainly use the Jacketed bullets fine, but dont look for incredible speeds. A Redding Dual Ring Carbide sizing die was used to develop handload data. It is just a guide and the reason you should start under these charges and work up. Join over1 million subscribers and get the latest deals from HunterHub, Winchester USA Ready Large Pistol Primers Box of 1000 (10 Trays of 100), Remington Small Pistol Primers #1-1/2 Box of 1000 (10 Trays of 100), Federal Premium Gold Medal AR Match Grade Small Rifle Primers #GM205MAR Box of 1000 (10 Trays of 100), Winchester Small Rifle Primers #6-1/2 Box of 1000 (10 Trays of 100), Federal Premium Gold Medal Small Rifle Match Primers #205M Box of 1000 (10 Trays of 100), CCI Primers #209M Shotshell Magnum Box of 1000 (10 Trays of 100), Federal Premium Terminal Ascent Great Accuracy and Performance, Large Pistol Primers Or Small Pistol Primers- Things To Know Before You Buy, Enlighten yourself with Vital Information about the top tactical medicine in USA. Sep 8, 2016 (Edited) Greetings, recently I received a quantity of .45 185 gr LSWC's. Two other powders for standard loads include W231 and HP-38. Here is what Lyman #4 has to say on 45 Colt, maximum Unique , standard pressure loads: Lee 452-200-RF , 200 gr. The Colt fanciers had .45's, usually in the New Service model, unless they were cowboy fans who had SAA's. The guys that worked in the paper mills and machine shops had 1917's. If you want-ed a handgun with power, the GI surplus .45 ACP in the 1917 was the only thing you could afford to shoot as reloading "ca'tridges" was unknown. I shot all kinds of bullets and powders from my 45 colt from 200gr to 350 gr trying to find something that was better than the other. (II) Limit one (1) entry per household; multiple entries will disqualify entrants. Jeff Bradley shows off the Modern Hunting Rifle (MHR) from Christensen Arms at SHOT Show 2023. No substitutions or transfers to third parties allowed. In addition to outstanding terminal performance and accuracy in guns with correct internal dimensions, it offers low pressures, mild muzzle report and controllable recoil, all of which make it especially practical for an outdoorsman who uses a sixgun daily. However, it cannot be approached the same as smokeless. A quote from Lyman Reloading Handbook, 49th Edition states, The grooves of pre-World War II revolvers normally measure .454 in diameter. With the 45 Colt, IMR 4227 is almost magical in being able to provide excellent accuracy when other powders will not. California Department of Fish & Wildlife, State Agency: You may wish to peruse the list of cartridges first as many times the difference in 45-70 and 45/70 may mean finding data or drawing a blank. It served me well while riding the ranch on horseback, running a trap-line, hunting big game, varmints and pests, etc., and it even saved my skin a time or two. The weight would more properly be closer to 32 grains. The Colt Single Action Army, Colt New Frontier, Ruger New Model Flat-Top, Ruger New Vaquero, and Smith & Wesson Model 25/625 are all very close strength-wise. North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, State Agency: Incidentally, the U.S Cartridge Company first listed a 255-grain bullet with 35 grains of black in 1882, but. Nitro 100, No.2, No. (II) Limit one (1) entry per household; multiple entries will disqualify entrants. No purchase necessary. My maine load is the Lyman 454190 cast of ww + 2% tin. For example, the most recent Speer Reloading Manual Number 15 states, Prior to 1945, most .45 Colt revolvers had a bore diameter of .454 inch. El Hombre Sin Nombre Members 6.3k Gender:Male Location:Oakland, CA SASS# 101096 Richmond Roughriders, Coyote Valley Cowboys, Faultine Shootist Society,Two Rivers Posse, River City Regulators Posted February 18, 2017 To protect the privacy and security of winners, names will not be made public. One problem inherent with the original #454424 was the fact that when sized to 0.451 to 0.452 inch, the crimping groove almost disappears. Quality 300-grain jacketed bullets are also offered by all three of these manufacturers. For loading black powder 45 Colt loads, I use Goex as well as Pyrodex and Triple Seven. Normal powders vary quite a bit and also have a larger spread between shots. Reference to Powder UP and Powder DOWN is to actually shake the gun in an up or down position before firing each round and gently bring the gun to the horizontal and shooting. HS7 is slowest of the group (Similar to 2400) They are my choice for everyday use and also for hunting larger, tougher game. The availability of all of these bullets is dependent on how much time I have to cast my own. The other problem, that of cylinder throat diameters, centers around the fact that they vary considerably. barrel differ from a 4 4/5 revolver by It has many additional virtues, primarily its big-bore performance and reliability. But in guns with large throats, dont expect top accuracy from any bevel-base bullet. This is a plain base bullet and I found out very quickly it was not very accurate in either rifle. models. I also have been having good luck lately with 10.0 grains of HS-6 and 250- to 260-grain bullets, which duplicates the performance of the early black powder loads. The powder is Herco. I would think that the load you are using would be safe. The .45 Colt is a grand cartridge that has survived because it is so good. For the 45 Colt this is the Single Action Army revolver. I soon developed an appreciation for reliable performance on game using. However, there are two problems associated with it: case capacity and cylinder throat diameters. I have found 5.0 grains of Clays under a 250-grain bullet delivers a very pleasant-shooting load at 725 fps and will group all its shots in 0.63 inch at 20 yards. The Lyman bullet 452651 GC will cast 20-1 at about 325 grains including gas check. But keep in mind, both Lyman and Alliant publish only standard pressure loads for the 45 Colt. Share to Reddit. Pyrodex P is the equivalent of Triple-F or FFFg black powder. Contrary to popular belief, the Mason patented spring-loaded, cylinder-pin release catch first appeared in 1896 around serial number 164,000, which were still black powder guns. Contest open to U.S. residents only. While only sporadically available as a component, the Remington .456-inch 250-grain lead hollowbase bullet will obturate to minimize bullet tilting. With my alloys this bullet runs around 280 to 285 grains while at the same time having a slightly shorter nose than the original Keith design so it fits in all Colt cylinders. (See note on Powders below or read all about various Powders.) In ranking the various 45 Colt sixguns now in production from the least strongest to that capable of a handling the heaviest loads, I would set the following order. This is a great all purpose load for the .45 Colt. .449 inch to .460 inch, and Smith & Wessons from .451 to .458 inch. * which is just a little over maximum Colt loads (but mild for Ruger) shot an average of 880.2 fps pointing up and 708.0 fps pointing down, but the spread between shots was 146 fps and 235 fps respectively. When Ray Thompson was designing his line of bullets, he did not neglect the 45. On paper, the 357 Magnum was the first cartridge to exceed the 45 Colts muzzle energy, but many knowledgeable sixgunners, Elmer Keith included, believed the 45 Colt actually offered more practical power than the First Magnum. Today, it remains one of our most popular sixgun cartridges. Rhode Island Department of Fish & Wildlife, State Agency: Any time I have a 45 Colt that doesnt shoot the way I think it should, I dont give up until I try this load of IMR 4227 with Keiths bullet. West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, State Agency: The top of the can says NOT FOR HANDGUN LOADS. 2021. Winners must respond within 30 days of receiving notification or an alternate winner will be selected. Cast bullet loads in the Marlin .45 Colt all the power and accuracy No purchase necessary. In 1898, Colt made the necessary changes to permit its guns to be used with smokeless powders; however, it wasnt until 1900 (revolvers with serial number 192,000 or higher) that Colt began to officially warrant its guns for such. Wolfe Publishing Company | 2180 Gulfstream Suite A | Prescott, AZ 86301. This significantly improved its accuracy when compared to the original cylinder with its typical oversized throats, and resulted in increased velocity. Space constraints keep me from looking at all of these powders in depth, but I can cover a few. Reloading data is available as low as 99 per cartridge or as a subscription for $19.99. (I) Giveaway ends February 28, 2023. RNFP), 1007 MAX+ (Actual in 7 1/2 bbl 255 gr. Nebraska Game & Parks Commission, State Agency: Lyman now offers it as #452424, and it is a 255-grain bulletor thereabouts, depending upon the alloy used. Two other powders for standard loads include W231 and HP-38. Using a 250-grain cast bullet, 37.5 grains by volume of Pyrodex P results in a very potent 987 fps and a five-shot, 50-foot group of 0.88 inch in my revolver. So if one used 40 grains by weight of Pyrodex when the chart called for 40 grains of black powder, the result would be an overloaded charge. Deployed military should use stateside address. Then something dramatic happened in 1869: Smith & Wesson brought forth the 44 American sixgun that used fixed ammunition. im leaning towards the ruger blackhawk bisley 45 long cot 5.5 barrel. Addeddate 2019-02-27 13:08:05 Identifier LymanReloadingHandbook48thEdition2002Ocr_201902 Identifier-ark ark:/13960/t9093sd5t Ocr ABBYY FineReader 11.0 (Extended OCR) Western Powders (Accurate and Ramshot) are about the only ones publishing higher pressure 45 Colt cast bullet data. I soon added single-cavity molds for the .45 Colt and .38 Special. Employees and agents of Publishers Development Corp. are not eligible. His 45 Colt bullet was #454424 and was available for decades from Lyman. For loading black powder 45 Colt loads, I use Goex as well as Pyrodex and Triple Seven. youd need for most critters in the lower 48. My connection with Lyman goes back more than 50 years when I loaded my first ammunition using the No. In actual weight, Pyrodex is lighter than black powder, being about 80 percent of the weight of black powder. Factory warranties may apply in some cases. Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources, State Agency: Survival, Banned, Training, Load, reloading, powder Collection folkscanomy_defense; folkscanomy; additional_collections Language English. When the Marlin and Winchester Trappers first arrived in the early '80s, the #1 45 Colt bullet was still Elmer Keith's #454424 weighing about 260 grains from my alloy. I didnt realize how many different powders from Hodgdon I use in loading the 45 Colt until I began putting this article together. One problem inherent with the original #454424 was the fact that when sized to 0.451 to 0.452 inch, the crimping groove almost disappears. Bullet sizes vary from .450 for jacketed to .454 for some lead in diameter. .45 Colt Keith bullets: Lyman #454424 (264 gr. For the 45 Colt this is the Single Action Army revolver. Technical Specifications (based on the respective safety standard - see more details in tab "Datasheet" if available) Caliber: .45 Colt. A pair of Old Model Blackhawks with 4-5/8 and 4-3/4 barrels put five rounds in 1 at 20 yards while traveling at about 800 fps. : .451" Be Alert: Publisher cannot be responsible for errors in published load data. Not only do the Hodgdon folks offer excellent powders, but also they are simply some of the nicest folks in the industry. Be very careful using the loads for Ruger and T/C (Thompson Contender) as these are maximum loads, even for these strong guns. No substitutions or transfers to third parties allowed. Most of the accompanying handloads are within industry overall length guidelines at 1.600 inches or less; however, a few loads exceed that length (including Hornadys FTX factory load). But the 45 Colt is a survivor. top notch work!! During Lyman's long history in the manufacture of uality reloading euipment, the most freuent uestion we received from our customers was when is Lyman you use any of these loads listed below with STARS (*). within an inch or 2 of each other at 50 yards. His #452490GC was originally made for the 45 Auto Rim cartridge for use in the Smith & Wesson 1950 Target revolver, but I also use the Thompson design, which weighs around 255 grains, for heavy-duty loads approaching the energy of the 44 Magnum in the Ruger Blackhawk. In his classic 1955 book Sixguns by Keith, Elmer Keith stated, As one grows older and his hair starts to turn grey, his respect for this grand old load increases. References: Accurate Arms Co. 1996 Reloading booklet Alliant Powder Co. Reloaders Guide (1995) Hodgdons Basic Reloaders Manual (1996) Speer Reloading Manual, #12 Winchester Reloading Components Manual, 14th edition Lyman Piston & Revolver Reloading Handbook, 2nd edition. I can not find any reliable load data for Blue Dot with cast bullets. Over the nearly 15 decades since its arrival, there have been many attempts to pronounce it dead. Even with their short barrels, they still carry nine rounds in the tubular magazine. Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, State Agency: i even just recieved an awsome holster rig new,lined,scroll work, you name it , looks fantastic quality for only 40.00,,,got hooked up with this awsome lady on ebay,whos selling them for a friend who makes them. By the standards of the day when it arrived in 1873, and even to this day, the 45 Colt was and is a powerful cartridge. Alabama Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. With their 16 barrels the Winchesters weigh right at 6 lbs. These Lyman loads are conservative made for older guns. The 9.2 got the best SD and EP, if that means much to you. The 45 Colt brass could handle the pressures, but standard sixguns could not. Colt single actions are right around 0.454 inch. Copyright. Its also a good choice for hunting. The Oregon Trail 250-grain RNFP bullet should be seated with an overall cartridge length of 1.570 to 1.580 inches, depending on case length. Soon after smokeless powder came into use, throats were increased to .4555 inch (according to Colt specifications), which worked fine with .456-inch lead hollowbase bullets contained in Remington and Winchester ammunition. Jacketed bullets are also more difficult to push down the bore and therefore produce less velocity than a cast bullet of equal weight. Colt single actions are right around 0.454 inch. There are now 25 states with so-called Constitutional carry and Florida appears to be approaching permitless carry, which translates to more citizens S&W Set The Bar For Magnum Handgun Performance 50 Years Ago.