lyman reloading data 45 colt

Arkansas Game & Fish Commission, State Agency: 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). Giveaway prizes may have evidence of being test fired or exhibit minor handling marks. 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. 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 Because case capacity is large, trying to produce lighter loads with slow-burning powders can give very poor results. Bullet is .452 diameter. 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. Its also a good choice for hunting. It also is a most versatile powder as it can be used for standard loads for the Colt SAA and heavy loads for the Blackhawk. 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. These can be safely driven to 1,200 fps in the Ruger Blackhawk. New Mexico Department of Game & Fish, State Agency: However, it cannot be approached the same as smokeless. Lyman 49 says reloader 7 has been a long time favorite for .45-70. The Lee bullet works well in my Winchester (Miroku) 1873. On the other end are the Ruger Only loads. (I) Giveaway ends May 31, 2023. The company also distributes IMR and Winchester powders as well as Goex black powder. 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. It's like shooting a .38 special in a gun chambered for .357 magnum. you use any of these loads listed below with STARS (*). 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. I have used them to take big game, including mule deer and bears. In spite of the above factory loads featuring the old Government bullet profile with a relatively small meplat, they are still effective. The minimum load for a 200 gr cast SWC in 45 Colt is listed as 8.6 gr Unique for 918 fps. (I) Giveaway ends February 28, 2023. In 1935 we entered the Magnum Sixgun Era with the arrival of the 357 Magnum; however, long before that we had the 45 Colt. In actual weight, Pyrodex is lighter than black powder, being about 80 percent of the weight of black powder. In my opinion, throats that measure .452 inch are generally ideal with a variety of bullets. Contest void where prohibited by law. However, my first test with OLD Nitro 100 were very light, too light. moderate recoil and substantially less muzzle report. Employees and agents of Publishers Development Corp. are not eligible. Deployed military should use stateside address. Mail-in entries accepted; send postcards (no envelopes) to: GUNS Magazine, GOM April 2023, P.O. Deployed military should use stateside address. Dropping down to 30 grains results in an easier-shooting 835 fps and a group of 1.13 inches. I have tested vintage loads that produced an honest 1,000 fps. 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. Loading the .45 Colt It's vital to understand today's loading manuals typically include .45 Colt loads at two different power levels: under 14,000 CUP and under 29,000 PSI. No purchase necessary. I advise staying away from loads intended for custom sixguns with five-shot cylinders and it has also been proven the lever-action is not strong enough for .454 loads. The on-line Hogdon load data shows the following for TiteGroup and a 255 gr LSWC: Starting load of 5.0 gr for an approx 716 feet per second and a pressure of 7.6K cup. that charge was increased to 38 grains by 1898. 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. im leaning towards the ruger blackhawk bisley 45 long cot 5.5 barrel. Cartridge Filter By Bullet Weight Powder Type Recipes I found the following heavyweight bullets all would work through both the Winchester and Marlin actions: NEI 310 Keith, NEI 325 Keith, Lyman #454629GC 300-grain FN, RCBS #45-270 SAA weighing around 284 grains with my alloy, and I also checked the #454490GC design by Ray Thompson, which is a 255-grain Keith-style gas-checked bullet. With their 16 barrels the Winchesters weigh right at 6 lbs. The weight would more properly be closer to 32 grains. Do Pistols Benefit From Popular Aftermarket Modifications? Give a Gift Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, State Agency: They are my choice for everyday use and also for hunting larger, tougher game. I didnt realize how many different powders from Hodgdon I use in loading the 45 Colt until I began putting this article together. like original Colts. This lets it feed in many cowboy-action guns and use common 45 ACP load data. These two bullets in a custom five-shot Blackhawk or Freedom Arms Model 83 five-shooter can be driven to 1,450 fps with W296 or H110. I didnt realize how many different powders from Hodgdon I use in loading the 45 Colt until I began putting this article together. Factory warranties may apply in some cases. To protect the privacy and security of winners, names will not be made public. Actually, we can divide 45 Colt sixguns into several reloading levels, and I have moderated these somewhat over the past several years, with the first two levels being very close together. Joe Kurtenbach, Executive Editor of Gun & Ammo, and John Myles from Smith & Wesson discuss features of the Equalizer 9mm micro-compact pistol and new-for-2023 M&P 5.7. Although far from perfect, the old Taylor Knock Out (TKO) formula, which is caliber x bullet weight x velocity 7,000, is far more accurate. South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks, State Agency: The larger diameter ring that sizes the lower half of the case provides longer case life and eliminates the typical swaged bulge just ahead of the solid head. Lyman now offers it as #452424, and it is a 255-grain bulletor thereabouts, depending upon the alloy used. The individual accessing this site assumes the risk of safe loading practices. During my early teenage years I acquired a beautiful pre-World War II Colt SAA .45 that was customized by one of the masters during the 1920s. 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. Space constraints keep me from looking at all of these powders in depth, but I can cover a few. 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. Arizona Game & Fish Department, State Agency: It's always had a great reputation as a man stopper. The Lyman bullet 452651 GC will cast 20-1 at about 325 grains including gas check. Caleb Giddings, Marketing Manager at Taurus, introduces the all-new TaurusTX 22 Compact. 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. They are my choice for the heaviest loads especially with cast bullets weighing 300 grains and heavier. Employees and agents of Publishers Development Corp. are not eligible. Box 488, Escondido, CA 92033. It follows Keiths original idea of three equally sized driving bands, one forming the base, the middle one serving as the top of the grease groove, and the front driving band helping true up the bullet in the cylinder and is located above a generous crimping groove. These black-powder guns should not be fired with smokeless powder loads. Delaware Division of Fish & Wildlife, State Agency: Failure to do so could result in severe personal injury (or death) and/or property damage. There are some excellent jacketed bullets available for use in the 45 Colt, including the Sierra 240-grain JHP, Hornady 250-grain XTP-JHP, and the Speer 260-grain JHP, all of which I prefer for deer-sized game. Bullseye is a bit fast for this big cartridge and I dont especially recommend it, but it will work. The 45 Colt also predates the 38 Special, the 44 Special, and the 45 ACP, and not only is it more than 80 years older than the 44 Magnum, but it also has more case capacity and in the proper sixguns can outrank the 44 Magnum. New Hampshire Fish & Game Department, State Agency: This Colt SAA .45 was manufactured in 1893 and saw extensive use on the frontier prior to being professionally restored. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, State Agency: For testing I go with three shots at 45 yards. The original Winchesters, whether chambered in .44 Rimfire or .44-40, all used cast bullets as jacketed bullets did not start appearing until the early part of the 20th century. So both the up and down positions were closer in speeds and the spreads were noticeably closer. (II) Limit one (1) entry per household; multiple entries will disqualify entrants. The .45 Colt was developed in 1872 and first chambered for the Colt Single Action Army revolver in 1873. I have yet to find any levergun or sixgun that does not shoot this Dick Casull-designed bullet exceptionally well. Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries, State Agency: Contest void where prohibited by law. 9, #5744, #2230, and #2460 are products of Accurate Arms Company. Factory warranties may apply in some cases. It didnt take long for manufacturers to offer heavier bullets, and two of the best came from NEI. ), RCBS #450255KT (258 gr. Alabama Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. Handgun Data. Unique and Universal still dont fill the case up as much as a yet slower powder (like No.9, AA5724, H-110/W296, AA5744, and Alliant 2400). Then comes the Freedom Arms Model 97, the original Ruger Vaquero, Ruger Blackhawk, Ruger Redhawk, and the Ruger Super Redhawk. To protect the privacy and security of winners, names will not be made public. The Hornady 225-grain FTX bullet should be loaded in cases trimmed shorter than the industry standard of 1.215 inches. Additional evidence can be found in Colt-published specifications dated June 1924 that list the .45 Colt with a groove diameter of .451 inch minimum and .452 inch maximum (with bore diameter being .444 inch minimum and .445 maximum). 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. When he died in 1862, the company was dedicated to producing the same percussion revolvers. (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: Note: Powder Mfgs. I have found two things necessary gas checks and hard alloys, also in most cases muzzle velocities over 1,200-1,300 fps. Technical Specifications (based on the respective safety standard - see more details in tab "Datasheet" if available) Caliber: .45 Colt. The top of the can says NOT FOR HANDGUN LOADS. In 1935 we entered the Magnum Sixgun Era with the arrival of the 357 Magnum; however, long before that we had the 45 Colt. It is an excellent compromise between the 250- and 300-grain cast bullets. IMR Trail Boss, 4227, IMR 3031 and IMR 4895 are products of IMR (formerly DuPont) Powder Company. My loading dies are from Lee, Lyman, and RCBS, and all of them give excellent service. That is black powder loads or Black powder level only. N340 is a tubular powder type with grain dimensions of 1,0mm length and 0,8 mm diameter. 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. However, there are two problems associated with it: case capacity and cylinder throat diameters. Share to Twitter. Rim Rocks 255-grain SWC with gas check is accurate and alleviates leading issues with revolvers (or barrels) that are prone to that. Factory warranties may apply in some cases. Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection, Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks & Tourism, Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife, Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Rhode Island Department of Fish & Wildlife, North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, New York Department of Environmental Conservation, Mississippi Deptartment of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks, Minnesota Deptartment of Natural Resources, Michigan Deptartment of Natural Resources, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife, Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries, Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources, Hawaii Department of Land & Natural Resources, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, Alabama Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. This Colt SAA .45 was manufactured in 1893 and saw extensive use on the frontier prior to being professionally restored. Lyman now offers it as #452424, and it is a 255-grain bulletor thereabouts, depending upon the alloy used. In the large .45 case, a large difference has been noted in speeds. (IV) Winners must undergo a background check (when required) and comply with all other federal, state and local laws. This database has 6400 loads for cast bullet loads. The charge weight is 9.2 grains. These two examples were produced in 1875 (left) and 1887 (below). I would think that the load you are using would be safe. This is a great all purpose load for the .45 Colt. 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. His 45 Colt bullet was #454424 and was available for decades from Lyman. The company also distributes IMR and Winchester powders as well as Goex black powder. RF - 8.2 grains Unique Now we are all confused! Mail-in entries accepted; send postcards (no envelopes) to: GUNS Magazine, GOM Old West 2023, PO Box 488, Escondido, CA 92033. 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. Deployed military should use stateside address. 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. Then comes the Freedom Arms Model 97, the original Ruger Vaquero, Ruger Blackhawk, Ruger Redhawk, and the Ruger Super Redhawk. For the 45 Colt this is the Single Action Army revolver. But the 45 Colt is a survivor. 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. When crimped in its cannelure, the overall length still exceeds industry specifications at 1.652 inches. When loaded in the Colt Single Action Army at around 850 fps, it is a most powerful everyday working load. Associated taxes and fees are the responsibility of winners. * 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. 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. For several reasons they should not be used. The 45 Colt brass could handle the pressures, but standard sixguns could not. A favorite pastime of many dedicated sixgunners is sitting around a campfire arguing the merits of their particular choice of caliber. 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. A check of Hodgdons loading manuals shows these two powders using the same charge weight produce the same velocities and pressures. In guns with .452-inch throats, the Magma designed 250-grain RNFP offered by most commercial cast bullet companies (Oregon Trail used here) can be surprisingly accurate. That brings us to the next level, which includes 45 Colt revolvers built on the Ruger Super Blackhawk frame and the Ruger Old Model Blackhawk, the arrival of which led to two separate load sections showing up in loading manuals. John with the Winchester Trapper in .45 Colt; the neckerchief is This load will certainly handle deer-sized game. Marlins from the era have Micro-Groove rifling which may or may not work with cast bullets. Prizes will not be awarded if illegal in jurisdiction of winners. 2023 Outdoor Sportsman Group. They often equal or surpass the accuracy from my carefully tailored hand-cast bullets. The other problem, that of cylinder throat diameters, centers around the fact that they vary considerably. Incidentally, many jacketed bullet loads will produce higher velocities in revolvers with shorter barrels. The original .45 Colt bullet profile is known as a truncated cone or round nosed flat point (RNFP). The vast majority of my 45 Colt handloads over the last 60 years, however, has been put together with cast bullets. The accompanying standard- pressure handloads are within SAAMI guidelines of 14,000 psi, making them suitable for modern Colt SAA revolvers and all guns chambered in .45 Colt that are designed to fire smokeless powder ammunition. To protect the privacy and security of winners, names will not be made public. I have been surprised by the fact the Marlin feeds Keith-style bullets perfectly. When loaded in the Colt Single Action Army at around 850 fps, it is a most powerful everyday working load. This is probably when it became so common to use cast bullets sized to .454 inch with pre-World War II guns but was largely confused with groove diameter. North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, State Agency: Eric Poole and Tom Beckstrand test the Aimpoint Acro P-2 against one of red dot sights' biggest myths: distance. California Department of Fish & Wildlife, State Agency: and how they grouped at ther yrds. Associated taxes and fees are the responsibility of winners. My powders of choice are Clays, HP-38, HS-6, Universal, Trail Boss, H110, IMR 4227, W296, and W231. Want to practice more with that big-bore hunting rifle or enjoy that magnum pistol more at the range? They are my choice for everyday use and also for hunting larger, tougher game. The vast majority of my 45 Colt handloads over the last 60 years, however, has been put together with cast bullets. North Dakota Game & Fish Department, State Agency: For example, the .45 Colt with a 255-grain bullet at 860 fps (Winchester) generates 419 ft-lbs, while the .44 Magnum with a 240-grain bullet at 1,180 fps (Remington) generates 741 ft-lbs. Contest open to U.S. residents only. Incidentally, the U.S Cartridge Company first listed a 255-grain bullet with 35 grains of black in 1882, but. This is a plain base bullet and I found out very quickly it was not very accurate in either rifle. 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. Contest open to U.S. residents only. Make sure your gun can handle it before Moving up to 22.0 grains increases the muzzle velocity to 1,300 fps and then 24.0 grains is right at 1,400 fps with both putting three shots in at 45 yards. However, none of these loads should be taken for granted and should be worked up very carefully. Here is what Lyman #4 has to say on 45 Colt, maximum Unique , standard pressure loads: Lee 452-200-RF , 200 gr. (III) Giveaway winner(s) chosen by random drawing. The .45 Colt was soon loaded with smokeless powders with loads eventually standardized with 250- and 255-grain lead hollowbase bullets from Remington and Winchester, respectively, at around 870 fps, but today are listed at 860 fps. 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. Then something dramatic happened in 1869: Smith & Wesson brought forth the 44 American sixgun that used fixed ammunition. However, when using versions that weigh 250 grains, it is sometimes difficult to reach high enough velocities to achieve reliable expansion while staying within industry pressure guidelines. 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. Before I discuss handloads for the 45 Colt, we have to acknowledge there exists such a wide range of revolvers accepting the 45 Colt that great care must be used in assembling loads and choosing which guns will safely accept them. The performance level is pretty close to the original Black Powder load but far more effective due to the bullet I use. At 1,400 fps it is an excellent hunting bullet. 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. 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. Contest void where prohibited by law. 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. Improving the Keith Bullet Keith's #454424 was an excellent bullet, however it has been improved by Dave Scovill and is offered by RCBS as #45-270SAA. Here you will find load data for some of the most recent cartridges on the market, with more being added each week. I certainly dont know of anything in the lower 48 that cannot be handled with this load. It would also be excellent for a defense load. A Redding Dual Ring Carbide sizing die was used to develop handload data. Reddings excellent Dual Ring Carbide sizing die was used to prep cases as it works the case less, results in longer case life, seems to improve accuracy and eliminates the Coke bottle shape forward of the head. Winners will be notified by certified mail on official letterhead. What has varied significantly is the throat diameter (ball end, chamber mouth, etc.) It is also noteworthy that many dies manufactured prior to around 1980 fail to size cases adequately to correctly hold .451/.452-inch bullets. Winners will be notified by certified mail on official letterhead. All Guns and Ammo subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. The .44 Magnum is a great cartridge that offers a flatter trajectory and helps to make hits easier at longer distances; however, this added performance comes at the cost of greater pressures, heavier guns, increased recoil and muzzle report. My connection with Lyman goes back more than 50 years when I loaded my first ammunition using the No. selected. There are many good jacketed bullets for the .45 Colt. With Accurates 5744 the speeds with 17.0 were 853 fps UP and 802 DOWN, but spreads were much better at 45 fps and 16.6 fps respectively. With the coming of Rugers Blackhawk chambered in 45 Colt in the early 1970s, we finally had a sixgun that could tap the tremendous potential of the 45 Colt cartridge. I would conclude this powder is much more consistent in speeds than others that I have tried in the .45 Colt. But keep in mind, both Lyman and Alliant publish only standard pressure loads for the 45 Colt. I use WLP primers. Giveaway prizes may have evidence of being test fired or exhibit minor handling marks. It follows Keiths original idea of three equally sized driving bands, one forming the base, the middle one serving as the top of the grease groove, and the front driving band helping true up the bullet in the cylinder and is located above a generous crimping groove. 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. 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. (III) Giveaway winner(s) chosen by random drawing. your comments are very greatful.