.45 Colt Keith bullets: Lyman #454424 (264 gr. Beginning in the early 1980s both Winchester and Marlin began offering .45 Colt leverguns. Handgun Data - Speer Chris Johnson, FN Senior Product Manager, walks us through two new FN striker-fired pistols at SHOT Show 2023: the FN 510 Tactical, chambered in 10mm Auto, and the FN 545 Tactical, chambered in .45 ACP. But in guns with large throats, dont expect top accuracy from any bevel-base bullet. (I) Giveaway ends September 30, 2021. The weight would more properly be closer to 32 grains. Michigan Deptartment of Natural Resources, State Agency: At 1,400 fps it is an excellent hunting bullet. The Colt factory has told me these large throats are intended to keep chamber pressures low, which is nonsense. Alas, the days of gun departments in grocery stores, department stores and drugstores are long gone. Below you'll find some basic data for each cartridge to help get you started. LYMAN Reloading Products A trusted Brand since the 1800?s. I have found HS-6, Universal, and W231 powders work very well for standard loads, while IMR 4227 bulks up nicely in 45 Colt brass. SWC - 9.6 grains Unique Lyman # 454190 , 250 gr. All right are Reserved Reload Ammo, Reloading The .45 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol), Hi=670, Lo=521, ES=148 (too slow, wide spread), Hi=677, Lo=594, ES=8.3 (too slow, but good spread), Hi=673, Lo=594, ES=80 (too slow)(old formulation), 833 Hi=873, Lo=783, ES=90 (old formulation), 866 Hi= 890 Lo=855 ES=35 (good Cowboy load), 836 fps (powder pointing UP) (Hi=877.7 Lo=803.0 Spread=74.7 fps), 771 fps (powder pointing DOWN) (Hi=783.1 Lo=760.3 Spread=22.8 fps), Hi=622, Lo=491, ES=131 (WAY too slow-stuck bullet possible)(old formulation), Hi=750, Lo=735, ES=15 (good spread, should have used more powder), use 6.1 to 6.8 for normal Colt 45 loads (old formulation, use 7.7 to 8.6* for +P Ruger and T/C Only (old formulation, 871 Hi=938 Lo=797 ES=141 (Colt Anaconda 6), 1024 MAX+ (Actual in 7 1/2 bbl 250 gr. Weights in parenthesis are as-cast from wheelweights. 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. Technical Specifications (based on the respective safety standard - see more details in tab "Datasheet" if available) Caliber: .45 Colt. Contest void where prohibited by law. SAAMI pressures for STANDARD .45 Colt is 14,000 PSI MAXIMUM, but for Ruger Blackhawk and T/C, levels in the 20,000 to 25,000 range are considered more the norm. They do provide identical results of muzzle velocities and pressures using the same charge weights, and I use them interchangeably. The .45 Auto Rim | Cast Bullet Association | Online Forum | Bullet You find load data for cartridges in caliber .45 Colt with all common powders and bullets by clicking the "Loads in this caliber" button above. It shoots VERY well, the recoil is tolerable, and it cuts a clean hole in both targets and small game. 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. 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. Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, State Agency: Rifle Data Here you will find load data for some of the most recent cartridges on the market, with more being added each week. 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. Reloading The .45 Colt - Reload Ammo The only 456 bullet I am aware of is a conical made for Ruger Old Armys, so Lyman saying that is the right bullet for 45 Colt makes no sense. 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. models. 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. Winners will be notified by certified mail on official letterhead. Most manufacturers have recognized the need to offer revolvers with correct throat dimensions including Smith & Wesson, Ruger, Uberti, USFA and others, but not Colt. It's always had a great reputation as a man stopper. Prizes will not be awarded if illegal in jurisdiction of winners. My loading dies are from Lee, Lyman, and RCBS, and all of them give excellent service. 1,578 fps from a 24" universal receiver (all use rem brass and rem 9-1/2 primer). I have measured Colt revolvers with throats that run from. The individual accessing this site assumes the risk of safe loading practices. Blue dot and 45 colt | Graybeard Outdoors I prefer to use 250-grain jacketed bullets in conjunction with +P loads, which is a subject for another day. The Freedom Arms Model 97 also is in this group. Not only do the Hodgdon folks offer excellent powders, but also they are simply some of the nicest folks in the industry. Employees and agents of Publishers Development Corp. are not eligible. I didnt think I could shoot this well! 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. 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. With multiple powder charge weights there has been considerable confusion on this subject. Then comes the Freedom Arms Model 97, the original Ruger Vaquero, Ruger Blackhawk, Ruger Redhawk, and the Ruger Super Redhawk. VihtaVuori Oy Company, reloading booklet (1995) Numerous magazine articles on reloading special calibers and personal loads where noted. (III) Giveaway winner(s) chosen by random drawing. ok 45 long colt lovers,,ring out ,lets hear from you,,the more the merry. If I had to shoot only one factory ammunition the rest of my life, I would. Reloading The .45 Schofield Pistol - Reload Ammo Handgun Data. 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. The availability of all of these bullets is dependent on how much time I have to cast my own. .45 Colt Load, Red Dot or Clays? - SASS Wire Forum His 45 Colt bullet was #454424 and was available for decades from Lyman. New Hampshire Fish & Game Department, State Agency: For testing I go with three shots at 45 yards. It would also be excellent for a defense load. .45 Colt Handgun Data (Lyman Reloading Handbook 49th Edition) Factory warranties may apply in some cases. These Lyman loads are conservative made for older guns. John with the Winchester Trapper in .45 Colt; the neckerchief is Factory warranties may apply in some cases. 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. Nonetheless, the 30-grain charge with a 250-grain bullet reached around 850 fps from a 7.5-inch barrel. Loading the .45 Colt for Rifles - CHUCKHAWKS.COM - 9.4 grains Unique Lyman 452460 , 200 gr. It is an excellent compromise between the 250- and 300-grain cast bullets. Associated taxes and fees are the responsibility of winners. SWC - 9.0 grains Unique Lyman # 452664 , 250 gr. Pyrodex is cleaner burning than black powder and results in less fouling of the barrel. Employees and agents of Publishers Development Corp. are not eligible. All Rights Reserved. Powders include Gun Digest Reloading Data Center - Gun Digest No purchase necessary. Later production revolvers and lever action rifles are built with .451 diameter grooves., This statement has been repeated many times but holds very little truth. RF - 8.2 grains Unique Now we are all confused! However, when using soft swaged-lead bullets, an expander ball around .002 inch smaller than bullet diameter is preferred. Joe Kurtenbach and Caleb Giddings also look at the first-ever optics-ready carry revolvers with the new Taurus 605 and 856 T.O.R.O. A huge hit among hunters, it remained popular in deer camps long after the .30-30 Win. As I have gotten older and my hands have become more tender, I find myself moderating my everyday shooting loads. 2021. The new rifle is built on an aluminum billet chassis with carbon-fiber forend and cheek riser featuring V-block bedding. Lyman: Meeting the needs of shooters and reloaders You may even have bullets stopping partway in the barrel with that light of a charge. Treat it like one. Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife, State Agency: Velocities in a test The weight would more properly be closer to 32 grains. 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. Hawaii Department of Land & Natural Resources, State Agency: No data for RX7 and this bullet in the 1886 Winchester & 1895 Marlin section. Giveaway prizes may have evidence of being test fired or exhibit minor handling marks. The 45 Colt brass was up to the task. We are currently populating the cartridge drop-down menu with updated cartridge renderings, new propellants and bullets, and links to complimentary product pages. youd need for most critters in the lower 48. 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. A check of Hodgdons loading manuals shows these two powders using the same charge weight produce the same velocities and pressures. For the 45 Colt this is the Single Action Army revolver. This Colt SAA .45 was manufactured in 1893 and saw extensive use on the frontier prior to being professionally restored. 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. On the other end are the Ruger Only loads. There simply is not much that cannot be accomplished with the 45 Colt. I found both of these on the shelf of a little gun store, actually a small gun department, in a local grocery store. 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. Winners will be notified by certified mail on official letterhead. Over the past 35 years all four of these leverguns have shot extensively with both jacketed and cast bullets. Minnesota Deptartment of Natural Resources, State Agency: Elmer Keith was way ahead of his time in developing everyday working and hunting loads. Basic Load Data Hornady Manufacturing Company develops and publishes reloading data for the Handbook of Cartridge Reloading. Winners must respond within 30 days of receiving notification or an alternate winner will be selected. 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. 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. Alaska Department of Fish & Game, State Agency: 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. The Hornady 225-grain FTX bullet should be loaded in cases trimmed shorter than the industry standard of 1.215 inches. Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, State Agency: Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. It is my most used powder both in cap-and-ball and cartridge-firing sixguns when black powder loads are desired. Again, a groove diameter of .451 to .452 inch remains standard by all manufacturers. I normally stay under 900 fps with a 250-grain bullet in Colt Single Action Army revolvers and its replicas. Both of these are plainbased Keith-style bullets, and their numbers are #310.451 and #325.454, with the first three digits giving the approximate bullet weight. This significantly improved its accuracy when compared to the original cylinder with its typical oversized throats, and resulted in increased velocity. Sam Colt became a millionaire producing percussion revolvers. But the 45 Colt is a survivor. Note that the Ruger New Vaquero uses a smaller frame and cylinder With the 45 Colt, IMR 4227 is almost magical in being able to provide excellent accuracy when other powders will not. rifling. Wolfe Publishing Company | 2180 Gulfstream Suite A | Prescott, AZ 86301. This same bullet can be loaded to much higher velocity in Rugers large-frame single- and double-action sixguns. Deployed military should use stateside address. The Complete Reloading Manual For The 45 Colt - Internet Archive With these bullets sized .452" and cast of 16 parts lead to 1 part tin, try this loading with 19.0 grains of WW-296 or 19.5 grains of H-110 in Star-line cases with Fed 155 primers and Bubba lube, or Javelina or NEI pistol lube. Contrary to what has been traditionally published, records indicate that early loads from Frankford Arsenal contained a copper case loaded with a 250-grain, roundnose flatpoint lead bullet pushed with 30 grains of black powder, with additional charge weights soon added. For something with more thump, it would be wise to find some published load data and buy some bullets that match that data. (IV) Winners must undergo a background check (if required) and comply with all other federal, state and local laws. In slugging the barrels of later pre-World War II guns with wider flat lands, serial numbers 347xxx (1924) and 355xxx (1936), along with two factory. Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection, State Agency: New Mexico Department of Game & Fish, State Agency: Some time in the early part of the 20th century wadcutter bullets arrived. 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. about 175 fps and from 7 1/2 by 50 fps. Pennsylvania Game Commission, State Agency: Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, State Agency: The other problem, that of cylinder throat diameters, centers around the fact that they vary considerably. The company also distributes IMR and Winchester powders as well as Goex black powder. Next we will look at jacketed bullets in .45 Colt leverguns. Reloading data is available as low as 99 per cartridge or as a subscription for $19.99. S.A.A.M.I. Others are the New Model Blackhawks, the Bisley Model, the Redhawk, and the Super Redhawk. (IV) Winners must undergo a background check (if required) and comply with all other federal, state and local laws. (I) Giveaway ends February 28, 2023. West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, State Agency: 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. Contest void where prohibited by law. With their 16 barrels the Winchesters weigh right at 6 lbs. Their 10mm Devastator (Lyman #401638 HP) has a listed weight of 155 grains, and is a HP version of their very accurate 175 grain TC design. Indiana Department of Natural Resources, State Agency: If you want those speeds and power, buy a .44 magnum. The vast majority of my 45 Colt handloads over the last 60 years, however, has been put together with cast bullets. The Colt SAA .45 Colt with a 4.75-inch barrel ranks as one of Brians favorite handgun configurations. This revolver is fitted with a new line-bored cylinder that is tightly chambered with .452-inch throats, a .003-inch barrel/cylinder gap and the forcing cone cut to 11 degrees. (II) Limit one (1) entry per household; multiple entries will disqualify entrants. 11; firearms used: Universal Receiver & Ruger Blackhawk; barrel length: 7 1/2"; twist: 1-16"; groove dia. Incidentally, many jacketed bullet loads will produce higher velocities in revolvers with shorter barrels. The new RIA 5.0 Sporting Pistol from Rock Island Armory features a patented RVS Recoil system that maximizes barrel mass and linear movement to give shooters super soft recoil. Hodgdon's Clays And Your .45 - GUNS Magazine 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. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets. 454190 (255 grains) shares a similar profile as the original Government bullet but is a plainbase design that is generally very accurate and can be sized to around .454 to .455 inch for guns with larger throats. It's like shooting a .38 special in a gun chambered for .357 magnum. A Redding Dual Ring Carbide sizing die was used to develop handload data. Mail-in entries accepted; send postcards (no envelopes) to: GUNS Magazine, GOM February 2023, P.O. That is, until I tried IMR 4227 with Lymans #452424 and a 20.0-grain load, and that combination produced one-hole groups. Others are the New Model Blackhawks, the Bisley Model, the Redhawk, and the Super Redhawk. Mike, who used to live in Newport News, but now resides in Poquoson VA. Alabama Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. After a long days work on our remote cattle ranch, I would cast bullets and handload ammunition in the evening so that I could continue shooting the next day. What has varied significantly is the throat diameter (ball end, chamber mouth, etc.) Incidentally, the U.S Cartridge Company first listed a 255-grain bullet with 35 grains of black in 1882, but. Space constraints keep me from looking at all of these powders in depth, but I can cover a few. While only sporadically available as a component, the Remington .456-inch 250-grain lead hollowbase bullet will obturate to minimize bullet tilting. 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. 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. you use any of these loads listed below with STARS (*). The smaller case-capacity means better performance with light loads, which is why I am interested in it. With the Winchesters, equipped with receiver sights, most of my shooting is done around 30 to 35 yards with relatively mild loads. I have been pleasantly surprised by the Marlin Trapper. Generally, when revolvers with such grossly oversized throats are fired with modern cast and jacketed bullets accuracy is poor.