Heavy 45 Colt loads

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winchester348

Single-Sixer
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Jun 14, 2009
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I picked up a couple of hundred cast bullets for the Redhawk .45 Colt but can't find much in the way of load data for them. I picked up the 300 gr .452 with gas check. Most of the load data I find is for either H110 or 2400. Both of which are non existent in any LGS. I've got plenty of 296, Lil Gun and titegroup powder. Any suggestions on a load with something besides powder that has apparently become extinct?
Thanks
 

Chuck 100 yd

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Those heavy bullets work best with slower burning powders. Load manuals don't list powders that are not efficient in a caliber/bullet combination. Surly there are other powders that will safely launch a 300 + grain bullet but the speed will either be slow or the pressure unsafe at maximum levels. Stay with tested data.
Look elseware for powders, or save those bullets for the day when you can find them.
296 and H110 are the same powders but I prefer 2400 or IMR 4227 to either H110 or its Winchester counterpart.
 

turbo111

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Read this!

http://web.archive.org/web/20020212152908/http://www.sixgunner.com/paco/fortyfives.htm

http://www.reloadammo.com/45cload.htm


http://www.handloads.com/loaddata/default.asp?Caliber=45%20Colt%20%20P&Weight=All&type=Handgun&Order=Powder&Source=
 

SweetWilliam

Buckeye
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Oct 30, 2012
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Ohio
A 300gr. gc bullet & 296 is a match made in heaven
Here's some links I've saved
http://www.handloads.com/articles/?id=5
http://www.sixguns.com/tests/tt45lc.htm
http://www.customsixguns.com/writings/dissolving_the_myth.htm
 

RalphS

Single-Sixer
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Aug 30, 2011
Messages
115
The Hodgdon website has reloading data for a 325 gr. LFN PB style bullet using H110. That's a good place for you to start, using your 296 instead of H110.

I've pushed 300 grain hardcast bullets to 1238 fps out of my 4 inch Redhawk using H110. Good stuff.
 

noahmercy

Blackhawk
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The location of the crimp groove on that bullet can dramatically affect the case capacity. With W296/ H110, a load that just kisses the bottom of the seated bullet or is very lightly compressed is likely to give you best accuracy and cleanest burn. Leaving much air space with these powders is a bad idea, and results in erratic ignition and lots of residue. The 300 grainer I cast gets a lot of the bullet out of the case, leaving a little more capacity than most 255 grain bullets, so my charges involve substantially more powder than most "book" loads, and velocity and recoil are consequently higher without attendant higher pressures.

I have been burning a lot more Lil'Gun than 296 lately, and I like it just fine. I won't say it is better than 296, but some of my magnums group better with it than they do with 296, and none of them group noticeably worse. Seems like a little less muzzle flash as well.

Have fun with the big boolits! :D
 

mikewriter

Blackhawk
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Oct 29, 2014
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Texas Coast
There is load data readily available using Titegroup, and it works well with heavy hard cast in my .44 Special, .44 mags, and .480 as well as my .45 Colt.
 

Chuck 100 yd

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Be very careful when using fast burning powders in large cases under heavy bullets. 1 gr. increase of Titegroup in the .357 (from mid range load to maximum) increases pressures by over 10,000 psi. A double charge in the .45 Colt will dismantle the gun.
 

winchester348

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Georgia
Thanks for the info. guys. I was wanting to stay away from the Titegroup because I find it very dirty when I load it in .38spl and light load .45 colt. I was looking for a good hunting load for deer. I loaded up a few last night with 21.0 gr of 296. I was having some issues with seating such a large bullet. It looks to be a bit long. I have not measured OAL yet. it fits in the cylinder fine though. I was thinking I may need to seat them deeper in the case though.
 

SweetWilliam

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Yes I wouldn't recommend TG for that heavy of a bullet. And your the only other person besides me that thinks TG is dirty. When I shoot my TG reloads it's almost like I'm shooting black powder loads. Real smokey but it is clean as far as barrel & cyl. Fouling.
I would also try seating & crimping in 2 different steps.
 

CraigC

Hawkeye
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I use a lot of Titegroup in .38Spl and .44Colt and find it no dirtier than anything else. Hell, it's just soot anyway and it wipes right off. Hodgdon has data on Titegroup with the 300gr Speer up to 1000fps.
 

Bucks Owin

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10X on the W296 under full tilt 250-340 gr bullets. Nothing finer. 8)

Lil Gun not so much in my testing of a pound of it when it first came out. Others have said they had some success with it. Wonder if they own a chrono? :?
 

RalphS

Single-Sixer
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I was having some issues with seating such a large bullet. It looks to be a bit long. I have not measured OAL yet. it fits in the cylinder fine though. I was thinking I may need to seat them deeper in the case though.

You have a Redhawk. The cylinder is longer than most 45LC cylinders. In fact, it is the same length at the 454 SRH. You can load them long. As long as you can close the cylinder, you are good to go, although I always leave a little room in case the bulllets jump crimp.

By the way, 21 grains of H110/W296 is on the light side. That's a starting load for a 325 gr. bullet, but you're probably aware of that.
 

COR

Blackhawk
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Bucks Owin said:
10X on the W296 under full tilt 250-340 gr bullets. Nothing finer. 8)

Lil Gun not so much in my testing of a pound of it when it first came out. Others have said they had some success with it. Wonder if they own a chrono? :?

Lil Gun is very accurate for me in the .45 Colt, it's all I use with the 300 gr slugs...It also meters well for me and produces great results...does it beat H110/w296 in velocity, not usually but why does it matter how fast? That is not my game and certainly with bullets that size adds NOTHING in terms of killing power. In fact I'd argue that the added recoil is counterproductive to accuracy.

I suppose it looks good in print to get another 50-100fps... On the Internet that speed number is EVERYTHING, the game however doesn't have a RugerForum account.
 

Bucks Owin

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COR said:
Bucks Owin said:
10X on the W296 under full tilt 250-340 gr bullets. Nothing finer. 8)

Lil Gun not so much in my testing of a pound of it when it first came out. Others have said they had some success with it. Wonder if they own a chrono? :?

Lil Gun is very accurate for me in the .45 Colt, it's all I use with the 300 gr slugs...It also meters well for me and produces great results...does it beat H110/w296 in velocity, not usually but why does it matter how fast? That is not my game and certainly with bullets that size adds NOTHING in terms of killing power. In fact I'd argue that the added recoil is counterproductive to accuracy.

I suppose it looks good in print to get another 50-100fps... On the Internet that speed number is EVERYTHING, the game however doesn't have a RugerForum account.


I'm glad you like it.

The mention of having a chrono wasn't just for the sake of velocity, but also ES/SD. Besides not being able to reach Hogdon's claimed velocities in .357 loads, my .44 mag and .45 LC trials didn't have the uniformity of W-296 either. (Regardless of primer BTW)

Uniformity breeds accuracy and I found W-296 superior in that regard. My 25 yd groups bore that out. LG velocities were about par with W-296. I'm not especially looking for every last fps I can get
BTW, but if best accuracy happens to be near max levels and SD/ES are narrow and stable, it is fine by me.

As to metering, that is a non issue with me as when I'm testing at near max levels I weigh each charge anyway. Same with accuracy testing. Only when I've settled on a load do I set up for thrown charges. But ANY ball powder meters well as I'm sure you'll agree...

I'll refrain from commenting on LG's reputation for flame cutting and erosion at this point...

As I said, I'm glad you like it...
 
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