435gr Heavies in the 4" 454 Redhawk-- Range Report

[Snyd]

I made it to the range today to test the 435gr Heavies in the 4" 454 Redhawk.

My hope was to get these suckers to group decent at about 1000-1100fps. Here's the stats. Cold day, 5 below, sunshine. I kept the ammo in my car. I'd load and shoot six at a time.

The 454 SRH barrels have a 1/24 twist. The RH 45 Colts; which is what this gun was, has a 1/16 twist. It proved to do the job nicely stabilizing these big long boolits! This 454 cylinder has .454 throats, at least I can shove these .454 boolits through with a pencil. .452's drop right through. The chambers are tighter than the 45 Colt cylinder as well. The bore is .451. I sized the boolits for the throat size, .454.

RCBS 45-405-fn .458 mould cast with 5/1 ww/lino, air cooled at 0 degrees. Sized down to .454. 433gr lubed/gas check. Close enough to call it 435gr! BHN was about 19 last time I checked this batch.

Starline Brass, H110, CCI 450 primers.

25yds

19gr - 995 avg
971
1017
1012
1003
990
981

I will need a taller front sight for sure. It shoots about 8 inches high at 25yds with these big heavies. After the first three shots I moved my POA down so I could keep it on paper. I almost packed up and went home after this! This'll do! But I had 2 more loads to shoot.

20gr - 1072 avg

1088
1072
1064
1073
1045
1092

First two are in the same hole! I thought I shot it over the top. 3rd shot was up high. This is looking better all the time.

21gr - 1128 avg

1133
1132
1130
1111
1138
1126

I think I can shoot this load better. Because of the way my targets were and how I was aiming to keep the load on the target, I don't think I was very consistent in my POA. But, the 20gr load will work.

Bottom line is mission accomplished. I've got a 1072fps 435gr 454 load that groups as good or better than I can shoot I think. No pressure signs at all. Brass dropped right out. I could go hotter but see no need too. Recoil is not an issue but the snap/torque of the muzzle flip gets your attention. It's headed to magnaport tomorrow along with a buddies 480 SRH. He's getting the chopped 480 package done. I'll just get it magnaported like my Kimber MT. Next will have to be a penetraton test.

 

[gramps]

Yep I heard everyone you touched off Saturday down here in Anchorage. Oh wait that was the fireworks at Fur Rhondy I heard. Looks like you had a good time with your baby. Now about the penetration tests. I bet it'll be like the energizer bunny and go and go and go.
gramps

 

[Rigby]

Interesting thread both the gun and load. Tell me about the gun and were did you get the bullets?

 

[jimbo1096]

Rigby - He handcasts them.
"RCBS 45-405-fn .458 mould cast with 5/1 ww/lino, air cooled at 0 degrees. Sized down to .454. 433gr lubed/gas check. Close enough to call it 435gr! BHN was about 19 last time I checked this batch.
Starline Brass, H110, CCI 450 primers."

Snyd, good report, and some very interesting data. What is the end purpose, bear protection?

 

[Rigby]

Duh, this is why the teachers would yell at me.
Is this a factory 45 Redhawk with a SRH cylinder dropped in it?

 

[Snyd]

Ya, it's a 45 Colt Redhawk with a Super RedHawk cylinder. I did the conversion last month.

http://www.rugerforum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=105441&highlight=454+redhawk

Yup, it's purpose is my up close and personal "OH $41T" gun.

The grips are great. They fit my hand perfect. Fit is what matters.

 

[Bucks Owin]

Basically, you have about the same ballistics at the muzzle as a trapdoor .45/70 does at 200 yds with that bullet... :wink: (And I expect that has dropped a buffalo or two! :shock: )

 

[Rigby]

Ok, there was another guy on the old singleaction site. Might have been called sixgunner then. He went by the handle Instigator. He installed his on a 7.5" Redhawk. This was about 5-6 years ago, somehow I still have a picture.

Did you try the bullet with the standard 45 cylinder? Talking to Tim at Buffalo Bore and having him make up some specialty loads for my Redhawk. I was able to get 360gr WLN @ 1400fps from the 45 Colt cylinder 7.5" bbl.

 

[Bucks Owin]

"I was able to get 360gr WLN @ 1400fps from the 45 Colt cylinder 7.5" bbl".

Holey Moley! :shock: Got any data for those roman candles!

 

[bigboredad]

air cooled at zero degrees :shock: thats kinda like water cooling them down here :lol: I love the look of that gun every time I see

 

[Rigby]

"I was able to get 360gr WLN @ 1400fps from the 45 Colt cylinder 7.5" bbl".

Holey Moley! :shock: Got any data for those roman candles!

Nope, Tim made them up and I have no idea whats in them.

 

[Snyd]

I did not try the 435ers in the 45 Colt. I didn't buy this mould until after the conversion. My 45 Colt load for my SBH Hunter is a 355gr WFN at 1200fps. That's 21.5gr H110 which is .5 over Hodgdon max load. I got 1150 out of the 4" 45 Colt Redhawk. Probably about 30000cup. 1400 from a 360 is probably one of those 45-50,000psi "5 shot" 45 Colt loads that a guy can shoot in a Redhawk since is so beefy. I'd never load one that hot for my SBH.

bigboredad- Ya, I cast in my greenhouse. It's been too cold to go skiing so I decided to cast up some boolits a couple weeks ago. I figure air cooled at zero probably has some kind of effect like water dropping.

 

[Arisin' Wind]

T-Rex better be careful around you.