I managed to find some time last night to prep some new starline brass and load up some rounds this morning for a quick trip to the range. All I can say is this thing shoots great. Boolit is a 355gr wfn that I cast from a custom LBT mold. 5/1 ww/lino water dropped . BHN is 28. Lubed with my homemade besswax/vasaline lube, sized to .452. My 45 Colt load is 21.5 gr H110. It's 1150 fps in the 4" 45 Colt Redhawk, 1200 in my 7.5" SBH Hunter. I used Hodgdon load data for the 360gr CP. This boolit acutally encroaches less in the case than the 360 though. Here's a pic of the 2. 355wfn on left, 360 cast performance on right.
For the 454 loads I used the Hodgdon data for the 360cp as a guide. I loaded 23, 24 and 25 gr. 24 is actually max load. The first thing I noticed was recoil, or lack of it compared to the 45 Colt load. I was expecting a noticeable difference but after shooting it's a non-issue. At least with these loads. More on that later.
I was shooting single action, 25yds, seated, resting on my forearms/wrists.
23 gr grouped at about inches for 5 rounds with the 6th being a flyer.
25 grs was about the same as 23gr as far as group, 4-5 iinches. I shot them last.
Here's the 24gr load. I pulled one off the paper. I had setup my chrony and shot some 38's over it to test it and the stupid thing was'nt working. I may have a low battery or something. Maybe it didn't like 10 degree temperature. So unfortunately I don't have chrony numbers. Load data chart says 24gr is 1447 fps. The load data for my 45 Colt load says 1151 and I get that in my 4" barrel. I'm guessing 1400fps?? Who knows for sure. All I do know is this load shoots better than my 1150 45 Load.
After shooting these I then shot about 20 275gr over 11gr Unique I had loaded up for plinkin in the levergun. Accurate and fun. I then shot 6 of my 45 Colt 21.5gr H110, 355gr loads. I swear the recoil seemed more harsh than the 454 loads. Bottom line is I'd rather shoot the 24gr 454's than the 21.5gr 45 Colts and the 454 loads group closerto 2 inches whereas the 45 Colt loads group closer to 5 inches.
All these loads are sooty. I may try 26gr to see what happens. Plus, I have the "454 Snyd" in the works which is a shortened 454 case with these 355ers that will cycle in the levergun.
Anyway, I've got lots more work/fun to do loading and shooting this thing but my first impressions are very favorable. Time to cast some boolits and burn some powder!
For the 454 loads I used the Hodgdon data for the 360cp as a guide. I loaded 23, 24 and 25 gr. 24 is actually max load. The first thing I noticed was recoil, or lack of it compared to the 45 Colt load. I was expecting a noticeable difference but after shooting it's a non-issue. At least with these loads. More on that later.
I was shooting single action, 25yds, seated, resting on my forearms/wrists.
23 gr grouped at about inches for 5 rounds with the 6th being a flyer.
25 grs was about the same as 23gr as far as group, 4-5 iinches. I shot them last.
Here's the 24gr load. I pulled one off the paper. I had setup my chrony and shot some 38's over it to test it and the stupid thing was'nt working. I may have a low battery or something. Maybe it didn't like 10 degree temperature. So unfortunately I don't have chrony numbers. Load data chart says 24gr is 1447 fps. The load data for my 45 Colt load says 1151 and I get that in my 4" barrel. I'm guessing 1400fps?? Who knows for sure. All I do know is this load shoots better than my 1150 45 Load.
After shooting these I then shot about 20 275gr over 11gr Unique I had loaded up for plinkin in the levergun. Accurate and fun. I then shot 6 of my 45 Colt 21.5gr H110, 355gr loads. I swear the recoil seemed more harsh than the 454 loads. Bottom line is I'd rather shoot the 24gr 454's than the 21.5gr 45 Colts and the 454 loads group closerto 2 inches whereas the 45 Colt loads group closer to 5 inches.
All these loads are sooty. I may try 26gr to see what happens. Plus, I have the "454 Snyd" in the works which is a shortened 454 case with these 355ers that will cycle in the levergun.
Anyway, I've got lots more work/fun to do loading and shooting this thing but my first impressions are very favorable. Time to cast some boolits and burn some powder!
