Heavy .45 Colt loads (300 grain)

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KWYJIBO

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I got myself a box of 300 grain Speer Gold Dot Hollow Points, .45 caliber. They were dirt cheap so I just picked them up for possible future use. I think these were intended for 454 Casull loads. That, of course, does not stop those of us with large-frame Rugers from putting together our own 45 Colt loads. I happen to have two such Rugers, but need input from you-all guys on how much powder to put behind said bullets.

First question, though: What use are these bullets, other than for medium-game hunting? I would like to make a bear protection load, but hollow points don't seem to be the way to go. They would likely underpenetrate, no? I have some hard cast lead for bears and some lighter hollowpoints for thin-skinned predators, which makes me wonder if I'm better off sticking with them and just giving these Speer 300 GDHPs away to a deserving forum member. I do not hunt with a handgun.

Now... assuming I find any use for the bullets, what are some proven loads? I have a can of Li'l Gun and like it. I want to get my hands on some W296 or H110. Anyone have a recipe for 300 GDHP with any of these powders? I am, of course, talking about Ruger-only pressures. To be shot in a 7 1/2" Bisley or a 5 1/2" Original Vaquero.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.
 

Sonnytoo

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Bob Baker of Freedom Arms "supposedly" posted that they have seen some ruined barrels with Lil Gun, due to higher nitroglycerin content.
I have read the post; cannot verify that it was him. I also have some of that but won't use it again until I find out.
Sonnytoo
 

wild_weasel

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I have used the 300gr Sierras in my Ruger Convertable without any problems. Since my BH has the 5 1/2 barrel I have worked up loads using 2400 per the manual, very accurate and they light up the range! Good luck.
 

KWYJIBO

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Thanks, Sonny. I may sit on my Li'l Gun until there's a more sure verdict. Right now it is the only powder I have that's suitable for higher-pressure handgun loads. I'm always shopping, however, and powder is one thing that the local shops did not completely run out of. Maybe I'll pick up some 2400 or, like I said before, some W296 or H110 (same stuff, different packaging).
 

lisa1lacy2

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I have shot them out of my redhawk and bisley with very good results the load I like is 21.5gr of eather w296 and h110 with reg large pistol primers not mags you do not need them I cant remember if this are max loads so I would work up to it
 

Lloyd Smale

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keep in mind that you are in arkansaw and hes in utah. Big difference in temps there. cold weather 110 and standard primers dont mix. Also if your going to use std primers with 110 you need to run top end loads so you have some pressure to help the burnign. Hodgdon recomends only mag primers with 110 and its for a good reason.
lisa1lacy2":1u9w9lno said:
I have shot them out of my redhawk and bisley with very good results the load I like is 21.5gr of eather w296 and h110 with reg large pistol primers not mags you do not need them I cant remember if this are max loads so I would work up to it
 

the fatman

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Lloyd Smale my Hodgdon info says winchester LP primers for 45 colt loads and Ruger only 45 colt loads. This is off their website.
 

AzRebel

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I load the SP equivelent of those for my large frame Ruger revolvers.

23 grains of H110 gives me about 1250 fps, and I think it's about right for my uses. Bear, deer, and other critters don't stand a chance.

It wouldn't bother me a bit to load those heavy HP's for bear defense. A bear would feel those when they hit, no doubt.

I've used standard primers with H110, but mag primers give more consistent results for me.

Daryl
 

Sonnytoo

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the fatman":1n9u1pl3 said:
Lloyd Smale my Hodgdon info says winchester LP primers for 45 colt loads and Ruger only 45 colt loads. This is off their website.

Good morning, all. When you bring up the data page for H110 and .45 Colt for Ruger-only, the first time you hit print you get a Print Preview and the formatting. On that page you will see what is copied below. I just confirmed this with a phone call to Hodgdon in Kansas City area.
And, by the way, also DO NOT reduce max H110 loads by more than 3%. That is also in their data, and I have had one squib load to prove that light loads with H110 is a bad idea.
Sonnytoo

Hodgdon Powder Company
Cartridge Load Recipe Report - 9/2/2009
data.hodgdon.com 45 Colt (Ruger, Freedom Arms & T/C only)
Load Type: Pistol

Cartridge Information
Case: Winchester Barrel Length: 7.25"
Twist: 1:16" Trim Length: 1.280"
Primer: Winchester LP
 

pvtschultz

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Sonnytoo":2r2fjk1d said:
Bob Baker of Freedom Arms "supposedly" posted that they have seen some ruined barrels with Lil Gun, due to higher nitroglycerin content.
I have read the post; cannot verify that it was him. I also have some of that but won't use it again until I find out.
Sonnytoo

I'd be careful about spreading probable rumers like this. I've used pounds of Lil'Gun in my 45 Colt NMBH and it still looks like new. I did a search across the internet looking for any such postings and there were none to be found. You'd think that if Lil'Gun was wrecking barrels, it would spread like wildfire across the other web forums.
 

Sonnytoo

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pvtschultz":1yog8ar8 said:
Sonnytoo":1yog8ar8 said:
Bob Baker of Freedom Arms "supposedly" posted that they have seen some ruined barrels with Lil Gun, due to higher nitroglycerin content.
I have read the post; cannot verify that it was him. I also have some of that but won't use it again until I find out.
Sonnytoo

I'd be careful about spreading probable rumers like this. I've used pounds of Lil'Gun in my 45 Colt NMBH and it still looks like new. I did a search across the internet looking for any such postings and there were none to be found. You'd think that if Lil'Gun was wrecking barrels, it would spread like wildfire across the other web forums.

Carl, I have read the complete post and I have it copied, but will need to find the forum it came off of. I have sent you the complete post on the forum I found it on. I will confirm one way or the other, and will report it back to this forum. There is a link on his post which goes directly to Freedom Arms website.
Here is the "headers" portion of that post. I do NOT wish to pass out incorrect info, and like I said, I will seek to confirm and report.

Bob Baker
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Re: The Truth About Lil' Gun...
« Reply #12 on: August 20, 2009, 04:45:06 PM »
________________________________________

Sonnytoo
 

Fowler

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The post is on the Graybeard forums. Bob found excessive throat erosion if a very shot period of time, like 50 rounds fired fairly quickly.
 

Sonnytoo

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Fowler, thank you for finding that post. Some of those ruined barrels had as few as 30 rounds fired through them before they were ruined.
I have used Lil' Gun myself in several guns, but always had the impression that the recoil seemed excessive for the velocity I obtained.
Sonnytoo
 

pvtschultz

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I found this:

Bob Baker
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Re: Flutes = a good thing
« Reply #3 on: November 25, 2007, 10:27:25 AM » Quote

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This thread makes me wonder what type of powder was in the loads which caused the gun to get so hot. Shooting a lot of rounds will get the gun hot but sometimes we have to be careful what powder is being used. Lil Gun for example burns very hot compared to H110 or W296. A while back I had a M83 .357 Mag. so hot it would blister you if you touched it any place but the grips and they were warm. And I only shot 50 rounds. The interesting part was that I burnt out the barrel forcing cone in that few of rounds and it was due to the powder burning so hot.

I'm skeptical, but I have a single action and only fire six rounds at a time and set it down. "I" need a break after six and yes, the cylinder is warm after that many rounds. I haven't tried H110 (yet) so I can't compare the two though, but it would be an easy experiment for an engineer like myself to conduct with a little range time.

And I found this one:
http://www.go2gbo.com/forums/index.php/ ... 437.0.html
 

Ruber

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Remember, Winchester only makes the magnum large pistol primer, they do not have a low level primer like CCI and Federal do...

I saw an article a couple of years back comparing the differences in pressures developed comparing CCI standard LP, CCI magnum LP, Win LP and a few others, pretty interesting, if I can find the link (or if anyone else remembers it), I'll post it.

From personal experience for the three powders I load for in .45 colt (two being H110/Win296), there is quite a difference between the three primers I mentioned with Win LP primers giving the most complete combustion and better standard deviations even though you might be able to get away with either. Incidentally, different manuals recommended different primers for one of the powders.
 

Sonnytoo

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pvtschultz":2by048du said:
I found this:

Bob Baker
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Re: Flutes = a good thing
« Reply #3 on: November 25, 2007, 10:27:25 AM » Quote

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This thread makes me wonder what type of powder was in the loads which caused the gun to get so hot. Shooting a lot of rounds will get the gun hot but sometimes we have to be careful what powder is being used. Lil Gun for example burns very hot compared to H110 or W296. A while back I had a M83 .357 Mag. so hot it would blister you if you touched it any place but the grips and they were warm. And I only shot 50 rounds. The interesting part was that I burnt out the barrel forcing cone in that few of rounds and it was due to the powder burning so hot.

I'm skeptical, but I have a single action and only fire six rounds at a time and set it down. "I" need a break after six and yes, the cylinder is warm after that many rounds. I haven't tried H110 (yet) so I can't compare the two though, but it would be an easy experiment for an engineer like myself to conduct with a little range time.

And I found this one:
http://www.go2gbo.com/forums/index.php/ ... 437.0.html


Carl, the last link is the one I referred to.
Sonnytoo
 

Naphtali

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Anyone who has Speer and/or Hornady's 300-grain 45 Colt bullets, please furnish dimensions: length; nose-to-[where] crimped length; and base-to-[where] crimped length.
 

lisa1lacy2

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Lloyd Smale":2jollc5g said:
keep in mind that you are in arkansaw and hes in utah. Big difference in temps there. cold weather 110 and standard primers dont mix. Also if your going to use std primers with 110 you need to run top end loads so you have some pressure to help the burnign. Hodgdon recomends only mag primers with 110 and its for a good reason.
lisa1lacy2":2jollc5g said:
I have shot them out of my redhawk and bisley with very good results the load I like is 21.5gr of eather w296 and h110 with reg large pistol primers not mags you do not need them I cant remember if this are max loads so I would work up to it

you are right Lloyd I did not think of the temp thing but I have shot thousands of these loades with no problem at all.and I think 21.5 is a top load
 

AkRay

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I have to agree with Lloyd. Use magnum primers in 44 magnum loads that might be carried in colder weather. The standard primers with 20+ grains of H110 or W296 will let you down at some point.
 

Sonnytoo

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John Linebaugh's recommended loads for heavy .45 Colt in Ruger revolvers includes this statement.

"BE SURE YOU'RE READING THE LOADING DATA PROPERLY AND YOUR COMPONENTS ARE CORRECT. EITHER LARGE STANDARD OR LARGE MAGNUM PISTOL PRIMERS ARE SUITABLE FOR THESE LOADS.

THIS LOAD DATA TO BE USED "0 N L Y" IN MODERN RUGER SINGLE ACTION REVOLVERS."

I've probably shot over 50 lbs of WW-296 in all my testing and twice that much H-110. I feel H-110 is kinder to lead bullets than W296 but H-110 does vary from lot to lot more than W296."

If John says it's true, it is.
Sonnytoo
 
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