shot loads for 45 LC

[zacharoo]

I have been reading and experamenting. Which works better? The speer shot capsules or the gas check load. I have tryed the shot capsules with #12 #9 and #8 shot. But never the one with gas checks. How is it done with say bullseye powder. Do you comperss the powder as much as possible or what? Like to know how!!! I would like a step by step instruction if possible.Thanks!!!
Zacharoo

 

[Sagebrush Burns]

I use the Speer shot caps and 7.5 of Unique. Just seat on the powder, don't worry about compression. A light crimp and ready to go.

 

[zacharoo]

Know how to load with the shot capsules. How is it done with gas checks. Anyone have a few to let me try with? 45 gas checks that is.

Zacharoo

 

[nvbirdman]

I cut .444 Marlin cases to cylinder length, use wads (overpowder and overshot) cut from styrofoam meat trays (or egg cartons) and use 6 grains of Unique. Then I seal the overshot wad with Elmers glue.

 

[zacharoo]

How do you size and crimp. What dies do you use. Can you give me more detail?

 

[DGW1949]

Sizing is done by running the trimmed .444 case into a 30-06 sizing die.

Crimp with a coventional 45LC seating/crimping die. Just make sure that it has had the bullet seater backed up out of the way.

FWIW....

The .444 Marlin case fits both my 45LC RCBS shell holder, and the 45LC shell holder in my antique LEE hand primer.

For my own use, I trim the Marlin case to fit the cylinder just shy of the throat. Seems to me that that particular length makes 'em load/extract easier than when trimming to full cylinder length....leastways, it does in my gun.

I tend to use a bit larger shot than is generaly recommended, and a bit less powder than most folks use. My thought there is that the larger shot hits harder at X-amount of speed so it don't take as many to do the job....and a bit less powder leaves more shot-room in the case.

I generaly use styrofoam for wadding because it is easy to work with, but I've also used cardboard on occassion.
Gas checks probably work better than styrofoam or cardboard wads because the gas checks themselves might(?) become projectiles. The other two surely don't. Just from observing, I'm guessing that styrofoam either melts into the shot load and/or burns away long before it can travel very far. I might be wrong about that, but I do know that I've yet to see any evidence of it's existance after the load is fired.

Never tried the gas checks myself, mostly because I don't have any. That, and what I've been using works good enough for me....so I haven't seen the need to spend the extra money.
Never loaded the Speer capsules neither...and for the same reasons.
In fact, if I wasn't such a titewad, I'd just buy the CCI shot loads and save all that work. They seem to do about as good on my local copperhead population as anything that I've loaded on my own.

Hope this helps.

DGW

 

[Ordguy]

Made up a few pistol shot loads years ago for the fun of it before the CCI shot capsules made it easier, faster, and safer (IMHO).

For 45 LC, I used Standard LP primers, ~6.5 gr of Bullseye. seated a thin felt wad over the powder, tamping it down. fill case with shot, #9 or 7 1/2 size (that's the only size I have)to a wee bit below case mouth. Invert gas check, press open end into case till it is just below case mouth, slight roll crimp to hold it all together.

perfomance was ........iffy. Usually ended up with a loud bang, the gascheck punches a ragged hole in target surrounded by holes from the shot.

The CCI Capsules are easier and perform better. The box the capsules come in have load data on the label.

Prepare case from load data with primer & powder, then just fill the capsule with the shot size you want, seat, apply gentle roll crimp and there you are.

 

[Dale53]

I have experimented with shot cartridges over the years. I have made them from longer cases and tried various set ups.

However, after all was done, the best results in all calibers that they were offered was to use the Speer (CCI) Shot Capsules. They are BY FAR the best way to go.

The most important thing I discovered is that the smaller the shot the better results I got. Revolver shot cartridges are NOT good small game loads. They are only satisfactory at 20 FEET or so, maximum (plenty enough to shred a snake that is close enough to hurt you - if he is farther away, he can't hurt you). #12 shot does MUCH better than anything larger.

You can get #12 from Ballistic Products:

http://www.ballisticproducts.com/prodin ... mber=02612

#12 is expensive ($29.95 for ten pounds + shipping). The good part is it doesn't take much per load and ten pounds is pretty much a life time supply for you and a buddy.

#9 shot is available locally and is considerably less expensive but also less effective.

What you want is a TIGHT pattern. Energy per pellet is not an issue at those close ranges (3-20 feet) and #12 is just flat better performing.

I have loads for .38/.357, .44 Special/Magnum, and .45 Colt. I have often backpacked in rocky country and shot is MUCH safer than bulleted loads on rocky ground. Actually, a good action shooter has little problem being VERY effective with a bulleted load but it can be quite dangerous of a ricochet at close ranges.

FWIW
Dale53

 

[edlmann]

Know how to load with the shot capsules. How is it done with gas checks. Anyone have a few to let me try with? 45 gas checks that is.

I did this thousands of years ago using .444 Marlin cases cut to slightly under cylinder length. I used .44 gas checks as an over-powder wad and to seal the case mouth. Remember: the forward part of the case must fit into the throat. On firing the cases looked like bottle neck cases, IIRC. I tried a pea-sized ball of bullet lube to attempt to avoid leading, but it was horrific. Back when I did this, there were no .45 shot capsules available. Really no reason to do this these days.