45 colt goodness

[JTknives]

Well i went out and tested my 45 colt load for my vaquero and was more the pleased with the results i got. The vaquero is a fixed sight gun so you tune the loads to the sights. I have done a bit of work to the gun in the since of tweaking things here and there. my load is the 330gr ruger only that just went through group buy. i then used 22grs of wc297 and a cci 350 primer "not NEW vaquero". i was looking for a hunting load and i think i found it. i was always told that the vaqueros are not good for long range and are just for close range fun. and if you want to hunt get a blackhawk. but i think what i have gotten is good enough for what i want. ok enough talk, picture time.

here is the gun
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/252978_2145776330972_1443189422_32557400_4087860_n .jpg

this is the loaded rounds
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/246830_2137566205724_1443189422_32544026_8220219_n .jpg

here is a 6 shot group at 100 yards from my 4 5/8th 45 colt vaquero.
http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/268550_2214441287553_1443189422_32600631_2217937_n .jpg

[Heavy lead]

I'd say so, nice shooting, I've got that mould too in both checked and not checked. Been shooting at 50 pretty well, need to move it out.

[RobS]

Good shooting and nice looking revolver; I like the boolit design as well.

[JTknives]

the 100 yard group in the picture was my first try at 100 yards with this gun. i shot that group and was so happy that i packed up and went home lol.

[Heavy lead]

I noticed the mod you did on the front sight, did a similiar, but not exact mod I my two Bisley Vaquero's and have a lot nicer sight picture. That rounded shiny thing just was awful in the sun especially.

[MtGun44]

Great shooting, great load. Well done.

Bill

[Fishman]

I'd guess you were happy. Sheesh! Nice shootin'

[44man]

It is just wonderful with the short barrel. :drinks: That would be super with ANY barrel! :Fire:

[JTknives]

It is just wonderful with the short barrel. :drinks: That would be super with ANY barrel! :Fire:

so you say to try CCI 300 primers and not 350's?

[prs]

I black the sights of my stainless Bisley Vaqueros and also file the rearward face of the sights. Since mine ARE for close in quick fun, I open the rear sight to HUGE. For distance precision, keep 'em small, but you could tweek windage a bit by just opening one side.

Now,your brass. What's up with that belted magnum look? Not case seperation?!?!?

prs

[44man]

so you say to try CCI 300 primers and not 350's?
Back to back test at 50 just to see if you find a difference. The .45 is at the border of case size where both primers will work. I don't know if you will do better then that fine group at 100 but don't quit now. You are way ahead. Nothing I like more.

[44man]

I black the sights of my stainless Bisley Vaqueros and also file the rearward face of the sights. Since mine ARE for close in quick fun, I open the rear sight to HUGE. For distance precision, keep 'em small, but you could tweek windage a bit by just opening one side.

Now,your brass. What's up with that belted magnum look? Not case seperation?!?!?

prs
That is just the Redding dies. They seem to have a sharper lower edge. It won't hurt anything.

[geargnasher]

Very nice. I do good to shoot that well with a 10-1/2" .44 Magnum and Ultradot 4moa red-dot sight.

Try "neck" sizing your fireformed brass, just run it into the die enough to size just where the boolit will be seated, leave the rest alone if it will still chamber. Decap with a Universal die or large, .45 sizer die like .45/70 or .45/110 if you have one.

Gear

[JTknives]

Very nice. I do good to shoot that well with a 10-1/2" .44 Magnum and Ultradot 4moa red-dot sight.

Try "neck" sizing your fireformed brass, just run it into the die enough to size just where the boolit will be seated, leave the rest alone if it will still chamber. Decap with a Universal die or large, .45 sizer die like .45/70 or .45/110 if you have one.

Gear

ya that's what i am doing now, im using a 300 ultra mag sizer decaper to decap then i use the redding die to size just the area for the neck.

[JTknives]

O and i was getting some leading with that load but it did not seam to affect accuracy. it was not light leading as it took a little work to remove it. the boolits are heat treated WW

[white eagle]

I have been using Fed.150.cci 300,win lp and cci 350's in my 45 colt
and I have found that the cci 350's give better grouping
not saying others don't work cause they all went bang but the
best groups for me were the 350's
I also used to use Redding dies but had the same issues you do with my cases and
got rid of them
Redding does not care to listen(c.s) but thats ok because there are others that do

[JTknives]

well just got the new cylinder for it last nite. now i just need to chamber the cylinder with my super tight chamber reamers and im good to go.

http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/261384_2219167445704_1443189422_32608489_7079859_n .jpg

[Aaron]

Did you chrono by any chance? I shot the HP version over 22.3 grs of wc297 in a short Blackhawk and ran 1400+... was expecting 1200.

Aaron

[JTknives]

wow thats really good ;) what barrel length? whats the weight of the HP version?

[Thumbcocker]

:kidding:I don't believe that that group was shot with that gun. The gun didn't cost nearly enough to shoot that good. :kidding:

[JTknives]

ya but i have done some tweaking. i just replaced the cylinder with one i chambered to 454 casull dimensions so it will be tighter then the 45 colt case. im wondering if i will need to work up loads now that i have a tighter chamber.

[x101airborne]

I absolutely recommend working up loads again. I have noticed in rifle chambers that chamber size dramatically effects chamber pressure. My tight neck 280 ackley effected loads by up to 3 full grains with certain powders. You may not notice a thing, you may notice a lot. And with the new cylinder, you may not need to drive them fast to get the best accuracy. Good job on the 'smithin'!!

[JTknives]

ok sounds good, my loads where not max loads as it was but i will work up. i just installed my hunting grip so i need to go and break it in an see how it shoots.

http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/262650_2226529909761_1443189422_32616661_6568277_n .jpg

[JTknives]

well i put a few rounds down range last nite and all went great. i used some of reloads i had from my old cylinder. and out of 11 i had on me i could only fire 6. thy where very tight in the chamber as i had only neck sized then and could barley get them in the chambers with a firm push. so it looks like i will need to use new brass ONLY for this cylinder and not my once shot. being that the chambers are so much tighter if brass has ever been fired in another revolver and the base expands past .479 its a no go. so im loading up 1`00 rounds of new starline to go test out tomarow.

[JTknives]

well i got a set of hornady 45 colt dies so now i am using those with much improved results on the crimp. this weekend i will post results on she does.

[ColColt]

I've ran across a great deal on a 45 Colt( New Model Flat top) but have heard the throats can vary in Rugers quite a bit....447-.454". That's quite a variance. One of my favorite calibers of all time but I'm not sure about the new ones.

[JTknives]

yes the throats can vary but not that much on one cylinder. for the most part thy are uniform on each cylinder.its almost 100% that thy will be small. which is good because its an easy fix, just ream it out. don't let something like that stop you from getting a great gun.