patching 45 Colt

[Dframe]

Lately just for the fun of it I've been shootin a small number of paper patched 45 Colt rounds. I sized some boolits down then papered them back up to 454. Loaded over a medium charge of trail boss and fired in my 1st generation Colt. Great fun. I'm getting confetti, a gun thats amazingly clean and modestly good accuracy. Steel plates at 15 yards are just too easy. I haven't tried this on paper yet. I'll probably be embarassed when I do, but they're so much fun to shoot I don't care. Have any of you guys tried paper in a handgun round? If so, how'd they perform for you?

[pdawg_shooter]

Yes, I have patched for .357s, and 44s. Don't see any advantage in patching for handguns. A PP bullet will not do anything a "naked" won't do just as well, given proper sizing and a good lube. I tend to go through a LOT of handgun rounds so I tumble lube and go shooting. The same rounds, loaded HOT and fired in a rifle might be different. Haven't tried that...Yet.

[Dframe]

I doubt there's much advantage either. I did it on a whim. But it was so much fun I'll likely keep it in my bag of tricks.

[goofyoldfart]

Hey Dframe, Don't give up on it--it's darn good pratice + it would be interesting to see what the accuracy "potential" is. God Bless to you and yours.

Goofy

[Dframe]

When we get some decent weather I'm going to take it out and see what kind of accuracy I can get with it.

[bigted]

I have patched many 45 colt boolits but for a different reason. I patch the .452's up to .460 and shoot em in my 45-70's and 45-120 rifles. these are very fun and I never think I have loaded enough of them when I go out to shoot them.

the 45-120 is just terrifying in the fun dept. when I load 120 grains of 2F goex behind them. they lite up the sky when the trigger is pressed.

my 45-70 does very well with them also. I shoot 10 grains Unique under them and they are wonderfull for the short range ... under 50 yds.

never patched for my revolvers tho.

[Dframe]

Sounds like a huge amount of fun. I'm gonna HAVE to try that. What bullet weight are you using over the charge of unique?

[bigted]

250's from a Lyman mold. they are soooooo much fun. I have shot them with the 10 grains unique up to include a stout load of IMR3031 ... wont say the grainage as it a bunch and I shot them in the Ruger #1. didn't seem to need the Rugers strength but I didn't want to chance any of my older designs even tho most are of modern build with modern steel. they sure do shine up a bore !!!

[Dframe]

Gonna HAVE to try that. Sounds like (if you'll pardon the pun) a blast to me. I have boolits and unique readily available. I even have a #1 should the occasion arise, though I'll more likely use one of the others.

[Whiterabbit]

PP in a revolver?

[pdawg_shooter]

PP in a revolver?

Sure, works fine, just no advantage over a lubed naked bullet.

[Whiterabbit]

you mentioned that several times. I believe you, I really do. But my revolver shoots a barnes load to over 2400 fps. well over. So if I can shoot an equivalent bullet but cast, that saves some serious bucks. lubed naked bullet is NOT happy going 2400 fps though my pistol.

[pdawg_shooter]

2400 in a pistol? What the heck is it chambered for?

[Whiterabbit]

460 S&W. My favorite loads are shooting heavier cast bullets like the 425 grain ranchdog and a slow 1450 fps, or a 500 grain BPCR bullet at a slow 1370 fps, but the barnes bullets chug along much faster. The 290 grain muzzleloader bullet flies along at 2400 fps, and I haven't chronoed the 200 XPB, but more powder is involved than the 290.

Turns out the 200 is (accidental discovery) quite a tack driver. Much more so than the minute-of pig-heart accuracy of the ranchdog. If I could crunch down 45 acp bullets and paperpatch them, and actually get them to shoot! then I save the cost of 225 grains of lead, a gas check, half the lube, for more accuracy and a cleaner bore.

Theoretically.....

[FredBuddy]

200 gr .452 SWC patched to .460 over Unique in my 1895 Cowboy.

The confetti makes me giggle every time I fire it.

Devastating on groundhogs out to 50 yds or so.

[Good Cheer]

Been threatening to figger out a design to put almost all the patched soft boolit up into the rifling of a Handi, up out of the case.
Thinking about it but not doing yet...

[Whiterabbit]

how do you size a bullet from .452 to .442 for paper patching?

[pdawg_shooter]

how do you size a bullet from .452 to .442 for paper patching?

One pass through a push through die will do it easy. I take .459 to .451 and .311 to .3015/.302 all the time.

[Whiterabbit]

I worded my question wrong. It should have been written:

"I assume a .442 size die does not exist. Where do I get a size die that will shrink a 45 cal bullet down far enough to achieve a size suitable for PP back up to .452?"

[pdawg_shooter]

Fellow by the name of Buckshot on this forum will make you one. Superb work and really reasonable prices!