Had an idea.....

[USSR]

Am a big fan of the .45 Colt, and have several of them. I bought some of the .45 Cowboy Special brass that Starline sells and intend to work up some light weight, fairly mild loads using the fast powders I use for trap shooting. While I have an H&G #68 clone mold, it just don't look right for a revolver load, what with not having a driving band out in front of the case. So, I got to thinking (always a dangerous thing for me), why not take my Lyman 452460 bullet which has 2 lube grooves, and use the front one as a crimp groove? Granted, the single lube groove is small and doesn't hold a lot of lube, but at the low velocities I am looking at it should work. Added bonus, the bullet will be seated out a little bit closer to the throat. What say ye?

Don

[tazman]

It will work. Go for it.

[gwpercle]

Or ...just use the seating and crimp die from your 45 acp die set ...the one you use to seat and crimp #452460 in 45 acp ....and use it to seat and taper crimp that same boolit in the 45 Cowboy Special brass . I've done it in 45 Colt loads , the crimp holds and should work just fine for 45 Cowboy !
Keep the two grooves for lube if you like ... I would .
Gary

[Walks]

Nope.
But have fun.

[Winger Ed.]

You'd just have to try it.

Or, using a soft alloy-
try putting a light roll crimp on/over the top edge sort of like you would do with a double end wadcutter for .38s.

[georgerkahn]

USSR -- It sounds to me like it might work just fine -- and I agree with you being perhaps more pleasing to the eye . I have cast mine for .45ACP target shooting in a S&W 625 revolver, where (as most of my firearms ) it shoots better than I do... I believe I have a partial coffee can of these bullets from a couple of years back, and may just try loading some for .45 Colt revolver use, too. I do not recall off the top of my head what lub I used, but suspect it was plain-Jane Lyman hollow stick in a 450 lub/sizer. I do recall I used a 0.452" die and -- perhaps my alloy ? -- most all my bullets just barely were contacted by the .452" sizing die, with the occasional one just about dropping through. In giving a wee bit of thought to your idea -- I'd probably use Trail Boss -- probably starting at 5.0 grains. That Colt case is huge compared to the ACP -- and Trail Boss both (imho) fills a lot of space, also insuring against, say, a double charge.
Good luck!
geo

[USSR]

That Colt case is huge compared to the ACP -- and Trail Boss both (imho) fills a lot of space, also insuring against, say, a double charge.

George,

Not using the Colt case. The .45 Cowboy Special is the same size as the .45 ACP case, except with the .45 Colt rim. Using Red Dot, I should get a pretty good fill ratio.

Winger Ed,

I have a .45 ACP seating die with a roll crimp that I will be using.

Don

[bigted]

I have used the shorter schofield cases in my 1860 open top revolver using the cartridge conversion cylinder. They work well as well for lite loads.

[Larry Gibson]

"intend to work up some light weight, fairly mild loads using the fast powders I use for trap shooting."

A crimp is not needed at all with such loads. I've a 45 ACP cylinder for my Evil Roy SAA and shoot 45 ACP loads and the same loads in 45 Cowboy Action cases. Even my top end 45 acp load {230 TC over 5 gr Bullseye] doesn't require a crimp. I've never had any indication of "bullet jump".

[Earlwb]

I would agree, if you are using mild loads then you likely don't need to crimp the bullets.

[FLINTNFIRE]

I load a lot of the same bullets I use for 45acp in my 45 colt , using promo powder , and powder coated , I still load the heavier I just do not load them to ruger only loads anymore , I think your idea is fine , load and enjoy.

[Silver Jack Hammer]

I used to own the 452460 and found it to be beautifully accurate. And ugly. Sorry I sold my 452460 mold. During this vid I’ve been horsing around with Starline Schofield.

[USSR]

"intend to work up some light weight, fairly mild loads using the fast powders I use for trap shooting."

A crimp is not needed at all with such loads.

Well, Larry, just like I don't have to seat the bullet to a depth that exposes the driving band, it's a revolver cartridge for God's sake, and needs to look like one.

Don

[contender1]

Let me offer a different idea.
Now, I'm not familiar with the profile of the bullet you mentioned. But I do understand your thoughts.
I think the easiest & simplest thing would be to powder coat the bullet you plan to use,, and it would preclude the necessity of using lube. That way, you can seat the bullet as you desire, and get the "look" you are after,, ALL w/o compromising the accuracy & leading issues.
By using a PC, you can roll crimp, taper crimp etc. And if the look is important, you can get a clear color PC, or even a gray one to look like lead.

Just another idea.

[Larry Gibson]

"intend to work up some light weight, fairly mild loads using the fast powders I use for trap shooting."



Well, Larry, just like I don't have to seat the bullet to a depth that exposes the driving band, it's a revolver cartridge for God's sake, and needs to look like one.

Don

We all need be allowed such hallucinations.....Lord knows I have my own.....

[Earlwb]

You know one thought on mild loads, is to use round ball bullets. You only need a powder dipper, decapper and primer seater tool to reload. You could do it at the range even. The bullets just push into the case with your fingers. No resizing needed. You could likely have it going with about the same recoil that a .22LR makes in a pistol. of course with a mild load you could likely do it with your cast bullets too.

[USSR]

Thanks for the suggestions, guys, but I ain't PCing (see profile in post #6) when I have a perfectly good Lyman 450, various size sizers, BAC lube, and know how to use it. Also, since I already have the 452460 mold, no sense in shooting round balls.

Don

[bedbugbilly]

I have used that boolit in 45 Colt and Schofield - light loads using Red Dot and it works just fine. When I first started loading the 45, I had a hodgepodge of dies and all I had to crimp with was a 45ACP taper crimp. I put a light taper crimp on the and never had any issues out of my 7 1/2" Uberti Cattleman as far as boolit jump, etc. When I finally got a roll crimp die - I just seated them to the top groove and used the top groove as the crimp groove. I tumble lube in paste wax / alox and no issues at all. And . . . it shot well! Should work just fine in your cowboy brass.

[USSR]

Thanks for the encouragement, bedbugbilly.

Don

[35 Whelen]

I you just WANT to crimp it, there's nothing disgraceful about lubing normally then then lightly crimping in the front lube groove.

You may already know, but 45 Colt's typically shoot lighter bullets and loads WAY lower than 250-ish gr. bullets.

35W