New to casting and loading 45 LC

[sonoransixgun]

Congrats on your new gun! Lots of good advice and experience here. I'll add my two cents...

I spend more time with my .45 BH than any of my other guns. I don't necessarily like it more, it's just something that happens.

I reamed out the throats and I also fire lapped mine. I've tried lots of loads and lots of different bullets. I echo what other said about settling on sane loads. At the age of 50, I just don't like dealing with the sore wrist that comes with the hot loads.

Anyway, though accuracy has always been good, I got my best from a load I developed with IMR 4227 and a Lyman boolit. It's in the pics below. Right now I'm shooting the same Lyman boolit with about 7.5 grains of Unique cause I have more of that powder and need to use it up. Truly great gun. If you're like me it'll never collect dust...





(Just had to throw this in too. I was given some blank powder which is not recommended for use in any loads involving lead. My experienced friend told me to just use it for light loads, so I did. Below is a group I got with the .45 BH at 15 yards using a light load of blank powder.)

[Silver Jack Hammer]

I have a one cavity 454424 however a follow forum member loaded me his RCBS 45 255 SWC and I’m sold. The RCBS mold beats the Lyman at the casting bench and on target in my Colt’s SAA’s.

[littlejack]

I run two dc RCBS 45 255 SWC's when casting. Great moulds and great bullets. Glen Frixell stated that in his opinion, that mould was as close to the old original Lyman 454424 one could get in a factory commercial mould.

[sonoransixgun]

Just came across this relevant Taffin quote....

“With the 45 Colt, IMR 4227 is almost magical in being able to provide excellent accuracy when other powders will not. In fact, an axiom with me is, 'When all else fails, try IMR 4227 before giving up.'” —John Taffin

rest of the paragraph...

"Years ago, after tiring of oversized 45 Colt chambers in Colt Single Action Army revolvers and New Frontiers, I started with a 357 Magnum New Frontier, had the cylinder rechambered properly and tightly to 45 Colt, and then had a new 4.75-inch Colt New Frontier barrel fitted. After all the work and expense, it turned out to be a somewhat mediocre performer. That is, until I tried IMR 4227 with Lyman’s #452424 and a 20.0-grain load, and that combination produced one-hole groups. Any time I have a 45 Colt that doesn’t shoot the way I think it should, I don’t give up until I try this load of IMR 4227 with Keith’s bullet. It has never failed me. It also is a most versatile powder as it can be used for standard loads for the Colt SAA and heavy loads for the Blackhawk."

[LAH]

Thanks sonoransixgun

In one of my Lyman Manuals the 454424 bullet with 20 grains of IMR 4227 is listed as their accuracy load. Listen to Mr. Taffin on this one.

[USSR]

This is also known as the Hank Williams Jr. load, as he is a big .45 Colt fan.

Don

[c0wb0y84]

Fire lapping will have the most impact on the tight sections of the barrel the thread choke.
As the lapping slug goes through the thread choke it is sized down and does not cut as much past that point but you need to re-slug the bore as you go to know when the choke is lapped out.
My experience is limited but I have not seen a bulged barrel that had not been fired with a bore obstruction but I guess anything is possible.

What just thinking out loud on this one, would just putting some lapping compound on slugs and slugging them through the barrel maybe have a more controlled effect than fire lapping? I guess perhaps starting from the side with the most restriction would be an advantage to fire lapping, if that matters.

Under the amount of pressure from firing the round would the bullet not obturate after it passed the restriction and still lap the larger portion of the barrel? Considering that based off of the slug, the bore is measuring .444 at the choke, is that amount of restriction really even worth fretting over?

Also having bought the gun used I can't say for certain that nothing crazy has ever happened to it that could caused a bulged barrel. I just don't think it has based on visual condition.

I don't have the means to air gauge a barrel so that's off the table.

[c0wb0y84]

Just came across this relevant Taffin quote....

“With the 45 Colt, IMR 4227 is almost magical in being able to provide excellent accuracy when other powders will not. In fact, an axiom with me is, 'When all else fails, try IMR 4227 before giving up.'” —John Taffin

rest of the paragraph...

"Years ago, after tiring of oversized 45 Colt chambers in Colt Single Action Army revolvers and New Frontiers, I started with a 357 Magnum New Frontier, had the cylinder rechambered properly and tightly to 45 Colt, and then had a new 4.75-inch Colt New Frontier barrel fitted. After all the work and expense, it turned out to be a somewhat mediocre performer. That is, until I tried IMR 4227 with Lyman’s #452424 and a 20.0-grain load, and that combination produced one-hole groups. Any time I have a 45 Colt that doesn’t shoot the way I think it should, I don’t give up until I try this load of IMR 4227 with Keith’s bullet. It has never failed me. It also is a most versatile powder as it can be used for standard loads for the Colt SAA and heavy loads for the Blackhawk."

Well I guess now I know another powder I need to get. I'll be on the look out for a new mold as well I suppose.

Really before that I need to find some one to let me borrow a forcing cone reamer... then all this other stuff y'all are filling my head with.