.45 meplats beyond 80%, accuracy at 100yds?

[grampa243]

You still haven't said why you are even venturing to shoot a 45 Colt in a revolver at 100yds or more. In my mind - an exercise in administrative futility

45acp in 1911 at 230 Yards
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2cnop15VA8

sorry for the highjack but i just want to point out shooting a longer ranges can be done.. i shoot autoloaders so i can't give feedback on meplat sizes that don't feed in my guns.

[44man]

Sorry about my comment about gun rags. But they seem to push a larger meplat for hunting but ignore velocity. They work fine shot slower.
Now shooting far does not mean you need to hit everything, it is for fun yet you will be surprised how you WILL hit some stuff.
The years have gone fast but I loved Elmer, down to earth man. I bought my first .44's in 1956. I shot 100, 400 and even 550 yards back then. I never found a limit that did not amaze me and friends. It was Elmer's fault that opened up long range revolver shooting for us.
Now I don't like a wad cutter or any boolit that the nose edge engages the forcing cone instead of the ogive. Need steerage there.

[Outpost75]

50-yard groups from my RBH with Accurate 45-240A. #2400 in. 45 ACP case is not recommended, just trying to see if slamming bullet harder was better at 50-yards than 800 fps load with 4.5 grains of Bullseye. It was, but #2400 left alot of unburned powder, even at 1000 fps.

Attachment 76282
Attachment 76283

[Changeling]

Sorry about my comment about gun rags. But they seem to push a larger meplat for hunting but ignore velocity. They work fine shot slower.
Now shooting far does not mean you need to hit everything, it is for fun yet you will be surprised how you WILL hit some stuff.
The years have gone fast but I loved Elmer, down to earth man. I bought my first .44's in 1956. I shot 100, 400 and even 550 yards back then. I never found a limit that did not amaze me and friends. It was Elmer's fault that opened up long range revolver shooting for us.
Now I don't like a wad cutter or any boolit that the nose edge engages the forcing cone instead of the ogive. Need steerage there.

No problem on the gun rags Jim, I've seen a lot of BS written in those things that was for attention getting, not actual knowledge. In the "press" I believe they call it sensationalism.

The whole intention in the post was to find out the largest .45 meplat size, bullet weight, that would produce excellent accuracy at 100 yards and kills in the Ruger 5.5 inch Black Hawk. I want to do these things without going over 290 grain bullets give or take and don't believe this to be an impossible task.
The bullet will be for shooting deer and playing at distance, therefore my reason for wanting accuracy! However I have to keep bullet weight down because of the spine injury from the wreck I was in.

Everyone talks about WFN and WLN, however very few people know what that equates to in " actual size", you would be surprised at how many people think it's an expression to mean any size meplat!!

Anyway that is the gist of it. Take care.

[Lloyd Smale]

Dont know if youve tried it yet or not but the rcbs 300 grain swcgc is probably my favorite heavy 45 colt bullet. Swcs can be hit or miss for accuracy just like wfns but that bullet has allways shot real well in any 45 colt ive tried it in and even does well at long range. Nice thing is it seems to shoot just as well at a 1000 fps as it does at 1300. Ive taken deer, pigs and black bear with that bullet and its allways gave quick clean kills. Its one 45 bullet i wouldnt be without. By the way it casts about the weight your looking at out of 5050 ww/lino.

[44man]

That is a good boolit. I have the Lee 300 gr and just measured the meplat best I could and it is almost 82%.
True there are only the original WLN and WFN boolits from LBT but they all vary anyway. I don't think any have specific measurements.
Any close to my LBT boolits are just labeled as close. Someone called my WFN an "almost WFN" but what difference in the end? All I can say is they are larger then the WLN.
I file the nose for the cherry on the lathe, never measure and quit when it looks good to me. Never found a deer with micrometers in his pocket.
Velocity is the most important for accuracy and it does not matter what it is as long as the boolit is stable. Some use a chronograph to work loads, looking for things not important or looking for as fast as the gun will shoot.
The twist on the .45 Ruger's is 1 in 16" so a heavy boolit does not need shot fast. My best are around 1160 fps. Forget the stuff of turning a .45 into a .44 mag, does not need it or will fail to shoot good. You need a slower twist if you go for broke. Then the question of a 5 shot cylinder.

[mellonhead]

Dont know if youve tried it yet or not but the rcbs 300 grain swcgc is probably my favorite heavy 45 colt bullet. Swcs can be hit or miss for accuracy just like wfns but that bullet has allways shot real well in any 45 colt ive tried it in and even does well at long range. Nice thing is it seems to shoot just as well at a 1000 fps as it does at 1300. Ive taken deer, pigs and black bear with that bullet and its allways gave quick clean kills. Its one 45 bullet i wouldnt be without. By the way it casts about the weight your looking at out of 5050 ww/lino.

X2. This bullet has been a goto bullet in my 45 calibers for a long time.

Toby

[Changeling]

Thanks Jim and Lloyd, I haven't settled on any particular bullet yet. Still trying to figure out a style/weight/meplat to have Accurate molds.com make me a mold.
Money is short this month and next, my auto insurance and my sons both due, county taxs due, summer college for my son just paid, plus all the regular bills OH and I received a recall on my Toyota truck about frame rust, I took it in and they are keeping it saying it's unsafe to drive and they don't have any more frames so they won't fix it!!!! With out transporation now.
Waiting for a buy offer from Toyota now. You just know they will treat me fairly! Yea Right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I might have to get a lawyer on this.

[44man]

Tell me about it. I am on SS and just got tax bills. Those people are nuts.

[Good Cheer]

We shoot fixed sight revolvers at 100 yards at all of our matches, and practice with them on the 12" gong daily. The target below was shot with my Colt New Service M1909 from a supported sitting position. There is nothing out of the ordinary with this group. There are younger guys with good eyesight who do better than this and it is alot of fun!

Attachment 76001


Attachment 76002

Three cheers for the 1909!
Thirty years ago my target load was the 45468 with the ogive machined out to a straight cylinder and the hollow base pointed forward. Never had any problems with accuracy or leading. And it surely would roll an armadillo at fifty yards.

[happie2shoot]

I think a WFN is .090 under boolet diameter and LFN is .125 under boolit dia.

[CLAYPOOL]

As for the truck frame they made a deal with 1 of our guys that works at Tunnel Hill Trail in Vienna, Il., for a new truck replacement on the cheap for his old rusty framed one. I may have misspelled Vienna. This took place about 5 - 7 years ago when I was still working. I don't remember the exact figures but he sure got a heck of a deal .. and a new truck...!

[Dannix]

Interesting comments about WFN and WLN. I've always thought of those as bearing surface vs nose length descriptions, with meplat being a completely independent variable.

Forget the stuff of turning a .45 into a .44 mag, does not need it or will fail to shoot good.

To clarify, would I be correct in assuming .454 is another matter though?

Velocity is the most important for accuracy and it does not matter what it is as long as the boolit is stable. Some use a chronograph to work loads, looking for things not important or looking for as fast as the gun will shoot.

That gets pretty close to describing me with 9x19mm loads (the only handgun round I reload for), though my chronograph use is to have an an idea regarding pressure levels. Best velocity seems to be a requirement for 9x19mm effectiveness though, which is why I bother.

[Lloyd Smale]

just got my property tax too Jim and am getting my money from the same place you do. Problem is the tires on the truck need to be changed right now so taxes are gettting pushed to the side for a couple months.

Tell me about it. I am on SS and just got tax bills. Those people are nuts.

[Lloyd Smale]

As to what constitutes an actual lfn or wfn or wlfn youll have to ask veral smith. He invented the terms. Id guess if you asked him though hed tell you that if its not his design its not a true wfn or lfn. Kind of like calling a swc a kieth. I though though that he stated what he considered were the proper dimentions for the lfn and wfn. Maybe it was in his book i read it.

[DanWalker]

Thanks Jim and Lloyd, I haven't settled on any particular bullet yet. Still trying to figure out a style/weight/meplat to have Accurate molds.com make me a mold.
Money is short this month and next, my auto insurance and my sons both due, county taxs due, summer college for my son just paid, plus all the regular bills OH and I received a recall on my Toyota truck about frame rust, I took it in and they are keeping it saying it's unsafe to drive and they don't have any more frames so they won't fix it!!!! With out transporation now.
Waiting for a buy offer from Toyota now. You just know they will treat me fairly! Yea Right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I might have to get a lawyer on this.

I have a couple or three different 45 molds I can toss in a FRB when I get home in 3 weeks. Cast yourself up a bunch of each, and see which your gun likes, before plopping down your cash. I spent all winter casting out here on the rigs, so I'm set for a while for boolits. Just PM me your mailing address.

[Changeling]

I have a couple or three different 45 molds I can toss in a FRB when I get home in 3 weeks. Cast yourself up a bunch of each, and see which your gun likes, before plopping down your cash. I spent all winter casting out here on the rigs, so I'm set for a while for boolits. Just PM me your mailing address.

Dan you are quite the man, and I really appreciate it, but I have been in tight situations before and I'll pull through just fine.
I haven't forgot that you were the first man that would answer my dumb questions when I first joined this forum and still really appreciate that very much!

I thank you my friend, but I will figure out things, just takes some time, like every thing else in life! Besides, I have 2 x wives that don't have any legal hold on me anymore, so I guess that makes me a "Lucky" Man! Hang in there.
Talk to you later, Changeling.

[Ramjet-SS]

I use the Lee 6 cavity the bullet drops 310 grains my 45 colt loads are for my Henry Big Boy but the meplat is close to 80% of caliber. I drive that bullet to 1650 FPS from the rifle and shoot right around 4" from a peep sighted rifle at 100 yards the front sight covers the target but I center it and get consistent accuracy. I might add I tumble lube these and use the Lee push through sizer. I have used Verals molds for Many many years both the LFN and WFN velocities from my various guns ranging from 38-475 all take deer and Elk with out driving these large heavy bullets. My accuracy has been real good in all my guns everything from revolvers to Ruger no1 and lever guns. I think there is so much more than just the meplat design to accuracy it is not really as significant a factor as the many other factors in the load-gun-sizing factors.