The good old 45 Long Colt

[mag_01]

:coffee: -----Today was a little chilly but never the less off to the range and a chance to test 45 Long Colt loads with fillers-----Boolit is a 225 conical boolit used in the Rugar old army black powder gun----Boolit as cast is .452 at base and .460 at widest point (about where case crimps boolit)--after sizing with a .452 die boolit is .4525 at widest point---yes taking about 7.5 Th's. off---boolit rebounds to give the .4525 diam.---So boolit is 225gr. with 5.5grs. of bullseye with filler----

Filler is Tumbling media ---------about 1 inch with some rounds touching

Tumbling media with dacron against the powder about 1.2 inches again some rounds touching

Tumbling media with plastic wad (like meat packing mat.) about 1.2 inches and again some rounds touching---but a Little stiffer load (felt recoil and primer appearance)

All loads somewhat compressed---All loads shot well----all loads shot cleaner----All loads dead on center of aim.

used a 3inch black dot at 50 ft---- when a 1 inch dot was used groups got smaller with some rounds taking out the 1 inch black dot---off hand shooting open sites---all loads safe. If you try this start a little lower and be careful. Fillers increase pressure

No lead in barrel and clean (just unbelievable)

Ruger Blackhawk in 45 Long Colt-----7.5 inch barrel

[Jack Stanley]

I never tried fillers in the .45 Colt . It sounds like you got ahold of something that works . How do ya think it'll perform in the heat ?

Jack

[mag_01]

:coffee: ---Jack I feel that load will perform well in summer time there was no real signs of pressure especially in the basic load of just media---the plastic wad with media seem to have the flatter primer still not bad. With that same boolit with no filler my load is 6.5 bull ---shoots well but cases are dirty like covered with soot--Tells me cases are not sealing in chamber and primer is rounded like a light load.

[Four Fingers of Death]

Try it with Clays and International, etc. They are aussie powders and aren't affected by ambient temperature. Mick.

[Jack Stanley]

As I find the time , I'm trying to get similar loads with Universal that I've been using with Unique .

Jack

[robertbank]

I haven't got into fillers yet. Question. Would taking a light cardboard wad over the powder (thickness of cigarette package - not the paper type but the cardboard) improve ignition. I too, experience the black soot on the cases using Titegroup, 231 and Unique.

Take Care

Bob

[felix]

No, Bob. No cardboard over powder at any time. Fill the case with PSB or some other plastic material in ball or powder form. Plastic won't grab moisture, and thereby make your loads consistent month to month. Moisture of any kind in a adsorbing filler under compression, however slight, will make concrete out of it sooner or later. ... felix

[arkypete]

Don't know if it would be efficient way to load ammo but how about rolling some bullet lube out betwen two sheets of wax paper to 1/8th inch thick.
Use the case mouth to cut out a plug and force it down onto the powder with a dowel, then seat the bullet as usual.
Jim

[Willbird]

It is not good to leave an airgap between the powder and the bullet(caused by an overpowder wad I mean to say). Some will argue otherwise, but they are in the distinct minority. The basic theory is if you leave an airgap between the over powder wad and the bullet that the bullet acts like a bore obstruction.

Bill

[Char-Gar]

Mag 01... Lordy..Lordy..You do like trying to do things the hard way. I guess there is nothing wrong with experimenting a little, but why, oh why try and do it all the hard way?

1) Why use a bullet not designed for the round and pistol, unless it is the only one you have and are dead broke or live at the South Pole? There are scads of proved good cast bullets for the 45 Colt round.

2) Why use a filler to get by with an itty bitty powder charge that might prove dangerous by itself? There are scads of proven powder and charges that do not require and indeed will balk at the use of fillers.

In truth..there are no sixgun rounds that need fillers at all!

3) You biggest problem is those darn oversize charge holes in the Ruger cylinders and the undersized throats. Some Ruger barrels can be iffy also.

I guess you are a guy who like to step to the sound of his own drummer, but I just don't get it... color me clueless. BTW.. I have been loading and shooting the 45 Colt round for 46 years.

[robertbank]

Well put.

Take Care

Bob

[mag_01]

:coffee: ---Thanks Charger for reading my post and replying---When I read your reply it brought a smile to my face-----I have 4 boolits for 45 long colt and also use them for 45 apc----190swc--200swc---225rn conical boolit and of course the 255swc---The reason I went into depth on the conical boolit is because it is a black powder boolit for the ruger old army and its dimensions not being your typical perfect boolit-----That boolit gives excellent accuracy with many different loads both in my 45 colt blackhawk and my 45 auto---and yet is somewhat of an oddball dimension wise. My blackhawk has never given me bad performance and you know being a long time 45colt reloader that the 45 long colt caliber is very forgiving ---- rounds almost seem to correct themselves and head for the center. I do like to try different things and perhaps follow my own drummer. Filler in long colt is not new it has been around for a long time. As for the load my normal load is 6.5 Bull with 190----200---225---and 6 bull in the 250 all with excellent results no (filler). As far as danger I used both 5.5 and 6 bull with filler and had no pressure signs. And you are correct pistol cartridges do not require filler-----but we all have free choice to tailer our loads as we want to------My favorite load in long colt is 9 or 9.5 of herco behind a 255swc---have loaded the long colt above 44mag loads when I was younger but now chose to load on the mild side--Mag

[Char-Gar]

Far be it from me to tell a fellow he can't load his sixgun the way he wants. I may not want to stand next to him when he shoots it, but that is his business.

For certain round nose bullets do tend to center themselves in the barrel and shoot well. If you have no looked at good old Lyman 454190 you might want to. It will shoot rings around about every other bullet in the 45 Colt round.

A charge of 18 to 20 grains of H4227 or IMR 4227 will give a case almost full of powder and supreme accuracy with most bullets of normal weight.

I can't agree about the quality of Ruger revolvers and I have three of them in 45 Colt. Buy a 44 mag cylinder and send it and the revolver to John Linebaugh, Clements, Alph Precision or Hamilton Bowen with the instructions to chamber the cylinder to a tight 45 Colt and fit it to you sixguns. You will be amazed at the difference.

[mag_01]

Thanks Charger good information------Mag

[Nrut]

Hello Charger....where does one come by a .44mag. cylinder? Does Ruger sell them?....thanks

[Char-Gar]

Nut... Ruger won't sell you a cylinder. They pop up on ebay on a regular basis. They seem to sell for about $50.00.

However the custom smiths have their own cylinders, but it will cost you more and they will want to line bore the charge holes, which will run even more.

I for one don't think line boring is worth what they charge and certainly not worth the freight unless you install a new higher quality barrel.

You can get around some of t he Ruger charge hole looseness by only sizing the case enough to hold the bullet and using a Keith style bullet closely sized to the throats. That way the case is centered in the rear by the expanded/fired case and in the front by the bullet.

John Linebaugh will take your stock Ruger Blackhawk, ream a 44 cylinder to a tight 45 Colt, install a Douglas barrel in your choice of length, a new front sight a steel ejector rod and blue the whole deal for about $1,200. That is allot of money, but when you get through you will have one heck of a shooting sixgun.

[Nrut]

Thanks Charger....I bought a used Bisley Vaquero SS about a year and half ago but have'nt got a chance two play with it much....groove dia. is .451 and so are the cylinder exits for the most part....I may buy one of those throating reamers from Brownells if need be....or see if I can find a Canadian revolver smith to make a cylinder change and ream it out....I sure love the look of the Bisley Vaquero and the work those fella's you mentioned in your post as I often go to their websites....I bought Catshooter's 250gr Kieth based on J. Linebaugh recommended loads on his site....I won't be getting a full make over because of the $$$ but $1200.00 for cyl, barrel,and new site does'nt sound to bad....:)

[robertbank]

Gunnar over in Pr. George should be able to complete that work for you.

Take Care

Bob

[Nrut]

Forgot about him...thought he was more of semi-auto smith...I was thinking of Dlask but if Gunnar would take it on that would be better........thanks Bob....

[Dale53]

I have a Ruger Bisley Vaquero and it shoots VERY well. I have shot lots with both smokeless and black. I can shoot about 70 rounds with Pyrodex P before the cylinder starts to get too tight from fouling. Then I clean and the revolver is back in the game. Shooting black powder and Pyrodex because of Black Powder Cowboy games.

I am one of the lucky ones. My cylinder throats are no more than .001" over the barrel groove diameter. Nearly perfect dimensions. This was right during most of the fuss over the Ruger under sized throats.

I am extremely happy with my Ruger. It has fixed sights (its a Vaquero after all) but shoots exactly too the sights at 25 yards.

I use the Lyman Cowboy bullet. It looks "authentic", kind of, and has a large enough grease groove that Emmert's lube does a fine job with black and Pyrodex.

It also works with smokeless. I just load up the Dillon 550B and "hit it"!

Dale53

[robertbank]

Gunnar does nice work but make sure you nail down the time or you might wait forever. That is the one thing with Dlask his delivery time is quicker.

Take Care

Bob

[ammohead]

Chargar,

I don't get it.

It makes no sense to experiment with an off the wall load and bullet. But you see no problem spending $1200 on tuning a revolver? That's like spending $45,000 on a pickup truck and then ******** about the price of gas!

ammohead

[Char-Gar]

Ammo... Well it is a little more than tuning.

When a pistol goes over the bench of a fine smith and receives a new cylinder, barrel, all toleranced reduced to minimum and a few other things you have a custom pistol that will shoot rings around the stock model.

I guess your question is why spend money to upgrade the performance any firearm? If that is a question you have to ask, any answer I could give wouldn't make sense to you.

[44man]

I have a question about using tumbler media. Doesn't most of it have an abrasive coating to polish brass? Why subject a bore to more wear? I have heard of it used to polish a bore and reduce tool marks.

[felix]

Why tumble half way clean cases? Why not just wash them good with water/soap at ph 6.5? Brass loves this treatment and keeps tarnish down to a minimum. ... felix

[Bass Ackward]

I have a question about using tumbler media. Doesn't most of it have an abrasive coating to polish brass? Why subject a bore to more wear? I have heard of it used to polish a bore and reduce tool marks.


44man,

Ah common. Most guns are, well were made by union labor who can use a break.

And this comes from the guy who like to adds abrasive rocks to his bullets so that he can hit a smaller space on a BIG target? :grin:

hmmmmm ...............

[mag_01]

44 Man I use a Walnut media purchased from a pet supply store---no abrasives-----on label---All natural walnut litter for birds---- Its fine ground and dose a nice job polishing the cases---and when used as a filler dose a nice polish job on bore----hope this helps you--------Mag

[fourarmed]

I can't say I'm as happy with my .45 Colt RBBH as most of you seem to be. I suppose part of the problem is too many guns in the safe. "How is that a problem?" I hear you say. Well, not enough time to spend squelching the gremlins on any one of them, of course. I have reamed the chamber throats, replaced the base pin, and at least partially lapped out the heavy constriction under the threads. It isn't hopeless, because it shoots J-bullets pretty well. It just hasn't come around with cast, and that is my only interest for it.

Last night I decided to try some more lapping rounds, using the next finer grade of abrasive. I couldn't find the cases I normally use for that, and I don't like to use my good Starline cases for lapping, so I got out some WW brass that has been mouldering in the drawer. The damned stuff might as well have been for a different caliber. It wouldn't fit the shell plate, it broke the decapping stem in my die, I gouged my thumb getting a split case out, and bled all over hell's half-acre. I threw the whole batch in the trash and went to bed.

So I'm not exactly ready to gush over the good ol' .45 Colt.

[mag_01]

Good post Fourarmed----Some-days nothing goes right (or left) depending where you are standing----Our love of shooting keeps us going thru the good and the bad----Mag

[Four Fingers of Death]

Sounds like it might be time to move it along to a J bullet shooter and start again. Mick.

[C1PNR]

I can't say I'm as happy with my .45 Colt RBBH as most of you seem to be. I suppose part of the problem is too many guns in the safe. "How is that a problem?" I hear you say. Well, not enough time to spend squelching the gremlins on any one of them, of course. I have reamed the chamber throats, replaced the base pin, and at least partially lapped out the heavy constriction under the threads. It isn't hopeless, because it shoots J-bullets pretty well. It just hasn't come around with cast, and that is my only interest for it.

Last night I decided to try some more lapping rounds, using the next finer grade of abrasive. I couldn't find the cases I normally use for that, and I don't like to use my good Starline cases for lapping, so I got out some WW brass that has been mouldering in the drawer. The damned stuff might as well have been for a different caliber. It wouldn't fit the shell plate, it broke the decapping stem in my die, I gouged my thumb getting a split case out, and bled all over hell's half-acre. I threw the whole batch in the trash and went to bed.

So I'm not exactly ready to gush over the good ol' .45 Colt.
:violin: :shock: :bigsmyl2: :killingpc :groner:
I just couldn't help myself! I sure hope TOMORROW is a better day!

[w30wcf]

in some of their .45 Colt factory cartridges. I purchased about 50 factory REM-UMC balloon head smokeless cartridges awhile back. My purpose in doing so was to use them for loading black powder after removing the components.

Interestingly, 5 of the cartridges contained an over powder cushion type wad about 3/8" thick. Powder charges were an average of 6 grs. of what appears to be Bullseye.

w30wcf

[Nine-Toed Omar]

I own a Ruger New Vaquero, 4 5/8" barrel, .45 Colt. I was stunned to find all six cylinder throats measuring an exact .4525". The chambers are tighter than the usual Ruger 'wide-open spaces', but still not minimum spec.

After consulting several older shooters, reading every word written on this new sixgun, memorizing all the load manuals, and a fair amount of prayer, I settled on IMR 4227 as the powder of choice for everything from 250 to 300 grain boolits. Currently I'm very happy with the 270 grain Penn Thunderheads. Got mine sized to .452. These things are spectacular! Sound a bit odd heading down-range, but cut clean holes and hit like a freight train. 18.5 grains of IMR 4227 under one of these will quarter completely through a big swamp pig tearing out shoulder and hip before exiting. The little revolver handles it quite nicely.

Folks just need to keep in mind that the RNV is not the tank that the Blackhawks, Bisleys, or Vaqueros are. Kept within common sense limits it is a mighty fine gun - which is why its my personal carry piece. :)