.45 Colt Reduced Loads

[Chiefs50]

I want to load up some roundball loads for my .45 Colt Contender. I plan on using 4.5 grains of Red Dot under a 454 RB or perhaps something similar using Bullseye. I have lubed the balls with LLA. I have a couple questions. 4.5 grains of Red Dot leaves a lot of space in that big case. Do I have to use a filler like corn meal to fill the space? If so, do I use an overpowder card or wad between the powder and the filler? How deeply should I seat the balls?

Mike

[leftiye]

Let me know if you figger out how to spit patch them with the patch tails rearward (inside the case)!

[NickSS]

I have used a lot of red dot and never found it particularly position sensitive. In fact I made a really light load to shoot in my house from a Lyman 31108 over 1.5 gr of Red Dot in a 30-30 case. At 35 feet it would fly true to my 100 yard sight setting and penetrate something like 1 to 2 inches of magazines in a box that I used as a bullet trap. It sounded like a CB cap going off. In other works the bullet impact made more noise than the shot.

[NHlever]

I shot some loads of 5.6 grains of Red Dot over the Lee 255 RF not long ago, and got consistant results from my 7 1/2" Blackhawk at 25 yards. Groups were round, and consistant in size........ around 2" so far with my old eyes, and the shakes I get from treatments.

[Rocky Raab]

Do not use any filler whatever.

Those primers don't just spark; think "leafblower" and you'll visualize what happens to that powder.

Size, prime and bell the case as usual. Drop the charge and then thumb the round ball into place so its equator is at the case mouth. Crimp lightly. Adjust the seater stem to just touch the ball and then load as usual for subsequent rounds.

[Chiefs50]

Thanks guys, for the information. That's what I needed to know.

[peerlesscowboy]

I wouldn't use ANY kind of filler with that load and I most DEFINITELY wouldn't use an over powder card or wad.
I like Rocky's description of the way these fast burning flake type powders ignite when used in large cases, I suspect that's the reason why they don't seem particularily position sensitive?
Got a Question for Rocky.....would a fast burning BALL powder like Winchester 231 behave the same way?

John C. Saubak

[Rocky Raab]

I'd think so, cowboy. Perhaps not quite as much, but not far off. W231 is a flattened ball that behaves a lot like a flake powder anyway. A true spherical like Acc#2 or Ramshot ZIP might not, but I cannot be brought to believe in any so-called "flashover" scenario where powder just lays there in the bottom of the case while the primer blast flows across it. That's preposterous.

Spill a bit of powder on your bench and puff your lips at it. It doesn't lay there. The primer is only a fraction of an inch from the powder, and it makes a true explosion. Common sense tells me it's a veritable maelstrom in there.