Snyd
04-19-2011, 10:46 AM
So the goal is to be able to work up a load using these 355gr hammers for the 454 Redhawk and 454 Puma Levergun. No prob with OAL in the Redhawk but they need to cycle with 100% reliability in the Levergun.
http://web.mac.com/perryschneider/pics/45_350_lbt.jpg
Loaded in full length 454 brass they won't cycle with this big metplat. In 45 Colt brass no prob. But, I'd like to be able to push these at 454 levels in the Puma. My 45 Colt load is 21.5gr H110 and is a max load and is accurate and about 1200fps in my SBH. I could stuff more powder in the case but don't feel comfortable doing that and the SBH doesn't need it. I also don't want to take the chance of mixing up ammo and shooting an over max/high pressure load in my SBH. So, I decided I'd trim 454 brass down, seat and crimp some dummy rounds to where they'd cycle in the levergun and see if I could have more case capacity than the 45 Colt brass. I ended up at 1.330 and they cycle like butter, thus, the 454 Snyd is born (at least in my world) :D. 45 Colt brass is 1.285, 454 is 1.385 so I ended up in the middle The 454 Snyd is about half way between the 45 Colt and 454 Casull. Plus, since it's headstamped 454 that should help keep from accidentally stuffing them into my 45 Colt SBH.
I had in the past loaded a 360gr Cast Performance boolit in 454 brass trimmed to 1.365. That bullet seats deeper in the case than the 355gr Hammer. I don't have one to measure but I do have this old pic and you can see the difference.
http://web.mac.com/perryschneider/pics/45_bullets01.jpg
I bet it's close to .050 or more shorter. My observation/conclusion is that the 355gr in the 1.330 454 Snyd case has the same case capacity (or more) than the 360gr CP boolit seated in 1.365 454 brass. I used the 454 360gr load data as a starting point and worked my way up to 26gr H110, I did shoot 27gr in the levergun a while back no prob but haven't in the Redhawk yet. Here are my preliminary results. I've got room for more powder and have no pressure signs in either gun. Easy extraction, primers look good. I may work it up some more.
1685 fps avg 6 rnds. 25 yds resting only the forestock on a bag. I think the gun can shoot these a little mo-betta.
http://web.mac.com/perryschneider/pics/454Snyd_01.jpg
Here's the same load in the Redhawk. 1275fps, 47 yds. I ranged it.
http://web.mac.com/perryschneider/pics/454Snyd_02.jpg
I also worked up this 422 gr load. Cycles like butter in the Puma but jumps crimp enough to jam up in the Redhawk after 4 rnds. I'm still working on this. It shoots really good in both guns. I'm using a Lee Factory Crimp Die but I think I'll try a Redding Profile Crimp Die and see what happens. This RCBS boolit doesn't have a tapered crimp groove. I may have to try a different 400gr boolit. We'll see.
I can go up with this load as well but gotta solve the crimp jump in the Redhawk. Not an issue in the levergun. I checked each round as I shot the tube full and down to the last one they stayed put.
1072 fps in the Redhawk, 1442 in the Levergun.
http://web.mac.com/perryschneider/pics/422Puma_01.jpg
http://web.mac.com/perryschneider/pics/422RH_01.jpg
Here's a pic of the Happy Couple.
http://web.mac.com/perryschneider/pics/454s_01.jpg
http://web.mac.com/perryschneider/pics/45_350_lbt.jpg
Loaded in full length 454 brass they won't cycle with this big metplat. In 45 Colt brass no prob. But, I'd like to be able to push these at 454 levels in the Puma. My 45 Colt load is 21.5gr H110 and is a max load and is accurate and about 1200fps in my SBH. I could stuff more powder in the case but don't feel comfortable doing that and the SBH doesn't need it. I also don't want to take the chance of mixing up ammo and shooting an over max/high pressure load in my SBH. So, I decided I'd trim 454 brass down, seat and crimp some dummy rounds to where they'd cycle in the levergun and see if I could have more case capacity than the 45 Colt brass. I ended up at 1.330 and they cycle like butter, thus, the 454 Snyd is born (at least in my world) :D. 45 Colt brass is 1.285, 454 is 1.385 so I ended up in the middle The 454 Snyd is about half way between the 45 Colt and 454 Casull. Plus, since it's headstamped 454 that should help keep from accidentally stuffing them into my 45 Colt SBH.
I had in the past loaded a 360gr Cast Performance boolit in 454 brass trimmed to 1.365. That bullet seats deeper in the case than the 355gr Hammer. I don't have one to measure but I do have this old pic and you can see the difference.
http://web.mac.com/perryschneider/pics/45_bullets01.jpg
I bet it's close to .050 or more shorter. My observation/conclusion is that the 355gr in the 1.330 454 Snyd case has the same case capacity (or more) than the 360gr CP boolit seated in 1.365 454 brass. I used the 454 360gr load data as a starting point and worked my way up to 26gr H110, I did shoot 27gr in the levergun a while back no prob but haven't in the Redhawk yet. Here are my preliminary results. I've got room for more powder and have no pressure signs in either gun. Easy extraction, primers look good. I may work it up some more.
1685 fps avg 6 rnds. 25 yds resting only the forestock on a bag. I think the gun can shoot these a little mo-betta.
http://web.mac.com/perryschneider/pics/454Snyd_01.jpg
Here's the same load in the Redhawk. 1275fps, 47 yds. I ranged it.
http://web.mac.com/perryschneider/pics/454Snyd_02.jpg
I also worked up this 422 gr load. Cycles like butter in the Puma but jumps crimp enough to jam up in the Redhawk after 4 rnds. I'm still working on this. It shoots really good in both guns. I'm using a Lee Factory Crimp Die but I think I'll try a Redding Profile Crimp Die and see what happens. This RCBS boolit doesn't have a tapered crimp groove. I may have to try a different 400gr boolit. We'll see.
I can go up with this load as well but gotta solve the crimp jump in the Redhawk. Not an issue in the levergun. I checked each round as I shot the tube full and down to the last one they stayed put.
1072 fps in the Redhawk, 1442 in the Levergun.
http://web.mac.com/perryschneider/pics/422Puma_01.jpg
http://web.mac.com/perryschneider/pics/422RH_01.jpg
Here's a pic of the Happy Couple.
http://web.mac.com/perryschneider/pics/454s_01.jpg