heavy cast in 45ACP revolvers??

[Poohgyrr]

Is anyone here shooting lead boolits heavier than 230gr in their .45 ACP revolver?

I don't know, but would guess these wheelguns should do fine with some of the .45 LC boolits.

[dk17hmr]

How heavy are you talking. I dont have a Revolver but I have a bottom feeder.

I shoot a 255gr RNFP out of my 5" 1911 at 850fps. Never have had a problem with them, it is the load I carry in my pistol for back up when I am bear hunting with my bow.

[Boz330]

A bunch of the guys that I shoot IPSC with are using the 255 in there 45ACP autos. I haven't tried it but they claim that recoil is much less. The down side in the autos is the chamber/lead has to be reamed to accept the larger ogive. Should be a slam dunk in a revolver. Jump in here KY Caster you have more on this than I do.
A guy that I used to shoot with in SA carried a 300gr bullet for serious social encounters.

[Pepe Ray]

Model 25 & 625 chambers can be fussy as to what they'll accept. Mine like the Thompson 452491 but the 452424 must be sized down too far for acceptable bore fit.
Pepe Ray

[Nueces]

I second Pepe Ray. My first large bore was a Smith M-25 and my long range plinking bullet was the Lyman 452490. My moulds, from the '70s, cast a bit large, at around 0.456, which matched the Smith throats. However, in my youth and ignorance, I sized to 0.452, which took quite a pull on the lever. Even so, no leading over 6.5 Unique, and nice offhand accuracy.

Mark

[35remington]

I have and continue to do so, including plainbase and gascheck bullets up to 260 grains. Some of my loads were a (very) cautious test of some of the stuff in the old Speer #8 manual, and some of the data in that book was so eye opening that I never duplicated it. I do know that pressures in the Auto Rim/ACP are low enough that 2400 does not burn all that cleanly, and that the deep seating of the heavier bullets raises pressures quite a bit with any powder, so be careful about trying to extrapolate data with a light bullet to a heavier one. Ramshot Enforcer is quite a bit better in that role than 2400 ever was, and much cleaner burning.

If you have one of the newer Smith 25's or 625's, it's possible to safely get some reasonable velocities with the ~250 grain bullets and have a good general purpose revolver. I have a 5" 625-3 myself. A 250-255 at 900 fps makes a pretty good general purpose load that has a surprising amount of penetration.

Lyman once made a 240 grain Keith SWC expressly for the Auto Rim/ACP revolver and it would be nice if we could get a revival via a group buy here.

[hammerhead357]

I use the RCBS 45 255 gr. SWC and a Hensley & Gibbs S502 SWC that has a nominal weight of 260 grs. in the 45 auto rim. I use both over 6.5 to 7.0 grs. of Unique.

I have also used some loads of H-110 but don't remember the loads. I will have to check out the loading log later if I get a chance. Wes

Obtw I use an early model 625 that I use these in.

[Char-Gar]

The Keith designed Lyman 452423 was made for the 45 ACP/AR round in sixguns and has been a magnificient performer in that role. It will weight 240 to 247 grains depending on the alloy.

I have fired ten of thousands of this bullets through various 45 ACP sixguns and autopistols over the last 47 years.

We DID do a 6 hole group buy of this mold about two years back. I got mine!!!

[45 2.1]

I think Catshooter will probably run all the Keith boolits again this year. Here is a link to the GB: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=266&highlight=454423
and you can see the boolit here:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=11901&page=2

[KYCaster]

For a couple of years I used a 255gr. RNFP in a 1911 for IPSC competition. I wasn't concerned about its suitability for hunting, just needed to make the power factor. When loaded to the same power factor there was a significant difference in the felt recoil of the 255 vs. lighter bullets. And compared to 230 RN, penetration was awesome!!

I loaded to an OAL of 1.185 which was too long to function in most 1911's. Loaded shorter, pressure would increase substantially and very small variations in seating depth would show high pressure signs. A very light cut with a tapered throating reamer cured the chambering problems. Also, seating deeper would get into the thicker web of the case wall causing a bulge at the bullet base that hindered chambering. (I met a guy at the USPSA nationals who used a 325gr. bullet with a gas check shank that avoided the deep seating issue)

I'm very concerned about powder selection for the heavy bullet loads. Some guys swear by Bullseye, but I think anything faster than Unique is just asking for trouble. I first used Hodgden Universal and was happy with it till I talked to a factory rep who said it is prone to pressure spikes. I finally settled on SR7625 and shot many thousands of rounds with it with no problems.

I haven't tried these in revolters, but the same issues should apply, and I can see where a 255 HP cast of 50/50 WW/lead at about 950fps. would be very useful.

Enjoy,
Jerry

[Poohgyrr]

Hmmm.....

I just don't shoot full power .40+ caliber magnum level rounds out of handguns anymore, and a 240 - 255 @ 900+ .45 ACP load for both 1911 & Smith N frame, sounds pretty good...

Thanks for everything and more is always appreciated.

I want to search some more in here too........

From another thread, the 452423GB:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2779&d=1168469349

[35remington]

Chargar, yeah, I know you did the group buy two years ago. I just missed it due to a job change and lack of finances. My loss, if it is ever reprised I am on board for sure.

For most of these heavy SWC bullets I crowd 1.275" as close as possible in 1911's (its maximum allowed OAL) and as long as possible in the revolvers. The 1911 usually functions best with rounds near the maximum length. I agree, don't go too short as it raises pressures dramatically. Due to the presence of a SWC shoulder you may not be able to seat to a length that allows the round to chamber and still function correctly in the 1911. Depends on the nose length forward of the SWC as well.

KY Caster, I presume you seated to the shorter length of 1.185 because of the long bearing surface and short nose of the RNFP, correct? I could never get my 1911's to run reliably at that short OAL. The SWC's longer OAL seems to work more reliably for me than the short heavy RNFP's.

[KYCaster]

35Rem. You're right about the reasons for the short length. Most guns would choke on a SWC that short, but the RNFP works OK.

Jerry

[9.3X62AL]

I ran LOTS of #454490's out of my now departed S&W Model 25-2. The main load was the above-mentioned 6.5 grains of Unique, this before the days I had a chronograph. Another +1 for the 250 grain-class in 45 ACP revolvers.....those SWC's just look RIGHT in a 45 Auto Rim case.

[BluesBear]

I've been shooting .45Colt boolits loaded into Auto Rim brass for over 30 years now with great results.
Looking back at old mould catalogues it seems that in the 40s and 50s this was very common.

It appears that Black Hills has taken note too. These arrived at Midway just last week.

[Poohgyrr]

I keep looking for information on this, so I need to save for another S&W wheelgun.. :drinks:

Those 3" to 4" N frames just look too good not to have..

[Ricochet]

I've been shooting .45Colt boolits loaded into Auto Rim brass for over 30 years now with great results.
Looking back at old mould catalogues it seems that in the 40s and 50s this was very common.
In 1970s loading manuals it was common. Mine have data for 255 grain SWC boolits.