Skeeter's "Poor Mans Magnum"

[ddixie884]

Does anyone have a copy of this early "Charles Skelton" article? I think someone said it was in "Gunsport" magazine. It was about, what would later be called, "+P" loads for the 1917 Colt and S&W revolvers using heavy bullets originally designed for the .45Colt. THANX.....

[David LaPell]

According to a later article written by John Taffin Skeeter wrote the article in 1962. Skeeter tried out a 1917 New Service using Lyman's 452424 bullet and a heavy powder charge and split the cylinder. The charge was a heavy one of Unique. I load that same bullet in my New Service with a charge of 7.5 grains of Unique in .45 Colt and that is as far as I want to go. I know ot could probably take more, but why push it? They ain't exactly growing on trees like they used to.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BQY/is_9_55/ai_n58320901/

[Catshooter]

dixie,

I have a copy. What would you like to know?


Cat

[ddixie884]

PM sent.......................

[StrawHat]

I just reread the Taffin article. Interesting comment about the Lyman 452490 being designed to fit the S&W revolver. I wondered how it was different from the 454424.

[Larry Gibson]

I just reread the Taffin article. Interesting comment about the Lyman 452490 bring designed to fit the S&W revolver. I wondered how it was different from the 454424.

452490 is a GC design and an excellent one at that, especially in my .45 ACP revolvers and rifle and my 45 Colt revolers and rifles also.

Larry Gibson

[45 2.1]

I just reread the Taffin article. Interesting comment about the Lyman 452490 bring designed to fit the S&W revolver. I wondered how it was different from the 454424.

Actually, there are two 452490s as Lyman changed the design and weight. The first was a 230 gr. 'ish SWCGC........ The second increased weight to about 255 gr. SWCGC with a longer body. The first is an excellent shooter as I had BRP make me a copy of it after trying the original version extensively. In HP form, it is a great shooter as well as very accurate in the 45 ACP & AR. It could an excellent 4 cavity cramer GB.

[Alan]

NOTES on Skeeter's load. It depends on being able to seat the first drive band out of the case, just as if you were going to crimp. I have shot that load, in a OM BH convertible. Pierced primers. What it would do to a 1917 I don't even want to think about. Dropping back 1.5 grains it shot very well in the BH, and even in a Llama .45 auto I owned at the time.

A much MUCH better boolit is the #452453 clone that was sold here last year. 5 or 5.5 gr of Unique should shoot pretty well, and get all the steam out of it a 1917 is supposed to have. And if you use my suggestion without working up from at least a grain below, you are a fool.

[Good Cheer]

According to a later article written by John Taffin Skeeter wrote the article in 1962. Skeeter tried out a 1917 New Service using Lyman's 452424 bullet and a heavy powder charge and split the cylinder. The charge was a heavy one of Unique. I load that same bullet in my New Service with a charge of 7.5 grains of Unique in .45 Colt and that is as far as I want to go. I know ot could probably take more, but why push it? They ain't exactly growing on trees like they used to.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BQY/is_9_55/ai_n58320901/

Ditto on the 1909 Army. It was made to have big thump at lower velocities. Don't want to push my baby.

[jkpq45]

I'm planning on starting my .45LC loads for the Lyman 452424 at about 4.0grains Hodgdon Clays (assuming the boolits drop near 250grain). MIGHT make it up to 4.6-4.8gn, but not likely.

Loading this boolit in .45ACP for my 1911 would be a hoot, but not too sure where to start as that's a heavy boolit for .45ACP. Not even sure if it'd feed....

[Catshooter]

jkpq,

Welcome to the site.

If you look around this site you'll find that quite a few of us load that Keith boolit into our ACP brass. I do. I use Universal Clays which is very close to Unique burning characteristics. You do have to watch for that fact the boolit has to be deeply seated. And of course some pistols don't like to feed them.

It's not that hard to work up loads for it. While it's a bit heavier (just under 10%) it has of course much less bore friction than ball. Can be an extremly accurate round too.


Cat

[9.3X62AL]

I have one of the heavier Lyman #452490s, from the early 1980s. It falls free at a fat .454" in 92/6/2, and cleans up nicely in a .454" die to mic std. Sized @ .452", it was the ONLY casting that shot decently in my built-backwards Ruger Bishawk 45 Colt (.449" throats/.452" grooves). Once the throats were finished (.453" now), the .454" slugs shoot VERY well. The gas check is a little superfluous for most of my 45 Colt loads, and either #454424 or #454190 get the call 90% of the time. On days the 45 wants to bark and bite, I give the BisHawk the #454490s at 1200 FPS. Very accurate.

My mould drops a curious blend of Thompson-esque characteristics with a gas check shank unlike most Lyman products--somewhat rebated to form a larger "default" lube groove ahead of the GC shank.

[Catshooter]

Well thanks for that Bob. I had no idea that Lyman made it in two different sizes.

I went and looked in my mould stash and it looks like I have a two cavity heavy and a single lighter one. I've never cast with either, have to remedy that.

Who knew?


Cat

[beagle]

I have one of the heavier 490s. I've removed the GC shank and HP'd it and it's a little over 247 grains and shoots great in my .45 Colt Blackhawk./beagle