.45 cal R.E.A.L.

[newton]

For the newly acquired, yet old in age, Lyman Hawkins plains rifle I am hoping to get some advice. From what the folks at Lyman say it has a 1:48 twist. I have a .45 REAL mold that throws the 200 grain(192 actual) boolit. I thought it was on this board I had found people using them and giving feedback as far as loads go, but I cannot find it in the searching I have done so I'm thinking it was out there in the air somewhere never to be found again.

So I'm hoping there are indeed people that have this data on here. I would be much obliged. From what I remember, they were top notch in this kind of gun. I also have a lee 255-RF mold if someone has data on that boolit.

[idahoron]

For the lee 255-rf I paper patched that bullet for my 1-30 twist. I had poor luck with it. It might have been too short for the twist.
Mine weighed 260 gr with pure lead. I used 80 gr of pyrodex P with an over powder wad and paper patch. Velocity was 1700 fps.

I also tried the 300 RF same as before with 100 gr of Pyrodex P. 1627 FPS.

I had data for the 45 REAL but I can not find it anywhere. Ron

[mooman76]

I shot the REAL you speak of out of a CVA with a 1/66 twist. It didn't shoot to bad but I think it was on the edge of stability because I would always have a flier like 1 out of 3 or4 shots. It should shoot good with a 1/48 twist. I don't have data but I'd start out at 45 gr and move up in 5 gr encrements until accuracy starts to drop off or you reach max load.

[Omnivore]

Hi Newton,

I use the 250 REAL lubed with plenty of tallow and oil lube or Gatofeo #1, in a 50 cal with 90 grains 2F Goex and a lubed felt wad, yeilding cloverleafs at 50 yards with a tang peep and bead front. My 50 cal barrel's twist is also 48".

Dunno; for the 45 I might start with 50 or 60 grains 3F or Pyro P and a wad, and work around from there 'till you find the sweet load. Try it with and without the wad, but several people have noticed improved accuracy with the wad. Word is that every gun seems to have its own preferences.

[newton]

Yea, I am really buying into the whole stability thing. I know there are exceptions to the rule. But there is just a lot that points to it. I have to wonder if the 255-RF would work in the 1:48. But, I do have the real mold and think that it is where I am going to focus unless someone just has a tremendous load for the other. Not that I might not just shoot some anyways though. I am thinking that I should slug the bore just to see where it's at. I am guessing that I can lightly lube the barrel and then run the slug in and use a compressor and blow gun to push it back out? Will 100-120 psi push it out?

I think that 45 would be a good point to start. I was going to go with 50 grains. But at the same time I do want this to be a hunting round. I'll use RB for plinking. So I will want a good stout load.

I am not sure, but I personally have not heard that a wad over powder ever was a bad thing. So I plan on using one. I probably should have spent some money on a chronograph versus another gun. Oh well.

Thanks again guys. Hope to hear more.

[Mr Peabody]

I shoot a T/C Hawken in .45. Both the 200gr and the 250gr REAL shoot very well.
Using 60gr of Pyrodex Select and lubing with LLA it's a lot of fun and very accurate. With 60gr of Goex FFFG and natural lube I like the 250 a little better.
They both shoot very well

[newton]

I shoot a T/C Hawken in .45. Both the 200gr and the 250gr REAL shoot very well.
Using 60gr of Pyrodex Select and lubing with LLA it's a lot of fun and very accurate. With 60gr of Goex FFFG and natural lube I like the 250 a little better.
They both shoot very well

So just a tumble lube in the LLA? Any idea on the velocity? What are your groups like at 50? At 100?

Thanks for the info.

Oh, I'm assuming TC does their harken in a 1:48?

[GabbyM]

My 200 grain Lee REAL measures .560” long. 1:48” twist barrels should stabilize that.
However I’ve no experience or knowledge of that. I would not think the 220 and up bullets would not work well in a 1:48.

Pretty sure my TC Hawken in 45 caliber is a 1:28" twist.
Have the .440” RB which is very light and the 200 gr Lee and the old TC 220 gr Maxi. Also have the 240 grain Lyman Maxi ball to replace my lost 220 gr TC mold but haven’t shot it.

With the 200 grain boolit you’re shooting the same weight as the old 44-40 Winchester. So anything over 40 grains of powder and you’re beating it. Anything over 60 grains and I’d start adding a little tin to pure lead to keep the bullet together on impact. For deer hunting anyways. I found out the hard way the .440” RB at 2,000 fps cast from plumbers lead will totally fail to penetrate a deer. Just blows up. Less power , longer range or a harder alloy would of done better.

[newton]

My 200 grain Lee REAL measures .560” long. 1:48” twist barrels should stabilize that.
However I’ve no experience or knowledge of that. I would not think the 220 and up bullets would not work well in a 1:48.

Pretty sure my TC Hawken in 45 caliber is a 1:28" twist.
Have the .440” RB which is very light and the 200 gr Lee and the old TC 220 gr Maxi. Also have the 240 grain Lyman Maxi ball to replace my lost 220 gr TC mold but haven’t shot it.

With the 200 grain boolit you’re shooting the same weight as the old 44-40 Winchester. So anything over 40 grains of powder and you’re beating it. Anything over 60 grains and I’d start adding a little tin to pure lead to keep the bullet together on impact. For deer hunting anyways. I found out the hard way the .440” RB at 2,000 fps cast from plumbers lead will totally fail to penetrate a deer. Just blows up. Less power , longer range or a harder alloy would of done better.

Interesting. I never would have thought that a round ball would just blow up. How far away was it? I would think, but cannot be certain, that the REAL at 200 grains would have more penetration, with all things the same, than a round ball at 128 grains.

My plan is to push it right around 1600 fps. Thats my desire at least.

[GabbyM]

Interesting. I never would have thought that a round ball would just blow up. How far away was it? I would think, but cannot be certain, that the REAL at 200 grains would have more penetration, with all things the same, than a round ball at 128 grains.

My plan is to push it right around 1600 fps. Thats my desire at least.

Yes well I was using 110 grains of fffg to get them to blow. My Lyman book says 100 grains is 2080 fps.

200gr Lee should work well. my 220 grain Maxi would shoot all the way through Illinois deer. Round balls would work going fast if you mixed in some wheel weights or tin. A thinner patch would be needed since you wont be able to engrave the bullet much. Accuracy drops a little But not enough to worry. I’ve not shot a RB at deer since I found the Maxi Ball mold around 1971. Wouldn’t mind having a 54 caliber round ball gun with flint lock. Been a lot of deer taken with 45 caliber RB over 60 or so grains of fffg. But more lead has to be better in a 45. Those .440 balls are light. When I was forteen they looked big as I was used to shooting 22 rimfire. :-)

I shot my second deer ever and my first MZ deer with a round ball that must have been tougher scrap. Aimed at his chest but he must have dipped his head as the bullet entered top of neck severing spine, exited throat, entered chest where I’d aimed and lodged in his ham cut into two halves by all the bones. Range was about seventy feet. 110 lb spike buck.

[Mr Peabody]

Yes just tumble lube. Works fine with the Pyrodex. At 70 yards it easily prints inside a 3 inch orange sticky. I use the CCI #11 mag. caps most of the time. I suppose the RWS would do just as well. I take it Coyote calling with me just to tease my partner with his high dollar .223. Never had a cripple so far.