Maximum weight .45 bullet in 5 1/2" Ruger Blackhawk?

[Changeling]

I am interested in what experienced individuals have to say about the "maxium weight WFN cast bullet" a 5 1/2 " Ruger BH will stabilize/or not, out to 100 yds. Velocity around 1100 to 1200 fps.

[tacklebury]

I have heard of people using 340 gr. cast in the colt. I also know of a few using 320 gr., but I personally haven't gone past 300 gr.

[DougGuy]

The .45 Colt seems to flatten off about 340gr, anything heavier just goes slower and beats the shooter and the gun to death. You have to get into the 5 hole non fluted cylinder customs beyond 340gr or so.

5 1/2" bbl is doubtful you will see those velocities at 100yds. I'm not even sure you could coax a 300grainer supersonic at that distance. Muzzle, yes but hey what do I know.. I use the 340s and load them about as hot as I can stand them but 50yds is about the cutoff point for me.

Edit:
50yds is about the cutoff point for me. This is out of a 4 5/8" Vaquero also, which I am sure a 7 1/2" barrel would up the velocity and walk that decent group range out beyond 50yds. I am working this week with some new batches of Beartooth boolits, a 325gr WFN GC, a 340gr LFN GC, and a 330gr WFN PB. I had just recently reamed the cylinder throats and Taylor throated the barrel which worked small wonders, well worth the work, and switched to a Dillon powder measure, so this next trip to the range should show improving groups, once that happens I will see how far away from the target I can get and still group well, that will be my cutoff for hunting with this revolver. 6" paper saucer. I doubt it will go to 100yds and am expecting between 50-70 will still be a decent group and a reliable kill shot.

One more edit: I found this article interesting and just about as real world as it gets with the numbers the author is documenting, I saved it and will use some of the data for my loads, hope you like it: http://www.handloads.com/articles/?id=5

[tacklebury]

My 300 gr. load using a full load of H110 is about 1200 fps and after 3 shots, I'm about done. lol I can hit a 10x10 gong at about 70 yards with it.

From Hodgdon's website...
Bullet Weight (Gr.) Manufacturer Powder Bullet Diam. C.O.L. Grs. Vel. (ft/s) Pressure Grs. Vel. (ft/s) Pressure
300 GR. SPR JFP Hodgdon H110 .451" 1.650" 21.8 1191 26,700 CUP 22.2 1198 30,100 CUP

[jtaylor1960]

I have taken the RCBS 45-325-FN utility bullet at about 325 gr. and sized it down for my 4 5/8"Blackhawk.It shot very well at 50 yds.

[warboar_21]

The heaviest bullet I have shot to date is the 335 LBT from Cast Performance. Shot very well from both my 7.5" black hawk and 5.5" Bisley. I shot the 7.5" at 150 yds and hit 5 out of 6 gallon milk jugs. My coworker didn't believe I could shoot a pistol accurately past 50yds.
They were pretty hard on the hands to shoot though. I have a 300gr Lee mold as well as a 325gr Lyman mold. I have been trying to work with the 325gr out of both revolvers and my new Rossi 92 but just need the free time to shoot.

[birddog]

Changeling,
I think they missed the question at hand. I don't have a 45 so not fluent in this game. Sorry, my 44 handles 320 well out to 150yds and my 480 runs the 400's out that far as well. Veral Smith could answer your question at hand as well as a few more here. Good Luck,
Charlie

[dougader]

I have 335 grain WLNGC bullets from Cast Performance and load 22 grains WW296 with CCI 350 primers. Six shot averages ran 1196 fps from a 7-1/2" Ruger Super Redhawk and 1211 fps from a 5-1/2" Ruger Bisley Blackhawk.

Load data from Hodgdon says max is 23.5 grains, but 22.0 seems a sweet spot and velocity is more than enough for any game in my neck of the woods.

John Linebaugh says 350 grain slugs are about the max weight bullet for the 45 Colt, and I'll take his word for it. I've used 300 WFN bullets as well but like the 335's best.

[GARCIA]

Veral and I had a discussion on/about this subject some years back. Wanted a 325gr WFN and Veral stated that you have to load them above 900fps to ensure that they stabilized. Was running them through a Ruger BH with a 5 1/2" barrel. Max loads of 296/H110. Started to get painful and not very enjoyable after a cylinder or two. When the original GB for the "Ruger Only" mold came about I jumped all over it. The LFN design, at least for me works a whole lot better. I am jumping on the new "Ruger Only" GB to get it in a plain base four cavity mold.

Tom

[9.3X62AL]

I have taken the RCBS 45-325-FN utility bullet at about 325 gr. and sized it down for my 4 5/8"Blackhawk.It shot very well at 50 yds.

Same story here, from a 7.5" BisHawk. These shot well at 25 and 50 yards, and I was able to hit iron coyotes at 100 and 200 yards pretty well. Muzzle velocities ran about 1250 FPS. The boolits hit high relative to the sights until I went to the 200 yard clangers, which were close to point of aim = point of impact. If I steered correctly, they connected at 200 yards. I assume from this that the boolits were stabilized sufficiently. 20-25 of these are sufficient entertainment for one range session.

[Potsy]

A couple years ago I sized some Ranch Dog .460-350's down to .452 (takes a pretty stout press to do that in one step, I'd advise making that a two-step process using Lee push through dies).
On top of 18grains of 296 they went spot on 1,000fps. Recoil was very tolerable.
I only sized about 5 or 6 of them so it wasn't a very scientific experiment. After I got done chronographing I only had a couple left.
I shot 2 of them at 50 yards, mostly for giggles.
Not only did they hit paper with the front end going forward, the holes were touching.
It was a lot of work with that particular combo, and I prefer my current combination of a 285 grain 270-SAA @ 1200fps. I tend to think in a stock Blackhawk, 300-325grains is about the practical limit. 5 shot models (or .454's) would be a different story.
And yes, someday I'll have to experiment with the Ranch Dogs again.

[RobS]

About 350 grain area on the upside as case column and pressures become the limiting factor. I designed a 345 grainer, though more for the 454 Casull, but it does shoot very well it in the Ruger Bisley with no issues. Most of the time I shoot another one of my designs, a the 310 grain boolit, from the Ruger 45 Colt.

http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=45-310B-D.png

http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=45-345A-D.png