.454 Casull Puma loads?

[Ed Barrett]

I have a question I'm sure someone can help me with. I bought a Puma 92 clone in .357 Mag a few months ago, a friend on mine was so impressed that he started looking around for one. Last week at a gunshow he found a new Puma in .454 Casull that was worth the money. We went out to the range Tuesday and tried it out, it did very well as far as function and accuracy. We tried both 45 Colt reloads and 454 Casull factory loads. The question is, Does anyone have any data on 45 and 454 reloads that will take advantage of the rifle's longer barrel length?

Thanks in advance.

[454PB]

I bought a Puma .454 about a month ago, and have been experimenting with it a lot as weather permits. I've found that the powders I have used for years work well, as well as one I had not used until recently.....Hogdon LilGun. All my shooting and experimenting with the Puma is done over my chronograph, so I've learned a lot in a short time. In general, the "traditional" slow burners like H-110 and WW 296 show a velocity increase of about 300 fps in the 20" barrel over the shorter barrels of my revolvers. Most of my shooting has been with two cast, gas checked bullets. The first is the Lyman 452651, which weighs around 325 grains in wheelweight alloy, the other is the Lee 320 grain gas checked design (the number escapes me) I've also tried some Lyman 452424 plain base, cast of 50/50 wheelweights and monotype. These weigh about 235 grains. In addition, I tried some 240 grain Sierra JHP just for giggles. All shot well in the Puma, but personally I don't care for the lighter bullets.

If you plan to use either of the above mentioned 320 grain cast bullets, be aware that you have to seat them to crimp in the front crimp groove so that they will feed correctly in the Puma. This reduces case capacity and requires load adjustment to match.

My Puma groups all the above mentioned bullets (10 shot groups) inside of 3" at 25 yards. Notice I said 10 shot groups, if I wanted to brag I'd show the first 3 or 4 shots inside 1" to 1 1/2". I shoot 10 rounds to get better chronograph data.

Thus far, the highest velocity recorded was 2050 fps average with the Lee 320 grain bullet and LilGun powder, but these loads were seated to crimp on the rear groove, and had to be individually placed in the chamber.

I'm still a little cowardly about the strength of a model 92 action, so I've backed down the LilGun load accordingly. However, it shot very well, and showed no obvious high pressure indications. The primers were very flat, but the same brass has been used repeatedly after this load with no loosening of the primer pockets or any sign of damage.

Bottom line: try LilGun.

[DOUBLEJK]

This is just a suggestion....ain't tried it myself....

Over on the lever guns forum Paco Kelly was suggestin' usin' Rel7 for use in rifles...25.0Gr's for a start charge and werk up from there....I don't remember the boolit weight tho.... check it out if yer interested:!:

Probably be a real blinder of a flame thrower outa a handgun tho....so would only be useful in a longgun ifin' it werked.... :o

[Ed Barrett]

I don't have any lil' gun in my powder stash, I'll try to pick some up. Since we don't own a 454 pistol shouldn't have any problems running back and forth between pistol and rifle with loads. I'll check on some of Paco Kelly's stuff.

[Ed Barrett]

Looks like rain all week here in St. Joe. I went and picked up some lil'gun and will make a bunch of different loads up for the tests. I hope we get some good weather, but we sure do need the moisture. The ground is as dry as a cob and it's almost garden time. I've got my peas planted.

[454PB]

Hey Ed, did you have any trouble finding Lil'Gun? When I went to find another pound, there was none to be had in the city. I ended up ordering three 8 pound jugs from Powder Valley. I usually buy in bulk anyway. With oil prices rising, I expect powder to take a big jump in price.

[Ed Barrett]

Here in St Joseph there is a guy named Potter that Has just about every kind of powder you would want in his store. He's a big trap shooter and retired. So if there is a big trap match over in Kansas he just has his wife run the store for a few days, and she knows where most stuff is but she doesn't know where everything is. If he doesn't have it he will order it for you for just a little above his cost. He sold me a pound of little gun. Weather still isn't good.

[Rrusse11]

Gents,.
I'm an Alliant powder user, and love Rl#7 for a variety of loads. One worth trying, which I believe is very similar in speed to LilGun is the new 410 powder. Not much in the way of data, but it's in betwween 2400 and Rl#7 in terms of speed. Very impressive in the 44Mag!
In the 218 Bee and 25-20, a full case of #7 is giving superb accuracy.
Cheers,
R*2

[drinks]

454;
I load for the .44-40, and have very good results with IMR4227 and H110, 4227under 240gr and H110 over, actually get lower velocities with H110 and the lighter bullets with the same powder charges than with the heavier bullets.I believe the Lee bullet you are refering to is the C-452-300-RF.
I use this with 5 gr Universal in my Brazilian 1917 S&W, ,45 ACP, does nicely and is accurate enough, 2" at 25 yds from a sandbag.
Don

[Ed Barrett]

Had the weather cooperate today (Monday) 72 degrees light wind. So we all went to the range with the .454 puma the .454 Ruger and the chrono and a bunch of loads. All I can say is that it's going to take a couple of hundred .38 wadcutters to get my flinch to go away. the lil' gun loads showed some promise, along with the h110, Bill from Kansas City, the pistol owner, brought some loads that used a norma powder that were very accurate in the rifle. Working with that small case and big bullets is really a challenge. Well I have some more starting points for more load testing, as soon as my hand stops hurting and I can use the lever on the loading press I'll do some more fine tuning.

[454PB]

Get some shooting gloves, Ed. They sure save your hands. I have both Past and Uncle Mikes. I like the Uncle Mikes better, the middle finger is longer and that finger takes a beating.