Can I load a 45LC with 230 gr 45acp bullets ?

[6bg6ga]

Bought me a never fired 4 year old S&W 25-5 45lc and was wondering if I could load 230gr rn 45 acp bullets in it. My old Lymans manual doesn't show anything smaller than 250gr. I have unique,231, red dot, and bullseye for powder.

[Ubet]

I'll check if one of my manuals contains the load data for that round. I used to load 200 grain SWC for a 45 Colt load, they were the same bullets I used back then for 45 auto. It's been close to 30 years, but I'll check if I still have the load data.

[Artful]

Sure can - the older guns (colt SAA for example) had .454-.455 throats but most newer guns have .451-.452 throats. I've even used 185-200 grain SWC's that I bought for my 1911 in my Ruger Blackhawk with either cylinder.

[6bg6ga]

I would appreciate that. I have 200gr SWC and 185swc also. What I have will have to carry me thru until my brother returns with a Magma mold. Him and his wife spend winters in AZ and summers in Iowa.

[6bg6ga]

Sure can - the older guns (colt SAA for example) had .454-.455 throats but most newer guns have .451-.452 throats. I've even used 185-200 grain SWC's that I bought for my 1911 in my Ruger Blackhawk with either cylinder.

Wasn't it prior to WWII that they were .454 and after WWII they were .452?

[Artful]

unique, 231, red dot, and bullseye for powder

Lyman 41st manual lists Lyman 454309 235 grain plain base
5 grains Bullseye giving 780 fps and 6.8 max at 950 fps
8 grains of Unique giving 860 fps and 10.7 max at 1050 fps

Lyman 3rd edition shows
Lyman 45468 175 gain
reddot starting 4 grains 475 fps to 7 grains max 775 fps
231 starting 7.0 for 770 fps to 9 grains max for 1041 fps

[Artful]

Wasn't it prior to WWII that they were .454 and after WWII they were .452?

Not really true as lots of guns assembled in the 50's, 60's and 70's (Target Model 25's) had overly large throats.
Us bullseye shooters would send them back for correctly done throats and I think they offically changed in the late 70's or early 80's.

[Artful]

RCBS cast bullet manual #1
45-185-BB
231 7.6 grn for 903 max 806 for 1011
bullseye grn 608 for 881 - max 7.8 for 1004

45-201-swc
231 grn 6.9 for 832 -max 7.9 for 943 fps

[sandman228]

im shooting a 200 gr swc bullet that I casted a few thousand of for my 1911 out of a ruger bh revolver with 5.8 gr or win 231 or hp38. I also have a few thousand 230 lrn and 230 gr truncated cone I haven't tried rn yet ive tried the truncated cones with bullseye and titegroup didn't care for either I just loaded some up with 700x a couple hours ago haven't tried them yet .

[dubber123]

Not really true as lots of guns assembled in the 50's, 60's and 70's (Target Model 25's) had overly large throats.
Us bullseye shooters would send them back for correctly done throats and I think they offically changed in the late 70's or early 80's.

Some older 25's I have measured had .455"+ throats, and are a pain to get a boolit to fit properly. I have 2 "newer" production S&W's, and the throats on both are a consistent .452", and shoot very well.

[C. Latch]

I shot a pile of 230-grain HPs yesterday out of my .45 Colt (Ruger Bisley). Some were over 800-x (a hair more than you'd want to use as I was probably in the low 20k pressure range) and some were over light loads of 2400; they shot fine, very accurate, but low-pressure loads of 2400 left my brass and bore looking like I'd used charcoal and wet leaves for a propellant.

I'd rather use something faster for light loads but I have what is, by my standards, a whole lot of 2400, and I thought I'd try it.

[DRNurse1]

??? This is a revolver, right? Start low, 10-30% less than "recommended," roll crimp the case mouth, and check for pressure signs. Accuracy will be affected by the 0.454 versus 0.452 barrel but if you are not concerned with that work up a load.

--Just saw Artful's post: good starting point, but I might still reduce the load and work it up.

[DRNurse1]

Not really true as lots of guns assembled in the 50's, 60's and 70's (Target Model 25's) had overly large throats.
Us bullseye shooters would send them back for correctly done throats and I think they officially changed in the late 70's or early 80's.

Nice to know. My FiL earned his first distinguished leg with a revolver. A retired master carpenter, he has more scars from those moon clips than his job!

[6bg6ga]

My S&W 25-5 is in the last run before the cylinder lock.

[dubber123]

My S&W 25-5 is in the last run before the cylinder lock.

Built on the new tooling, but without a lock. Should be a dandy.

[6bg6ga]

Anyone point me to a serial number site so I can pull up the year of manufacture instead of what I was told?

[Artful]

https://www.google.com/#q=smith%20and%20wesson%20serial%20number%20date

[Piedmont]

Bought me a never fired 4 year old S&W 25-5 45lc and was wondering if I could load 230gr rn 45 acp bullets in it. My old Lymans manual doesn't show anything smaller than 250gr. I have unique,231, red dot, and bullseye for powder.

25-7s and 25-9s were made in the late 1980s and then into the '90s. How is it possible that you have a 25-5 that is only 4 years old?

[Scharfschuetze]

Bought me a never fired 4 year old S&W 25-5 45lc and was wondering if I could load 230gr rn 45 acp bullets in it. My old Lymans manual doesn't show anything smaller than 250gr. I have unique,231, red dot, and bullseye for powder.

I use the 230 grain 45 ACP boolit (RCBS 45-225-RN) in my 45 Colt SAA clone all the time and have found it to be an exceptionally good combination. I use a moderate roll crimp just past where the ogive starts on the ACP boolit and the crimp is seamless with no gap and it holds the boolit in place well. 231 has been my most used powder in the 45 Colt, but I'm starting to favor Tight Group for its better ballistic uniformity. The 45 ACP boolit works so well in the 45 Colt for me that I rarely load any other style or bullet weight for it.

[44MAG#1]

You can load the 45 Colt with bullets from 160 gr to whatever as long as one uses the old bean.
Using the brain is a bonus for sure. Yes it surely is.

[6bg6ga]

25-7s and 25-9s were made in the late 1980s and then into the '90s. How is it possible that you have a 25-5 that is only 4 years old?

Just repeating what I was told in hopes that someone like yourself would come forward with good usable information. I hope someone has a link to a site with serial numbers in the hope I can look up mine.

[.5mv^2]

Loading no groove bullets in your revolver. I have used a taper crimp, slightly indenting the bullet. If you recess the bullet far enough you can do a roll crimp over the ogive slightly. No biggie. Most of my 45 loading is using a 45 colt bullet in a 45acp but have gone AC sometimes.

[Artful]

Just repeating what I was told in hopes that someone like yourself would come forward with good usable information. I hope someone has a link to a site with serial numbers in the hope I can look up mine.

Go to the link I posted - several sites cover serial numbers of Smith & Wessons - what do you want to give us the serial number and we spoon feed it to ya :holysheep

Model 25-5 1978 -5 means 45 Colt caliber
125'th anniversary model, -3 (standard) -4 (delux)
both of these used a shorter than standard cylinder.
-7 1985 45 Colt, 5" barrel, unfluted cylinder

N Series N Frames:

N1 – N60,000………….......1970-72
N60,001 – N 190,000…...1972-74
N190,001 – N430,000…...1975 – 77
N430.001 – N 550,000…..1978
N550,001 – N580,000….. 1979
N580,001 – N790,000…...1980
N790,001 – N932,999...…1980-83

[Piedmont]

My 25-7 is from 1988 or 1989. I think it is marched such on the barrel. Any 25-5 would have to be from before then. They quit pinning the barrels in the 1982-1983 range. Check the size of your cylinder throats on the 25-5. Early ones are known to be large, some crazy large, and some late ones have correct dimensions. You will need a bullet mold that drops large enough for your cylinder throats and a sizer die that won't size them too small.

[6bg6ga]

Go to the link I posted - several sites cover serial numbers of Smith & Wessons - what do you want to give us the serial number and we spoon feed it to ya :holysheep

Model 25-5 1978 -5 means 45 Colt caliber
125'th anniversary model, -3 (standard) -4 (delux)
both of these used a shorter than standard cylinder.
-7 1985 45 Colt, 5" barrel, unfluted cylinder

N Series N Frames:

N1 – N60,000………….......1970-72
N60,001 – N 190,000…...1972-74
N190,001 – N430,000…...1975 – 77
N430.001 – N 550,000…..1978
N550,001 – N580,000….. 1979
N580,001 – N790,000…...1980
N790,001 – N932,999...…1980-83

I guess if I had found it I wouldn't have to beg for help.

[6bg6ga]

I'm guessing that its 1978 vintage but the AUC 6XXX serial I cannot find.

[Artful]

I hope someone has a link to a site with serial numbers in the hope I can look up mine.
.....
I guess if I had found it I wouldn't have to beg for help.

Don't quit your day job - begging isn't your forte'
Ya - should have just said you didn't have an S or N number serial number !

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-revolvers-1980-present/212068-dob-request-25-5-a.html

model 25-5 with unpinned 6" bbl with s/n AUC 6xxx AUC serial prefix was manufactured in 1986 or early 1987 - depending upon the XXX's.
pinned barrels was deleted in 1982.

There you go - question answered - OK :bigsmyl2:

[StrawHat]

Call S&W, many times they can tell you over the phone what year it was made.

[6bg6ga]

Don't quit your day job - begging isn't your forte'
Ya - should have just said you didn't have an S or N number serial number !

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-revolvers-1980-present/212068-dob-request-25-5-a.html

model 25-5 with unpinned 6" bbl with s/n AUC 6xxx AUC serial prefix was manufactured in 1986 or early 1987 - depending upon the XXX's.
pinned barrels was deleted in 1982.

There you go - question answered - OK :bigsmyl2:

I guess if I said I was confused by the S&W serial numbers that would be an understatement. Thank you

[Artful]

Your welcome - for years S&W serial number and model numbers were very easy to understand
- then it got very complicated - I gave up trying to keep it all straight and just look up as needed now.

[scattershot]

Wasn't it prior to WWII that they were .454 and after WWII they were .452?

FWIW, I have a 25-5 that was made in the early 80's. It has a pinned barrel and non-recessed cylinder, and .456 chamber throats. I get along fine with big, soft bullets in .454 diameter. Try dropping a bullet through your cylinder. If a .454 bullet will fall through easily, you have the larger throats.

Good luck!

[robertbank]

I enjoy 200 gr boolits in my SAA's. I have also used the 230 grainers but prefer 200 gr LSWC. They make great plinkiing rounds and loaded up would do quite well in the SD department as well. Tin cans, paper and steel targets are never safe with a cylinder full of light 200 gr LSWC in the chambers.:-o

Take Care

Bob

[HombredN]

Try 9.0 of Unique

[rintinglen]

Somewhere between 8.5 and 9.3 grains of Unique should make you smile with your 230 grain boolits. My Ruger like 8.8 grains but YMMV.

[6bg6ga]

I think I will post a picture of my S&W 25-5


100492

[Artful]

Nice!

[Forrest r]

There's hollow base molds out there that cast boolits that do extremely well in the 45acp or 45lc pistols. Any of these would make excellent plinkers in your pistol.

100531

left:
The cramer 5f, it was actually made for the 1917 45acp pistols with the oversized cylinders/bbl's. It's a 170gr hb boolit that is .455/.456 with recovered range lead.

100533

center:
A lyman 45468 hb boolit, I use the hb pin from a lyman 450229 mold. It's a little shorter than the original pin & makes the bottom drive band cast a little longer & adds more weight to the boolit. It weighs 185gr & casts .456/.457 with recovered range lead.

100534

right:
A lyman 450229 boolit. This little known boolit was designed for the lyman 45cal bp rifles. Despite the odd # it casts a .456/.457 boolit with recovered range lead that weighs 180gr. These molds can easily be found/bought for $40/$50 on gunbroker or e-bay, that's not bad for a hb mold.

100535

Enjoy your s&w

forrest r

[philthephlier]

I've even loaded a fair number with .454 round balls. I would have to dig em out of the safe to see the load but I would guess velocity was about 750 for the 145gr. projectile. Accuracy was fair.

[jonp]

I use 200gr over a moderate liading of red dot with a taper crimp over the ogive for target. You can alse get them with a crimp grooce for hotter loads. I use all 45acp boolits 200gr and up in my colts. Works fine