Please help me start reloading for 45 colt for my SAAs

[Stopsign32v]

I put this in the other section before I saw this one...

I have a LEE classic single stage press. I have a bag of 45 colt new brass and 1000 Winchester WLP large pistol primers. Other than that, I'm clueless.

Please don't write me off as a lost cause because I am a fast learner. However I have never reloaded but eager to learn.

I will be loading black powder (probably Goex) and would like to load as close to original specs as possible for that "feel like you were there".

I didn't know how hard it would be to find bullets for loading. I found a ton of casts for them but I don't believe I want to cast my own bullets. I'm unsure what powder to get because I see people talk about FFFg and also loading FFg. If it matters I will also be loading 10ga and 12ga brass shotgun loads.

I guess my main question is what equipment will I need and where can I find bullets? I read a 4" drop tube is a good option for pistol rounds but I also read it isn't needed.
I believe I will be going with this set http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00162NVIE/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

[country gent]

While I dont load any black powder pistol rounds, I do loads BPCR for use from 100yds to 500yds. I will give you very general instructions. Clean and prep brass. Deburr and chamfer case mouths lightly. Seat primers, making sure none are above case head or crushed. Both 2f and 3e will work in pistol cartridges. As to powder charges you dont want any airspace between black powder and the bullet. Make a dummy round up at oal length and see how deep bullet is into the case. Fill a case with powder to this level and wiegh it to see what it is. A card wad (.015-.060) on top of powder hand seated down flat with a dowel or other punch helps here. Seat bullets. I recomend crimping seperatly from seating as this makes for more accurate seating and less chance of damaging a bullet. Look At Buffalo arm from softer bullets with the correct lubes for black powder. Several nice to have accessories are a compression die, this allows powder and wad to be compressed seperate from the soft bullets. A expander of a more correct dia so that bullets are not swaged down on seating them. A drop tube may be helpfull at times. ( mine is 3' tall) Once the charge is found a scoop can be fashioned to throw the charges or a measure suitable for black powder used. One thing I strongly recomend if your starting out new to reloading is to purchase a reloading manual ( lyman, lyman cast bullets, Hornady, sierra, speer) and read the how to section several times. While they have data most dont have black powder data. But the Information in the how to sections and basics they offer is a big help and will give you a basic understanding of what to do and how.

[timtheartist]

I recommend surrounding yourself with Colt SAA shooters. The Cowboy Fast Draw Association uses almost nothing but Colt SAA 45s and Clones. https://www.cowboyfastdraw.com If you look up the local club chapter they usually meet at least once a month. You don't need any reloading equipment to shoot fast draw. Most shooters are using modified 45 cases that accept a 209 shotgun primer that is inserted by hand (relatively loose fitting primer) The bullet is wax; also seated by hand.

I don't have any modified cases so when shooting fast draw I'm using standard large pistol primers seated with the Lee priming tool that has a tray for the primers. Some of the cowboy fast draw shooters use a pinch (don't know exactly how much) of black powder just for the smoke effect. If you decide to get together with the fast draw gang just prime about 100 of your cases and somebody at the meet will be glad to give you a hand full of wax bullets.

Other than fast draw I personally would start out reloading 45 Colt with smokeless Trail Boss powder in order to work out all the relaoding kinks before moving into black powder. It's in my opinion the safest and most versatile powder and the only smokeless powder I know of that can be measured "roughly" by scoop without concern, therefore fewer tools to buy. Actually there are many smokeless powders that can be accurately measured by scoop but all those other powders I verify with a powder scale because the exact weight can be very critical in some. Trail Boss is unique this way as I believe it was designed to be virtually "idiot proof". I believe Trail Boss loaded to instructed scoop/weight will give you approximately the same velocity as your black powder loads.

Good luck. Colt SAA 45s and clones are my favorite handguns

[StrawHat]

Answered this in the other posting.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?286442-Please-help-me-start-reloading-for-45-colt-for-my-SAAs

Ask a moderator to combine the threads.

Kevin

[cajun shooter]

Go back to your first posting as I left you a very detailed answer. You also need to delete one so that you don't have two request on the same subject. Later David

[frkelly74]

I would suggest getting one of the Lyman cast bullet manuals. Then read it and get a better general understanding of what you are getting into. It will discuss powders and case prep and bullet size and behavior and is a good investment of your time. And it could save you some embarassment or even pain.

[Echale3]

I left you a fairly detailed answer in the original thread, too.