Reloading for a .45 Colt levergun

[wiiawiwb]

I've been reloading .45 Colt for my Ruger SRH and things have been going well. I just bought a Rossi levergun also in .45 Colt and would like to load for that as well. I've never loaded for any rifle before.

When I went to Lyman's 49th, all of the dimensions are the same. They also showed the same bullets and the load range of Unique and HS-6 being the same for both handgun and rifle.

I plan on loading 255 gr coated SWD from Missouri Bullet:

http://missouribullet.com/details.ph...y=14&keywords= (http://missouribullet.com/details.php?prodId=210&category=20&secondary=14&keywords=)

1) Is there anything different about loading .45 Colt for a rifle vs. handgun that I should know about?

2) Are coated bullets ok to use in the carbine?

3) Since the bullets are loaded one behind the other in the levergun, I plan on using a SWD bullet profile so there could be no detonation of the primer in bullet in front upon shooting recoil. Does that make sense?

[bangerjim]

I shoot all the same boolits and loads in my 45 revolvers and carbines.

180-220gn boolits @ 70-90% book loads for both.

I shoot up to and including 300gn boolits in the carbines. Just watch the pressures in the wheelgun.

I PC EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!! With excellent success. All shapes/designs/ weights. No leading, no smoke, no sticky boolits.

Never had any problems with detonation! It takes a dedicated HARD hit from the primer strike pin to fire a primer. The nose of a boolit? I don' think so, but stranger things have happened. But I am sure there are some on here that have stories about it.

Accuracy in the carbines...........AWESOME!

bangerjim

[huntrick64]

Don't forget to try HS-6. That is my "go to" powder for my 45 Colt Rossi.

[wrench man]

RNFP and Trail Boss for the 45 Colt and lever guns, works in the revolvers too.

[Gunslinger1911]

Just watch your OAL, pistol caliber levers can be touchy on that. Diff style boolits will require diff OAL sometimes.

[runfiverun]

the 92 will take loads up into the 35+k area just fine.
pretty much whatever your using in the red hawk will work in the rossi, they are pretty good about rounds over saami length.

many of them will feed swc type boolits, some are a little more picky about oal and nose shape.
mine will feed both the 454424 and the H&G 68, if I seat the boolits to the front drive band, but they have no issues with rnfp type boolits from 160 to 255 grains just lightly roll crimped in their grooves.

[wiiawiwb]

Great help guys, thanks. When reloading a certain bullet with a certain powder charge, would you crimp the same amount whether it was for a rifle or for a revolver?

[Greg S]

My Winney 94ae was factory throated to feed a SWC bullet and ate those MBC 255s like skittles. You can load that 92 from mild to wild, just don't cross load carbine ammo in a weaker pistol.

[Ken in Iowa]

Great help guys, thanks. When reloading a certain bullet with a certain powder charge, would you crimp the same amount whether it was for a rifle or for a revolver?

As a general rule, yes.

Be mindful of bullet pushback in the magazine. Obviously using a boolit with a crimping groove with a sufficient roll crimp is ideal and forgiving.

Like runfiverun, I use a few 200 gr SWC boolits designed for 45 ACP. With care, these work very well.

My Dad and I used Missouri Bullets for many years. Their 452 255 gr RNFP Cowboy bullet was our go-to for 45 Colt rifle. When I started casting my own, I found better accuracy could be obtained with .454" boolits cast a bit softer. The Rossi chambers run on the generous side, so this helps alignment and abturation.

[runfiverun]

yeah as far as load details go a good load is a good load.
you may have to make a slight oal adjustment or something to make the lever gun work better but it's not that big of a deal.
just remember that the round is part of the inner workings of a lever gun and how it's shaped and it's length can make a huge difference in it running smoothly or it being jinky in operation.
what shoots best and what works best can be two different things. [just like a semi-auto pistol or rifle]

[wingspar]

Not much to add as I just took possession of a Marlin 1894-S in .45 Colt. Have not had it for 24 hours yet and won’t get to shoot it till sometime next week. I plan on loading up some LSWC’s for her. Those Missouri bullets look good, but I haven’t looked at bullets much yet. For now I have 150 rounds of 255 grain Freedom Munitions to try out, new and all Starline brass too. I also have some 260 grain Buffalo Bore +P to see how this gun handles the hot stuff. Rated at 1450 fps.

In two other forums, I’ve asked about powder and Unique was unanimously voted as the best all around powder for the .45 Colt. Since I have some, that’s what I’ll start with.

[wrench man]

I just took possession of a Marlin 1894-S in .45 Colt. I plan on loading up some LSWC’s for her.

Let us know how those feed?, I had ISSUES! with them feeding in my 1894 44Mag, I swore off of them for lever guns, never even tried them in my 1894C or 1894 45 Colts.

[wingspar]

Let us know how those feed?, I had ISSUES! with them feeding in my 1894 44Mag, I swore off of them for lever guns, never even tried them in my 1894C or 1894 45 Colts.

I’ve put well over 100 SWC’s thru my 1894CS in .357 Magnum with no problems. I have about 125 rounds loaded and have already ordered more.

It may be a while before I start loading for the .45 Colt. I’ve yet to order any of the components or dies yet, tho I do have some Unique, I need primers, so I’m going to find a place that has the primers and some powder I want before I order. Have not settled on bullets yet, but am considering these (http://missouribullet.com/details.php?prodId=115&category=5&secondary=14&keywords=) to start with. If the SWC’s don’t work out, I’m sure I could sell them easily.