45LC Loads for a S&W 25-5 Expert help Needed

[6bg6ga]

I loaded up some 255gr SWC loads using 6.5 gr of Red Dot for my Smith. This data was from someone I trusted. I shot a few and they seemed hot. Are they safe or should I dump the bullets and re-load. Sorry but I'm not having luck with recent loading manuals tring to find a load.

[lotech]

Get a Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook; plenty of loads with a variety of powders. I've never used Red Dot powder, but the load you described is over maximum according to the Lyman data. Best never to use word-of-mouth or Internet data without verifying it through a reputable source.

[boatswainsmate]

http://www.handloads.com/loaddata/taffin.asp?Caliber=45%20Colt&Weight=255&type=Handgun&Order=Powder&Source=

[jonp]

I generally run about 5gr of Promo under that boolit for plinking. I've seen data at 7gr using Red Dot although never tried it or chronographed it. The Lyman's Cast lists 6gr as a max load using that boolit so exceed that with caution.

Personally for plinking I wouldn't as I don't see the point especially with that fine SW 25. I'd be a little braver with my Blackhawk, though.

[6bg6ga]

Ok, found the box I had loaded up and pulled the bullets from 4 of them to find I was mistaken. I'm getting 5.5 gr of Red Dot not 6.5 so I should be ok. if the max is 6.0 gr

[tazman]

I have an older manual from 2001 from Alliant that lists 6.0 grains as max with a 250 lead boolit.
6.0 grains 830fps 12kpsi

[DougGuy]

Apparently the cylinder on the 25 is stronger than you think despite it's thin looking cylinder walls. I think Mr. Seyfried put it in the same pressure zone as the Rugers. I woudn't go there myself, but short of a double charge you shouldn't have any worries even to the Tier 2 loads.

My pet load for standard pressure 45 Colt in my Uberti Old West model is 454190 over 9.0gr HS6.

[Guesser]

I cast, load and shoot a S&W Model 25-3 in 45 Colt. I load for the same levels as my Ubertti Cattleman. I shoot them in my Ruger as well. I use Unique almost exclusively. The Smiff is a good shooter, 6 1/2" barrel while the Ubertti is 4 3/4". Both like the loads. I don't hotrod any of them, I have 44 Magnums and T/C in 45 Colt to do that with.

[9.3X62AL]

What Guesser said, just have a Ruger BH instead of a T/C. Most of my Ruger shooting these days gets done with Colt- & S&W-safe loads. Mr. Seyfried may be correct, dunno. Not going there, with the Ruger in the safe.

[Drm50]

I've got 3, m25s. I shoot cast 250RnFp / 8.5gr Unique in 8 3/8". In the 6 1/2" guns I am shooting
cast 242gr WCs with 12g W-630. Win 630 is a obsolete powder but I lucked into 16lb and have
been using it for target loads in 45 & 44sp. I don't shoot anything in my S&Ws that is hot even
in 29s. I use them for Target and there is no point in hot rodding them. I have only shot one deer
with a 25 and was with the WC load at 30yds, it did the trick.

[gnostic]

What do the primers look like, are they flattened or do they still have the radius? Red Dot's too fast a powder for the LC. I load 7.5 gr of Unique for target shooting with my Model 1989 S&W with success...

[Ed_Shot]

I get great results with Red Dot/Promo 6.0 under the Lyman 452424 (255 gr.) in my Blackhawk. I use the same load for 200-230 gr. boolits.

[9.3X62AL]

What do the primers look like, are they flattened or do they still have the radius? Red Dot's too fast a powder for the LC. I load 7.5 gr of Unique for target shooting with my Model 1989 S&W with success...

I have loaded as high as 9.0 grains with Unique in the 45 Colt, using Lyman #454424, #454190, and #454490, all @ .454". In my BH x 7-1/2" these run about 940-950 FPS. In my now-departed Uberti Cattleman x 4-3/4", 850-875 was the clocking. In both revolvers the primers had plenty of radius left, and unless the chambers were REALLY dirty the cases would slide free with the gates opened and the muzzle pointed skyward. I would call this a "full value" load in a Colt or S&W platform, and I would not exceed it. Let's remember--the 45 Colt running at this intensity with a #454190-like bullet was spec'ed to pass through a cavalry mount and strike a "hostile" on the other side of that mount using same for cover. The 45 Colt at 1873 strength is no joke.

[rintinglen]

Red Dot works just fine in the 45 Colt, maybe not for "Ruger/Contender" only loads, but for useful accuracy and plinking, somewhere between 5.3 and 6.0 grains under a 454-424 will give joy and happiness.
5.5 grains is a top choice in my Bisley Vaquero. Red Dot and Unique are my choices for the 45 Colt.

[M-Tecs]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?155028-Red-Dot-in-45-Colt

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?28295-45-Colt

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/s-w-m25-5-strength.44699/

[osteodoc08]

Linebaugh also penned a great article about the model 25 and appropriate loading. I had a Smith 25 mountain gun blued and traded it off as youth are wont to do. Wish I had it back. I had loaded up a bunch of rounds and they all went too high and I got rid of it. Should have just slowed it down a bit and kept it around. It was very practical. I now have my 4" 41 Mag and either carry it or my Glock 20.

[6bg6ga]

I finally found my missing 49th edition of the Lymans reloading handbook. It actually shows some 45LC loads with Red Dot.

[gnostic]

I have loaded as high as 9.0 grains with Unique in the 45 Colt, using Lyman #454424, #454190, and #454490, all @ .454". In my BH x 7-1/2" these run about 940-950 FPS. In my now-departed Uberti Cattleman x 4-3/4", 850-875 was the clocking. In both revolvers the primers had plenty of radius left, and unless the chambers were REALLY dirty the cases would slide free with the gates opened and the muzzle pointed skyward. I would call this a "full value" load in a Colt or S&W platform, and I would not exceed it. Let's remember--the 45 Colt running at this intensity with a #454190-like bullet was spec'ed to pass through a cavalry mount and strike a "hostile" on the other side of that mount using same for cover. The 45 Colt at 1873 strength is no joke.

I'm sizing to .452 and might try .454, that's the size of my bullets unsized. And, I've had good experiences with BLL in S&W revolvers. You make a very good point about cases, 'would slide free with the gates opened.' Sticky cases are a good indicator of excessive pressure...

You can tell by the way the LC knocks steel plates over, that it means business.

[vzerone]

A longer time ago then I care to admit I saved some load charts for the 45 Colt from the Guns & Ammo magazine. This was back when they had some good writers and gun sages with accurate information. They had done an article on the 45 Colt and made loading charts in three stages. Those stages were Colt Loads Light, Colt Loads Medium (S&W 25-5) and Colt Loads Heavy (Hunting TC Contender). Here's a photo copy of the charts and if you enlarge them you can see the data clearly. It's old, but it's still useful.

205397

[USSR]

6.5gr of Red Dot with a 255gr bullet is a perfectly safe load with a 25-5. The N frame in .45 Colt can handle up to 23k psi easily, and you are no where near that.

Don

[Silver Jack Hammer]

I've loaded 5.6 gr. of Red Dot with 454190 sized .454" COL 1.6" and shot them through my Colt's SAA 's at 858 fps with a 7 1/2" barrel. The recoil was very light, I'd be comfortable with 6.0 gr in a Colt's, certainly in a Smith. I've shot 7.0 gr. of Red Dot with 452374 sized at .452" in Colt .45 cases at 865 fps.

[9.3X62AL]

I'm sizing to .452 and might try .454, that's the size of my bullets unsized. And, I've had good experiences with BLL in S&W revolvers. You make a very good point about cases, 'would slide free with the gates opened.' Sticky cases are a good indicator of excessive pressure...

You can tell by the way the LC knocks steel plates over, that it means business.

I size to correspond to measured throat diameters. The Uberti came to me with .453" throats/.451" grooves. The Ruger's throats were .448"-.449" (!!!) and grooves were .452". I honed these throats to .453", and life was much less complicated and a lot more accurate. If I ever stumble across a 45 Colt with .451" grooves and .4515" throats (they ARE rumored to exist), I would start with .452" sizing. I'll bet it does fine. Do a "tale of the tape" on your revolver, and go from there.

Another accuracy quirk I intro'ed to my 45 Colts was to size my brass in a steel RCBS sizing die rather than their tungsten-carbide sizer. The T/C sizer reduced diameter to .469", and after expansion and bullet seating the cartridges looked like pinched-waist Coke bottles. Cases didn't last long, either. The steel die reduces diameter to about .476", case life is enhanced, and though groups didn't shrink significantly flyers/spoilers ceased immediately. I made this move with 44 Magnum as well, for the same reasons. FYI.

[vzerone]

I also don't like how the T/C dies size the case too much, but you can just resize only the amount the bullet will occupy. They still chamber easy, at least mine do.

[jonp]

I have loaded as high as 9.0 grains with Unique in the 45 Colt, using Lyman #454424, #454190, and #454490, all @ .454". In my BH x 7-1/2" these run about 940-950 FPS. In my now-departed Uberti Cattleman x 4-3/4", 850-875 was the clocking. In both revolvers the primers had plenty of radius left, and unless the chambers were REALLY dirty the cases would slide free with the gates opened and the muzzle pointed skyward. I would call this a "full value" load in a Colt or S&W platform, and I would not exceed it. Let's remember--the 45 Colt running at this intensity with a #454190-like bullet was spec'ed to pass through a cavalry mount and strike a "hostile" on the other side of that mount using same for cover. The 45 Colt at 1873 strength is no joke.

I've also used Linebaugh loadings in my Blackhawk with Unique, H110 and 2400. Works fine with no indication of erratic velocity, primers flattened etc. although the recoil got pretty stout. I approached with caution and would not recommend them for other than Blackhawks, Redhawks etc..