Starline's new .45 Special cases

[jski]

Just noticed this offering from Starline brass:


45 Cowboy Special (Large Pistol primer)
https://www.starlinebrass.com/images/cases/_cache/100_-1_cowboy-45-spl-website.jpg
Cowboy 45 Special, 45 SPL, C45S
0.892 - 0.896 O.A.L.

The Cowboy .45 Special is a case that is optimized for use with light loads in .45 Colt caliber revolvers for Cowboy Action Shooting. Light loads with excessive airspace are a recipe for case splits and erratic function. By using the Cowboy .45 Special case, with its .45 Colt rim and .45 Auto length, the problem no longer exists. While many claim that .45 Auto load data can be used in this caliber, it is important to realize the limitations of the firearm it is chambered in and only use loads that fall within the pressure range of that firearm. Generally these can be loaded using .45 Colt dies and a modified (shortened) crimp die, or .45 Auto Rim roll crimp die.
I've been looking for a shorter .45 Colt case for my S&W Mountain Gun but couldn't find one that would work. Couldn't use the .45 Auto Rim because of the excessively thick rim. Thought of the Schofield but the dimensions were slightly off. So I waited.

Then I saw this from Starline. New as of November. I ordered 250 cases to experiment with but ... ?

How to load these cases? I can use data for the .45ACP but that doesn't include my heavier 255 gr. cast bullets. If I use .45 Colt reloading data I risk excessive pressures.

Thoughts?

[Echo]

Use 45ACP loads, stopping short of the max for 230-gr boolits. Three point six grs of BE should be Ok...

[jski]

I have quite a few of the 255 gr. GC cast bullets. I see no obvious reason these bullets should not be used. The question is what charge to use? Which powders? What powder weights?

[Cowboy_Dan]

How does the case capacity compare to a .44 Spl? I have heard from numerous sources that .45 ACP loads can be used in the .44 Spl case, and the .44 will allow for heavier boolits. Sknce uou would be upping the diameter a bit you could round weights up a bit too, at least I would think so, i.e. 250 gr in the Spl for your 255 gr boolits. If the capacities are close I would look off data for the 429421, start low and work up slow.

E.T.A.: If the .44 Spl is too large, the .44 Russian can also be loaded with the 429421, so that may work too. As a bonus, the data for both of these rounds is on the light side, out of respect for very old sixguns made of inferior steel, just another bit of insurance.

[jski]

It's the exact length of .45ACP case. But with the case head of a .45 Colt. Tested to the same pressure levels as a .45ACP.

[reddog81]

A quick Google search indicates load data in Speer, Lee and Laser Cast loading manuals along with plenty of info online. Since you'll be shooting them in a revolver you can always seat the bullet long. Seating the bullet so that the air space inside the case is the same as a 230 grain bullet would allow you to use 230 grain data.

With the larger bullets it'll probably be easiest to just use the larger case. Using a shorter case with minimal loading data will have some drawbacks.

[runfiverun]

4grs of unique.

[Nueces]

My old top load for the Smith 25-2 in Auto Rim was a Lyman 452490GC (about 240 grains) over 6.5/Unique, well short of Keith's recommendation. That's the same case internally as the 45 Cowboy Special.

[scattershot]

It's the exact length of .45ACP case. But with the case head of a .45 Colt. Tested to the same pressure levels as a .45ACP.

The originals were, but I think Starline’s are a few thousandths longer. Sure limits the utility, IMO. I’ve always considered these to be a solution in search of a problem, myself, but in making these too long to fit in an ACP chambered single action, I question their usefulness.

[Outpost75]

The .45 Cowboy Special works just fine in my New Model Blackhawk .45 ACP cylinder and in the same cylinder swapped to my original large frame Vaquero. I use .455 Webley data, 3.5 grains of Bullseye with Accurate 45-262H bullet:

208708

[scattershot]

Are those the Starline cases, or the original ones?

[Larry Gibson]

You can use 45 ACP dies to load with using a 45 Colt shell holder.

I use them in my Evil Roy Uberti SA with the 45 ACP cylinder but can't help you with the 255 gr bullet loads. I only use 195 - 205 gr bullet, sorry.

[BAGTIC]

I have used some of the originals in my Taurus. Only problem was case head dimensions were a tiny, tiny bit large so they would not fully chamber in my gun until I ran them through a 45 ACP sizing die. From then on no problem. For me they did serve a purpose as I wanted a 45 ACP category cartridge I could fire in a compact double action revolver. I could have used the full clips that came with the gun but I prefer a rimmed cartridge that allows me to top off the cylinder after firing a couple of rounds without ejecting all chambers.

[Outpost75]

Are those the Starline cases, or the original ones?

Mine say .45 Cowboy on the headstamp, so I guess they are the original ones?

[bstone5]

Starline made the original 45 Cowboy Action brass but was special order by the original supplier. Starline now sales the brass to the public, a hollow base bullet was used in the original loads of the 45 Cowboy Action loads. They load fine with 45 auto data. Shot in my S&W Govonor as well as rimmed 45 auto brass.

[sw282]

Gonna try some in my S&W 25-3.. This gun uses a 45ACP length cyl, but is chambered in 45 Long Colt.. Standard length 255gr loaded boolits are too long for the short cylinder... l plan on using 45AR load data...

[Outpost75]

The short .45 Cowboy loads are very accurate in my Ruger when fired from the .45 ACP cylinder.

Group size DOUBLES when you jump the bullets from the short cases by firing them in the .45 Colt cylinder.

[Larry Gibson]

The short .45 Cowboy loads are very accurate in my Ruger when fired from the .45 ACP cylinder.

Group size DOUBLES when you jump the bullets from the short cases by firing them in the .45 Colt cylinder.

I've found the same thing with my Uberti Evil Roy SA. The .45 Cowboy case loads are as, if not slightly more, accurate with the 45 ACP cylinder than a comparable 45 Colt load in the 45 Colt cylinder. Same with comparable loads in 45 ACP cases but those are not legal cases for SASS use in SAs.

The 45 Cowboy case loads are not as accurate, as Outpost75 says, in the 45 Colt cylinder. However, in SASS competition the ranges are short (most often 10 yards or under) and the steel targets are large so the less accuracy is offset by the more uniform ballistics with the very low velocity loads used in SASS......can be as low as 400 fps.

[jski]

I think I'll go with my 255 gr. GC cast bullets and Unique powder.

Now the question: Between 5.5 and 6.5 gr., where should I be?