Favorite 45 Colt bullets for rifle?

[THG]

We have three H&R Buffalo Classics for the wife and kids.
They shot the last of the 225 grain Leverevolution bullets last month. I’ve been unable to locate any more of these.
Incredible, I don’t have a .452 mold and we still have a week of primitive season left next month.
What are your recommendations?
Does anyone know the rate of twist on these BC 45 Colts?
Your thoughts and comments are welcome.

[Nobade]

454190 works for me.

[cowboy4evr]

For me , it's the LEE 452-255 gr RNFP . It cycles through rifles just fine and is accurate . I size mine .454 . They fit in my Rossi and are just slightly larger than the groove diameter of the barrel . Regards Paul

[Larry Gibson]

Are you wanting standard 45 Colt loads/bullet or Ruger level or +P Ruger level loads for your Buffalo Classic?

[Outpost75]

I wanted a heavier .45 Colt bullet for longer range shooting at steel targets which could also be used in my Ruger revolvers. I ended up with Accurate 45-290H which weighs 295 grains in 1 to 30 tin-lead alloy from Roto Metals and gets 977 fps from a 10-inch Contender pistol with 7.5 grains of Bullseye. Pressure does exceed SAAMI MAP but is <20,000 psi, and so is comfortably within safe design limits for the Ruger revolvers and the H&R Cowboy Classic. It is also accurate and "powerful enough." I don't need or want a heavier load.

273629273630

Larry tested this load for me, we can all now appreciate. Velocity is 855 fps in a 4-5/8" Ruger, 900 fps in a 7-1/2" and 1090 fps from the H&R rifle. Being able to use Bullseye powder for economy and having a "full charge" load which performs well in either rifle or revolver with clean burning and excellent ballistic uniformity to me checks all of the boxes. The .405 nose length of this Accurate bullet does exploit the longer Ruger cylinder and the 1.69" overall cartridge length should not be reduced. This is no issue for the H&R single-shot, but the resulting cartridge is too long to feed in most tube magazine lever rifles.

[oldsalt444]

Since time seems to be a critical factor for you, try Bear Creek Supply. Nice selection of 45 boolits and some are even hollow base. 155 to 340 grains. Coated with a moly impregnated resin. No leading. Highly recommended.
https://www.bearcreeksupplybullets.com/bulletselection

[Gray Fox]

I second Bear Creek Supply. I called and spoke with the owner who is very personable and knowledgeable. That's where I got my boolits for .38-55 before my Lee mold arrived. GF

[THG]

Are you wanting standard 45 Colt loads/bullet or Ruger level or +P Ruger level loads for your Buffalo Classic?

Good question.
I'd say Ruger level. We are used to shooting out to 100 yards with the 225 LeverEvolutions.

[Outpost75]

Good question.
I'd say Ruger level. We are used to shooting out to 100 yards with the 225 LeverEvolutions.

With Accurate 45-290H we shoot routinely 100 yards revolver and 200 yards rifle on 12-inch steel gong.
Army "E" silhouette in mortal danger from revolver over 100 yards and from rifle to 250 yards.

.45 Colt Carbine, 290 grain LRN

Yds__Drop_____FPS___Ft-Lbs
0___-0.9715___1090__765
25__2.3547____1051__711
50__3.7154____1018__667____Max. bullet rise 4 inches with 100-yd. zero
75__2.9800_____989__630
100_0.0226_____963__597
125_-5.2791____939__568
150_-13.0447___917__541____Head hold for torso hit at 150-175 yds.
175_-23.3926___897__518
200_-36.4405___878__496____Hover 1 silhouette height over target for 200 yards
225_-52.3063___860__476____200 meter rifle energy approximates revolver near muzzle
250_-71.1087___843__458____Hover a full standing man height over target at 250 yards

[THG]

I wanted a heavier .45 Colt bullet for longer range shooting at steel targets which could also be used in my Ruger revolvers. I ended up with Accurate 45-290H which weighs 295 grains in 1 to 30 tin-lead alloy from Roto Metals and gets 977 fps from a 10-inch Contender pistol with 7.5 grains of Bullseye. Pressure does exceed SAAMI MAP but is <20,000 psi, and so is comfortably within safe design limits for the Ruger revolvers and the H&R Cowboy Classic. It is also accurate and "powerful enough." I don't need or want a heavier load.

273629273630

Larry tested this load for me, we can all now appreciate. Velocity is 855 fps in a 4-5/8" Ruger, 900 fps in a 7-1/2" and 1090 fps from the H&R rifle. Being able to use Bullseye powder for economy and having a "full charge" load which performs well in either rifle or revolver with clean burning and excellent ballistic uniformity to me checks all of the boxes. The .405 nose length of this Accurate bullet does exploit the longer Ruger cylinder and the 1.69" overall cartridge length should not be reduced. This is no issue for the H&R single-shot, but the resulting cartridge is too long to feed in most tube magazine lever rifles.

Very good data. I had not thought of using Bullseye. I have been using Blue Dot for the J bullet.

[Kosh75287]

I understand the appeal of economy, especially in the current state of the world, as well as staying under 20 kpsi. The need for more than 290gr. @ 1100 f/s might also seem dubious, but even a little more velocity tends to flatten trajectories nicely.
Similarly energetic charges of Unique or Herco, which burn more slowly than Bullseye, will tend to push the projectile over a more extended interval down the barrel, using only slightly larger charge weights. The result is a likely worthwile velocity increase for perhaps a 10% loss in economy.
Another strategy, though not nearly as economical, would benefit long-barrel revolver and carbine shooters, is to use Alliant 2400. I would EXPECT that 15.0/2400/290 gr. would not be excessive, and would combust down the entire length of the barrel in which it is shot. The result, and again I think this very likely, is higher velocity, and similar or lower pressures.
While 2400 will not burn completely in a 6" barrel (I can't get it to, anyway) it seems to work well enough in barrels that length and longer. The longer the better, when using large-bore pistol cartridges in carbine-length barrels.

[Outpost75]

I chose to keep my .45 Colt rifle loads subsonic to avoid transonic buffeting as velocity decays below the speed of sound.

While you can drive a 290-grain bullet to about 1300 fps without a GC in a .45 Colt rifle, using near case-capacity charges of IMR4227, the bullet is then passing through the transonic region prior to reaching 100 yards. I found the accuracy of such loads inferior to the milder, subsonic load and also less suitable for revolver use due to incomplete combustion of the powder.

You would need to drive a 290-grain bullet about 1400 fps, using denser, higher-energy, double-based powders such as H110 or Alliant #2400 to keep it supersonic all the way to 100 yards. I found that attempting to do so soon exceeded the strength limitations of a plainbased bullet to avoid leading and I was unable to meet my accuracy expectations in either rifle or revolver.

So, the 7.5 grain Bullseye load still checks all the boxes for me, as do 452AA, WST, 231, TiteGroup.

I expect that if you prefer Unique, Blue Dot or Herco they would perform similarly.

[Larry Gibson]

I shoot Lyman and Lee 200/205 gr SWCs and RFs and Lee 230 gr TCs at 1050 fps with very good accuracy out of my 45 Colt Carbine (20" barrel) out to 200 yards. I've no doubt it would efficiently kill deer to 100 yards at least. If you're going to push up into Ruger level loads I suggest a SWC or WFN GC'd bullet in the 250 +/- gr weight range. I used a Lyman 454490 at 1550 fps out of a Rossi M92 with excellent accuracy and womp out to 200 yards.

[Kosh75287]

The trans-sonic buffeting that you mention is surely a consideration!
I guess the buffeting that I'M no doubt experiencing isn't detectable, or it's occuring beyond the 100 yard range at which I test my loads' accuracy (the longest distance to which I have access).
I should also mention that I've been using 18.5/2400/250 gr. RNFP or 19.0/2400/225 gr. Lee T/C from my Rossi carbine, both of which may be remaining super sonic beyond 100 yards.

[Thin Man]

When this season is over and you have the time to search for it, consider getting a Lyman 454485 mold. This pattern is identical to the 454190 with the addition of a gas check to expand your velocity interests. They show occasionally on the popular auction sites. Beyond that, my best groups ever printed from a Winchester 94AE came from the Lyman 452664 (a plain base design). I loaded these heavy for that rifle and it repeatedly gives me the best groups of any lever rifle, of which I have several.

[greenjoytj]

The Lyman 452664 is the bullet I cast and use the most in my revolvers and rifle.
The bullet has a bevel base which does require lube to be wiped off the bevel after they come out off the Lubri-sizer. A soft pad built up from several layers of paper towels works great to clean off the bevel. I have been launching this bullet with max standard pressure loads of Hodgdon’s CFE and Old Eynsford BP.

[onelight]

I wanted a heavier .45 Colt bullet for longer range shooting at steel targets which could also be used in my Ruger revolvers. I ended up with Accurate 45-290H which weighs 295 grains in 1 to 30 tin-lead alloy from Roto Metals and gets 977 fps from a 10-inch Contender pistol with 7.5 grains of Bullseye. Pressure does exceed SAAMI MAP but is <20,000 psi, and so is comfortably within safe design limits for the Ruger revolvers and the H&R Cowboy Classic. It is also accurate and "powerful enough." I don't need or want a heavier load.

273629273630

Larry tested this load for me, we can all now appreciate. Velocity is 855 fps in a 4-5/8" Ruger, 900 fps in a 7-1/2" and 1090 fps from the H&R rifle. Being able to use Bullseye powder for economy and having a "full charge" load which performs well in either rifle or revolver with clean burning and excellent ballistic uniformity to me checks all of the boxes. The .405 nose length of this Accurate bullet does exploit the longer Ruger cylinder and the 1.69" overall cartridge length should not be reduced. This is no issue for the H&R single-shot, but the resulting cartridge is too long to feed in most tube magazine lever rifles.
That looks like an excellent load for my flat top Black hawk.
Thanks for posting it.

[THG]

All input appreciated
At the camp through Christmas
Hard to read on this phone
Will consider all responses when we get home
And report back
Merry Christmas to you all!

[Taco Belly]

273806


I use this Accurate Mold for all of my 45 Colt plinking, etc...works good with Unique, Red Dot, and Bullseye out to 100-150 yards.

Jeff

[mehavey]

45-70(light) territory . . .
https://thefiringline.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4966385&postcount=1

YMMV. So don't start at this level

[Alferd Packer]

225bgrain is plenty heavy for steel at 200 yards.
I would only go heavier for hunting loads.
Move up to a 45-70 for shooting steel.
T
hat's what I did.
.45 colt is sweet shooting, otherwise.

[THG]

While at the camp, I let a few people know I was looking for a mold suitable for the 45 Colt. A cousin of mine turned up a Lyman 454424 Double Cavity Bullet Mold that had been given to him by a long deceased local shooting, casting & reloading legend. Cousin was generous enough to loan it to me. I've cast up a 100 or so for testing. Hoping this gets us through the last leg of primitive season then we'll have eight months to come up with another solution if needed.
Once again all above comments and suggestions appreciated!
Wishing you all a blessed 2021.