First .454 road test...

[doghawg]

I tried out some of my first attempts at casting for the .454 today. This was a 10 shot group shot from a rest at 30 yards but I'll be loading up more of the same and trying them out at longer ranges on the next trip. This gun will one hole at 50 yards with it's pet jacketed loads but hasn't done particularly well with a couple of commercial cast loads I tried so far. The bullet is the 255 gr. Lee RF cast from the humble two cavity mold and lubed with LLA and sized to .452" from a Lee sizer. Powder was 10 gr. of Unique.
The barrel was dirty and somewhat copper fouled from some 300 gr. XTP's over 2400. The last six shots were in the cluster at the top. It was very satisfying to do this well with my own bullets. :D If accuracy holds up well at 50 to 75 yards (I hunt in a thick cedar swamp) I may step up the velocity a bit and try these for whitetails next fall...or maybe get a 300 gr. Lee gas check mold....:D

I'm hooked....

[docone31]

That works!
Nice lookin rig.

[snaggdit]

Try bracketing by .25 grains and see if accuracy improves or gets worse. Looks like it is already pretty good. Just wondering if a slight tweak will help. Nice pistol, BTW.

[randyrat]

I enjoy hunting Cedar swamps, just hate getting lost in them. 10 years ago i came out way after dark, now i pay attention to where i'm going.
I also am planning to load for a .454 so i'm all ears.

[jdgabbard]

If you would have cleaned up that copper fouling your group may have been slightly better.

But looks like it didn't hurt it too much ;)

[454PB]

Yes, try the Lee 300 grainer! These .454's just love that boolit.

[jar-wv]

What alloy did you use. I cast some 300 gr Lee RF gas check using 50/50 WW & lino. Haven't had a chance to load & shoot em yet. My 45 BH likes the 255's air cooled ww with 9 gr of Unique.

jar

[doghawg]

I used straight ww's with just a little bit of 50/50 solder on the 255's. This gun has very tight throats (It won't accept .452" SWC's) but this 255 chambers just fine at .452". The Lee 300 gr. gc seems like it would have the same nose shape and I'm wondering if it would also chamber at .452". It will only cost $19 (plus gas checks) to find out I guess.

[dk17hmr]

PM an addy I will send you some of those LEE 300grs ready to load.

Awsome hand cannon. I sure would like to get a 45 Caliber FA with all the cylinders to go with it.

[Lead melter]

doghawg,
Don't let that load get away from you. Keep detailed notes of alloy, brass, powder charge, primer, lube, OAL, etc. If you up the charge and accuracy starts to go south, just go right back where you started. That 255 grainer at better than 1000fps will shoot end to end on one of our 125-150lb whitetails if the shot is within reasonable range. It should have no problem on your bigger northern variety. Remember, boolit weight makes up for a lot of sins of boolit placement, but don't let that be an excuse for poor shot placement.