Low Wall Report

[HEAD0001]

I put another 50 yards down range through my new Low Wall this evening(45 Colt). This is my first 45 Colt rifle, and it is a dandy. I am getting some dirty burning from 2400 an IMR 4227, so I am going to try Blue Dot and Red Dot. I just hate to try those two powders because it does not give enough case fill as far as I am concerned.

I have not been crimping the loads I have shot so far, and I am hoping I do not have to crimp the loads to get a clean burn. Anyone have a good powder recommendation that will give a clean burn without a crimp in a 45 Colt rifle?? With good case fill??

I have been shooting Hornady 250 grain XTP's in the rifle so far. However I just received my new RCBS 255 grain mold today. Hopefully I can get some bullets cast tomorrow.

I am not sure what it is. But I can not seem to put this rifle down. It is truly one fun gun. Tom.

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o223/HEAD0001/HOOKS/IMG_0581.jpg

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o223/HEAD0001/HOOKS/IMG_0583.jpg

[Doc Highwall]

I have two of them in 357 mag and love them also. With boolits like Lyman's 358315 it is like a mini 45-70. Just picked up a Lyman 358430 in 195gr to try. Like you said hard to put down.

[ktw]

I would try some H110. Most of my 94 Carbine loads use H110 or 2400.

-ktw

[Ben]

HEAD0001 :

Remember........getting that copper fouling out of the barrel will work wonders before you shoot your cast bullets.

Ben

[August]

Try some 4759.

[HEAD0001]

HEAD0001 :

Remember........getting that copper fouling out of the barrel will work wonders before you shoot your cast bullets.

Ben


I understand that. however I am unfamiliar with what that has to do with powder burn??



Doc it is a 45 Colt---not a 357.



I thought about H110 but the information I could find on H110 says not to use it with cast bullets??

I have read where I can get away from unburned powder if I went to a magnum primer and a heavy crimp(with 2400). However I have a bunch of WLP primers, and very few magnum pistol primers, and I really wanted to stay away from crimping for a single shot rifle so I could extend case life. And not have to worry so much about exact trim length. Just a thought. Tom.

[ktw]

Curious as to what you got as far as chamber size. My 94 has a big enough chamber that I can finger seat .457 bullets in fire-formed brass.

That is also what it tends to shoot best in plain based bullets - lightweight 45-70 bullets like 457191, 457122-HP, the Lee 457-340-F and a group buy 300gr RF plain base that drops at 455. All of these shoot quite well with H110.

I haven't had much luck with .452/.453 cast bullets unless they were gas checked.

-ktw

[leadman]

I would make sure that your dies are reducing the brass enough. This is a problem with some of the older die sets. I have and RCBS set that was made for the .454" bullets.
You may have to crimp your brass. Alliant says to use standard large pistol primers with 2400. I do and they work fine.
H110 works real well with heavy boolits in the 45 Colt. If there is no data on Hodgdon website give them a call.
You might try Accurate Arms 5744. Burns clean and not position sensitive. My Roller in 40-65, 1903a3, and several others really like this powder.

[dubber123]

2400 will burn clean, you just need pressure to do it. You shouldn't be restricted to Colt loads in your rifle. Same for 4227. H-110 works great with cast for full power loads. Many powder companies view cast as a reduced load only proposition, and H-110 is NOT for reduced loads, thats why they don't list data. H-110 and a good heavy slug will surprise you with it's power output in a 45 Colt. Great cartridge.

[.45Cole]

I have one also in .45. I love it but when compared to the marlin (.45) the 1885 seems to be harder on me to hold. I have been playing around with AA#5 instead of unique for cast boolits (less smoke). I like about 10.5 - 10.7 grs of AA#5 and a 250 cast boolit. I have had the same 200 or so PMC brass since about 2003 and have crimped the s**t out of them and hardly ever trimmed them and they work fine. I do try to check them to be sure that they are not too far over the max legnth.

[Boz330]

WW296, but you have to keep good load density. This was the best load in an old Rossi I used to own with a 300XTP. Killed on both ends.

Bob

[longhorn]

Sizing dies, per Leadman's post--loose sizing and loose chambers seem a continuing problem with the .45LC. Try Starline brass, and crimp it if you want a clean, consistent burn with 2400 or H4227. (You'd have to crimp any brass, not just Starline's.......)

[NickSS]

I do not have a single shot 45 colt but I load and shoot a lot of them in hand guns and lever action rifles. Most of my loads are loaded with either red dot or Unique and both are dirty but shoot well. I found that I needed a good crimp to get accuracy with this cartridge. I have tried other powders including W296 and AA 1680 for hot loads for hunting. These powders burned cleaner than the shot gun powders.

[Tim357]

I use a .45 ACP sizing die on my .45 Colt brass. When I had a Ruger BH I used 2400 and a good firm-to-heavy crimp. I've found that any relatively slow burning powders (H110, 2400, 296, etc) burn cleaner and more consistently with a TIGHT bullet-to-case fit and a reasonably heavy crimp. I've not done any heavy .45 Colt loads since I sold my BH, but the slow burners in .357 Mag respond the same way.
My $.02...
Tim sends

[Taco Belly]

I have this rifle as well, with nearly 12,000 rounds through it. Just started shooting BP with it, too. It was the only rifle I owned for about 4 years, and I shot the S**T out of it.

It shoots accurately with every 45 bullet I have ever loaded with Unique. My favorite load is the Saeco 225 Wadcutter with 7.5 Unique. Don't know about on paper, but it will hit my 10 inch gong at 100 yards everytime with this load. In fact, this load shoots great in all my 45 Colt firearms.

Check your bore, as mine slugged at .453. After nearly 9 years, the action is like new, and the trigger is very crisp. I was thinking of getting another some time, in case mine dies.

[Bret4207]

"Taco Belly". Now there's a descriptive handle! :mrgreen:Welcome aboard!

[Nrut]

"Taco Belly". Now there's a descriptive handle! :mrgreen:Welcome aboard!

I am thinking he might be related to Paco Kelly...He must be if put 12,000 rounds out of a single shot down range!...[smilie=1:

Taco do you change out your front site?...

[Taco Belly]

No relation to Kelly. Saw an episode of the Simpsons years ago where Homer was a wrestler and his name was Taco Belly. I thought, that is me for sure, as Tacos are number one on my list of tasty edibles.

I have put every front and rear-sight combination known to mankind on my rifle, and finally, I have settled on a Marbles Semi-buckhorn and 3/32nd gold bead.

Here is why:

2001- For the first couple thousand rounds, I used the factory sights. The little bead was too hard to see. Mostly shot 200 grain round nose from NBC. Couldn't hit much, but that was when I was 30 years old and still focusing on quantity instead of quality. Hits at 100 yards were sporadic at best.

2002/2003- Tried a Browning Ladder sight for awhile. Changed to 250 SWC, NBC. After a couple thousand rounds, the elevation retaining spring wore out, and still, the little bead was too small. Hits were still sparse, and groups on paper at 25 yards were 3-4 inches. Not too good. By now, I would have sold any other rifle, but this one is really nice and I like 45 Colt. During 2001-2005 time frame, I was overseas and this is the only rifle I owned, so I shot it extensively.

Better make this short, because a detailed history of would take up much space.

Two years ago, after finding this sight, I was pushed over the edge and started casting. I slugged the bore and found it to be .453. I started loading .454 and as cast .455 and can keep a 2.5-3 inch group at 100 for as many shots as I can load. Good enough for me. So, I put on the Marble's sights and worked up a load with the 225 WC that shoots to 100 yards. Not really a precision rifle, but quick and accurate up to 100. Past that, I have to move to a 250-300 grain bullet. Since I shoot 300 grain bullets from my 1885 45-70, I have relegated my 1885 45 Colt to 100 yards and under.

We (1885 and myself) have been through many years, many sights, many domiciles (overseas military) and many rounds together. Even cracked the stock once. And now, the BP has given the breechblock "character." I would not hesitate to buy another or recommend this rifle. I am short, and the length-of-pull is almost too short for me. That has been remedied by getting a butt cover from LEVERGUN Leatherworks.

TB

[HEAD0001]

I went to the Leverguns Leather Works web site. But I was unble to bring up his leather pads(not sure why).

Do you have a picture of the one on your rifle?? Tom.

[Nrut]

Thanks for the tip on the light weight. boolits and Unique Taco...I haven't shot mine in a few years and when I did it was with 315gr to 360gr boolits using H110...My groups at 100 meters were running from 3 to 4.25" inches using the Marble Tang that came with the rifle and I swapped out the front site for the lowest Marbles 3/32" fiber optic bead site..I ran out of sight adjustment (both tang and buckhorn) shooting those heavy boolits so that's why I went with the low front site...There was no way I could knock out the factory front site with a brass punch so I had to cut the site from the top several times before it would come out...

Basically with the 300gr.+ boolits in these little rifles they are a 45-70 Short Mag....I taped some closed cell foam on the crescent butt plate to make it more enjoyable to shoot those loads...:mrgreen:

Have Fun!

6/07 edit: Why the 45 Colt is a 45-70 Short Mag...see link to article by Paco Kelly..

http://www.leverguns.com/articles/paco/45coltlevergun.htm