Lee 452-300RF/GC in .45 Colt 92 Rossi Puma?

[curator]

New to the '92 Puma .45 Colt. What OAL can I use with the Lee .452-300RF boolit? Suggestions for powder charge/velocity? Is there any sense to experimenting with Reloder7 or IMR4198 with this combinatyion? I have lots of WC 680 and WC 820. Any use?

[TGM]

THe standard overall length for 45 Colt is 1.6 in. You need top stick with pistol powders, there is not much room for powder with that size bullet.
You can check the Hodgdon web site for info on loads. "www.hodgdon.com"

TGM

[Calamity Jake]

What TGM says, the powders you mention are just to slow. Use the pistol/shotgun powders

[Freightman]

I tried WC860 in one round, lets say I could get to the 25 yd target faster it just barley got out of the barrel. I tried 27gr of WC 680 and it shot but smoked the case plum to the head on all four sides, not a good thing so use a faster powder it works better.
You can see how long you can load but it is a hassel to get the boolits out if you get them too long, so just use standard length is better. Try 11gr of Unique a fairly hot load in a revolver but hardly noticeable in the Puma with a 255gr LEE boolit .454 gets right at 1400 fps and is accurate.

[curator]

The Lee .452-300 FP/GC boolit appears to be unstable with 8.5 Grains of Unique. At 50 yards they are not hitting point on but leaving little oval holes. This is with the Puma's 1 turn in 16 inch twist rifling. I'm not getting leading so boolit fit appears good. 255 and 230 grain plain base boolits are accurate enough but I'd like the extra energy of the 300 grain slug with the big flat spot to use this fall on Florida feral hogs.

[no34570]

Hi Curator
I have a Rossi M92 Puma,but in 454 Casull,I have used the Lee .452-300 FP/GC boolit too and found it was not shooting real accurate in the .45 Colt case,slugged my bore and it was nearly .4535,closer to .454 and the Lee mould was casting right on .452 with my lead,so I beageled it to cast around the .454 mark and now they shoot a lot better,probably at least a 2.5 inch group,am trying to get it down the group size,but time does not permit me most days with work and such.
I use AR2205(ADI Powder) mostly,might try another one though when I get around to it,but check your bore,for I have found with some Rossi Puma's you have to be oversize in bullets for it.
Cheers

no34570

[w30wcf]

curator,
I have an older (1997) Marlin .45 Colt Cowboy rifle (24" barrel)with the slower 1/38" twist. I do not have that Lee bullet but I have used the 300 gr. RCBS. I found that at 1,250 f.p.s. the bullet holes were a bit oblong but at 1,350 f.p.s.(20 grs. 4227) they shot very well, even at long distance (500 meters).:mrgreen:

With a capacity load of RL7 (28 grs.) under the 300 RCBS, the velocity was 1,416 f.p.s. The cartridge oal was 1.65". It also shot very well.

At 1.60" OAL I am thinking that the capacity loading would be 26 grs. of RL7 (settled charge) for about 1,330 f.p.s. A capacity load of 4198 would be about 50 f.p.s. faster based on other tests I have run.


Good luck.
w30wcf

[454PB]

WC 820 will work fine if you keep the pressures up. Depending on what lot yours is, it hovers around Alliant 2400 to H-110 in burn rate.