45 2 1/2 belted

[bigted]

ok im a knucklehead and im sorta lost about some of all this. ive read about overpowder wads and filler and wads. im starting to load for a 458 win mag and am kinda scared to download as ive read someplace that to download will cause hangfires and all kinda unpleasantness.
im not new to reloading and ive been using cast boolits for years in one caliber or another but for some reasson im a little cautious with this one.
id like to try the pistol/shotgun powder and download some rifle powders but i want to get the facts straight first before i screw up.
in the past, ignorance has been bliss. sometimes reading some knucklheaded article will stick inside for years and then...PLINK...there it is to mess with your noggin.
please help straighten this poor noggin of mine back into a non-confused state

[August]

I use 4759 and Unique in straight walled rifle cases without fillers, or wads, and am very pleased with the results. I don't go much above 1300 fps, though. I just try to duplicate BP ballistics.

I've found these two powders to be very dependable and accurate. 5744 works well too, but I get lots of unburned powder with this choice and, therefore, have stopped using it.

At any rate, those are the three powders that work really well for downloading high-volume cases. 4759 and 5744 were designed to do just that.

Search here for threads on using fillers. There was a duzie here, about six month ago. Half the posters said they had no problems with fillers in downloads. BUT, a significant number report chamber ringing (distortion) as the result of using fillers. I'm in the second group. It only takes one screwed up high-wall to give you a strong, negative opinion about fillers.

[NickSS]

I have downloaded the 458 mag and it works about the same as the 45-90 in that respect (the 458 being .1 inch longer). Find some black powder duplication loads and go for it. I have loaded 3031, 4198, 5744 and unique in the 458 win mag using bullets from 400 to 500 gr without a problem at velocities of around 1300 to 1800 fps. Try a 500 gr lead bullet and about 32 gr of 5744 and you will have a nice mild load.

[Doc_Stihl]

TRAIL BOSS.
Look at hodgdons data online.

5744 works well too.

[1874Sharps]

BigTed,

I concur with the above gentlemen in what they have presented. I have not loaded the 458 Winchester Magnum (I would love to own one, though!), but have loaded reduced loads in the 45-70 in my earlier days with the Sharps before I turned exclusively to black powder (they call it the "dark side" and it is true: "You don't know the power of the dark side!!!). I have loaded reduced loads with 5744 to great effect. As other posters have stated, this powder was developed to be non-case position sensitive with reduced loads. Fillers can be used successfully (I have used cottonballs with 3031 in the 45-70), but I did not find that these loads shot any better than those without the filler. In the older days folks used dacron, Creme of Wheat, etc., but I have read reports of the dacron liquifying from the heat of the burning powder and then hitting the base of the bullet like a hydraulic hammer and causing a ring in the chamber. I just do not take the chance anymore when there are good powders out there that are made to order for reduced load purposes.

[Skipper]

I talked to the guys at Lyman after they stopped recommending dacron fillers in their load data.
Just for info, they said that the problem was that too many people were shoving the dacron right down on the powder; their original intent was to expand the filler so it filled the empty air space while still holding the powder toward the rear of the case.

[bigted]

thanks fellas. i think i have this " hangfire " thing figured out finally. evidently people were loading ball powders to max and compressed loads and the primer just didnt ignite the whole charge at the same time,,therefore causing a " hangfire " which could be very unpleasant when they opened the action when the charge continued its burn and ultimatly made all kinds of hate and discontent.

these were evidently loaded in the days when easy ignition and modern powders designed to add safe downloads were not here yet.

thanks again for everybodys input and help.

bigted