45 Colt Blackhawk OAL

[Wireman134]

Anyone load these Lee boolit's to a 1.635" OAL with good results. I've loaded the Speer 300gr. to this length but not the Hornady 300gr. XTP (to long) won't chamber at lower grove. This Lee boolit fits just fine in my Blackhawk cylinder.:bigsmyl2:

[casey]

I load this bullet in a Bisley with great results. Im using 23.0 grns. of H110, fed. 155 primer and am getting 2" groups at 50 yards. Mine are cast from w.w +2% tin and water dropped. I also use a hard lube on this bullet. Right now i think it is purple ceresin in the 450. I size to .452, throats have been opened to .4525 by Cylindersmith and the barrel has been fire lapped to .4515. Hope this helps a little. Deer season opens in 4 weeks here, hope to find out how they do on whitetails. I used up all my commercial cast bullets and tried this mould, glad i did!:D

[yondering]

If the XTP's won't chamber when seated to the lower groove, you have a typical Blackhawk with small cylinder throats. The throats need to be reamed out to .452"-.453", a fairly simple and inexpensive job. I think you can get it done for about $30, although I've always done it myself. This will help eliminate bore leading, and improve accuracy as well. Slug your barrel while you're at it too.

I always seat the Lee and any other bullet out into the throat (in the lower crimp groove if available). Accuracy is usually better. Pressure and velocity will be lower for a given powder charge, but you can work up to higher velocity with the bullet seated out farther if that is your thing.

[Wireman134]

Sent my cylinder out to Cylindersmith after trying to hone using the rod a 320 grit. But it wasn't a uniform square hone and I'm a perfectionist. Inner throat area at the transition from the chamber dimension seemed to have a ridge, like the throat wasn't cut through into the chamber at the factory. My throats were around .4505" and my barrel slugged to .451". Shot the XTP's pretty good, but lead boolit's not so well.

[Changeling]

Sent my cylinder out to Cylindersmith after trying to hone using the rod a 320 grit. But it wasn't a uniform square hone and I'm a perfectionist. Inner throat area at the transition from the chamber dimension seemed to have a ridge, like the throat wasn't cut through into the chamber at the factory. My throats were around .4505" and my barrel slugged to .451". Shot the XTP's pretty good, but lead boolit's not so well.

Did you call cylindersmith and complain? I really think you should because if your measurments are correct you will have problems. My opinion.

[Wireman134]

Did you call cylindersmith and complain? I really think you should because if your measurments are correct you will have problems. My opinion.

You misunderstood me. I sent it after I tried to inlarge the throats on my own. I started with .4505" throats and I want it done right so I sent it off to a pro.:p

[two dogs]

i also sent one to cylindersmith,money well spent.

[Frank]

Casey said
Lee bullet

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I load this bullet in a Bisley with great results. Im using 23.0 grns. of H110, fed. 155 primer and am getting 2" groups at 50 yards. Mine are cast from w.w +2% tin and water dropped. I also use a hard lube on this bullet. Right now i think it is purple ceresin in the 450. I size to .452, throats have been opened to .4525 by Cylindersmith and the barrel has been fire lapped to .4515. Hope this helps a little. Deer season opens in 4 weeks here, hope to find out how they do on whitetails. I used up all my commercial cast bullets and tried this mould, glad i did!
Ditto what Casey said. You got the cylinder right. Now seat it back to the upper groove and report back.

[44man]

I load this bullet in a Bisley with great results. Im using 23.0 grns. of H110, fed. 155 primer and am getting 2" groups at 50 yards. Mine are cast from w.w +2% tin and water dropped. I also use a hard lube on this bullet. Right now i think it is purple ceresin in the 450. I size to .452, throats have been opened to .4525 by Cylindersmith and the barrel has been fire lapped to .4515. Hope this helps a little. Deer season opens in 4 weeks here, hope to find out how they do on whitetails. I used up all my commercial cast bullets and tried this mould, glad i did!:D
Too hot for accuracy! I think 21.5 gr of either 296 or H110 and a WLP primer will pull you down to under 1" at 50 yards. Work to 22 gr also.
Believe me, there is not much that will resist being hit using a little less powder. A full magnum primer also opens groups and even a Fed 150 will increase accuracy. The WLP might be better and seems to be made for the .45.
I can tell you that deer do not stand a chance hit with the .45, happy hunting and I wish you luck.

[curiousgeorge]

44 Man is correct. Go to 21.0 - 21.5 grs H110 and you should see better accuracy and the deer will never know the difference. I loaded this boolit and load to deer hunt with but never had a shot. My only .45 colt deer was with the 250 gr kt with only 8.0 grs Unique. After that kill, I decided to save those heavy loads for something bigger. Hopefully a Kentucky elk hunt some day.

[Bucks Owin]

The WLP might be better and seems to be made for the .45.

I think you're right 44man. I've noticed more uniform velocities using WLP than the others. In .44 mag too for the most part. I've seen erratic velocities with the CCI mag primer, even where "called for". WLPs seem to light the slow powders just fine. Maybe in sub zero temps I'd use a mag primer....FWIW, Dennis