Long range with the 45 Colt in my single shot rifle

[45 Colt LR]

I am looking for recommendations for (powder and cast bullets) when shooting my 45 Colt single shot rifle. By long range, I am talking 400 yard target work on metal gongs.

[badguybuster]

Are you looking for standard pressure or +P loads?

[38-72]

My rifle is a modern Browning low wall, so I thinking it should hold P+ pressures.

[Messy bear]

If you want to get started quickly, try the Lee 255 rf. It’s not as heavy as you will probably want in the end but while waiting for a custom mold or whatever it will get you going. We have shot this at long range and it always flies well. Doesn’t need a lot of speed either.

[Nobade]

It's all about the sights. I don't have any problem knocking down the 500M rams with my Marlin 1894 45 Colt rifle. Load is the Ranch Dog 265 over a case full of Trailboss. It's not supersonic at the muzzle and is very accurate as far as I want to fire it, but you've got to have a really tall rear sight. If you load fast ammo it needs to go through the sonic barrier on the way down and will tend to be less accurate at long range, just like high speed 22LR compared to standard velocity.

[fredj338]

I like 2400 in my Ruger loads, appropriate for the Browning too. 400y is a long poke for even hvy 45 volt loads, but I would prefer 250-275gr bullets running 1000fps +.

[cwlongshot]

Id look at the FTX or another pointed bullet to try and salvage a little BC.
Then PRACTICE ALLOT !!

GOOD FUN JUST THE SAME! Love the 45 Colt caliber.

CW

[Castaway]

Looks like a good case to order a custom mould. I’d start with at least a 300 grainer and a 3 radius nose. Since a single shot, you could have a bore riding nose and get some more powder in the case. Being heavy you could start subsonic and still carry enough mass to keep momentum downrange. Pointy to get a higher BC. Also would consider an indented base, not a lot, not deep, not narrow edge, but enough so that it would give a longer bullet and help with the BC. Once that all comes together, launch that thing with a case full of black powder

[Castaway]

Would also add generous grease grooves which would lengthen the bullet. Hopefully you have a relatively fast twist on your barrel

[38-72]

Castaway: that sound great! Which f 1 1/2f or 2f or 3??

[Castaway]

I’d go 3f, 2 then 1 1/2 in descending order of burn rate.

[Good Cheer]

Depending upon the rifling twist, have you considered muzzleloading large charges of black, card wads and heavy bore fit boolits?

Or, considered trying a heavy bore riding design that preserves the case volume for smokeless.

[JohnH]

Nobade has this one right, you'd do well to listen to him. You'd also do well to pick up a copy of Elmer Keith's "Six Gun Cartridges and Loads" from Amazon, it's 16 bucks for a paper back reprint. I bring up Mr. Keith not because I think he's some kind of untouchable guru when it comes to long range shooting of a handgun cartridge, but because he was literally doing what you are talking about 100 years ago. This ain't new territory and lot's can be learned from a fella who did a lot of the original work and set the standard. The bullets he designed for the 45 Colt are still available and RCBS has an excellent 275 grain SWC design that should do quite well for your work. Study well subsonic exterior ballistics, there is a reason the black powder sillywet shootin' gang use loads that are subsonic, refer to Nobade's short on the subsonic subject and expand it's exploration, it's a guidepost to your success.

[charlie b]

The BPCR folks do shoot supersonic loads that suffer the transition out at range. Some bullet shapes do ok, some do not.

For most it is best to start subsonic and this small case is probably a good one to use that way.

If pushing the limit is desired then the bore riding design mentioned might be worth considering, as well as separately loaded ammo.

Also as mentioned, the sights would be the biggest consideration.