Can I load 45 Colt low pressure loads in 454 Casull brass?

[Barry54]

I went to an auction today and couldn’t resist a mixed bag of 454. I would be shooting in 45/410 chambers, so the slight added length should be a benefit. I do not have a 454 so they will be disassembled ASAP. Plus I don’t shoot auction ammunition anyway.

So is there any harm with pulling them apart and loading standard loads in the brass with what I would assume are good small rifle primers? Seeing that large primers are still impossible to find, it would make for cheap shooting once again...

Should I shorten them to 45 Colt length right off the get-go, or wait and load them a few times first?
Thanks!

[BK7saum]

Your chamber may not allow a 454 length case. You can check,butI would imagine that you would need to trim them to 45 colt length.

[Mk42gunner]

I agree with BK7, your chamber might not accept a full length .454 case. From what I have read about most of the .45 Colt/ .410 chambers, most of them have a step at .45 Cot length.

Otherwise, I wouldn't start out with top end loads. As is usually recommended, start low and work up.

Robert

[Barry54]

They plunk test (with a bounce) in the first one I checked. Haven’t opened the safe to checked the other one.

45 Colt is a big black powder case and is nowhere near full with smokeless fast pistol powders, so I was hopeful the slight added increase in length wouldn’t matter much.

The small rifle primers or small rifle magnum primers are not large pistol primers. Hopefully they won’t throw the earth off it’s axis if I try starting loads...

[cosmoline one]

Standard loads may be too low and give you a squib. I have a Ruger SRH 454 and i loaded 45 colt loads in it(454 Brass) & got boolits stuck! Bring wood dowels & hammer & be aware & careful

[dverna]

Standard loads may be too low and give you a squib. I have a Ruger SRH 454 and i loaded 45 colt loads in it(454 Brass) & got boolits stuck! Bring wood dowels & hammer & be aware & careful

Do not use wood dowels. Invest in some brass rod.

[Barry54]

Standard loads may be too low and give you a squib. I have a Ruger SRH 454 and i loaded 45 colt loads in it(454 Brass) & got boolits stuck! Bring wood dowels & hammer & be aware & careful

Thanks for the warning! I appreciate all the feedback I get from all the members here.

[firefly1957]

If they fit your gun chambers measure the difference down to the case web seat your bullets that much deeper so that the case capacity is the same and you should be good to go with standard .45 Long Colt loads .

I have seen somewhere that a person had a gun chambered in 45 L.C./.410 and it would also chamber a .460 S&W and of coarse it was tried destroying the gun . I think it was a single shot rifle it has been some time ....
I have also read of using .444 Marlin brass as shotshells in these guns but if you can find .444 brass you are lucky today!

[lar45]

I would look at your chamber depth first to see if an empty case will fit.
You might look at deep seating the bullets to 45 colt length, then you won't have to adjust the powder charge.
Ano2 is great in large cases.

[Harter66]

I have 2 chambers for 45 Colts that are 1.350 . "High mileage" 454 might be short enough if you have a long chamber some of the 45/410 chambers have barely a taper let alone a step . 45 Mongo aka brass 410 2.5" with a crimped ball meat tray wads and nominal standard charges of Unique for Colts was about as good as it got in the Brazilian Comanche pistol .