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2400 and .45LC

17K views 29 replies 17 participants last post by  Hanshi 
#1 ·
I want to try some 2400 in an LC load. My #14 shows data for a 250 gr. jacketed bullet, but nothing with 2400 and a cast 250 gr. bullet.

Can I safely use jacketed bullet data for a cast lead load? I'd have to go by seat-of-the-pants indications like extraction problems and recoil, no chronograph available.
 
#2 ·
My favorite load for the .45 is Elmer Keith's standard load of 18.5gr of 2400 under the Lyman/Keith 255gr bullet. with wheelweights my mold drops 265gr bullets. this is a top end load for the Colt style SAA. it shoots around 1150fps from a revolver and close to 1500fps thru my 24" rifle. Jim.
 
#3 ·
It very much depends on the gun it's being fired from; but as a general matter, "Keith" load data scares the bejeezus out of me. His definition of a safe load (much like PO Ackley's) was "the load that blew up the last gun, less one grain."

I'm more cautious than that.

Any Lyman manual will have published data for the 45 Colt, using several different-strength guns (be sure to use the right data tables!) with both jacketed and cast bullets.
 
#4 ·
Generaly Jacketed bullet load data should be fine with hard cast bullets. Hard cast generaly gives lower pressure than the same wieght jacketed with the same powder charge
 
#5 · (Edited)
Well, that was my gut instinct too. Glad to see it corroborated.

I don't believe I'll crank it up to Mr. Keith's level, but, IIRC, the jacketed 250gr. loads started around 16.5 grains, so I'll try that for openers.

Thanks, folks!
 
#6 ·
about 30 years ago i tried some of keiths recomendations in the 45 colt using my ruger blackhawk, it was 22- 23 grains of 2400 behind a 250 grain bullet. they did ok and i had no ill affects but i understand that todays 2400 is a little faster although i havent confirmed that. actually that was his recomendation for both the 44 mag and 45 colt but not for the colt single action army, just the ruger. i read that from his own article and tried them. i wouldnt recomend it today.
 
#7 ·
I loaded up a box using 16 gr. of 2400. Saw a definite increase in recoil over the 8.5 of Unique but still comfortable to shoot, and no problems with extraction. In fact, most of the cases fell out if I tipped the barrel up.

I need to get or borrow a chronograph before I play much more, as the max recommended load in my Lymans manual is 16.8
 
#14 ·
An excellent read, and just what I was looking for. Thanks!
 
#18 · (Edited)
50 grains ?

I seriously doubt 50 grains of black powder would fit even if ground as fine as talcum powder. The SAA was most likely a 19th century version that let go with a somewhat oversized 300 grain rifle bullet seated on all the fffg that would fit. The event was in the 1920's and some of the brown powders of the late 19th century that were finer and hotter than the usual fffg black powders were still around. Regardless, the safety margin of that particular gun was exceeded by a charcoal based powder - not a smokeless propellant.
 
#21 ·
2400 in 45 Colt?

My pet load with 2400 is a 250 cast semiwadcutter, Winchester primer, and 14.5 grains of 2400. This load has been shooting into 7/8 inch at fifty yards for thirtythree years! I know someone who uses 17 grains of powder in his Blackhawk with this bullet, but I've never exceeeded this load in all this time. It just works!
 
#23 ·
Data for the 45 colt is one of the most unfriendly that you will find on gun forums.
Therefore I will refrain from posting loads that start a "dis-cussin" on metallurgy, pressures and physics with those who may not desire to hear it.

Hornady third edition has data in a Colt Buntline as follows.

250 grain JHP
2400 13.8 start -16.4 max grains for 950 fps
Win 296 19.5 start -21.6 max grains for 1000 fps
 
#24 ·
My problem w/.45Colt has always been the "generous chamber specs" that do not support the brass. A .454 Casull chamber is something like .008" tighter than a Colt chamber - which supports "hot-rodded" Colt loads. I think tighter Colt chambers help tremendously in upping Colt loads....

My solution has been to fit Ruger cylinders to my Blackhawk .45s with the tighter tolerances of a Casull reamer. I took .357 and .44mag cylinders and reamed w/ a Casull cylinder reamer. I got rid of the unsightly bulge that hot loads left at the case head, and can reload 8-10 times before splits occur....

Yes, I use 2400 w/heavy bullets in my 'original' cylinders - and swell the fool out of the brass, resulting in reloading life of the cases to drop to 2-3 loadings. FWIW....
 
#25 · (Edited)
The 44 mag came about because Keith found that the 44 spl could be hotrodded because it had more metal in the cylinder walls than the 45 Colt. He fragged a few 45s before deciding there wasn't enough metal in the cylinder walls. He also got the brilliant idea of trying to fire a .458 45-70 bullet out of a .454 cal 45 Colt. I forget the wt of the 45-70 bullet but regardless he didn't size it down to .454 and KABOOM. The other thing is that Keith may have been using balloon head cases that have more capacity than modern solid head cases. Plus 2400 has changed over the years as already noted. You can work up to Keith's loads in a Ruger Blackhawk as his loads are not as heavy as "Ruger Only" loads. In a Colt, Colt Clone, New Vaquero or S&W double action I would work up a load with the Keith load as a goal but I would not start out with his load.
 
#27 ·
From what I've read 16.5gr of "new" 2400 is the equal to the "older" 2400 18.5gr load. That was in one of the Reloader magazines some time back. I have shot 18.5gr. loads in a couple of my Rugers, I didn't think they were that much fun to shoot. However, they were pretty accurate. I now load for three levels of 45 colt. Cast 260gr over 6gr. Trailboss, avg 766fps, very accurate and pleasant to shoot, a real can killer, should also work for deer sized game. 16gr 2400 for about 1,000fps. This load would be good for anything in my neck of the woods, and last would be 25gr. H110 (pretty darn close to max. in a blackhawk, not for colt or clones) for a 1600 + fps from my 24in Rossi and 1300+ from my Bisley Blackhawk. I know different folks have different recoil tolerences, but these will sting a little. :eek: I don't shoot many of these as there are no longer any Grizzly bears or Buffalo roaming the state of Washington. Well there are a few Grizz over on the East side of the state. But I ain't lost nothing over there.
 
#29 ·
I use 17grs of 2400 with a CCI magnum pistol primer under a 250gr Hornady XTP. That load is safe in my old model Vaquero and Rossi 92 and shouldn't give any issues with similar guns.

Jacketed bullets work at higher presures so substituting a lead bullet would cause no issues.
 
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