[pistolpete]

I am looking for a load in my S&W 25 in .45 LC with 4 " barrel and 255gr BTB WFNPB. I tried 21.0 gr H4227 and got about 980 fps with it. Accuracy so-so and there seemed to be a lot of powder kernals around the throats and barrel area. Trying to keep pressures in the 23,000 cup or less range. Going to use this for close range deer/hog load per James Gates theory. Any suggestions within these parameters would be appreciated.      

 

[Slamhound]

IMO you probably won't be able to get away from the dirty burning using the slower powders at that pressure range.  You might want to try something like Unique or an AA powder of similar speed etc.

 

[pistolpete]

I've looked in the manuals at those powders and I don't think I can get to the 1000-1100 fps range I am looking for. I believe that H110 type powders might be a little much. My old Speer #11 manual shows a 250 gr lead bullet with 20 gr of 296 as a top end load for Rugers. I did find that 22 gr of H4227 gave me 1020 fps out of my 4" Smith but does not seem to burn efficiently. I believe that the Smith can handle more than the 14000 cup load but don't want to push more than 23,000. I would also be interested in hearing from anybody that has killed any game with that bullet in that velocity range. Thanks, pistolpete    

 

[MikeG]

Well, as Elmer would say, "Efficiency be dammed, it's results we're after!"

If you want 1,000fps and H4227 gives you that, hey, it's a hunting load, who cares if it's a little dirty.  Cleaning the gun at the end of the day's hunt isn't such a bad chore when there's a deer on the meat pole.

I'd suggest that H110/WW296 might be a little hard to "light" in that pressure range (especially in cold weather), and personally I would not push the Smith much over 20,000 CUP, regardless of what others have done.

So, unless the dirty burning really aggravates you, stick with what you've got, in my opinion.

Having said all that, there is a load in the Speer manual with Blue Dot that tops 1,000fps / 255gr. LSWC, and as a bonus it is 'standard' pressure for SAAs and the like.  So it should definitely be easy on the Smith.

Good luck.

 

[bbneuser]

TWO LOADS THAT HAVE WORKED FOR ME IN 6" CUSTOM BISLEY AND CUSTOM 6" REDHAWK ARE 10 GR. UNIVERSAL CLAYS FOR ABOUT 1050 FPS AND 18.5 GR OF 2400, BOTH WITH FEDERAL 150 PRIMERS AND MODERATE+ CRIMP.  CAREFUL TO SIZE BULLETS AT THROAT SIZE OR SLIGHTLY LESS (.0005) AND ABOVE (.0005 TO .001) SLUGGED BARREL.  2400 LOAD IS PROBABLY GOOD FOR 1100-1150FPS.  EITHER IS LARGELY DEPENDENT ON FIT OF CYLINDER/BARREL.  AND EITHER IS A GOOD HUNTING LOAD PROVIDED YOU DON'T WANT TO SHOT THRU THE SHOULDER OF A 250# HOG.