[loader]

Wow, Rick, thanks for the plug...!

I am working with the 454 "Rossi" which is now a Legacy. Got it from Rick, and its very nice...smooth and very, very strong.

The only traditional load I have worked up is 35.5 grs of Lil Gun and the 260 grain Freedom Arms 454 Casull bullet. This gives 2265 fps, +- 20 fps and 2965 FPE.

The 300 FAs are next, and I'll pass that along as well.

I do have some nifty sabot loads using the Knight 45/40 cal sabots using Longshot, but I don't want to pass these on til I work a bit more with them. They don't cycle well, and are a single shot proposition. For the record, the 180 gr cast lead 40s do 2600 fps at low pressures and very low recoil. Takes a lot less Longshot to do the job, and velocity is quite consistent if you don't crimp them.

Note that this rifle has a 1 in 30 twist, so anything over an inch long may not stabilize well. It should handle 360 gr Cast Performance LGs OK, and 1800 fps should not be hard to get.

 

[loader]

Yes, in going from a 7.5 inch bbl in a revolver to a 20 inch bbl in the Puma, +500 fps is a good average for a 260 gr bullet with burn rates in the 296, 110 and Lil Gun class. As bullet weight goes up, you will likely get less than +500 fps, because case capacity is reduced by the longer bullet and the extra expansion ratio of the 20 inch bbl may not make as much difference. For example, I get 1400 fps in the 454 revolver with the 360 LGC, but would not expect to get 1900 fps in the Puma because the charge weight is smaller and more of the powder is burned in the revolver.

 

[loader]

No signs of excessive pressure yet, even with max loads. The lateral expansion potential of the Puma chamber is far less than the revolver, and a sticky case should be rare. All wheel guns expand a lot at the chamber, due to the thin walls on the outside of the cylinder - they are designed for this, and its normal. It does make it easier to exceed the elasticity of a case, however. Case life in the Puma should be much longer. I use Starline brass.

I would love to find a .400 caliber cast bullet of 260 grs to try in the sabots.

 

[loader]

In a rifle from a different manufacturer, it is quite possible that the chamber throats are shorter or tighter than the comparable revolver. With fast pistol powders, this drives up pressure in a hurry. Of course, one also has the cylinder gap bleeding off pressure in the wheelgun, while the rifle sends everything down the tube.

 

[loader]

Very nice loads. You are right, its a thumper!

I still have not worked with the 300 grainers, but have been working up loads for my Blackhawk 45 LC that also work well in the Puma.

Most fun load turns out to be quite reduced: 7.5 grs Green Dot behind the 230 gr Hornady XTP. Does 850 fps from the blackhawk and 1080 from the puma.

In the rifle, there is very little report and the round is subsonic and verey accurate. A nice break from the big loads, and perfect for home defense.

The 7.5 grs in Green Dot was selected because it gave the right velocity and because it is exactly 1.0 CC in volume. Allows me to load with my Lee hand press and a 1 CC dipper in the field.