[Alaska Mike]

I have sent my Ruger Redhawk .44 mag in to Bowen Arms for conversion into their .45 Colt Alpine model.  It will return with a 4" barrel.  I will be shooting the Beartooth 350 gr LCMN bullet over WW296 or H110.  This will be my "pest" gun when I am boating, fishing, hunting.  I hope to be able to launch the bullet out at 1200 fps, with a HEAVY but SAFE load.  Any comments or suggestions?

 

[MikeG]

Kind of hard to predict whether your gun will safely reach this level or not.

Best advice is to get a chronograph, and work your way up with either WW296 or H110 and magnum primers.  Hodgdon #26 shows 350 grain JSP, brand not specified, with a starting load of 19.5 gr. of H110 and a max load of H110 of 20.5 grains at 30,000cup.  Primers were Winchester Large Pistol.  Velocity reported from a 7" test barrel at about 1050fps.

My gut feel is 'probably,' with the long-nosed bullets and the large Redhawk cylinder.  But that's just a guess.  No doubt you'd be over 30,000cup.

Anyway 50 fps will not make two cents worth of difference, so if you get to 1150fps, for example, and have a super load, don't feel bad quitting there.  Recoil could start getting to interfere with follow-up shots.

Best of luck, sounds like a neat combination (if it doesn't pound you to death).

 

[CAL]

AlaskaMike, is it the 5shot or regular conversion?

 

[Alaska Mike]

To Cal and Mike G:

It is the regular 6 shot conversion.  

I have a chronograph and will work up slowly and responsibly.  I have read a lot on the subject on Beartooth's and Linebaugh's websites, and I realize that when you get up to LBT style bullets this big and heavy, you are not so dependant on sheer velocity to get the job done.  If I can SAFELY get it up to the 1150-1200 fps range I will be happy.

 

[Will]

Alaska Mike
I think you will be greatly impressed with your 350 gr LCMN bullet.  I have been using a 355 gr WLN for about 4 years now.  It whistled right through a 7 foot black bear braking both shoulders, 2 ribs, and a leg from about 45 yards away.  It is extremely accurate from 5 different Rugers (Redhawk, 2 Bisleys, Vaqueor, and a Blackhawk) and from one Winchest 94.
I started with the loads mentioned earlier that were using a jacketed bullet but was SAFELY able to increase moderatly.

The velocity of a 7 1/2" barrel hangs around at 1100-1150, at 35 fps per inch of barrel as a rule of thumb you should be about 125 fps below that.

Good luck anyway I know your gonna like it

 

[arkypete]

Hear's my nickles worth.
I am working up loads for a 6 inch Colt Anaconda, to punch holes in a hog this fall. I'm also using the same loads in a Navy Arms Winchester mod 92.
I've found that 19. grains of H110, 300 grain cast GC'd, sized .454, Starline brass, Winchester primers, does a fine job, reasonably accurate. Even has a satisfying muzzle flash in the Colt.
From seeing how these loads will punch thru lumber and logs, bury the bullet deep, too deep to easily dig out, I'd say that this load would handle most anything I'd bump into.
In the mod 92 this load are like shooting a rim fire. I'll let you know how well it really does after I finish lapping the barrel.
Jim

 

[Will]

Alaska Mike,

Thinking about that I found an article on the tight 45 Colt (.480 chambers) with this they get 40,000 cup.  This is accomplished by re-chambering a 44 cylinder.  So if your cylinder is getting re-cut to tight 45 them you can very safely move past the 32,000cup standard load.

The 2001 Annual Handguns (Published by Guns & Ammo)
Has a 7 page article on the heavy 45 up to and including loads for the 40,000 cup range.  In this article they list a 32,000 cup load of 22 grains H110 under a 350 gr LBT for 1,300 fps in a 7 1/2" pressure barrel.  With a tight 45 cylinder this should be butter.

Good luck, God Bless