Advice Sought RE .45 Long Colt Heavy Bullets

[Indiana_Jeff]

I hear that! For my purposes I am most interested in moving a BIG piece of .452" metal. Well under 800fps is just fine. Definitely do not want to over-pressure the brass or the gun!

 

[Indiana_Jeff]

I picked up some Accurate TCM powder and new Starline brass, but I haven't found the bullets for loading my own heavy 45Colt loads yet. I currently shoot the Underwood Ammo loaded with their 325gr bullets.

I have looked at the Swift 325's, but not the Underwood's. Are these Copper, by any chance?

FYI, I have been a bit shy of the heavier Copper bullets because inch for inch they are significantly longer than Lead. I wish Speer still offered their Tungsten bullets.

This makes me think now that I need to investigate Tungsten and Bismuth projectiles of European manufacture. Hmmm!

 

[Jeepster48439]

I hear that! For my purposes I am most interested in moving a BIG piece of .452" lead. Well under 800fps is just fine. Definitely do not want to over-pressure the brass or the gun!

My purpose for heavy loads is woods defense. That Underwood ammo pushes that 325gr bullet at over 1300fps with a muzzle energy over 1250ft-lb.

 

[Jeepster48439]

I have looked at the Swift 325's, but not the Underwood's. Are these Copper, by any chance?

FYI, I have been a bit shy of the heavier Copper bullets because inch for inch they are significantly longer than Lead. I wish Speer still offered their Tungsten bullets.

This makes me think now that I need to investigate Tungsten and Bismuth projectiles of European manufacture. Hmmm!

The Underwood's are hard cast with a polymer coating. I can't seem to find a source for them. I think they are a Underwood proprietary bullet. I have been looking at the Cast Performance 335gr. Not sure I want to go to the 365gr.

 

[Indiana_Jeff]

My purpose for heavy loads is woods defense. That Underwood ammo pushes that 325gr bullet at over 1300fps with a muzzle energy over 1250ft-lb.

Those should be great for that purpose! I don't need that much energy, but have for hunting or dangerous animal protection used .458" 400-500gr. slugs in a custom 45-70 Gov't Mauser built on a 8x52Rmm Siamese Mauser action with the Gibbs style slanted magazine. Good luck & stay safe!

 

[Indiana_Jeff]

The Underwood's are hard cast with a polymer coating. I can't seem to find a source for them. I think they are a Underwood proprietary bullet. I have been looking at the Cast Performance 335gr. Not sure I want to go to the 365gr.

Have you looked at the Swift 325gr. A-Frame Hollow Point Pistol bullet, by any chance? B.C. is 0.171, but S.D. is 0.227. If you do want Lead with a Gas Check, then the Cast Performance 335's may be the ticket.

 

[Slow Hand]

Is some really good writings out there from very knowledgeable shooters out there. Here is a good general article from john Linebaugh

https://www.johnlinebaughcustomsixguns.com/writings

also look for articles from John Taffin, Paco Kelly, and Jim Taylor.
I don’t shoot many heavy loads these days but I do have a Lee rnfp GC mold that drops them around 3a0-320 from memory. I have had good luck with a lil Gun in my heavy handgun loads. The 110’s and W296 are also good powders. 2400 is a good magnum powder but doesn’t really shine with heavier bullets. With anything over 300gr I don’t see a lot of use for a gas check. You’re not going to be pushing them much over 1200 fos, even in a carbine. Proper hardness and bullet to bore fit are going to prevent most leading. Not trying to poo poo your idea, but if you are looking for penetration on big critters, I’d rathe go with a bullet in the 300 gr weight pushed faster. I think you’ll have more penetration with a still heavy slug and more speed than a heavier slug, slower.

 

[Slow Hand]

Here are some of the Lee’s I had cast up awhile back. They run right at 325 lubed and checked. The others are 355’s. Not sure who they are, Bear tooth, maybe. They came in a deal with a bunch of .458 bullets and .45/70 brass. I loaded ten of them up before something didn’t seem right and I mic’ed them at .453 instead of .458/9”! Haven’t shot any yet in a .45 Colt.

 

[Leadeye]

My favorite big bullet short range gun is this old Colt New Service from 1915. Started out as a war export in 455 Eley, made it's way back to the US and some time in the 1930s was reworked into this. It takes 250 grain cast on top of 8 gains of Unique.

 

[boatswainsmate]

What type of nose profile are you looking for? I have bullet molds that were designed by JD Jones that I believe would work in your handgun and lever action. It just depends how much recoil your willing to deal with. They require big doses of W 296 to propel them. A couple pictures for reference.

 

[2in1evtime]

Henry,Rossi and winchester do not recommend anything over 250 grain out of the lever guns in 45 colt! but i do load elmer keith in 255 grain and they shoot great!!!!!

 

[Indiana_Jeff]

What type of nose profile are you looking for? I have bullet molds that were designed by JD Jones that I believe would work in your handgun and lever action. It just depends how much recoil your willing to deal with. They require big doses of W 296 to propel them. A couple pictures for reference.

Thank you for coming up on the net! I'm thinking that FP and HP bullets are what would provide what I'm seeking. The results I have received with W296 in .357, .44, and .45 loads have been good, and I am OK with the recoil since I will not be putting a lot of rounds downrange at any given time. All this being said, while I am not afraid of lead casting, I don't own the required molds, melting pot, tools, and raw metals...yet. My current thinking is to develop loads with 300+ grain bullets from Swift and Cast Performance. I also want to learn more about the Speer DeepCurl bullets, as well as trying to find any remaining NOS Speer tungsten bullets.

 

[Indiana_Jeff]

Henry,Rossi and winchester do not recommend anything over 250 grain out of the lever guns in 45 colt! but i do load elmer keith in 255 grain and they shoot great!!!!!

Thank you. One must be prudent, but I also have been known to run with scissors.

 

[Jaybird1980]

Thank you for coming up on the net! I'm thinking that FP and HP bullets are what would provide what I'm seeking. The results I have received with W296 in .357, .44, and .45 loads have been good, and I am OK with the recoil since I will not be putting a lot of rounds downrange at any given time. All this being said, while I am not afraid of lead casting, I don't own the required molds, melting pot, tools, and raw metals...yet. My current thinking is to develop loads with 300+ grain bullets from Swift and Cast Performance. I also want to learn more about the Speer DeepCurl bullets, as well as trying to find any remaining NOS Speer tungsten bullets.

Grizzly has a 335 offering for 45 colt and a 360 for 454, might check with them and see what bullet they use. I would imagine casting your own is the best route.

I might have missed it, but what are you wanting to shoot them out of?

 

[boatswainsmate]

Here's an excellent write-up on the bullets. http://www.lasc.us/fryxellbulletsofssk.htm

 

[Indiana_Jeff]

Grizzly has a 335 offering for 45 colt and a 360 for 454, might check with them and see what bullet they use. I would imagine casting your own is the best route.

I might have missed it, but what are you wanting to shoot them out of?

Thank you, but aside from their proprietary ammo, Grizzly appear to offer only Cast Performance brand bullets. I believe these are the weights you cite.

FYI, I intend to launch the subject projectiles from robust, modern SA revolvers and a similarly chambered modern carbine of USA manufacture.

 

[DadSmith]

Any experienced advice sought regarding heavy bullet offerings appropriate for the 45 Long Colt. Wish to investigate safe possibilities for bullets up to 400 grains. Thank you for your kind consideration!

The heaviest I've seen is 395gr. It'll be slow but hard hitting. If you have a 7" barrel we're talking maybe 650fps.

Cast Performance Bullets 45 Cal (452 Diameter) 395 Grain Lead Wide

Cast Performance Wide Flat Nose Gas Check bullets are cast from virgin alloy and produced in extremely precise and consistent LBT style molds....

www.midwayusa.com

 

[Indiana_Jeff]

The heaviest I've seen is 395gr. It'll be slow but hard hitting. If you have a 7" barrel we're talking maybe 650fps.

Cast Performance Bullets 45 Cal (452 Diameter) 395 Grain Lead Wide

Cast Performance Wide Flat Nose Gas Check bullets are cast from virgin alloy and produced in extremely precise and consistent LBT style molds....

www.midwayusa.com

View attachment 207461

As far as I'm concerned, slow but steady wins the race. I've seen the pictured bullet on MidwayUSA and a couple other sources, and like what I see. The gas check might not be absolutely necessary, but I'm not going to take it off the slug...it won't hurt, and can only help!

 

[Trapper Jim]

Did I miss it or what gun will you feed these to? Depending on gun, twist and type of rifling makes a difference in accuracy and safety. Also know that the 45 Colt case can be weaker in the head so there’s that.

 

[Indiana_Jeff]

Did I miss it or what gun will you feed these to? Depending on gun, twist and type of rifling makes a difference in accuracy and safety. Also know that the 45 Colt case can be weaker in the head so there’s that.

Yes, thanks, all good points. I'm not 100% sure, but I suspect most balloon head Colt brass is out of circulation. I'm using new Hornady and Starline, plus some once-fired Federal and Fiocchi brass. The Starline stuff is nickel plated so as to identify certain W296 loads versus lighter Clays plinking loads in yellow brass.