RBHarter
West Central AR
I see that there is some interest in 45 Colts with much heavier than the typical 270-300 . So let's share what we're using and doing that is working or not working .
In my case I have a slow twist rifle that gains just enough to get just far enough supersonic to be doing really strange things at 78-82 yd like clockwork against a tape measure. Lighter and faster to get a 100 yd group didn't work with the 45-200 SWC on hand and the 255 class was worse yet . I was gifted a "light" 457-340 single Lee that drops WW at 459x460 and 353 gr . Initial testing showed that even though I have a 1-30 twist they would hit at 25-50 yd making round holes . By several different manufacturers sites the Lee bullet length needs a 1-26 twist .
A qualifying statement here every load I work has a quest , that quest is to be a satisfactory hunting load . I am stretching this 1 beyond the factory capability of the rifle/carbine because I may need to whack a critter past 75 reliable yds . The BlackHawk has a faster twist and has been proven to make impact noise on 275 yd man steel, the hold over is tricky with the 7.5 inch bbl set up for poh at 65 yd . Not with the 353 but several 255 class bullets .
Thus far with the Lee 457-340 RF @ 353 gr I've leaded a bbl with a soft alloy ,2 pots 1 for BP ,1 for rifles . The rifle alloy is 75/25 WW - 1/20 and works well enough for my needs in several rifles from 223-358 Win . So my next run is limited to the charge window that made my speed window and the best group with the softer basically 1-20 + 1 lb in 5 WW . It is a nil addition but gives a 12 bhn when water cooled and has work leading free in the carbine and rifle up to 1310 fps . The harder 75/25 will hopefully not flame cut with the new loads . They are sized .4545 then .451+ for the .442x.450 bbls in this load trial .
Brass is currently 30+ cycle annealed at 25 cycles ( Ruger only Unique loads were smoking cases and unpleasant to shoot pushing 1300 fps) from Winchester trimmed to 1.285 and primed with Winchester LPP .
Currently I'm working with H322 which according to a load data program will only burn about 60% and make pressures in the realm of 16kpsi .
Best loads were between 20.5 and 21.5 gr the 22.5 was a maximum no/crimp load that would maintain maximum OAL but it also had lead lines starting mid bbl burying the lands at the muzzle .
All I wanted was a group at 100 yd from the rifle and carbine with speeds at 10' of 11-1200 fps Strelok predicts 800 fps at 100 and over 600ftlbs it should be satisfactory for anything you'd shoot by choice to 50 yd with a fact Colts load to 100 as long as it groups .
In my case I have a slow twist rifle that gains just enough to get just far enough supersonic to be doing really strange things at 78-82 yd like clockwork against a tape measure. Lighter and faster to get a 100 yd group didn't work with the 45-200 SWC on hand and the 255 class was worse yet . I was gifted a "light" 457-340 single Lee that drops WW at 459x460 and 353 gr . Initial testing showed that even though I have a 1-30 twist they would hit at 25-50 yd making round holes . By several different manufacturers sites the Lee bullet length needs a 1-26 twist .
A qualifying statement here every load I work has a quest , that quest is to be a satisfactory hunting load . I am stretching this 1 beyond the factory capability of the rifle/carbine because I may need to whack a critter past 75 reliable yds . The BlackHawk has a faster twist and has been proven to make impact noise on 275 yd man steel, the hold over is tricky with the 7.5 inch bbl set up for poh at 65 yd . Not with the 353 but several 255 class bullets .
Thus far with the Lee 457-340 RF @ 353 gr I've leaded a bbl with a soft alloy ,2 pots 1 for BP ,1 for rifles . The rifle alloy is 75/25 WW - 1/20 and works well enough for my needs in several rifles from 223-358 Win . So my next run is limited to the charge window that made my speed window and the best group with the softer basically 1-20 + 1 lb in 5 WW . It is a nil addition but gives a 12 bhn when water cooled and has work leading free in the carbine and rifle up to 1310 fps . The harder 75/25 will hopefully not flame cut with the new loads . They are sized .4545 then .451+ for the .442x.450 bbls in this load trial .
Brass is currently 30+ cycle annealed at 25 cycles ( Ruger only Unique loads were smoking cases and unpleasant to shoot pushing 1300 fps) from Winchester trimmed to 1.285 and primed with Winchester LPP .
Currently I'm working with H322 which according to a load data program will only burn about 60% and make pressures in the realm of 16kpsi .
Best loads were between 20.5 and 21.5 gr the 22.5 was a maximum no/crimp load that would maintain maximum OAL but it also had lead lines starting mid bbl burying the lands at the muzzle .
All I wanted was a group at 100 yd from the rifle and carbine with speeds at 10' of 11-1200 fps Strelok predicts 800 fps at 100 and over 600ftlbs it should be satisfactory for anything you'd shoot by choice to 50 yd with a fact Colts load to 100 as long as it groups .
