Tell me about your .45 Colt reloading

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Well, I've successfuly reloaded .45 ACP on my new LNL, and manged not to blow me or my gun up. So, onto the next cartridge. I love my Peacemaker (non-ruger), so .45 Colt it is. The difference in price on buying lead bullets versus plated or jacketed, isn't enough for me to worry about, so I'm looking at the plated or jacketed rounds.
The Berry bullets are inexpensive, but I'm hesitant cause I've heard the plating gets shaved, and although I sometimes carry the Peacemaker, JHP seems like overkill for the range. I seem to prefer to buy in quantities of 500, cases and bullets, so I don't want 1500 bullets of varying types.
So, what do you do? Only range lead, or some of each?
If you do Cowboy shooting, how many do you need to do monthly. If just occasional range?
And two bonus questions...
Trail Boss, Unique, or other?
Where do you buy most of your supplies? So far, for me, it's Midsouth Supply.

Re: Tell me about your .45 Colt reloading

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I used Xtreme plated bullets and 800x. I was loading to Ruger only levels and was having trouble with unburnt powder.

Since you are going to Peacemaker levels, it shouldn't be an issue. I would start with trailboss...the stuff meters insanely well and will do well in those huge cases. What powder are you using for 45 acp?
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Re: Tell me about your .45 Colt reloading

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senorgrand wrote: Fri May 25, 2018 11:01 pm Trailboss is great for beginners...a quick visual check tells you if you over or under charged.
On a Progressive press, the easier it is to visualize, the better, for sure, so it's is good that way. There's a whole lot of people who swear by TrailBoss, for all sorts of loads, newbie and Pro. To me, its appeal is a BP feel in a smokeless. Lower velocity equals easier long periods of shooting.

Re: Tell me about your .45 Colt reloading

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senorgrand wrote: Fri May 25, 2018 3:22 pm I highly recommend trail boss. I just loaded 350 rounds of 38 spc and it was great.
Yes Trail Boss is awsome in 45lc big fluffy disic shaped powder fills the case pretty much if your loading regular power loads.

If your loading for CAS Trail Boss is the way to go. It is a LOW pressure powder even a double charge of 12gr is not in the danger zone ( I don't recomend it) felt like a normal hot load. I load for minimum power factor and the rounds shoot fine out of my handguns and rifle. Plus you can load reduced recoil loads for rifles with Trail Boss I load 308 and 30-06 150gr SP for my kids to shoot they hit 2in low at 50 and 6in 100.

I load 100 to 150 rounds for each match usually shoot under 120 rounds 4 to 6 scenarios sometimes more when theres side matches so 150 usually covers it. A big state tournament you can need 200.to 250 a day 10 scenarios per day.
As far as space in the case I don't think it's as much a issue as it can be in rifles.
Pretty much nothing is going to fill up all the space in a 45lc beside Trail Boss. When I get home I'll post some load Data for trailboss.
I load Missouri Bullet Works RPFN 200gr. I've also loaded some 240gr XTP bullets hot for my rossi 92 and have fired them in Ubertis with no issues.
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Re: Tell me about your .45 Colt reloading

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rockyriverleather wrote: Fri May 25, 2018 10:16 pm I'm still leaning towards Trail Boss as range ammo. Not sure about carry loads yet.
Please don't use handloads for self-defense.

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?t ... st-2129976
NJ V. Bias

This is the classic case of gunshot residue (GSR) evidence being complicated by the use of handloaded ammunition, resulting in a case being misinterpreted in a tragic and unjust way. On the night of 2/26/89, Danny Bias entered the master bedroom of his home to find his wife Lise holding the family home defense revolver, a 6” S&W 686, to her head. He told police that knowing that she had a history of suicidal ideation, he attempted to grab the gun, which discharged, killing her. The gun was loaded with four handloaded lead SWC cartridges headstamped Federal .38 Special +P.

Autopsy showed no GSR. The medical examiner determined that Lise Bias had a reach of 30”, and the NJSP Crime Lab in Trenton determined that the gun in question would deposit GSR to a distance of 50” or more with either factory Federal 158 grain SWC +P .38 Special, or handloads taken from his home under warrant for testing after Danny told them about the reloads. However, the reloads that were taken and tested had Remington-Peters headstamps on the casings and were obviously not from the same batch.

Danny had loaded 50 rounds into the Federal cases of 2.3, 2.6, and 2.9 grains of Bullseye, with Winchester primers, under an unusually light 115 grain SWC that he had cast himself, seeking a very light load that his recoil sensitive wife could handle. The gun had been loaded at random from that box of 50 and there was no way of knowing which of the three recipes was in the chamber from which the fatal bullet was launched.

We duplicated that load, and determined that with all of them and particularly the 2.3 grain load, GSR distribution was so light that it could not be reliably gathered or recovered, from distances as short as 24”. Unfortunately, the remaining rounds in the gun could not be disassembled for testing as they were the property of the court, and there is no forensic artifact that can determine the exact powder charge that was fired from a given spent cartridge.

According to an attorney who represented him later, police originally believed the death to be a suicide. However, the forensic evidence testing indicated that was not possible, and it was listed as suspicious death. Based largely on the GSR evidence, as they perceived it, the Warren County prosecutor’s office presented the case to the grand jury, which indicted Danny Bias for Murder in the First Degree in the death of his wife.
http://articles.mcall.com/1998-05-23/ne ... ces-review

Re: Tell me about your .45 Colt reloading

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For standard velocity loads in my blackhawk I prefer a cast lead bullet weighing between 250-270-grs over 6 grs of red dot. I used to use unique but have found red dot more accurate and cleaner.

I reload mine with a Dillon press and develop a rhythm that is very consistent each time I pull the handle. I go slow and methodical and in no time I have a very large pile of ammo.

Red dot meters very well from my Dillon. Personally I can't see using jacketed bullets in a peacemaker.

Re: Tell me about your .45 Colt reloading

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zzrguy: Thanks for the CAS info. Missouri bullets will check out

AndyH. That's what everyone says.

eelj: Good recommend on Red Dot. I will definitely check it out. Dillon was my 1st choice, but my wallet said different. Plated/jacketed/lead, I'm betting it's all the same. Maybe someone could state practical reasons for/against each.

On my way back from my leather xupplier this morning, I stopped at a LGS. Plenty of powders, just no Trail Boss. Picked up some Uniqe. I'll have to order TB online

Re: Tell me about your .45 Colt reloading

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In the 45colt handguns tend to have differences in rifling depth. Traditionally the barrels have deeper rifling for use with lead bullets. If you use bullets that are properly sized for the throats of the cylinder and the alloy is moderatly soft enough plus a good lube the leading will be non existent, plus the accuracy will be stellar. 800-850fps is great fun out of a colt.

One bit of advice if you are going to try out lead bullets, make sure you clean ALL of the copper fouling from the bore first.

Re: Tell me about your .45 Colt reloading

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I know I've said this a jillion times, but I do LOVE 800x for 45 Colt. Yes, it meters poorly, and yes, it leaves behind granules, but I get most favorable accuracy results, which is what matters most to me. It's also cheap.
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The Swiss are the lovers
The French are the mechanics
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Re: Tell me about your .45 Colt reloading

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Cylinder throats for .45 Colt revolvers vary considerably. You need a bullet that is right at cylinder throat diameter if the pistol is to shoot well. The best way to measure this is with a pin gauge. I bought a .45 S&W Model 25 that I had been told measured .454" with a Vernier Caliper. When I measured the throats with a pin gauge I found half were just over .456", half were just under. It won't shoot .452" diameter bullets worth a hoot. It does not shoot .454" bullets worth a darn either. I have yet to try .456"

Re: Tell me about your .45 Colt reloading

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All I've been reloading in 45 Colt lately is 3f black powder. It's wonderful stuff - made shooting my SAA fun again. Cleanup is easy with hot water and natural lube afterwards.
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