.45 Colt/.454 Casull

[progunner1957]

45 Colt/454Casull question

Hey, shooters -

I am thinking of getting a Ruger Super Redhawk; I read that the SR in 454 Casull will also fire 45 Colt ammo. I am partial to the 45 Colt caliber and can't see myself firing 454 Casull in it.

My question is about accuracy: The SR in 454 Casull has 1 in 24" RH rifling; Ruger also makes a Redhawk in 45 Colt, with 1 in 16" RH rifling. If I get the SR in 454 Casull, will my accuracy suffer when shooting 45 Colt ammo??

I know - why not just get the Redhawk chambered in 45 Colt? Because I really like the looks of the Super Redhawk!! With its steel gray finish and non fluted cylinder, it is a beauty!

If anyone has any insight or info. on this, I would greatly appreciate hearing from you. Thanks!

 

[Hal]

1 in 24 is fine for anything reasonable in .45LC.

It might go south (tumble) on you if you try to get a super-heavy bullet (>350 gr) downrange more than 150 yards. In that case, that's what the .454 Cas is for, right? Run them big long boys fast and flat.

I load a 230 or 250 or 255 gr cast lead slug in .45LC for my Trapper @ about 1100 fps. My Trapper has a 1 in 30 something RoT. Accuracy and stability are good out to 50 yards.

Rule of thumb is the slower the twist, the more you want to stay on the light (short) side with the slugs. The .454Cas is an exception, only because of the extreme pressures it operates at.(60,000 psi.)<-- roughly 4 to 5 times the pressure of some .45Colt ammunition.

In Theory, the .45LC using a cast lead bullet sized to the proper throat and bore, weighing 200 to 230 gr should be more accurate than a jacketed .454 Casuall weighing 300 gr and up @ standard handgun ranges.

 

[Black_Snowman]

You accuracy may suffer relative to 454 handloads but are likely to still be better than other 45 Colt guns. 454s have to be made to tighter tollerances to handle the pressures and make for some very accurate handguns.

My SRH loves my 260 GR Hornady XTPs at 1600 FPS. 6 shot group 1.2" at 30 feet off hand. Haven't tested it rested yet to see how small I can get at 25 or 50 yards.