45 colt reload advice

Get standard .45 Colt bullets and enjoy.
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For what the OP has, this is the best advice. You can use 45acp bullets but they have to be used within their limitations. You could sell them, or trade them for more suitable bullets, if you don't want to shoot them within their limitations.

This is one area where the Ruger convertible shines. Any bullet design can be used, in the cases it was designed for. .45acp slugs can be loaded in ACP brass, taper crimped normally and fired from the ACP cylinder. Very versatile.

And, I do fully agree with vintage (level) loads for vintage firearms.
 
Basically if a bullet is the correct diameter, appropriate weight, and the cartridge fits the gun, it can be used in a revolver. I have used 225 gr. Lyman "45 Auto" bullets in my 45 Colt revolver. I have used 125 gr. RNFP "revolver" bullets in my 9mms. Neither was designed for the application I used, but perhaps with my experience, I loaded safe, accurate ammo. I sized the Lyman bullet to .452" and lightly taper crimped over the ogive. I sized the Lee bullet to 357" and ignored the crimp groove and taper crimped (a very good bullet for my 3 9mm pistols).

But for a newer reloader, 44 AMP is correct; use the bullet designed for your particular gun/cartridge...
 
Since the 45 Auto and 45 Auto Rim have no problem with uncrimped bullets in revolvers chambered for them, if your revolver weighs as much as the Auto/Auto-rim types, you can probably assume that loading 230-grain JRN to similar velocities in the 45 Colt case won't cause problems with bullet pull. It's when you try to get closer to full 45 Colt loads or try to use a lighter gun that you would have to be watching out hard for bullets backing out of the cases on firing.
 
Woody Wood-Have used 45 acp fmj's in 45 LC, and used the 45 acp sizing die to neck size the 45 LC case, then used the 45 acp expander or just belled the case mouth. This was due to the reduced diameter of the 45 acp jacketed bullets being used. Loaded to around 800-900 fps, no problems with bullet creep. For lead bullets used the 45 acp sizer to neck size, and 45 acp expander. Not all dies are the same, and not all bullet diameters match whats on the box.

The 45 LC dies owned did not size down as far as 45 acp dies owned, and some 45 acp jacketed bullets get close to .450 in diam.
 
Brian Pearce wrote an excellent article in Handloader 268. If you Google Brian Pearce 45 Colt, you can review it. The Judge would be limited to Tier 1 loads, i.e. 8 gr of Unique with 250s. I have a Bisley Blackhawk, which will take Tier 3 loads; however, I have settled on 10gr of Unique under 285 RCBS SAA (Tier 2 load) for 1050 in 5.5". Cases fall out and no pressure on the primers. It is a killer with penetration measured in feet. I wouldn't use ACP bullets because they're .451 and no crimping groove.
 
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