Good 45 Colt BP loads

N

noelf2

New member
I made up some black powder reloads for my pietta 58 rem repro with R&D conversion, but am not having much luck with accuracy with my current load. I thought I might save some time by asking what your favorite BP 45 Colt reload is. How much powder and what type? Do you use a felt wad over the powder and before the filler? Or just dump the filler over the powder and mash a bullet in there?

Magtech cowboy action ammo with 250 gr rnfp bullet shoots POA in my gun, but costs too much. I've been loading 25gr fffg with over powder lubed felt wad, and filling the gap with grits (uncooked of course), then seating a 250 gr rnfp lead bullet. Shoots about 4 inches high and left at 25 yards. I've also loaded 36 gr fffg, over powder wad, and mashing in a .451 lead round ball with a slight crimp. This load is more accurate than my rnfp loads and is almost POA (shoots an inch low at 25 yards but windage is spot on). I'd like to do better with the rnfp loads though. So what's your recipe?
 
The only loads I`ve been able to work up for tight groups with my 1858 Remington conversion cylinder is ..30 grs of Goex 2f no filler no wads only a 255 gr bullets I cast and pan lube with 50/50 Crisco /beeswax lube .
These shoot groups like 1 1/2 inch at 25 yards bench rested.
Everything else I`ve tried , all the subs ..and laser cast 250 gr oregonTrail bullets Moley lubed ..wern`t much to brag about ..3 inch groups or larger .
The subs and moly lubed bullets would be good for SASS type shooting , but I like to hit small objects at further distances .
 
have you considered pulling apart a few of the factory loaded bp rounds that work to see what they are? just a thought, bobn
 
bobn - The Magtech CAS ammo that shoots good don't use BP. I haven't tried the GOEX CAS 45 Colt ammo yet, but if it shoots well I might dissect one of those.

Sundance - I put 30gr goex 3f in a 45 colt case and worried that the 250gr bullet wouldn't take up enough space to compress the powder. Maybe I'm pressing the powder too much? Also, when I reload round ball in a 45 case, I use a homemade beeswax/paraffin wax/tallow mixture. 50/50 crisco beeswax sounds a lot easier to make. I'd like to cast my own bullets. What mould do you use?
 
Noelf2 / My 30 grs of Goex load is not a weighed grs ..I load by volume is a standard black powder volume measure ...I`ve pulled some bullets after loading to make sure the powder was being compressed ( no Problem with the 255 gr bullets )
I pan lube in a pizza pan with the bullets standing ..pour in the hot mix let cool then pick up the cake and push the bullets out and they hold the lube in the lube groves .
It`s a little too much trouble for me doing this type of loading for cowboy action shooting ...but for serious target shooting ..this load is hard to beat .
The mold I`m useing is a Lee 90358..I`m getting the mold good and hot and not keeping and undesireable looking bullets ( tossing back in the pot ) ..but I`ve never sized any of my cast bullets so I`m pickey about how they come out . I put a slight flair on the case mouths so they seat with out any problems , then I use a Lee neck crimp die and crimp on the bullet crimp ring .
Here`s a link to the mold , best price I`ve seen on it too ...http://www.trackofthewolf.com/(S(jv...tId=2&subId=190&styleId=948&partNum=LEE-90358
 
That is a good deal on that mold. Most Lee molds don't require sizing as long as the lead used isn't too hard.
 
Thanks for all of the info. Looks like my next purchase is going to be a mold. The link for the mold has info that makes it sound like it is easily broken until it is broke in. That true? Do you do the "candle smoke" lubrication thing?
 
When I load .45 Colt cartridges, I fill them to the top with homemade BP, then compress it with a 250 or 255 grain bullet. It's about 28 grains of powder because my powder is not dense like Goex.

Currently I'm using White label BPCR bullet lube, but I'm about to dig the stuff out of my lubrisizer and try something else (probably their beeswax, Alox, and carnauba BAC lube.) The BPCR lube leaks under the bullet amd pushes it up in the die; it gets everywhere except in the grease grooves. Maybe I need to warm the sizer and use less pressure, or use it cold but warm the bullets first? I don't know.
 
...The important thing is when taping the bullets out only strike the mold on the large nut and or bolt that holds the 2 halves together useing something made of wood like an old hammer handle , hawk handle ..or such you get the idea just don`t bang on the mold halves ..The bullets drop from the mold easyer if you`ll smoke up the inside of both halves with a candle before you start casting everytime .
 
What Sundance said. I use a plastic screwdriver handle. I never saw a need to smoke my molds. Not saying it's not easier if you do but mine drop out with only a small tap or two.
 
robhof

If you get serious about accuracy; you might check out Veral Smith at LBT. I recently got one of his molds for one of my pistols that wouldn't shoot good groups with anything. They're pricey, but your first cast will drop like the mold is greased and if you follow the included directions; the first bullet will be better than any you've cast before. I've been casting for 40+ years and from RCBS to Lee and nothing touches the LBT molds.
 
A 255gr soft lead flat nose boolit atop of 35gra Goex fffg Holy Black all in a
.45LC case. Boolit compresses powder don't crush no filler no card needed, just how I like um.. Worked great in my Colt 3rd Gen Dragoon.

SG
 
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