Range report: .45LC BP loads - help needed

Real black responds better to being compressed. I run 35 gr of FFFg in my .45's. 250 gr RN or Keiths either one. I like the Keiths because I can crimp them in . They shoot end for end through a white tail buck,,,I can tell you that, accurate and strong.
 
>>>Real black responds better to being compressed. I run 35 gr of FFFg in my .45's. 250 gr RN or Keiths either one. I like the Keiths because I can crimp them in . They shoot end for end through a white tail buck,,,I can tell you that, accurate and strong.<<<

W.C., do you use a wad between the powder and the bullet? Are your bullets hollow based?

Thanks,
Oly
 
This may be rhetorical, but since no one has mentioned this yet in building a proper black powder load...

LUBE!!!

The type of lube and style of grease groove the bullet has makes a huge difference in the consistencies of rounds fired.

If you are purchasing those bullets locally or from one of the mail order bullet houses, specify a black powder compatible lube. Most smokeless lubes are much too hard to give a good seal and make the fouling soft with black powder.

Also, get rid of the substitutes and use the real McCoy- any of the brands will work- basic Goex FFFg will work the best, go to either Goex Express or Swiss if you need more consistent loads for competition work or softer fouling if needed, and if you need some "el cheapo" black powder- go with the new Diamondback brand, which is equivalent to the old Elephant brand, which can be had for @ $10.00 lb. if obtained in case quantity. (I haven't tried it yet, but friends at the club say that it is just a bit dirtier than regular Goex, but is consistent)

Not only will real black powder be more consistent, you will save money.
 
Oly,

Yes, I use a card under my bullet. I only shoot Goex. I load black for my .45 LC and for my Trapdoor. If you load the full 40 grains that the original .45 Colt used, you will be in for an awakening. That is a hell of a load. It will have to be compressed also, I made compression dies that work for both the .45 and the .45-70.

More to the point. I use both flat base and hollow base bullets. I only use flat base in the .45, always with a card; in the -70, I use both the flat base 500 grain Govt bullet, and the hollow base 405 gr Govt bullet. Always use a card under the flat base. Do not use anything under the hollow base bullet. There is a reason it is hollow and that is to get it to expand to fill the grooves. If you use a card or grease or anything else under it, you just make a flat base out of it. Then it is going to lead the barrel. Remember, that on the BP loads, you are running low pressure, often not much more than 15,000, so your bullets have to be cast soft, not more than 20-1, and if that is not accurate try 30 or 40-1. If you get them soft enough, they will settle down because they have to obiturate to fill the rifling. Hope that gives you what you need.
 
I'm planning on reloading with .452 Caliber 250 Grain RNFP Bullets. You will note that these bullets actually have a "hard" lubricant instead of a soft lube like SPG. I hope these bullets with this lube are suitable. I asked the owner of the company, Matt Dardas, the question of suitability of his hard lube in .45 Colt reloads AND using black powder. His reply:

I can tell you that customers have purchased the 250’s to use in blackpowder and have reported great results. I have shot our 45-70’s with blackpowder (with our Dardas Blue Lube) and the fowling was soft and just like ‘normal’ generic blackpowder lubes. - Matt Dardas

I have read in a couple of place that with long handgun barrels or regular length rifle barrel that hard lube may be a problem. These same references seem to indicate that with short barrels (under 10" for example) there isn't an issue with hard lube regarding fowling or accuracy. It would appear that Mr. Dardas' statement could be consistent with what I've read. Any opinions would be appreciated.

I do have questions with regard to using a "card" under the bullet. What is a "card", where do you get them, and why is it important to use a card with the bullets I plan on using?
 
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W.C.,

Thanks much. I may be using the wrong bullets and I didn't use a wad or a card either so I've got several items to attend to.

Thanks again,
Oly
 
Well, if I use 777 ffg in my .45LC brass, how many grains of powder do I use? I mean, what should I start at? BTW, I'm going to use lead round balls in the .45LC brass. :confused:
 
I have loaded a lot of 45s for my remmi conversion,
but real bp, with 454 rb, make sure you have a good
crimp on the case, you want the ball just to pass half
way, and make sure you do not have AIR SPACE in the
case, t7 cap and ball 3f cases 2f, shoot safe.:D
 
I set the bullet down on the powder in a cartridge case...that would be 35gr of BP and a 250gr soft lead boolit w/ my own mix of lube.
In a C&B I use 28gr of fffg BP a lube pill of my own recipe on top of the powder then the ball... .452", .454", or .457" depending on what I'm firin' from.
 
You do not have to use wads, you can use fillers
like corn meal or grits weat, i sometimes use cork
its up to the guy who loads.:D
 
I don't think I'd need filler. I supposed that is what the card wads are for...for filler? I'd just load the .45 Colt brass with the max powder. Because I like lots-o-smoke and boooom.

I just did a quick experiment. Looks like the brass holds about 30 grains of 777, no compression of course. I guess with black powder you want 35 grains of Goex then compress it down to 30 grains by volume? Do those numbers sound about right? Oddly, 35 grains of Goex has about the same energy of 30 grains of 777.

It looks like my stinkin' Lyman 49th edition only has smokeless loading recommendations. :barf:
 
no, fillers are cheating.
bp needs loaded to the base of the bullet. that means X many gr of bp. you have no control over how hot the load is.
you mix fillers in with the bp to take up room and use less powder, to make a softer load.

the card acts as a tiny filler, but also to protect the base of the bullet, kind a like a shot gun wad cushions the shock to the pellets.
they are often just milk cartoons cut to size or even from the plastic lids found on coffee cans.
not really needed in pistols, they play more a part in long range bp rifle shooting.
 
NO, FILLERS ARE CHEATING?
who says? tell that to the countless guys who use
filler, to shoot at a target dont need to waste my
real black 25 grns gets there like 30 grns so why waste
and i have used corn meal for years with good results,
i load for fun not to save my life, i got that side taken
care of.:rolleyes:
 
It looks like my stinkin' Lyman 49th edition only has smokeless loading recommendations
Click to expand...

Clembert look in the Muzzleloading Section at the Yellow tab for BP Rev loads... it has a few.

Carding in Cartridges is to seperate the BP & the filler one thing you don't want is cereal mixed in with your Black Powder.(lack of consistancy)
I don't use fillers in a C&B Cylinder chamber and shoot 28gr of fffg BP in my .44's with deadly accuracy.. I do load my lube pills on top of the powder and the ball or boolit pressed down atop the lube pill. Can shoot all day no binding easy cleanin' afterwords.
 
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