Whatcha think about these handloads?

[Bill Akins]

I installed my Lee .45 Colt dies into my Lyman Spar T loading press's turret top
for reloading for my new Hombre .45 Colt revolvers.

I'm finishing up the last of several old cans of Bullseye powder and Hercules 2400 powder. They are both old cans from the old company before Alliant took over. Wanted to use them up. Alliant still calls bullseye powder...."bullseye" powder. But they renamed the Hercules 2400 powder to just "2400" by Alliant now. I checked and the older Hercules 2400 and the newer Alliant 2400 use the same loading data.

I still haven't ordered a mold for the bullet projectiles I eventually plan to use in the Hombre's, but I had some round balls I had molded from my .451 mold for my black powder revolvers. My molded balls weigh out at 136 & 8/10th grains. Lots less than a 200, 230 or 250 grain projectile. But I thought I'd try a few experimental loads using my 136 & 8/10ths grain round .451 home molded lead balls. They have just a teeny tad of tin in them with the lead. But you can still scratch them with a fingernail, just takes a bit more pressure.

At the Alliant site they list several different charges for their 2400 and their bullseye powders for .45 Colt cartridges.

The Alliant bullseye loads start out with their data for a cowboy load using a......

1. 230 grain bullet and 6 grains of bullseye giving a velocity of 815 fps,
(which Alliant lists as a cowboy load).
I used my 136 & 8/10ths round ball using 6 grains of bullseye. Should be
okay pressure wise but with decreased projectile weight should also give
me much more velocity. But I can't tell how much not having a
chronograph.

2. 200 grain bullet and 7.5 grains of bullseye with velocity of 988.
200 grain bullet and 7.9 grains of bullseye with velocity of 994.
I used my 136 & 8/10ths molded .451 balls using 7.5 grains of bullseye.
Just a little stouter load than the "cowboy" load of 6 grains.

Next I loaded up a cylinder full of the old Hercules 2400 powder.

1. Alliant's data used a 250 grain projectile and 15 grains of 2400 for a
velocity of 826. Same projectile and 15.4 grains of 2400 gives a velocity
of 972. Again, I used my 136 & 8/10ths grain weight .451 home molded
round balls, and I used the lower 15 grain 2400 powder charge.

Haven't had the chance to shoot them yet, but what do you fellas think of
these loads using my MUCH lighter 136 & 8/10ths grain weight, .451 round balls instead of heavier 200, 230 and 250 projectiles? Any issues I should worry about?

I have a kenetic bullet puller so I can always pull the projectile and powder out of the case easily if needed.


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[Bill Akins]

Okay, got to shoot one of my .45 Colt Hombres today after all. I can practically shoot off my back porch. First I fired my 6 grains of bulleye cowboy loads with my 136 & 8/10 grain weight home molded, .451 round balls. (All shots today were using those same balls with different powder charges). Recoil was negligible as expected, and hits were low. Next I fired the Alliant 15 grains of 2400 powder loaded ones, and although there was a bit louder boom, recoil was again negligible and hits were again low. I was hitting the bottom of the target as well as shooting UNDER the target...off the paper.

So I went into my shop and loaded up three more rounds using 10 grains of bullseye this time. And I held a little higher sight picture than I had before. One of the three hit at about 5:45 in the black just below the bull, one hit at 6:45 just out of the black, and one hit at 11:00 in the black. As you can see in the target below. Pay no attention to the very small holes in the target, those were .22 rimfire holes. My .45 hits I circled in red in photoshop.
The 10 grains of bullseye were as expected a bit louder than my previous shots, but not too much. And recoil was just a tad more but still very slight...at least to my feel. Once I realized I needed to raise my sight picture, I started getting on the target. Since these are non adjustable sights, I have to use "Kentucky" windage elevation.

Here's how far away I was shooting. Much further than an average pistol gunfight distance, but I didn't measure it......

I just shoot from my porch chair set a few feet out from my lanai and use my camera tripod as a pistol rest.

Kinda hard to tell in the two below photos (my camera stinks on closeups), but those are home molded .451 balls loaded with a moderate crimp in the .45 cases. A big thanks to Noelf2 for the cases.

I bought my Lyman Spar T turrent press somewhere between 1979 to 1981.
It's a moderate setup but gets the job done very well. (I didn't use my powder charge thrower on any of the cases I loaded today, but carefully weighed each and every powder charge on my powder scale for accuracy in loading).

Next I'm going to try some .454 diameter balls. Just until I can get some regular round nose projectiles. Might also try some 2 ball loads in the cases using buckshot to get two hits for one shot on target. But it's fun experimenting with my own loads and home molded balls.


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[Hawg]

The Uberti SA front sights are left tall so once you get your load tailored you can file the sight down to POI. That's not great 25 yard groups. The gun is capable of much better. You just need to find a load it likes. Personally I'd go with a 230 grain bullet and 7 grs of W231 for a smokeless load. A case full of bp is a whole lot more funner tho but recoil is stout.

 

[Red Cent]

.452 160 gr cast lead over 4.2 gr of Red Dot or American Select. 'Course, this ain't a very good self defense load. But....for those who snort at the recipe, have them walk out 25 yards and turn around.

Makes a super cowboy load and plinkin' round. Slow burning powder and a projectile that really helps out with that feller Newton's problem.

Haggen, thats a round ball he is throwing. Knuckle or curve ball?

 

[Hawg]

Haggen, thats a round ball he is throwing.

Yeah, I know.

 

[Bill Akins]

Thanks for the loading recommendations fellas, I'll keep that in mind.


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[Rifleman1776]

You are fortunate to be able to test fire at home. You are able to answer most of your own questions that way.
But, do keep in mind, that the heavier charges and/or projectile will print higher. Do not blame your sights for printing low with the light charges. A gun like that might just learning to use Kentucky windage for accuracy. And/or settle on one favorite load then attack the sights with a file. Remember you can't put it back once you file it off and learned you made a mistake.
BTW, I'll betcha your camera has a close up setting.
And, I like your press, I have on just like it. No need for anything else. And no need for apologies. It is a great press.