.45 colt small game loads

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HillbillyGadget
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.45 colt small game loads

Post by HillbillyGadget »

I'd like some ideas for small game loads for .45lc, roundball loads or otherwise, I could single load them through my Win 94 if they were to short to run them through the action.
Thanks.
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J Miller
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Re: .45 colt small game loads

Post by J Miller »

HillbillyGadget,

My own experiments with round balls has been dismal so far so I can't help there.
However there is one load that's proven accurate for me in the various guns I've shot it in.
That's the Lyman 452460 200gr SWC. It has two lube groves and nice parallel sides. Loaded over 7.0grs 231 or 8.0grs Unique it has more than enough zip for the small critters and due to it's shape is a very accurate bullet.
Also because of the dual lube groves you can push this one quite fast too.

Joe
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KCSO
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Re: .45 colt small game loads

Post by KCSO »

Check out Cast Boolits on this they just did a re make of the lod collar button mould and several folks have been having good luck with it. I use a 454 RB and 3.0 of Bullseye with good sucess.
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JReed
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Re: .45 colt small game loads

Post by JReed »

I have played with round balls but they drop like a rock at 25 yards. The load I played with was 5.6gr of Unique velocity was slow enough that you could watch the ball in the air. Personally I would just load some 200gr round nose up at plinker CAS velocity's and call it good.
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Ysabel Kid
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Re: .45 colt small game loads

Post by Ysabel Kid »

JReed wrote:I have played with round balls but they drop like a rock at 25 yards. The load I played with was 5.6gr of Unique velocity was slow enough that you could watch the ball in the air. Personally I would just load some 200gr round nose up at plinker CAS velocity's and call it good.
+1 I can't recall the recipe off the top of my head, but the Hodgdon website has some great CAS loads that are almost at the "cat's sneeze" level for both Trail Boss and Tite Group powders.
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JReed
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Re: .45 colt small game loads

Post by JReed »

I wouldn't want to mess with Tite group light loads. Full house Colt level loads are only 6.2gr I get nervous with itty bitty charges. I think Trailboss would be a good bet.
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243dave
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Re: .45 colt small game loads

Post by 243dave »

I've been as low as 2grs of titegroup in my 45colt trapper(16" barrel) and 250gr cast bullets but settled on 3grs because 2grs seemed awfully light and I was afraid of a stuck bullet. 5grs is a minimum load for a 250gr cast according to hodgdon, so 3grs is a very light and quiet load but has more power than I expected when I tested in phonebooks. Dave
HEAD0001
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Re: .45 colt small game loads

Post by HEAD0001 »

I shoot 4.0 grains of Red Dot with a .457 round ball. And I drop it back to 3.0 grains of Red Dot for a perfectly quite load. You can hear the hammer drop. 4.0 grains gives very little noise but better accuracy to 40 or 50 yards. I tried the .454's, but they did not group nearly as well as the .457's. I think the .454 in a round ball were just too small. I just bought 500 .457's for $5.50 a hundred. Cheaper than buying a mold. 500 will last me for a long time. Rifle is an 1885 Low Wall. Your lever should do the same. Just single load as you said. Tom.
Last edited by HEAD0001 on Tue May 25, 2010 7:03 am, edited 1 time in total.
243dave
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Re: .45 colt small game loads

Post by 243dave »

Hmmm, .457 round balls. I've tried .452 round balls with no luck, they were inaccurate, weak and blackened the brass badly. If I run across some cheap .457 round balls I'll have to give'em a try. Dave
HillbillyGadget
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Re: .45 colt small game loads

Post by HillbillyGadget »

Thanks guys, I have a about 500 of .454, and 200 of the .457 and a bunch of unique and a .454 mold.
I need to get some molds at least a 265-270 and maybe a 200

Squirrel season opens Memorial day, I used to hunt a lot of squirrels with my .45 flintlock.
Rusty
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Re: .45 colt small game loads

Post by Rusty »

I found something that helped when I was working on some RB loads for my .30-30. After you seat the ball flush with the case mouth so a straight edge will fit across it I light a candle and drop candle wax on top of the ball. This seems to act as lubricant. Without it I could only fire about 3 RB's before one would lodge in the barrel. I was using enlarged flash holes and Magnum primers with no powder. A .45 might require two drops of wax. you'll probably want some powder for tree rats but I'd try the candle wax anyway.

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Ysabel Kid
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Re: .45 colt small game loads

Post by Ysabel Kid »

JReed wrote:I wouldn't want to mess with Tite group light loads. Full house Colt level loads are only 6.2gr I get nervous with itty bitty charges. I think Trailboss would be a good bet.
You could really, REALLY overcharge a big .45 Colt case with Tite Group - that's for sure! I mentioned it though because it doesn't appear to be position-sensitive, and works well with reduced loads. A little on the messy side, but not a bad little load and very economical!
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243dave
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Re: .45 colt small game loads

Post by 243dave »

The thing about light loads and titegroup is even if you double charge a load it still won't be a top-end ruger load. If you go as low as I do with titegroup a double charge won't even be a top load in a colt clone. Personally I really like titegroup for reduced loads, its always burned clean for me except when using .452 round balls. Dave
Lefty Dude
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Re: .45 colt small game loads

Post by Lefty Dude »

Try a .454 ball and paper patch the ball. Bell the case mouth, seat the ball 1/2 way and then use a very slight roll crimp. Seat the ball with the patch tail cut short & down.
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