.45 Colt-what to expect?

[Sprefix]

Winchester new brass with 23 grains of H110 under 260 gr. Freedom jacketed bullets. Same load with 300 gr. Freedom jacketed bullets. Same with hardcast 325 gr. bullets and last, 335 gr. hardcast? All with magnum pistol primers......... What kind of velocity should be expected from a Five inch barrel with each bullet weight? Thanks for your input......Sprefix

[duckloads]

I'm more concerned about who made that 5" barrel (and frame, etc) that you're going to shoot those rounds out of

[Sprefix]

I have several platforms including a freedom Arms 83, 25-7 and Ruger redhawk. Thanks.........

[Gun 4 Fun]

I know from first hand experience that all of those loads are fine in both the Redhawk and F/A.

The 23 grains of H-110 is a little warm under the 260 grain F/A bullet for the 25-7. The F/A bullets have very hard jackets which will raise pressures over a cast bullet with that load. However, I use that load in my 25's regularly with a 265 grain Lyman 454424 though, and it is a great load. It'll clock between 1100 and 1200 fps, depending on barrel length. I haven't tried the heavier jacketed bullets with that charge in my Smiths because I have had better platforms for running them through.

Get yourself a back issue of Handloader #217 from Wolfe publishing. The best article I have ever read on loading the various platforms of the .45 Colt is in that issue, and it has loads listed for all kinds of bullet weights and designs, and shows in the chart what pressures they are turning up, and what platform they are good in.


In this article they show the following for use in the Redhawk and F/A guns only!! Do not use in the Ruger Blackhawk
WARNING!! Use of these loads is at your descretion, and should only be used in the appropriate guns as listed.
These are 50,000 PSI LOADS AND SHOULD NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE BE USED IN ANY OTHER GUNS!!!

335 CPBC WLNGC/ H-110 26.5 gr/ LPM/ 1451 fps from 6"bbl
325 NEI Keith style SWC/ H-110 27 gr/ LPM/ 1580 from 7.5" bbl

THESE ARE 32,000 CUP LOADS FOR USE IN THE BLACKHAWK, REDHAWK, AND F/A GUNS ONLY!!!

250 Hornady XTP/ 27.5 gr. 296/ LPM/ 1448 fps from 5.5" bbl
310 Keith style SWC/ 25 gr H-110/ LPM/ 1391 from 6" bbl
__________________________________________________

The following loads are safe in any S&W 25 in sound working condition. These loads are running 23,000 PSI or less.

305 gr Lyman 454629 cast GC/ 21. gr H-110/ LPM/ 1051 from 5.5" bbl

260 RCBS cast/ 24 gr H-110/ LPM/ 1173 from 5.5" bbl

There are lots of other good loads listed in this article, but these are in line with the OP's question. I have used several of the loads as listed, in my 25's, Redhawk, and Blackhawks with results obtained being very close to what is shown in the article, across my chrono. Of course my rsults weren't exactly the same, since I am not using the exact same guns than he did, and even slightly different barrel lengths in some cases.

[Snapping Twig]

As the owner of a FA in .454 and a 25-7, I'd advise you to keep anything over 1000fps to the FA and the Ruger.

The 25-7 CAN do it, but I'm not convinced it SHOULD do it.

There's plenty documentation to support the use of heavy loads in a 25, but there's always a warning about using them sparringly.

Your pistols, your choice.

[Skip Sackett]

Have you ever fired these from any of these revolvers before?

I am currently loading for the same type of performance only limiting my load development to th 240gr H&G #502 mould that I have. My bullets come out of it right at 245gr. As we speak, I am sitting here looking at a ziplock bag full of that bullet over 25.5gr of W296 with magnum primers in them.

I got the load from an article on handloads.com. Here: Gunnotes...Smith & Wesson Mod 25-5

At the bottom of the article there is a chart. Don't just jump to the end of the article though. There is a ton of good information in it.

I haven't been to the range to try mine yet and I want to shoot them out of my Puma M92 levergun too.

I will be waiting to hear how things go for you. Do you have a chronograph? What about a rifle in 45Colt?

Glad to hear that there are some folks doing more than just talking about doing this kind of stuff!

[Sprefix]

Thanks for the great links and info. Friends of mine have been running these loads for years. They prefer Stainless Smiths and Redhawks. They have seen too many "bad" Freedoms for the money. My three Freedoms all shot great. I love the one I have now and it is accurate. My friends have "played" with light loads to insane loads. I've shot many of these and hotter loads from the Smiths and have been for a number of years. Some of these down right HURT!! Amazingly, they all seem to shoot accurate. I chose to go on the low end of the "Alaskan Loads" to prolong gun life and still do the trick on dangerous game in a pinch. My understanding is 250 gr. at @1000 Fps will penetrate most anything. If the loads need to be too hot, they will stay in a Freedom or I'll just stick with the .454 Casull and play Hell with the target. The Rugers are too heavy for my taste. The Smith is a Cadillac and smooth as a........well, you know. @1100 Fps in a 325 gr. should be OK. I thank you for the info and welcome more as well as other opinions.

[Skip Sackett]

I think I need to elaborate a little as my last post was incomplete. While I would have no problem shooting the loads I have listed above in a new M25 or M625 in 45 Colt, that is not what I am going to be shooting them out of. I have a Ruger 45 Convertible in 45Colt/45ACP and a Puma M92 lever action rifle that I am developing these loads for.

Some time after the first of the year my wife and I are going hunting. Either in Tennessee or Texas, don't know for sure yet.

Just wanted to clear that up!

[canoe on the yukon]

There is nothing posted above that I dissagree with.All good advice.To add two cents,I would just suggest that you limit the number of rounds of especially heavy loads in the S&W.The fact that certain levels can be "safe" doesn't necessarily make them recommended.I'm no stranger to heavy loads in general but I prefer to switch to a more robust design if one is available and in your case,it is.

[Sprefix]

Originally Posted by canoe on the yukon

There is nothing posted above that I dissagree with.All good advice.To add two cents,I would just suggest that you limit the number of rounds of especially heavy loads in the S&W.The fact that certain levels can be "safe" doesn't necessarily make them recommended.I'm no stranger to heavy loads in general but I prefer to switch to a more robust design if one is available and in your case,it is.

That is a great point. These are for the Freedom or Ruger. The Smith may see some of these as it will be my "hunting" gun and woods packer. These loads are not intended to be the steady diet for the 25-7. It isn't generally a good idea to push things to their limits. The Smiths to me are tools and art!! They definitely have a purpose, but they look damned good also! Thanks.......

[epj]

I have seen at least one load on handloads.com that I think was either a misprint or else someone is very brave. This particular load involved the .38 spec. and Clays powder. The load was about 150% of anything I have seen published in a manual.

The point is that caution is indicated, especially when using someone's pet load from an internet site.