.45 schofield load.

[warder]

hi guys would anyone have a good target load for a s@w schofield series 2000 using 200grn lead semi wads.i have tried 4.3 grs of gm3 but im getting a lot of unburnt powder residue does this mean not enough crimp or maybe not enough powder. The same load works great imy .45 colt government with none of these problems .its a brand new schofield a sitter from 2000-2001 low ser. number .there is not a lot of info out there for this cartridge ,any help would be great

[buckspen]

I am looking for the same type of information (also see my post about loading this cartridge in a Dillon 650 machine).
I suspect that the best loads for the Schofield revolver will be with 230 grain lead bullets. I have shot Black Hills .230 RN/FP factory ammo in my Schofield and they shoot pretty close to the point of aim. The Black Hills ammo shoots pretty good, but it also leaves lots of unburnt "stuff". Not good for reliable functioning in a revolver.

- - Buckspen

[kraigwy]

Trail Boss

[semperfi71]

Hi,

I have reloaded for a lot of pistol calibers since 1973. And I will soon be loading for the .45 Schofield for several Uberti handguns.

I will be using Bullseye, a very clean burning powder.

You may want to do a search on the entire Forum looking for clean burning powder threads. I suspect that if it burns clean in any .38, .357, .41, .44, or .45 [target grade loads not magnum] it will probably burn clean in the .45 Schofield.

[Beans]

I am using 5.0 grains of Trailboss in Starline .45 Schofield cases, WLP primers and either a 180 gr or 200 Gr RNFP lead bullet cast from wheel weights.

They hit what I point them at. My guns: 5 1/2 USFA Rodeos and Navy arms Wells Fargo model ( 5 inch) Schofields. Another cowboy shooter is using the Taurus Gaucho without any problems with the same load

[warder]

thanks Beans i'll give your load a try soon and will post the outcome i'm have upped my loads to 4.7grns of gm3 with the 200grn lead semi wad cutter and will be testing them tomorrow and will let you know how they perform. thanks guys.Inreply to semperfi71i think you find bullseye to fast for the large schofield case you will have problems with flash over iginition as the powder will be lost in the case but let me know how you get on

[Missionary]

Good morning
I shoot alot of 44 Russian and have always found Unique to work well. I worry less about the CLEAN factor as does it produce any crazy pressure spikes. Unique just will not do that unless you try to HOTROD it.
4 Grains and a 200 grain with sound like a popgun. 5 grainswill get you to about 650 fps. From there just add .2 (2 tenths) until you are where you want to be.
If your brass is not filling the cylinder walls you will also have unburned powder. If your bullet is not fat enough for the throats you will not have good burning.
So there are alot of factors to be considering.

[warder]

Thanks Missionary ,ill consider what you say sounds good .i'll
put a few photos of the new schofield on as soon as i can get them sorted ,catch you later.PS.would i be right in saying the schofield round would be very similar in powder weight to the .45acp with same weight head

[tennexplorer]

I took a .45 Schofield case and a .44 Special case and weighed them both empty. I then filled them with water and weighed them again. The water capacity of the two was within 1.5 grains of each other. Both were Starline. I would suggest the two are very close.

[Beans]

They are very close and sometimes I interchange loading data on the 'low end' ( starting loads or lower), when the .44 special loading data lists a bullet weight that I want to use and the loading data for the .45 Schofield doesn't list that bullet weight
WARNING==== do not interchange the loading data if trying for high volocity


The Handloader's manual of Cartridges Conversions by John J Donnelly list the case capacity of the 45 Schofield as 2.00 CC's and the 44 special as 1.92 CC's

[semperfi71]

Hi warder,

I have used Bullseye in .38 Special, .357 Magnum [target loads], ,41 Magnum [target], .44 Russian, .44 Colt, .44 Special, .44 Magnum [target], .45 ACP, .45 Auto Rim, and .45 Long Colt since 1990.

Never had a problem. The issue of "case sensitivity" as I think I have heard it called [the condition whereby small lots of fast powder do not fill the case well] has never been a problem. Also the issue of secondary detonation has been disproven in labratory tests as well.

The danger of a fast powder, such as Bullseye in a large case, such as the .45 Long Colt is that of a double charge. But then I try to always be careful in any load and check every single case-load of powder before I seat the bullet.

I am confident that Bullseye will work for cleanliness in my .45 Schofield loads and it will be safe. It may or may not be exceptionally accurate but in my topbreaks I only need "minute-of-steel-plate" since the loads are for Cowboy Action Shooting only.

Good luck.

[warder]

thanks guys as i'm new to loading for the schofield is it ok to use hard cast lead heads in it, i tried so today 200gr hard cast lead semi wads with 4.8 grs of gm3 and was pleasently supprised with the results great group but a little low ,One thing i have noticed about the S&w schofield is the trigger pull is quite heavy but as its new i dont want to do anything with it yet , ANY ideas on this ,cocking the gun is a dream i've never seen anything so smooth its a dream no kidding .thank for the replies guys .

[Beans]

Hard cast bullets can be used in your Schofields, however they are not necessary at the lower volocity and may cause some leading as they don't
obturate allowing some gas cutting of the lead bullet.

[warder]

hi Beans i see you use wheelweights that is quite hard as well, what mould would you recommend,i thInk semi wad cutter heads are more accurare than round [ i'M USING THE SAME HEADS IN MY COLT GOVERNMENT.452 SEMI WAD] ], which head do you find more accurate would you advise a light head say around 180 grs or would you go heavier, i am using the gun for target shooting classic type. not a lot of info is available for the smith and wesson schofield any help would be good. i think it says on my lee dies the head should be .454 is this an option or should i not go down that road .

[Beans]

The BIN on the bullets I am casting with WW's is around 15-17. I find that in my Navy Arms Schofields that the 200 Gr bullet is more accurate.

The 180's give me minute-of-steel-target accuracy for cowboy shooting but don't feed as good as the 200 grainers in my Marlin 1894

THe SWC should work ok. I am using the LRNFP bullets out of a Magma mold because of the use in the tubular mag of the Marlin.

I am using the same 200 grain bullet in my . 45 ACP 1911's in IDPA with good results. But I am using 4.0 grains of Bullseye instead of Trailboss.

Different load, different gun, different sport

[tommy F]

Try 4.5 Hodgdon Titigroup with a 185 to 225 lead of your choice. Nice mild target load.

Tommy

[warder]

i have cast and lubed some lead heads weighing out at 210grs and will be trying them tomorrow they are measuring out at .454 i'm leaving them at that, i have lubed the rings with bees wax and lard mix then i coated them with liquid alox i will use 5.3 universel clays and 4.5 nobel sport gm3 with them,i'll try tommy's load when i get some t/group .ill also load some more 200 grn hardcast semi wads with 4.8 grains of gm3 as they were giving good results might even go to 5grs and see, i will let you know the results on thursday

[sourdough44]

My 45 Schofield load is 5.2 grains of Titegroup with a 250 grn plated rainier bullet. This is near the top for a Schofield load but they will be fired in a 45 Colt Blackhawk & a 'Judge'. The chrony showed 725 fps average with a low deviation.

[warder]

hi sourdough ,sounds like a pretty hefty load that,is this a smith you have or a import . i have just loaded some extra for tomorrow with 5.2 grs win 231and 200gr hard cast semi wads ill see how they go will post results on thursday.

[sourdough44]

The Schofield load I mention is within listed data, 5.3 may be tops. These have been shot in my Ruger Blackhawk 45 Colt & I plan to give some to a relative to shoot in his Judge. With a psi comparison I'd have no qualms about shooting them in any modern 45 Colt. The 45 Schofield is a rather low pressure load.

[warder]

hi guys well just to get back to the loads i was trying ,i could hardley believe my eyes all of the loads i mentioned fired from ofhand at 25meters grouped in the black ,i am really well pleased with this s&w 2000 pistol its fantastic only problem that i can find, is the trigger pull ,its a little heavy but seems to be getting better the more i shoot it ,mind you there has only to date been about 250 rounds fired from this pistol ,the best of the loads seems to be with the universal powder i have loaded and fired a few more of them with 6.2 grains and 3 of the shots cloverleafed with the other 3 close ,in the center at 25 meters with a 200 grain semi wadcutter hard cast lead with a mild crimp.i can only say i am well pleased with the performance of the schofield.

[CoastieFlo]

I use regular Clays (not Universal Clays but similar characteristics) for 45 Schofield lead SWC in my Marlin 45lc and it is the cleanest and most accurate powder I have used for it