Does anyone have any loads using Unique, 231 and Bullseye with 250 gr cast bullets in the 45 Auto Rim? Both my S&W and Colt 1917s shoot 'way low with the 230 gr RN, and I'd like a bullet with a longer barrel time to lift the groups up a bit.

Try 5.2 to 5.7 grains of Unique with a 250 grain slug. It makes a nice easy to shoot load. I prefer 5.7 grains myself.

I've worked up to 6.5 Unique in the .45 ACP with a 250 Keith SWC using Starline AR brass. It's not as hot as you think and it kills the snot out of TX deer.

I load the NOE clone of the Lyman 454424 bullet (250 gr Keith) with 7.0 grs of Unique. The velocity is 900+ fps. It is safe in a modern Model 25 or 625. It shoots extremely well. Elmer Keith recommended 7.5 grs of Unique but I decided to stop at 7.0.

It makes the .45 ACP a truly effective cartridge for hunting at reasonable ranges. These loaded in .45 Auto Rim cases to keep them out of my 1911's:



Dale53

No, but I have some with SR4756, 2400 and AA#9!

They will raise the groups a bit, no problem there. It just won't be because of barrel dwell time!

(These loads are in 45ACP brass but they are distinctive enough they aren't going to end up in a semi auto!)

In my 1917 S&W with AR brass I get about 790 fps with 4.8 grs BE or
5.1 grs 231 with 250gr cast bullets. With 5.3 grs 231 I get 815 fps.
6.1grs Unique clocks 800fps. The BE and 231 loads are more consistant.
I also have a 1917 Colt that shoots well with these loads. I like to see
point of impact just a bit high at 20-25 yds. These loads also work well
with the 255gr very hard cast bevel base sold at gun shows

I've gone a few tenths of a grain higher than 5.1 grs. with 231 and 255 gr. cast bullets and gotten over 900 FPS in my 3" 625. It's a very accurate and consistent load and I hope to use it soon to hunt feral hogs. But work up carefully in the older revolvers; 231 is the fastest powder I care to use with 255 gr. bullets.

Dave Sinko

Thanks for sharing the info. I have been pondering working up some heavy bullet loads for the .45 AR. Has anybody tried the 270 Thunderheads from Penn Bullets? One of those going around 800 fps should be plenty strong medicine for any of the critters we get around here.

Penn Bullets

Well, they aren't thunderheads from Penn Bullets BUT they do weigh just a smidge over 270gr.

The ones all the way to the right.

I load the RCBS 270LSWC that has been HP to weigh 250gr. It makes 820fps w/ 5.9gr of Unique in my 4" M625. The solid LSWC would weigh 280gr & definitely shoots higher.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

Thanks, guys; that's plenty to get me started. This forum is definitely the place to come for the good info!

Those figures sound about right. Wish I'd had that info before I went to the range with my 625-8 (5" barrel) last week. I was shooting very hard 255 gr SWC (about 25 Brinnell). I had read of various loads with 231, even up to a frightening 8.0 gr. but a couple of sources that seemed reliable (info is on another computer so I can't check at the moment) suggested that somewhere in the mid 6's should give me around 925 so I loaded up three at 6.6. According to my Chrony, those averaged 1020, which was rather higher than I had planned to go (or need). Primers looked OK but based on that I think 6.1 or even 5.7 (as I use a Lee Auto-Disk) should provide all the "whump" I need.

Stuart

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"I drank WHAT?" (Socrates)

While the velocities are lower, I've realized better accuracy with 231 and #454424 than with other powders including Unique, Power Pistol, and HS-6.

Been loading my 255 LSWCs over 5.0 of Green Dot.
They chronograph at 812 FPS out of my 4" 625-3.
I use the load for bowling pin shoots. Really slams the pins.
Just got a new order of the bullets, so its time to try out the 231 load as discussed above.

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-jwk-
US Army '72-'95

The highest I have gone with 231 and the hard cast 255 gr SWCs is
5.6 grs for 835 fps out of my 4" S&W 25-2. I don't think this is an
excessive load but I don't shoot them in my old 1917 guns.

I've been using some machine cast 255gr SWCBB with 6gr PP, very mild and clean.

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dd884
JMHO-YMMV

LOL, I would think after a little over 3 years the OP had figured it out of has given up already!

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SWCA #3437

270gr Penn thunderhead over 5.8gr of Unique in a AR case....

I have been loading a 250gr. Cast RNFP bullet for my 4506-1 for years. I use 5.3 grs. of HP-38 or 231. loaded at 1.35 OAL.

Gives me 805FPS with good accuracy.

Cheeper then loading FMJ bullets for sue.
djh

Dale53,
it's some time back but I found this post while searching for the 45 AR.

What brand of die set did you use to roll crimp the 45AR cases? I always thought that the 45 ACP/45AR die sets only provide dies for taper crimping.

What is the exact diameter of the bullets? 451, 452 or even 454? How large are the chamber throats of your m25-2?

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Stephan

Does anyone use 300 grain swc in their 45 auto rim?

I have a mold that produces 300 grain swc that I use in 45 colt Rugers.

I would like to try them in my S&W 25-2!

Stephan;
I use Lee dies in my Dillon 550B for the .45 Auto Rim. The Factory Crimp Die insert can be exchanged from taper crimping (as issued) to roll crimp. I called Lee's technician and asked if it could be done. He was familiar with the matter and told me it would require and additional spacer to work properly. He shipped both to me for a nominal sum (maybe $7.50 or so?). It works perfectly and is easily replaced with the original insert when you need to taper crimp. The roll crimp insert is the same for the .45 Colt but in the .45 ACP die you need an additional spacer to fit properly).

Those bullets weigh 250 grs (WW's+2% tin) and are sized at .452". My revolvers are a 4" 625-8 JM Special and a 5" 625-6 Model of 1989 (both Smith and Wesson, of course).

Dale53

I have Lee 4 die FactoryCrimpDie sets in 45ACP & 45 Colt. When I load some 45AR cases & bullets with cannelures, I remove the crimping insert from the Colt FCD & substitute it in the ACP FCD, along with a spacer (I use a copper bushing, ~0.5" long by ~0.5" wide, as the Colt insert is shorter than the ACP's) to crimp them.

Conversely, if I load some 45 Colt cases with bullets w/o cannelures (light to moderate loads) I do the substitution swap the other way. That way you keep the FCD features, post-sizing & easy adjustments. The post-sizer on the FCDs are not the same diameter (Colt & ACP), with the Colt being larger by several thousands. This is one reason I don't interchange them as a complete unit, but swap the crimping insert only, besides the overall die length difference.

250 SWC 4.0 titegroup for 750fps. Ok for HE & 1917s.

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Tommy

Why bring back a 4 year old thread instead of starting a new one?

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SWCA #3437