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Glenn R. McMannly

Glenn R. McMannly

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I would like to reload .45 Colt for my Ruger Blackhawk.

I love that gun so much and enjoy shooting it but factory ammo is very expensive.

I would not be shooting high volume maybe a couple or three hundred a month.

But I have limited space and money. I’ve got enough free time and don’t mind going slow. I do black powder and make musket cartridges etc. and find it relaxing.

For a dirt simple and compact reloading kit, what would I need? I would not be casting as I’d probably just by Rim Rock bullets.

Thanks!
 
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The best to start is with a Reloading Kit featuring a Single Stage Press.
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$425 for that setup from Midway USA.

I shoot 200 - 300 reloads of 38 Special or 45 ACP a month. So easy to do and significant savings. My reloads is about a third or a quarter of the cost of store bought.
 
If you plan on reloading just 45 LC, I'd suggest that you surf that popular auction site for a Dillon Square Deal B. You can find a gently used SDB for around $400. Then, add a small digital scale to confirm your charges, and you'll be set! The nice thing with the Dillon, is that the "No BS warranty" follows the machine so you don't have to be the original owner in order to enjoy that security!
 
My Cowboy Action load is about 800 fps. 200 RNFP cast bullet, 6.7 grains WW 231, WLP primer, any brand brass. I personally prefer a taper crimp to a roll crimp (if brass brands are slightly different lengths, the taper crimp doesn't require trimming to give bulge free ammo!) Not really a Grizzly Killer but this ammo is mild, accurate and feeds in every known rifle type!

Most any batch of reloading equipment will fit in a 50 cal ammo can.

Ivan
 
You need a reloading manual before you do anything. Lyman has some of the best instructions I have read. You will get answers all over the map so read, talk to local reloaders, hang out at the gun shop and you will figure out exactly what you need.
 
Thank you so much, gang.

I FORGOT TO MENTION I am a black powder shooter and have a great amount of it. Goex, Swiss, a few others. About 30 pounds worth.

Would something like this work?

[ame]https://www.amazon.com/LEE-PRECISION-90263-Classic-Loader-45/dp/B00162THL4[/ame]

Says it’s got everything needed. I wonder if there is a source of unlubed .45 Colt bullets that would be cost effective? I know with black powder cartridges you can make your own lube to save money. I make my own for my muzzleloaders with beeswax and tallow.

Again, I’m going for as dead simple and cheap as humanely possible. Thanks all!
 
That Lee Loader is really all you need assuming you have the time. In fact, you might even find a used set on the well-known internet auction site, whose name alone is forbidden to even mention here under threat of banishment, and even cheaper. For years, all I used were Lee Loaders in several calibers. I would sit on the floor in front of the TV, hammer in hand, while I was loading. It was slow, but I had the time. You can figure on about a minute or so per round. My very first venture into reloading was using a Lee Loader in .44 Magnum. That was followed by another in 12 gauge, in .30-‘06, in .45 ACP, and a few other sizes. At that time, a new Lee Loader cost $9.95. You can get by at minimal expense without many of the other things that experienced reloaders use. The biggest problem today is finding primers. If you want to use BP, that’s fine too. Just improvise your own powder dipper that will fill the case to just below the base of a seated bullet. BP is dirty and messy to use, but you already know that. You should be able to easily find a source of .45 Colt cast bullets already lubed. Even .45 ACP bullets will work OK, even though they are slightly undersized. I was never interested in casting my own lead bullets. Too much work and equipment needed. Better to buy them.
 
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I started with a Lee Loader, (often called "Wack-a-mole"). 300 a month will get old fast! (These are only neck sized and may have trouble chambering in guns they were not originally fired in.)

For Black Powder, a 50/50 lube made of paraffin and Crisco works well. A "Cookie" under the bullet about 3/16" thick will keep fouling soft and easy to clean for longer strings between cleanings. A 1/4" cookie of straight paraffin will work without an over the powder card for ammo that will be shot in a month or two. The thick paraffin cookie will actually come dripping out the muzzle on longer strings of 5 to 10. For typical handgun and SASS shooting, you'll probably want rifle sights as low as possible! Non-adjustable sight handguns didn't seem to matter at all!

For bullets lubed only in the grooves, SPG Black Powder Lube works well for handguns when shooting strings around 24-30 rounds. You can up this by slathering Crisco on the cartridge bullet before loading (On hot days DO NOT HOLSTER GUN, as the Crisco will melt out the cylinder gap and bore and stain you holster!)

Ivan
 
The mentioned Lee sets or a Lyman tong tool are easy to use hand units. If you want something more adaptable, a simple single station press is a good start. Often found at garage sales for under $10, they are also a cheap way to start.

Black powder is easy to load, you already use it so you know the rules. Little or nonair space, BP compatible lube, etc. Keep it easy and fun.

For the years when I used the 45 long Colt, the only powder used was black.

Kevin
 
StrawHat said:
The mentioned Lee sets or a Lyman tong tool are easy to use hand units. If you want something more adaptable, a simple single station press is a good start. Often found at garage sales for under $10, they are also a cheap way to start.

Kevin
Click to expand...
The Lyman 310 tong tool is great for a reloader with minimal needs, except I do not think they are made today. Used ones, and the special sized dies needed, may be available, but they will be costly in comparison to the Lee Loader.
 
Your best bet is a Lee Hand Press Kit ...this is a single stage C press that you can use with your two hands and does have mechanical leverage to help size cases but does not require bolting down to a bench ! Handy little tool I must say !
And a set of Lee Reloading Dies ...shell holder is included
Make a scoop for your black powder charge ... or use the scoop in the die set for smokeless powder charge .
You may want to buy a inexpensive powder scale to check / verify powder weights ...helpful when making a powder scoop !
I reload all my handgun ammo with this set up sitting in my house at the computer desk , coffe or kitchen table ...
I have 5 bench mounted single stage reloading presses but the Lee Hand Press is the absolute best way to load handgun ammo in the comfort of heat and a/c inside the house . No banging with a mallet and much cheaper set up than Lyman 310 "Nutcracker Tool " ... also easier on the hands than the Lyman Tong Tool ... and the things are so expensive it isn't funny !!!
Good Luck and Load Safe ,
Gary
 
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Glenn R. McMannly said:
Thank you so much, gang.

I FORGOT TO MENTION I am a black powder shooter and have a great amount of it. Goex, Swiss, a few others. About 30 pounds worth.

Would something like this work?

Amazon.com

Says it’s got everything needed. I wonder if there is a source of unlubed .45 Colt bullets that would be cost effective? I know with black powder cartridges you can make your own lube to save money. I make my own for my muzzleloaders with beeswax and tallow.

Again, I’m going for as dead simple and cheap as humanely possible. Thanks all!
Click to expand...

A Lee Loader will absolutely work, and it is definitely the most compact and cheapest setup.

There are two downsides:

First, as has already been mentioned, it is slow, but it sounds like this might not be an issue for you.

Second, the functions normally performed by the press are done with a hammer. The incessant whacking noises would probably cause my wife of 40 years to divorce me. Or, more likely, kill me.

I don’t want to be dead, so I went the Hand Press route.
 
The noise of the hammer could be an issue if you live with someone. I used a small 2x4 wood block under the Lee Loader to prevent damage to the floor or table top. One place I lived had a sturdy picnic table outside that I used with the Lee Loader. It prevented the pounding noise getting to the inside. More like tapping than pounding.

A neat thing with a LL is you can keep everything needed to reload inside a shoebox. Including a hammer.
 
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Thanks, gang!

The Lee hand press looks like it might be a little better due to less noise.

I am wondering a source for bullets? Thank you!
 
That Lee Loader is probably the cheapest way to get started, and if you already have black powder on hand, that’s what I would load for it.It’s not finicky to load, and that’s how the big .45 was loaded back in the day. 40 grains will fit in the case for a powerful load, but you can drop back to 30 or so.Be sure there is no airspace in the case, and load with blackpowder lube on your bullets.

Good shooting!
 
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I hated the Lee Loader, esp the noise. But the Lee Hand Press is A1 by me!

I also have a single-stage bench press, but for your application the Hand Press is perfect, and way portable.
 
Glenn R. McMannly said:
Thank you so much, gang.

I FORGOT TO MENTION I am a black powder shooter and have a great amount of it. Goex, Swiss, a few others. About 30 pounds worth.

Would something like this work?

Amazon.com

Says it’s got everything needed. I wonder if there is a source of unlubed .45 Colt bullets that would be cost effective? I know with black powder cartridges you can make your own lube to save money. I make my own for my muzzleloaders with beeswax and tallow.

Again, I’m going for as dead simple and cheap as humanely possible. Thanks all!
Click to expand...

You said simple and cheap. Your link hit the nail on the head.

Back in 1976 I bought that very same tool for .45 Colt and used it for 20 years before I upgraded to a press.

A hand press is fine if you simply want "quiet". Personally, a hammer is more suited to my sore hands than a hand press.
 
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