Loading for the S&W Model 25 in .45 Colt

liv · Feb 21, 2011

You can load .451 and .452 diameter bullets and they shoot well in the S&W model 25 in .45 Colt.

Has anyone ever loaded the .454 diameter cast lead bullet for this revolver?

I know this diameter is the preferred one for 2nd generation Colt SAA.

Thanks in advance to you fellow reloaders.

sheriffoconee · Feb 21, 2011

I load 454 cast/lubed/sized 255 grn RNLFP in mine under 8 or 9 grains of Unique, depending on what I want to do with it...for two legged varmints 8 is enough, and it is more accurate than I am

Skip Sackett · Feb 21, 2011

liv said:
You can load .451 and .452 diameter bullets and they shoot well in the S&W model 25 in .45 Colt.

Has anyone ever loaded the .454 diameter cast lead bullet for this revolver?

I know this diameter is the preferred one for 2nd generation Colt SAA.

Thanks in advance to you fellow reloaders.

Hey, fellow jarhead! Welcome to the best part of this forum!

I have a M25 -7 and it is new to me. The cylinder throats are what will determine, for the most part, what bullets you should use.

For mine, the .452" bullets I cast work just fine. I also have a Ruger 45 Convertible in 45 Colt that gets some really hot loads. It uses the same size bullets as the Smith and shoots very well indeed.

What would be the driving force in trying the .454" ones? Are you having problems with the .452" lead bullets?

Just wondering.

FWIW

USSR · Feb 21, 2011

I only shoot bullets sized .454" and .455" in my 25-5, since they are much closer to the throat size.

Don

liv · Feb 22, 2011

.454 Diameter in the Model 25

I used to own a 2nd generation Colt SAA. I have 100 .454 dia. cast bullets left and would like to shoot them up in my 25-5. My favorite bullets for my 25-5 are 230 grain LRN Laser Cast (.452) and 230 grain FMJ Winchester bullets (.451). Thanks to this forum I will try the.454's. Thanks Marine, Semper Fi, 3rd Battalion 4th Marines Mike Company.

smith crazy said:
Hey, fellow jarhead! Welcome to the best part of this forum!

I have a M25 -7 and it is new to me. The cylinder throats are what will determine, for the most part, what bullets you should use.

For mine, the .452" bullets I cast work just fine. I also have a Ruger 45 Convertible in 45 Colt that gets some really hot loads. It uses the same size bullets as the Smith and shoots very well indeed.

What would be the driving force in trying the .454" ones? Are you having problems with the .452" lead bullets?

Just wondering.

FWIW

Maximumbob54 · Feb 22, 2011

If you have a press then a Lee push through sizing Die at .452 will solve this problem. Tumble the .454's with the provided alox (I would cut it with mineral spirits by about half) and let them dry overnight. But for only a hundred bullets that may be overkill.

andyo5 · Feb 22, 2011

I have several handguns chambered for 45 Colt, including a M625 Mountain Gun, three Rugers, a Uberti, and a US Firearms.
Here's what I don't understand: As far as I know, all late model (post WWII) guns in 45 Colt were designed to shoot .452" bullets. Their groove diameter is 0.452". Some guns (like most of mine) have throats below that size, which means that the bullet is "sized" to a smaller diameter by the throat before it enters the barrel. Not good for accuracy. That is why all but two of my guns have been re-throated to 0.4525" with a Manson reamer.
But....where do 0.454" bullets enter this picture? Don't you need an oversized throat for them? And how about that 0.452" barrel? Won't they cause pressure problems?

jubela#4 · Feb 22, 2011

I have a 25-5 with oversized cylinder throats. I have had good results using .454 swaged lead bullets from Remington and 7.5 grains of Unique. I use Lee liquid Alox on these bullets as they have a dry, flakey lube on them and the Alox helps alot in keeping this dry lube from getting on everything.
I have found that this bullet is accurate in my revolvers that have oversized throats and with the addition of the Alox does not lead either.

John Ross · Feb 23, 2011

andyo5 said:
But....where do 0.454" bullets enter this picture? Don't you need an oversized throat for them? And how about that 0.452" barrel? Won't they cause pressure problems?

No. Sizing down an oversize cast bullet .002" when it enters the barrel raises the pressure so little that it's less than normal pressure variations--almost too little measure.

Loading for the S&W Model 25 in .45 Colt

liv

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sheriffoconee

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Skip Sackett

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USSR

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liv

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Maximumbob54

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andyo5

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jubela#4

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John Ross

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