45 Auto Rim/2400

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Bearstopper

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Love my 625 jm so much I want to find a safe, accurate top end load for it as a woods gun. Tried several different loads and burned through all my cast bullets till I get a chance to pour some more. Got an idea to try a slower powder behind a 230 xtp and settled on 14 grains of 2400 with bullet seated at 1.230. It showed better accuracy than 231 and Unique heavy loads, but I am completely unsure of approximate velocity/power. Showed some unburnt powder and felt like decent power, but definitely tame compared to a 44 magnum load. Hoping to develop a close range load to use on black bear/deer and all around small game. This is the first revolver I have had that was really good right out of the box in all areas so until I come up with a 44 mag that I like as well, this will be my all around woods gun. Anyone care to speculate on the approximate velocity of this load?
 
Sounds a little hot to me. I checked all of my reloading manuals and couldn't find any data for 2400 in the Auto Rim cartridge. Elmer Keith's load for the .45 Colt with a 250 gr SWC was 17.5 grains of 2400.
 
Yes it is hotter than standard. I know Elmer Keith was fond of 14.5 gr behind his 452423 bullet and 14 gr behind his 454424 bullet in the 1917's so I took the chance that this would be a safe load considering the relatively slow powder. I was concerned a bit about seating depth but after the first shot, my feeling was that its not as hot as expected. I would like an accurate load somewhat duplicating original 45 Colt ballistics.
 
You might want to look into Longshot. No personal experience to cite, but I do use it in .40 loads, and it looks like a good candidate for top end loads in smaller capacity cases.
 
Get yourself a chronograph. You might find you are pushing pressures when you already have the performance you want. I wish I had gotten one years ago.
Regarding the .45 AR, I like the 240 gr Sierra JHP because of the cannelure. As far as I can find, it is the only heavy .45 ACP bullet with one. With 7.3 gr of Unique, I am getting about 935 fps. I only load them in AR cases so I can't blow up my only 1911--a Pachmayr Combat Special! Good luck and order that chronograph tomorrow!
 
I am fine using Unique for max 45ar loads & upto a 250grLSWC. I can push 900fps+ from a 4" gun, plenty.
 
Thanks for letting me know about the bullet with the cannelure as that is exactly what I need with this powder.
 
Yes, I also like Unique for the heavy loads in the 625.

If you're pushing the margins like this it really is a good idea to get a chrono so you have some way of measuring what you are doing. In this range small amounts of powder and differences in bullets and crimping can make a big difference.
 
The only reason I don't already own a chrono is that almost all the current offerings have pretty bad reviews. I want to know that I am recording correct information.
 
I've got an el cheapo Shooting Chrony F-1. All it does is measure velocity, and it does that reliably. Easy to set up and use. You can get fancier and get remote controls and chronos that calculate ES and SD, etc. But all you really need is velocity. You can calculate average velocity yourself using a #2 pencil.

Selling now at Midway for $99.99. Only extra you need is a cheap tripod.
Averages 4.2 stars on the reviews.
See: Shooting Chrony F1 Chronograph
 
In an old cartridges of the world there is a 45 ar load with a 240 cast bullet listed at 17.0 grs. of 2400 @ 1040 muzzle velocity with 583 muzzle energy.
 
Nframecollector said:
In an old cartridges of the world there is a 45 ar load with a 240 cast bullet listed at 17.0 grs. of 2400 @ 1040 muzzle velocity with 583 muzzle energy.
Click to expand...
Wow, that would be significantly more powder than my load and mine is likely slightly compressed.
 
The old Speer #8 shows 15 grains of 2400 giving 1155 fps with a 240 cast swc from a 6.5" 25-2 as maximum from the 45 AR round.
 
You need to consider the M625 is the basis for the .460 Roland that uses longer brass and higher pressures. That said, I use .45 Super brass in mine with a 270 gr bullet and 13.5 gr of 2400. It clocks about 960 fps MV. Different bullets will shoot at different speeds, depending on how deep they are seated.

Here's my M625-6 with those 270 gr bullets.

M625-6withCompacs005_zpsf1ce5d0b.jpg
 
I found a picture of the original 270 gr bullets. The original is from an Ohaus .452-255-K and a NEI copy was made (they still have the ability to make more).

aad.jpg


The crimping groove is closer to the base than an RCBS 255 SA, so it doesn't take much case space. An Oregon Trails 255 seats very deep, so it produces more velocity, if your gun can handle the pressure.
 
I beliieve those .45AR loads from the older manuals of over 13.5gr are probably loaded in baloon head cases. These would have had a much larger powder capacity than modern solid head cases.....
 
ddixie884 said:
I beliieve those .45AR loads from the older manuals of over 13.5gr are probably loaded in baloon head cases. These would have had a much larger powder capacity than modern solid head cases.....
Click to expand...

Nope, these were solid head cases. I don't remember if Speer #7 or #8 is the last mention of balloon head cases, but I don't think I've ever owned a balloon head case.
 
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