250 g cast in .45 ACP

Cpo1944 · Feb 7, 2014

Hi Gents, I have a bunch of 250 g rnfp lead bullets that are .452 and they are too small dia. for my Colt SAA. They fall freely thru the cylinder.Does that really matter ,and what effect does it have? What do you think is a good way to use them up? Can I load them for my S&W 625 .45 ACP and what is a good recipe?
Thanks in advance, I hate to waste perfectly good bullets.

Aticus · Feb 7, 2014

Slug your SAA barrel. If it measures .452 you can use the bullets. If it's bigger look in Lyman's book for loads in 45 ACP.

Lets not get into this ranting about matching the bullet to the chamber mouth. If the barrel mics .452 he'll be fine. The OP is looking for something to do with his bullets.

Doubless · Feb 7, 2014

The #11 Speer Reloading Manual lists a variety of powders for their .451" 260-grain hollow point:

6.6-7.2 grains of 800X
6.3-6.9 grains of Herco
5.8-6.4 grains of SR4756
5.8-6.4 grains of Unique
5.4-5.9 grains of 231
5.3-5.8 grains of Green Dot
5.1-5.6 grains of SR7625
4.7-5.2 grains of Bullseye
4.6-5.1 grains of Red Dot
4.6-5.0 grains of 452AA (long discontinued, I believe...)
4.4-4.9 grains of 700X

Additionally, the second Accurate Arms manual shows these loads for a "250 (L) SWC:

3.8-4.2 grains of S100
4.7-5.2 grains of AA #2
6.4-7.1 grains of AA #5
8.6-9.5 grains of AA #7
10.8-12.0 grains of AA #9

Finally; somewhere, I have a listing in an old Speer manual for loading the Lyman 454424 in the ACP, but for the life of me cannot find it. But I am trying to say that this has been done a lot before, and especially in your 625, there should be no problem. I would use the 260-grain load information, extrapolate and load up slowly, or use the AA load data as printed, assuming you have their powders on hand.

One additional note: if you have Unique, I would recommend trying the loading data for AA #5, reducing charge weights by a full grain and working up.

Good luck!

Vulcan Bob · Feb 7, 2014

You can shoot those bullets out of your Colt with no problems, as for really good accuracy you never know until you try em. I have two Uberti Thunderers with .455" dia. throats and both of them shoot very well with .452" LRNFP's. Both of my Colt 3rd gen SAA's however will shoot ,452" fair but need at least a .454" for good accuracy. So have fun and shoot em up!

Davwingman · Feb 7, 2014

I shoot them in a 625-3 using either 5.5 gr. of Unique or 12.5 gr. of 2400. Really accurate in my revolver !!

zeke · Feb 7, 2014

Like others said, try them to see if they work. If not you can use them in the 625, or in a semi auto. Even if they work well in your colt, you my want to try them in your 625 or 1911 (if owned). Wouldn't be the first time someone used the same bullet for single action, double action and 1911.

alwslate · Feb 8, 2014

I have loaded the 250 gr RNFP and 255 gr SWCs at .452 dia in AR
brass and shot them in my 25-2 4" (cut) and in my 1937 Brazilian,
1917 S&W and 1917 Colt. I used 4.8 grs of Bullseye and 5.3 and 5.6
grs of W231. The 5.6 grs of 231 chronographs 835 fps in the 4" 25-2
with the SWC. I have not chronoed the RNFP. The heavy bullets shoot
high in the fixed sight guns. So far the RNFPs have given the smallest
groups. The 4.8 grs Bullseye chronographs about 790 fps in the 5 1/2"
barrel of the 1917 S&W with the SWCs.

Cpo1944 · Feb 8, 2014

I measured the bore on my Colt and it is .452 Is it safe to shoot .454 bullets ? Why did Colt make the cylinder so large?
I don`t expect scientific answers , just wondering. Thanks to all for the very sound advise. Jack

arjay · Feb 8, 2014

My colt wouldn't group .452s either,it does much better with 454s.Ive shot a few of the 452s through a 1911 and they were ok,but I had better results with the H&G 68 200 gr lswc.

David Sinko · Feb 8, 2014

The .45 Colt cartridge goes back a long time and unfortunately there are all kinds of variations in bore and cylinder throat dimensions. Colt never seemed to care about tightening up the sloppy tolerances and that attitude is one of the reasons they are primarily out of the revolver business.

I shoot the hard cast 255 gr. SWC out of my 625s using both 231 and Power Pistol. I find that 231 is surprisingly effective and will easily give over 900 FPS out of my 3" barrel. Power Pistol is the best powder if you're looking for highest velocity, which would be somewhere around 1000 FPS or even more, depending on barrel length.

Dave Sinko

250 g cast in .45 ACP

Cpo1944

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zeke

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