Recommended .45LC ammo for 25-9

5

586nickel

Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2011
Messages
275
Reaction score
17
Location
GA
Top o' the morning!

With some "help" from my friends here, I have decided to fire the really nice 25-9 in .45 Long Colt I picked up a couple of weeks ago. It wants to feel useful! :)

So, what ammo/load would you recommend for target/plinking purposes? I'm looking for less recoil on me and less "stress" on the gun. I'm not a reloader -- I'll be buying it off the shelf. (Actually not sure how much "plinking" I'd be doing with a .45LC but you know what I mean! :D)

Would Winchester Cowboy Action 250gr Lead Flat Nose be a good way to go? (I'm still not sure where I come down on the argument over lead round/flat nose vs. FMJ and which one is more accurate, cleaner, less "damage" to barrel, etc..)

Thanks for any advice you can share.
 
Register to hide this ad
A Cowboy Action loading would be the perfect plinking round. A lead FP should make nice round holes in the target and shouldn't lead the barrel at modest velocities. Please let us know how it shoots.
 
In a modern revolver, "damage" to the barrel is kind of a moot point with a round that develops a peak pressure of 14,000 PSI...........you'd have to live an awfully long life to wear one out! :)
 
Any cowboy type load should be a mild shooter. In my limited experience with them they seem to offer low recoiling soft lead bullets, at a moderate speed. I reload most of the ammo I shoot, except for work stuff, so can't offer a lot of experience with factory loads. I can tell you there's not much worry in hurting these big bore 45 Colts wih any mainstream factory loads. Even the "hotter" rounds, like Speer Gold Dot, seem pretty reasonable. My Mountain Gun has over 10 years of service with probably 5-6000 rounds through it and the bore looks just as good now as it did when new. Enjoy your new 25, and congratulations on finding it.
 
The cowboy action loads are pleasant to shoot. Low recoil and minimal muzzle blast even out of a lighter Mountain Gun.

Now post some pics of your new gun!
 
The accuracy question sort of has been over looked here.
The answer is what ever works well in your gun. I have had the best luck with Winchester ammo for factory ammo across the board in different handguns and rifles. Definately cowboy action loads are what you are looking for.

John
 
I have shot a fair amount of W-W's traditional 255 grain round nose lead bullet load, and a lesser amount of R-P's version, 250 grains. Both shoot very well in every gun I have tried them with. While authoritative, it's a low pressure round and gives you a shove rather than a blow for recoil. Easy on guns.

I prefer the W-W loading primarily because their brass is so much longer lived.
 
I have found the Black Hills cowboy loads to be very good, and they use Starline Brass (you can sell it to reloaders).

The Magtech stuff, while easy to shoot, was not that accurate in any of my guns.

Shooting a lot of .45 Colt will make you want to get into reloading! The .45 Colt is a reloader's dream.
 
nawilson said:
The cowboy action loads are pleasant to shoot. Low recoil and minimal muzzle blast even out of a lighter Mountain Gun.

Now post some pics of your new gun!
Click to expand...

Here are a few. My picture taking ability leaves something to be desired. :)
 

Attachments

  • IMG_2794.jpg
    IMG_2794.jpg
    52.4 KB · Views: 69
  • IMG_2796.jpg
    IMG_2796.jpg
    103.3 KB · Views: 64
  • IMG_2802.jpg
    IMG_2802.jpg
    101.7 KB · Views: 54
  • IMG_2801.jpg
    IMG_2801.jpg
    102.3 KB · Views: 63
BUFF said:
I have shot a fair amount of W-W's traditional 255 grain round nose lead bullet load, and a lesser amount of R-P's version, 250 grains. Both shoot very well in every gun I have tried them with. While authoritative, it's a low pressure round and gives you a shove rather than a blow for recoil. Easy on guns.

I prefer the W-W loading primarily because their brass is so much longer lived.
Click to expand...

Sorry, dumb question --- W-W's? Winchester White box?

And R-P's?
 
Winchester-Western. Winchester. It's the traditional loading. I'm not sure what the current packaging is. I bought 2 cases a few years back at a store closing and still have a few boxes left, but it was old stock then. Product number on the boxes is X45CP; I don't know if Winchester is using the same numbers right now.

Remington-Peters. Regular old Remington.

Reloading is a very good idea. I have a hard time enjoying shooting when it costs me 50 cents every time I pull the trigger! The .45 Colt is a natural for handloading and cast and swaged bullets are great for it. The brass lasts a long time, and the brass is the most expensive part of the cartridge.
 
Last edited:
BUFF said:
Winchester-Western. Winchester. It's the traditional loading. I'm not sure what the current packaging is. I bought 2 cases a few years back at a store closing and still have a few boxes left, but it was old stock then. Product number on the boxes is X45CP; I don't know if Winchester is using the same numbers right now.

Remington-Peters. Regular old Remington.

Reloading is a very good idea. I have a hard time enjoying shooting when it costs me 50 cents every time I pull the trigger! The .45 Colt is a natural for handloading and cast and swaged bullets are great for it. The brass lasts a long time, and the brass is the most expensive part of the cartridge.
Click to expand...

Thanks, BUFF. Maybe shooting this .45LC is a good excuse for me to get in to reloading. :D
 
For the N frame 45 Colt wheelguns just about any "Cowboy" load is just great-Black Hills works for me in mine. I use the 255 gr FP load, I would like to point out that this same load makes a great SD load also. I know someone out there is about to start on the hi speed JHP loads and so on, but an awful lot of folks went down before the equivelant of that load for over a century, and didn't get back up either. Not saying it is a big bear stoppeer or game load,but for SD it has advantages of low recoil-hence faster repeat shots, and the most important factor-accuracy! If you find a CAS load that "likes" your gun(or vice versa), and it has a substantial flat point, you have a really decent SD load, and the advantage of shooting the same load you train with.
 
I'm a CAS and have to shoot rounds that are under 1000 fps. Are W-W X45CP be "legal" for me? The price is right and would add to my treasure chest of reloadable brass.
 
586nickel said:
Top o' the morning!

With some "help" from my friends here, I have decided to fire the really nice 25-9 in .45 Long Colt I picked up a couple of weeks ago. It wants to feel useful! :)

So, what ammo/load would you recommend for target/plinking purposes? I'm looking for less recoil on me and less "stress" on the gun. I'm not a reloader -- I'll be buying it off the shelf. (Actually not sure how much "plinking" I'd be doing with a .45LC but you know what I mean! :D)

Would Winchester Cowboy Action 250gr Lead Flat Nose be a good way to go? (I'm still not sure where I come down on the argument over lead round/flat nose vs. FMJ and which one is more accurate, cleaner, less "damage" to barrel, etc..)

Thanks for any advice you can share.
Click to expand...

Sir, short of boutique hotrod loads (Buffalo Bore, etc.), I wouldn't worry about factory ammo bothering the gun.

I haven't put a factory round through my own 25-9 in at least 15 years, but back then, the traditional Winchester and Remington 250- and 255-grain pointed lead bullet loads were accurate, though they printed high. The old Winchester 225-grain Silvertip was very accurate in my gun and printed much closer to point of aim than the 250s.

Speaking of which, 250s almost invariably print high in older Smith .45 Colt guns. Their front sights are too short. If you handload, a 200-grain bullet will shoot pretty close to the sights. I don't know of a factory 200-grain .45 Colt load, though there may be one.

Hope this helps, and Semper Fi.

Ron H.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

ddeanjohnson
WTS: list of 22 guns that remain -- MORE PRICE REDUCTIONS -- collection liquidation
2
Replies
28
Views
15K
ddeanjohnson
ddeanjohnson
ddeanjohnson
  • Locked
WITHDRAWN -- Collection reduction: 40 guns (15 S&W + Colts, etc.)
2
Replies
26
Views
10K
ddeanjohnson
ddeanjohnson
M
25-9 and other bore restrictions
Replies
0
Views
371
ms
M
cmansguns
  • Locked
**TRADED** 44 Mag & Special ammo - for local trade or sale
Replies
1
Views
491
67ray
6
Jeroenw114
45ACP pistols. The unknown, the rare and the prototypes.
2 3
Replies
51
Views
9K
Lonestar57
Lonestar57

Latest posts

Back
Top