45 Colt shot loads

[Drm50]

a guy at work has been making up shot loads for 45Colt. He is
putting gas check over powder, filling with 7 1/2 shot, putting
another gas check upside down over shot and crimping. I don't
doubt it works but I don't like the idea of this mess being shot
through a good gun. Anybody done this.

 

[smokey04]

I have seen this reported on several times over the years. I'm not averse to the idea, in fact, I suspect if the recommended powder charges for the weight of the shot load[for a solid bullet] is not exceeded it should be fine. Experimenting with more or less powder charges may result in better "patterns"[ probably less not more powder]. I have found that I can use CCI shot shells reasonably priced and very accurate[pattern wise] to dispatch snakes of any size at any reasonable range with the .22 LR. Up grading to any caliber above .22 LR just increases the shot pattern density , not so much the range.The reloads you describe may be fine but most of those recommendations came before CCI stepped up with their good stuff. BTW; I've found that the shorter the rifled barrel the better the pattern. JM not so HO , Nick

 

[ArchAngelCD]

That "mess" isn't going to harm the gun in the least but I would rather load Speer plastic capsules and be done with it. I would also not bother in the 45 Colt and use a .38 Special instead. (which I do)

 

[fredj338]

a guy at work has been making up shot loads for 45Colt. He is
putting gas check over powder, filling with 7 1/2 shot, putting
another gas check upside down over shot and crimping. I don't
doubt it works but I don't like the idea of this mess being shot
through a good gun. Anybody done this.

Back in the day, it's how everyone made shot rds for a rev. Most though just use card wads. I have cobbled them together that way, work fine @ snake distance, 6ft or so. The Speer shot caps are a better bet, if nothing else than you can get more shot into them. & they pattern a bit better. Maybe extending effective range to 12ft.

 

[Yorkie Man]

I made some for the .40 S&W years ago by putting a card wad over the powder, adding some shot and another card wad sealed with silicon. They worked real well and I bagged about a dozen sitting rabbits with them. They would not cycle the action but that was no big deal.

 

[JohnK]

I load .45 Colt CCI caps for my Uberti reproduction.

I use # 11 shot. Why ? Because I'm picky, and # 9 is too big for a decent pattern, and # 12 is too small for individual pellet energy.

I use a lot of CCI .22 shotshells,# 9, on our small farm, also .38 Special CCI capsules with # 11.

The centerfire loads absolutely KILL small stuff within 15 feet. As in dead right there, no quiver, no movement,

The .22's do kill within 10 feet or so, but not very convincingly, and only on small snakes, etc.

BTW, # 10, # 11, and # 12 shot is really tough to find. Forget where I bought my 10 pounds of # 11, but it should last me for the foreseeable future.

 

[rwsmith]

The only problem I see....

a guy at work has been making up shot loads for 45Colt. He is
putting gas check over powder, filling with 7 1/2 shot, putting
another gas check upside down over shot and crimping. I don't
doubt it works but I don't like the idea of this mess being shot
through a good gun. Anybody done this.

The only problem I see is getting one of those gas checks stuck in the barrel.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

I have made 45 extra long shot shells for my 45 Colt revolvers. I start with FL Sized 460 S&W brass trimmed to 1.51, then run the mouth into a 44-40 FL size die to reduce the front of case like a normal cartridge is shaped in the projectile area. Prime with standard Large Pistol primer. I use my standard cowboy load of 6.7 grains of WW 231 and use a card over powder, and dump in 1/2 ounce of your favorite bird shot (I used 7 1/2) with another card over the card. I seal with silicone. Let cure for several days (14 or more!) or the silicone gums up the barrel. Out of 5 1/2 Ruger Vaquero was about 725 fps and 12" pattern at 12 feet. A friend splattered a copperhead at 8 to 10 feet and ripped it to tiny pieces. This gives 410 performance without the ugly gun or expense. This works, but find all the 460 you can as set up takes more time than assembly. I made 61 in a batch about 6 years ago. I haven't tried it, but 454 should work with a little less shot. Ivan

 

[Skeet 028]

Back when I started loading I did this stuff..but for the few I will shoot I just go buy a box of CCI. They work well. For some odd reason I have some of the crimped 45 auto Remington used to make. Darn things operate my Wilson Combat too..But since I only have a couple of collectible boxes left..will probably just shoot the Colt loads. I also have one of the TC Contenders that shoot the 44 Contender shot loads. I do make them up. I go to the local farm store and get some of the appropriate sized empty long gel caps for veterinary use and use them, You sure get quite a bit of shot in them. Shoot well too. I also load round ball loads in the 44 mag 444 and 45 Colt with the right size round balls. They also work great.. The 444 is the best. You can also do it with 45-70