.452 plated hollow base bullets ok for 45 Colt?

[tomhenry]

The bullets are Berry's plated. I'm using Vihtavuori N330 powder, 10.4 grains, 1093 fps. This is the recommended starting load on the above web site.

The web site does not differentiate between hollow base and standard, but since it is a starting load, it should be ok?

The gun is a modern Ruger Redhawk 45 Colt/45 ACP.

I'm asking because in my Lyman loading book it gives bullet diameter as .456 inch in the cross section. But next to that says cast bullets are .452 inch. And in the loading tables for commercial bullets it's .4515 inch or .451 inch. Hornady is .452.

No mention of hollow base in this manual.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

It is a Blackhawk! A case full of dynamite won't hurt that gun!

Berry's Hollow Base Bullets are suppose to expand a small amount to fill the grooves. The only problem that bullet will give you is it may be too accurate for telling stories to your shooting buddies!

Loading manuals are a great place to start, but they are limited in what all bullets they can publish data about. Since 1979 I've never had any problems with using "Similar" bullets to published data.

Ivan

 

[LoboGunLeather]

My only question is does the bullet have a crimping groove? In a revolver the bullets can be affected by recoil, causing the bullets to back out of the cases, so a crimp is generally a good idea. Without a crimping groove you may have some difficulty with setting a crimp into the copper plating firmly enough to secure the bullets.

 

[Nevada Ed]

The Berry 45 colt bullet that I saw listed did not have a "can" for a crimp to be applied.

It would work for light target loads, with enough case friction.

Have fun.

 

[4barrel]

If a bullet doesn't have a crimp groove when using it in a wheel gun I load a dummy and keep it for reference. If the bullet is .452 I keep seating it lower until the nose measures about .447 and roll crimp it to keep it from sliding out under recoil. If it's shorter than the book I back off on the powder. You can do this with most any caliber in a revolver.

 

[STORMINORMAN]

LEE has two crimp dies available for 45 Colt: the FCD (carbide) style & a collet style crimp die. Both are excellent for loading plated bullets sans canellures IMHO.

Cheers!

P.S. Same goes for their 44 & 357 caliber options.

 

[Drm50]

HB bullets are sensitive to velocity. Drive them to hard and skirts can peel off in barrel. Next one up the pipe and you got bulged barrel. Ruger or not.
I just recently got HB mound for 44cal. and I'm not getting carried away with velocity. Will be launching out of 24-29 & Ruger SBH. Under 800fps.
Bullet is 214gr as HB.

 

[reddog81]

You want to try and match bullet diameter to cylinder throat. If shooting a gun with a .454 throat than a .455 or .456 bullet will be ideal. If shooting a gun with a .451 throat than .452 bullet will be fine.

If the bullets just fall through the cylinder with no resistance they are too small. If the bullets have some resistance and require a push through the throats they are fine. If the bullets are too large that they don't chamber in the gun you've got problems.

Jacketed bullets aren't as picky as lead when it comes to using the correct size. Plated bullets are probably somewhere in the middle.

 

[STORMINORMAN]

The 45 caliber (acp) hollow base bullets (185 & 200 gr) on the Berrys website both show 1250 fps as the maximum velocities recommended. The bullet for 45 Colt (250 gr) shows the same. The N330 load data doesn't disclose pressure, but the 185gr bullet listed is also a plated one (Rainier).

I seriously doubt that the "skirts" on these bullets can/will be driven to the point that they would "peel off in barrel" as is certainly possible with lead wadcutters in, for example, 357 Magnum instances...?

The OP also refers to his revolver as a Redhawk 45 COLT/45ACP, so it has a cylinder for 45 acp bullets.

Possible crimp jump is probably the only real, and preventable, concern...

Cheers!

 

[tomhenry]

The 45 caliber (acp) hollow base bullets (185 & 200 gr) on the Berrys website both show 1250 fps as the maximum velocities recommended. The bullet for 45 Colt (250 gr) shows the same. The N330 load data doesn't disclose pressure, but the 185gr bullet listed is also a plated one (Rainier).

I seriously doubt that the "skirts" on these bullets can/will be driven to the point that they would "peel off in barrel" as is certainly possible with lead wadcutters in, for example, 357 Magnum instances...?

The OP also refers to his revolver as a Redhawk 45 COLT/45ACP, so it has a cylinder for 45 acp bullets.

Possible crimp jump is probably the only real, and preventable, concern...

Cheers!

Thanks for the info. Re crimp jump. Seriously, it's only 1093 fps. And the Redhawk is a heavy gun.

The load is also for a 3 screw Blackhawk 45 Colt.

I plan on putting a light crimp on them, but again, don't see a problem.

 

[BC38]

Thanks for the info. Re crimp jump. Seriously, it's only 1093 fps. And the Redhawk is a heavy gun.

The load is also for a 3 screw Blackhawk 45 Colt.

I plan on putting a light crimp on them, but again, don't see a problem.

Yeah, crimp jump is a much more common problem in a light gun, with snappy recoil. You'll only likely see crimp jump with that big old heavy Ruger if you're loading HOT ammo with a really light crimp.

 

[Forrest r]

You'll be fine with that load/bullet combo. There's a huge difference between a soft swaged hbwc and a plated/cast hb bullet. I've cast/shot these hb bullets in a 1911/45acp with standard loads along with P+ loads.

A lot of people forget about elmer keiths favorite bullet, namely the hb version of the swc he designed. This is that bullet cast with a 8/9bhn alloy. Then coated and a hp added then loaded in a 44spl case.

A side view of that same bullet pictured above. The hp expanded along with the hb base expanded. That was with a +/- 19,000psi load doing 1000fps in a snubnosed (2 1/2") bbl'd revolver.

That plated hb bullet should be extremely accurate in your revolvers.

 

[shil]

Bullet weight? I'm presuming, perhaps wrongly, those bullets are intended for .45acp? Is your data for .45acp or .45 Colt? Why not just use your .45acp cylinder? With plated bullets, my worry is over-crimping and possibly cracking the plating. My rule of thumb is that if there is doubt, don't. Be safe.

 

[shil]

I failed to recognize at first that the subject revolver is a REDhawk. I was not aware that they had spare cylinders for acp. Live and learn.

 

[gwpercle]

If the bullet is smooth sided , no crimp / cannelure , use the taper crimp die from your set of 45 acp dies and taper crimp the bullet like you are loading a 45 acp ... test and see if the Taper Crimp keeps the bullet from " walking out " ... if they want to walk out ... more crimp .

I do this with 9mm Luger bullets when loading them in 38 spcl / 357 magnum and the taper crimp holds them .
Gary

 

[Protocall_Design]

I have tried different calibers and weights of Berry's and Ranier plated bullets in several of my revolvers that normally shoot tight groups with jacketed, cast and lubed lead, and powder or polymer coated lead bullets.

I was never able to get any better than a shotgun pattern with the copper plated bullets of any caliber or weight. Apparently the only people that like them can't shoot a group or never shoot at anything over 10 yards away. I finally gave up on those. YMMV.

 

[STORMINORMAN]

Uh, because one doesn't experience any success (from an accuracy standpoint) with one component, one concludes that anyone else who just might have better results "...people that like them can't shoot a group or never shoot at anything over 10 yards away."

Seems a bit of just sour grapes to me...?

Cheers!

 

[Protocall_Design]

Maybe. I spent a lot of time, effort, and resources trying to get them to work, with no success. I have had very good results with every other kind of bullet in the same guns. Maybe they don't work in revos, or maybe they just don't work for me. That's why I put "Your Mileage May Vary". Just trying to save other revo shooters from the same fate.

 

[44wheelman]

My brother told me not to buy them. The plating isn't very thick, rifling will cut through the plating, and the plating can and does come off. He is a gunsmith, FFL, and very active shooter. He knows stuff.

So, keeping velocities to a minimum will help. They may be good for plinking. I think you're good. Good luck.