Loads for a 25-2

[wbraswell]

I have several guns for the .45 ACP. I usually load Unique with lead bullets. I have a SAA that has been rechambered for .45 ACP, and I have been shooting 6.0 gr. of Unique under a RNL 225 gr. bullet with very satifying results. This load just goes all over the place in both my 25-2 and my commercial 1917. I can't keep all the shots on a paper plate from a rest at 20 yds, and factory ammo shoots fine in them. The Colt really seems to shoot well with anything that I've put in it. I'm looking for a Unique load that works well in my Smith revolvers. Anything with a lead bullet. What do you have good luck with?

 

[Noah Zark]

I use 5.2 to 5.6 gr of Unique under a 230 gr Alberts swaged bullet in my 25-2s with excellent results. More than that and the accuracy drops off.

And yes, I still have many thousands of Alberts bullets. I bought all the 45-caliber Alberts Bullets that Belding & Mull had when Alberts went belly-up in the 80s.

Noah

 

[fredj338]

Many of the early M25-2 had badly mismatched chamber throats. Measure them by sluging or plug guages & load a bullet 0.001" larger than that measurement. Severl guys have had good luck shooting 0.454" bullets.

 

[Gun 4 Fun]

My 25-2 has .455-.456 throats (they vary from chamber to chamber, which is common), and it won't shoot my Alberts 250 SWC HP using Unique worth a hoot. It will shoot the H&G #68 200 grain cast SWC over 7.5 grains of Unique, with a standard primer into one ragged hole at 50 feet when I do my part. That is a plus P load that has been published in several loading manuals I have, as well as in Taffins articles in his Taffins Tests column. Generally, the ACP needs to fire fairly hard bullets due to the shallow rifling, but you really do need to experiment.

 

[sjmjax]

I have a model of 1955 with ovesize throats. Performs very poorly with any lead bullet I've tried. That includes several bullet styles and variety of loads in diameters of .452, .454 & .455 and in weights from 200 to 250 grains. Tried regular ACP and AutoRim brass. All of them shoot "patterns" rather than groups. None of them performed well. Interestingly, the Remington 250 grain .455s were probably among the worst.

Tried generic 230 grain, FMJ bullets and groups improved dramatically in my gun. Still not as good as several other large bore, S&W, N-frames I have. But at least with the FMJ loads it's not an embarassement to shoot.

It's a shame as I bought it to shoot lead. Have several other 45 caliber revolvers and semi's that shoot almost any lead bullet load well. The 1955 is a beautiful revolver but a big dissappointment in performance. Guess I'll just have to live with it.

Cliff note version... try jacketed bullets and see if that helps!

 

[Snapping Twig]

Yep, slug it so you know where you stand and size bullets accordingly.

Once you do, try 5.3g W231 under a 230g TC (Lee Mould), it's a real sweet round.

 

[kv4v]

I use 200 gr lead semiwadcutter bullets sized .451 with 4 gr Bullseye in my 25-2.