.45 long colt gallery loads

[sbrusky]

Can anyone tell me the proper recipe and procedure for handloading bp light loads to shoot a ball from my ruger vequero?
I read an article recently and I couldn't really get all the facts.
I was going to prime and load a 45 LC case with 10gr fffg, use a wool lubed wad over the powder, add a filler and seat and crimp the ball.
Is this right??? and safe?????

Advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks much!!

Stefan

 

[1858rem]

if you have the mold, fill it with hot glue, primer only an they are really fun. i did get glueing or what you want to call it, an after a few shots i got one stuck. very fun an next time i will lube the rubber bulllits lol

 

[1858rem]

welcome to The High Road too!

 

[swampshooter]

If you would use bullseye you could just load about 3 to 5 grs. and seat the ball with your thumb. No need for filler, or crimp and the extra space doesn't hurt anything with bullseye. Don't do that with black powder though.

 

[1858rem]

i was gonna say 1-3 grains of tb or titegroup but i didnt......^blackpowder shootitn^

 

[HUnter58]

These wax bullets are great for basement or garage shooting.

http://www.gunfighter.com/waxbullets/

 

[scrat]

Safe yes. Ok lets look at gallery loads. They were originally designed to allow people to shoot in their basements. This process was first done during the civil war era. Now looking at its use today. Gallery loads can save your wallet as well as produce low recoil rounds. They are great to use in calibers such as the 45-70,45-90,45-120. They can also be used in the 45 Colt. Gallery loads can be made by using a lee loader or a loading press. However seating the ball is best done not on a press or using the lee loader.

You will have to experiment on the load. I would not recomend loads at 5 grains or less as the accuracy is pretty poor. Depending on the firearm 7-15 grains is ideal. The best thing to do is to load up a few and test them out. Now here is the process. First lets look at fillers and wads. Fillers and wads are comonly used today however they were not always used before in the past. For 45 colt this is what you need

5/16 wooden dowl about 5 inches long.
either a size die or a lee loader
a method of priming with a hand prime or lee loader
a method to deprime lee loader or decapper
.454 round balls
3/4 deep socket

Decap the shell, and resize the shell. resizing is important.
Prime the shell.
Try some different load options, i like 10grains but 15 works good too
Charge the case. now You May want to use the lee loader or Bullet seater from a press to start the ball. However this is where the deep socket and the dowel comes in place. put the shell in the deep socket. 3/8 works best. The primer will not be able to come in contact with anything and the shell will stay straight up. Use the wooden dowel and a light mallet to drive the ball all the way down until it seats the powder.
Now take out the powder. This is where i usually take some (borebutter, crisco or any lube and put it over the ball.
Last thing to do is apply a light crimp to the case to keep the ball in and back. Some times you may want to do a light punch just above where the ball is seated on each side. Very very very lightly put a little dimple.

Now your set. try them out and record your results.

 

[scrat]

re post for the new guy

 

[Bluehawk]

Use the wooden dowel and a light mallet to drive the ball all the way down until it seats the powder.
Now take out the powder.

Do what??
Seat the ball down on the powder then take out the powder??? :banghead:

 

[junkman_01]

I think he means 'take out the dowel'.