Loading 225 grain FTX for 45 Colt

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Joe Texas

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Good morning High Road!

I finally broke down and bought some 225 grain FTX bullets to play with in my older Vaquero and Henry lever gun. (Both are chambered in .45 Colt.)

I have cases ready to go at Hornady’s recommended trim length of 1.215. I contacted Hornady and was told the velocity range should be at least 800 for expansion and no more than 1500 fps to avoid fragmentation.

Here’s my issue: Hornady doesn’t publish above standard pressure data for this bullet. Hodgdon’s data doesn’t take the smaller trim to length into account. VV only publishes standard pressure data and very little for 3N37 in 45 Colt.

I plan on using the following 250 grain jhp loads as a point of reference.

• 12.0 3N37
• 9.5 CFE Pistol
• 8.6 W231

These produce 950-1050 in my 5.5” barrel and a couple hundred more from the 20”. I’m shooting for about 150 fps more with the 225 FTX.

* These are Tier 2 “Ruger/TC only” loads. They are above standard pressure published data and are safe in MY guns. They produce unsafe pressures for SAA and replicas.

I’m thinking my Tier 3 loads with AA#9 and W296 are a bit much with these bullets.

Question: Would anyone mind sharing their experience loading these bullets?
 
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no experience with that particular bullet. but, your 250 grain loads listed should be a good starting point for that 225 grain bullet. your reduced case volume from the case length reduction should not affect the load since that case is huge to begin with.

luck,

murf
 
My thoughts exactly, Murf. Hornady lists almost the same charge of AA #5 for the 225 FTX as the 250 XTP.
 
My experience with that bullet was that there was no reason to trim the cases per Hornady's instructions. The longer OAL used by Hodgdon worked just fine in my 1894 and Blackhawk.

They are more expensive than the XTP, have a lower B.C. than the XTP, and don't load nearly as smoothly into the tube of the 1894. I bought one box and have no desire to ever fool with them again.
 
I tried them in several different 45s and could not get the accuracy I wanted, or achieved with many other bullets.
 
@ Mr. A - I hear ya on all points. Still, I had to try ‘em once for myself. They are kinda cool lookin’. My rifle load with a 250 xtp over W296 is kinda hard to beat. I could be content with that for anything that needed shootin’. A 250 rnfp over any of those 3 powders I mentioned is adequate for any revolver task also. Still, anything that hits crazy hard out of the revolver is a little uncomfortable to shoot. I was kinda hoping that the lighter bullet might hit hard with less discomfort.

@ B.M. - I’ve read that some couldn’t get ‘em to group and that they make one hole groups for others. All three of those medium burn rate pistol powders I mentioned have proven capable of outstanding accuracy and surprising velocity out of my guns with both 250 grain jhp and lead rnfp. I’m hoping I’ll find something worthwhile at around 1100 out of the pistol and 1300 out of the lever. If not, no big deal. I’ll still have plenty of great ammo to use. Experimenting with different components is a big part of the fun for me. In bottle-necked cartridges, I’ve been known to spend the extra cash to make Sierra’s TMKs shoot when the plain ones are already lights out - just ‘cause the green tip looks cool. :)
 
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UPDATE:

I loaded a .2 grain increment ladder with 3N37 with a charge range of 11.7 - 12.5 grains (5 rounds each). I also loaded 5 each with 8.5 grains W-231 and 9.5 grains CFE Pistol. I used a LFC die to apply a med/heavy crimp. I’ll be chrongraphing them out of my 20” Henry. Velocity and accuracy (50 yds) report to follow.

* trimming brass to 1.215 gave me an OAL of 1.60 when seating to the cannelure but the sexy red tip gets squished into the bullet a little during seating.
 
RESULTS:
Hornady .452 225 grain FTX
12.1 grains VV 3N37
New Winchester brass trimmed to 1.215
WLP primers
COAL 1.60
LFC 3/4 turn
20” Henry Big Boy 45 Colt
Avg vel: 1298
ES: 18
SD: 7
One ragged hole about 1”

8.6 W-231 and 9.5 CFE Pistol (known good 250 xtp loads in my Henry) grouped well too at around the same velocity as they produce with 250’s.

CONCLUSION:
If brass is trimmed to Hornady’s suggested 1.215, 250 xtp data seems to extrapolate to 225 ftx bullets. (Murph was correct.)

* The other charge weights with 3N37 didn’t group well( > 2”), had vertical stringing, and had SDs in the 20’s. XTPs group better across a broader charge range. Mr A 22 250 was right. I’m not sure these are worth the effort.

** According to QuickLOAD, a similar charge of AA#5 should give similar performance to VV 3N37. AA#5 is listed in Hornady’s published data for this bullet.

*** This load is probably around 23k psi. The SAMMI pressure limit for 45 Colt is 14k psi. Please do not shoot these in your Colt SAA or clone. Ruger Blackhawk or similarly beefy firearms only. If you’re not sure if your gun can handle the pressure, please just don’t.
 
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Have you ever slugged the bore on that Henry? My next purchase will likely be the color case big boy steel side gate. Just wondering. And also, is the chamber huge like my 1894?

My hunting load with my 20" 1894CB is a 250gr XTP with a healthy dose of HS-6. Leaves the muzzle right at 1500fps. Hits deer like a ton of bricks.

I can get up around 1800fps with H110, but accuracy isn't nearly as good.

800-X will also produce small groups and great velocity, but it's been discontinued.
 
No, I’ve never slugged it. I know it likes .452 bullets and sprays .451 250 grain jhps.

My 250 xtp/W296 (H110) load has an honest 1650 mv.

The chamber doesn’t seem overly roomy.
 
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