1st bullet, I'm looking for opinions
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tightgroup tiger
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Clip on wheel weights are usually, or use to be, around an 8 brinell hardness. A hardness of 10, or 12 or even 16 is fine for low pressure 45 Colt loads.
As far as it being ok to use 6,2 gr. of Titegroup with 45 Colt, you are starting at maximum load according to Hodgdon's reloading data.
https://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/pistol
I would back down to the low end of the data and start up to see how the load work in your particular 45 Colt.
I've been loading for 48 years now and even with my, sometimes complacency, I don't start at maximum load with anything.
As far as it being ok to use 6,2 gr. of Titegroup with 45 Colt, you are starting at maximum load according to Hodgdon's reloading data.
https://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/pistol
I would back down to the low end of the data and start up to see how the load work in your particular 45 Colt.
I've been loading for 48 years now and even with my, sometimes complacency, I don't start at maximum load with anything.
AJC1
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The lee tester that mounts in the press works very well and is decently priced. The right bhn for your application will change if your powder coating or using a gas check. With the difficulties of proper lubrication and getting the just right bhn with bare lead, powdercoat maybe the easiest choice. Plain wheel weights in low to moderate velocity in a 45 colt should be ok if your diameter is correct. You can water quench to help with hardness. The faster you go the further from optimizing plain wheel weights you will get, and the more likely you will have leading issues.
Kevin Rohrer
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Yes, Unique is a MUCH better and more forgiving powder for pistol calibers, to include the .45LC.
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Casull
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Ok good info. Usually i would take it easy with the load due to lack of reloading experience like you said but the gun is a 6 pounder that shoots 454 casull so at that point i said F**k it max 45 colt load it is. But as you already know I'm new so I'm all ears. Under these circumstances could i skip the minimum or should i still work it up.
frankmako
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if you are casting wheel weight and drop them in water the bhn goes up to around 18. that is what my lee hardness tester tells me.
Titegroup is a FAST powder, so it is not so much the Max load. it is if you screw up and use just a bit to much you get into trouble much faster (pressure)
than a slower powder like Unique.
Can you visually see 6, 7 or 8 gr of TG in a 45 Colt case????????????????? No
https://www.hodgdon.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/burn-rate-color.pdf
243winxb
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Bullet diameter as cast-
The alloy used has to produce a bullet large enough to size to the correct diameter. The higher the % of antimony, the larger diameter will be as bullets drop from the mold.* Harder also.*
Added*
The alloy used has to produce a bullet large enough to size to the correct diameter. The higher the % of antimony, the larger diameter will be as bullets drop from the mold.* Harder also.*
Added*
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AJC1
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Not really... it's not like it's in an antique 45 colt chamber. Good loading practices are very important to saftey but he has a huge margin for pressure in this case
243winxb
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The gun can handle more pressure , but soft lead may not? I add linotype to my scrap or ww. To me, harder causes less problems then soft.
AJC1
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Powder coat adds .002 or more and would help in this area. I personally hate lube so PC is my one stop solution for a few problems
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Casull
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I also do have rotometals super hard so im able to mix a range of hardnesses. Im learning now about the ways to harden softer alloy by heat treating or quenching instead of simply melting a hard alloy.
AJC1
Member
it a lot cheaper to go softer than harder so i would mix in the hardball slowly until you get what you need.
mrawesome22-250
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Correct bullet diameter for your gun is much more important than hardness.
Yes REALLY!. No one is talking about the actual gun and what pressure it cn take. The OP or anyone will get into trouble easier with a fast powder vs a slower one. Period.
With the OP's cavalier post of: He should be concerned.
"Ok good info. Usually i would take it easy with the load due to lack of reloading experience like you said but the gun is a 6 pounder that shoots 454 casull so at that point i said F**k it max 45 colt load it is. But as you already know I'm new so I'm all ears. Under these circumstances could i skip the minimum or should i still work it up."
243winxb
Member
Oven heat treating, using the Lyman method, works as long as there is 2% or more antimony in the alloy. May take up to 2 weeks for bullets to fully harded at 2%.
When to size heat treated bullets is something to consider. Some of my cast need to be sized down .003" Overly hard bullets stress my old Lyman 450 sizer & my arm.
Dropping bullets from mold to water didnt produce great accuracy for me. The mystery of cast bullets can be interesting at times.
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Arkansas Paul
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I've never used Tightgroup, so I have no real world knowledge of it. But it is a very fast powder that IMO is more suitable for smaller cases.
I will say that I have shot thousands of my own cast bullets through my .45 Colt Blackhawk and they have all been from wheel weights. I've even shot a lot of them that were half clip on and half stick on (which are nearly pure) and have had zero leading issues.
Wheel weights are perfectly fine for .45 Colt loads (standard loads that is).
BHN can come into play but more often, sizing to the proper diameter is more important. Too small of a bullet by only a couple thousandths will produce bad results, regardless of the BHN. In fact in those situations, harder bullets will lead worse.
To answer your question, yes, 10 will work with .45 Colt. EK used bullets with a BHN of 11 to develop the .44 magnum.
I will say that I have shot thousands of my own cast bullets through my .45 Colt Blackhawk and they have all been from wheel weights. I've even shot a lot of them that were half clip on and half stick on (which are nearly pure) and have had zero leading issues.
Wheel weights are perfectly fine for .45 Colt loads (standard loads that is).
BHN can come into play but more often, sizing to the proper diameter is more important. Too small of a bullet by only a couple thousandths will produce bad results, regardless of the BHN. In fact in those situations, harder bullets will lead worse.
To answer your question, yes, 10 will work with .45 Colt. EK used bullets with a BHN of 11 to develop the .44 magnum.
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Casull
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But i am concerned thats why im looking for knowledgeable people to keep my all or nothing ass in check. Im reading every post and liking the posts i learn from. I haven't made anything but the bullet yet until i learn enough to safely contain this explosion in my hand.
You shouldn't need anything harder than wheel weights for a 13,000 PSI 45 Colt load. I certainly wouldn't waste linotype on it. A max Titegroup load isn't the greatest starting point but you certainly aren't going to hurt anything in a gun chambered for 454 Casull.
According to Hodgdon's website the max loads for Titegroup using a 250 grain bullet in 454 is 11.2 grains so a 45 Colt double charge would be over their Max load however their max load is listed as 36,000 CUP. The max chamber pressure for 454 Casull is 60,000 CUP so even then I'm guessing a 12.4 charge of Titegroup would be a non-event in a a 454.
According to Hodgdon's website the max loads for Titegroup using a 250 grain bullet in 454 is 11.2 grains so a 45 Colt double charge would be over their Max load however their max load is listed as 36,000 CUP. The max chamber pressure for 454 Casull is 60,000 CUP so even then I'm guessing a 12.4 charge of Titegroup would be a non-event in a a 454.
The moral of the story and using "best practice" You should ALWAYS start low and work up with any powder or caliber.
Do you have other powders? If so, pick a slower one like HP38 or Unique.
With 45 Colt there are general loads and Ruger (similar) only loads.
http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/pistol
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Casull
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Ill grab some unique Ive heard more people Mention that then any other powder and ill start with less of a load. I like to see the differences anyway.
Or get some HP38/Win231 rather than Unique.Whatever you can get. It all works. 45 colt is easy to load for. Once you get going either of the powders will load mild to pretty stout. There are many many options. It is a 45 Colt regardless of the gun used. No need to make it a "magnum. Load the 454 Casull if you need more.
There are a gazillion posts.threads articles on the 45 Colt. The 250 gr and Unique is probably "the" standard" load.
http://www.reloadammo.com/45cload.htm
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