250 Grain Hornady FTX in .45 Colt?

[Savage30L]

The 250-grain is longer. I opened my box today and was surprised at how long the bullet is. I don't know if I'll load them for my revolvers because of the length, but I might still try them for my Marlin.

 

[thump_rrr]

Why trim the case? I have loaded up 285 grain bullets in my 45 colt. They both worked fine in my revolver and lever action.

I use the 200gr in my 460V but the 460S&W cases do not require trimming.

for the 45 Colt revolvers.
As the manual states.

 

[Savage30L]

I think when I get the chance, I'll take the cylinders out of my Rugers, and mic them with and without cases in the cylinders. That should give me some idea of maximum overall length.

 

[Savage30L]

I found this article which gives me an interesting perspective on the XTP :

https://www.gun-tests.com/ammo/for-defense-shooting-45-colt-in-wheelguns-and-leverguns/

Looks like I'll have to push those XTPs pretty fast....

 

[buck460XVR]

you might want to consider the XTP Mag 240

....or the 300 gr XTP-Mag if you are pushing them hard in the carbine. IMHO, even at .45 Colt carbine velocities, the little red tip of the FTX is not going to give enough of a improvement in ballistics than the standard XTPs.tify the cost, or the trimming of brass. The real improvement with "Leverevolution" ballistically, was because they first came out with a light for caliber bullet. This gave one a little more velocity and a little flatter trajectory over standard for caliber weight bullets. The theory behind was to give a more spire-type bullet shape in tube fed guns that normally required flat nose bullets for safety reasons. But, since even in a carbine, most of the handgun calibers they are designed for are still 100 yard or less weapons for deer. The spire shape over a flat point is moot at this distance. Even with my .460, I saw no difference in ballistics between the FTXs and comparable weight flat nosed bullets, but a big difference in terminal performance. The XTPs and XTP-Mags(depending on velocity) performed better.

 

[Savage30L]

Duly noted. Remember that my shots are usually 30 yards or less.

 

[bigpower491]

Duly noted. Remember that my shots are usually 30 yards or less.

I personally would use lead, but that's just me.....

 

[Savage30L]

So, getting back to the original question, these 250-grain FTX bullets are an inch long (I haven't mic'd them, just made a rough measurement for a theoretical question). If case length is 1.285 inches, and I seated these bullets .4 inch down in an untrimmed case, I'd have 1.885 as a cartridge overall length...which obviously wouldn't work in a revolver. But the length to the shoulder of the ogive should be only about 1.385 inches, which should leave the cartridge plenty of room before the bullet contacts the lands in my 1894 Marlin chamber. If I wished to do this, and single-load them in my Marlin lever action, would there be some problem with this that I'm not seeing (assuming appropriate powder charges)?

ETA: This also assumes, of course, that I'd have a seating die that would work with this shape of bullet; I have an RCBS die but haven't tried it yet....

 

[Weflyfast]

I've shot quite a few deer, dozens, and only ever lost one....and it was hit like that.

I was hunting out of the second floor of an abandoned barn, shooting a 50-cal muzzleloader with a power-belt sabot bullet. A buck came out in the field in front of me at about 40 yards. He had a huge (bowling-ball sized) tumor hanging under his belly, so I thought, "I better take him". The opportunity was a perfect broadside shot, and I double-lunged him. He ran off through the field and into the woods beyond. I waited a little while, and climbed out to inspect the spot where he was standing. There was a splash of pink lung tissue/blood about as big as a stop sign. I'd hit him hard. I assumed I'd find him dead in the woods just beyond the field, but I tracked him for about a half-mile, on property which I did not have permission to hunt on, so I'd had to leave the gun behind.

I came to an open area with a small thicket of dense brush, maybe 15 feet across, and I just knew he'd be in there, piled up dead. So I stepped in...and he was in there, but very undead, and he jumped up and sprinted away faster than I'd ever seen a deer run....God knows where he ended up. I had no idea who owned the land he ran on to so I gave up rather than risk confrontation with a landowner or game warden.

You just never know. Sometimes adrenalin trumps everything.

LOL....I was kidding about " hard time" ....he was piled up in that hedge row..... But I do know what you are saying ....amazing how they can go even when they are dead-

 

[Savage30L]

For those of you who have loaded up .45 hunting loads for a Marlin, and used 4227, which were your favorite loads? I was planning to use H110, but after reading reports of punishing recoil with that powder, on this and other forums, I think I'll try 4227 (or maybe 2400, I have a little of that). Right now I can't find 4227 anywhere locally, but I have some time....I'll not run out of ammo for hunting.

Edited to add: I called Natchez and their "no hazmat fee" sale includes powder as well as primers....so I have 2 canisters of 4227 on the way!! Yippee!

 

[Savage30L]

I've abandoned the idea of using the FTX bullets in .45 Colt loads; I think I can use them with sabots in my .50 caliber muzzle-loaders, so it's not a total loss. I've loaded up rounds using the 250-grain XTP stepped in a ladder using data from Hodgdon, and IMR 4227 (20 to 24 grains), Ramshot Enforcer (23-28 grains), and Hodgdon Li'l Gun (23.5 to 23.9 grains). I hope that these won't be too much for the XTP bullets on deer....for those of you who have used this bullet for deer hunting, what do you think? I'm hoping to chronograph these loads this spring, and settle on one for hunting.

My rifle is a J. M. Marlin, and I suspect that it has the 1:38 twist, although I've not checked it directly. If I decide that I need to use the 300-grain XTP magnum bullet, would that twist be sufficient to stabilize it?

 

[AJC1]

I've abandoned the idea of using the FTX bullets in .45 Colt loads; I think I can use them with sabots in my .50 caliber muzzle-loaders, so it's not a total loss. I've loaded up rounds using the 250-grain XTP stepped in a ladder using data from Hodgdon, and IMR 4227 (20 to 24 grains), Ramshot Enforcer (23-28 grains), and Hodgdon Li'l Gun (23.5 to 23.9 grains). I hope that these won't be too much for the XTP bullets on deer....for those of you who have used this bullet for deer hunting, what do you think? I'm hoping to chronograph these loads this spring, and settle on one for hunting.

My rifle is a J. M. Marlin, and I suspect that it has the 1:38 twist, although I've not checked it directly. If I decide that I need to use the 300-grain XTP magnum bullet, would that twist be sufficient to stabilize it?

My experence with Lil Gun was very high variation in shot to shot velosity. Did you use standard or mag primers????

 

[35 Whelen]

I spent a few deer seasons hunting with a .44 Special and a 45 Colt. I used cast HP's a couple of times and they worked great, but really I just don't see the need for an expanding bullet with calibers this large for game the size of deer. I'll sacrifice expansion for penetration any day. Any how, in the 45 Colt (4 3/4" Uberti Frisco)I used a 288 gr. cast SWC running a smidge under 1000 fps. The last buck I shot was at 41 yards and I punched him through both lings. He ran off 25-30 yds. and keeled over. Hard to believe, but that big hole through his lungs was caused by said cast SWC impacting at about 950 fps-

35W

 

[Bartojc]

I've loaded up rounds using the 250-grain XTP stepped in a ladder using data from Hodgdon, and IMR 4227 (20 to 24 grains), Ramshot Enforcer (23-28 grains), and Hodgdon Li'l Gun (23.5 to 23.9 grains). I hope that these won't be too much for the XTP bullets on deer....for those of you who have used this bullet for deer hunting, what do you think? I'm hoping to chronograph these loads this spring, and settle on one for hunting.

I'll am curious as to what your results will be. I have a box of 250gr XTP sitting on the bench waiting to be tested in my Henry rifle in 45 Colt. Up until now I've just used lead, but was hoping to find something else. Report back on your findings.
-Jeff

 

[AJC1]

I spent a few deer seasons hunting with a .44 Special and a 45 Colt. I used cast HP's a couple of times and they worked great, but really I just don't see the need for an expanding bullet with calibers this large for game the size of deer. I'll sacrifice expansion for penetration any day. Any how, in the 45 Colt (4 3/4" Uberti Frisco)I used a 288 gr. cast SWC running a smidge under 1000 fps. The last buck I shot was at 41 yards and I punched him through both lings. He ran off 25-30 yds. and keeled over. Hard to believe, but that big hole through his lungs was caused by said cast SWC impacting at about 950 fps-

35W

The first step of using modern bullets is to try and force a cartridge to achieve modern ballistics. There are some special bullets designed specifically for task, but generally I agree with your approach. A 454 was created but is trying to be replicated by 45c.

 

[Savage30L]

My experence with Lil Gun was very high variation in shot to shot velosity. Did you use standard or mag primers????

Standard primers. It didn't occur to me to use magnums, but in perusing threads on various web sites yesterday, it looks as though some do use them with .45 Colt...chiefly with 2400. I'll probably save my 2400 for .30 Carbine, as I have plenty of the other powders.