45 Colt SWC Lever Action

[Mr.Revolverguy]

Has anyone had luck reloading SWC in lever actions. I am looking to buy a lever action in 45 colt to go with my S&W performance center picture below.

I have worked up some great loads with Trail Boss Powder. I have about 4000 lead SWC bullets and it would be great if these same loads would work in the lever I plan to purchase. I am loading them to an oal of 1.600' it seems length is usually the determining factor. Before I go out to the bench to try and load some up I would love to hear from the experts whom have got SWC to cycle in their lever's.

 

[mgkdrgn]

I would think your 'standard pressure' 45 Colt loads would work fine in a 45 Colt lever gun.

However, if you want to load them a little "stouter", you might want to consider moving up to a 454 Casull lever gun. That will still shoot 45 Colt, but will stand up to much higher pressures. My "factory" load SWC's load just fine in my Puma 454 lever. I intend to do my own reloads in 45 Colt once we are able to buy primers/power again.

 

[rcmodel]

Not .45 Colt, but my Marlin .44 mag works perfectly with LSWC in either .44 Spl or .44 Mag cases.

I would think a .45 Colt version should too.


BTW: I would caution against loading .45 Colt "just a little stouter" for use in a .454 lever-gun.

If you want "a little stouter", use 454 cases so one never gets in your very nice S&W by accident!

rc

 

[Mr.Revolverguy]

Yeah it was not about loading stouter. I never beat up my guns if I want something hotter I move up to the next round. I plan to use the same loading. The question was mainly about 45 LSWC working in a lever action. I know my Winchester Trapper hates LSWC it will not feed them at all. So I use only Rainer 240gr FP in it and Winchester Jacketed.

When I search on here or google I see a ton of people having trouble getting their levers to feed LSWC I just want to know what the secret is. Maybe I need to load them a tad shorter say 1.575 instead of 1600?

 

[Black Dime]

Lever guns will handle the RNLFP much better. Make sure you get a good roll crimp. You should not be able to catch your thumbnail by casually scratching the bullet and brass. No edges.
If I was buying a lever gun for 45 Colt, it would be a Marlin. Win 92 and 94 would be second choice. You would need a "very strong load to hurt them.
The Marlin will loosen up by working the lever a bunch. Add some valve grinding compound and go to town. The 92 and 94 was not intended for straight wall pistol bullets and unless you get them slicked up, they have a tendency to jam. And they will brutualize your knuckles and fingers.
I would assume you are not buying the rifle for competition.

 

[Mr.Revolverguy]

No not for competition.

 

[Big Daddy Grim]

My Henry Big Boy does just fine with my handloads and those same handloads go in my S&W mountain gun works great in both.

 

[Big Daddy Grim]

I would recommend the oct Barrel on the HBB it shoots better than I can.

 

[Mr.Revolverguy]

Big daddy are you feeding it LSWC? If so what is your overall length?

 

[bunnielab]

My Marlin would not feed .357mag SWCs very well at all. When I asked about it here the consensus seemed to be that I was more or less a crap shoot wither any given gun will feed them well.

I do remember that more people had luck with .44s so maybe the length to width ratio of a fatter round helps?

Now tell me more about your revolver, I have never seen a PC .45colt before.