.45 Colt With Light Bullets?

[anythingelse]

I've loaded Missouri Bullets 200 and 180 grain lead bullets with a roll crimp in 45 Colt no problem as they have a crimp grove. However my father has a Taurus Judge and he wants me to create a load similar to the hornady defense. That's a 185 grain hollow point at about 920FPS.

Seems easy enough but the only 185 grain bullet I have are Speer Gold Dots with no cannalure. From what I've read a taper crimp does more harm than good so I guess I'm out of luck? I mean I could load him up the 180 grain lead round nose flat point but it's not in the same league as factory defense ammo.

What do you think? Maybe tweak the 180 grain load so it has a similar POI to the 185 grain Hornady and tell him to use the leads for practice and buy Hornadys for defense?

 

[SASS#23149]

don't believe everything you read,especially about crimping. it is SO mis-understood.
I have backed off my roll crimp die and used it to 'taper crimp' jacketed bullets with smothe sides,they worked just fine. seat the bullets with the seater set deep so the crimp ring is not in play,then run the seater up out of the way,and with the round in the full up position,screw the die down until u feel the crimp ring engaging the case mouth. From there it's trial and error,I start with 1/4 turn increments,then go smaller .You want just a 'snick' when it crimps. ie: straighten the flare and just a tad more.
push firmly with thumb on the bullet ,if it moves,turn the die in another smidge and re-test.
YOu can re-test on that same rouind,but be sure to pull it and re-seat it when finished.

try it,I think you'll find that it works fine.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

You have other options than that one bullet especially from Hornady.

Why not give the Hornady 200gr .452" FTX bullet a try? (which does have a crimp groove, actually 2 grooves) Hornady also has a 225gr FTX bullet but you did say you wanted a light bullet.

Just an option or two you might like.

 

[ljnowell]

I have loaded 45acp 185 gr bullets in 45 colt. I put a stout roll crimp that deformed the bullet and basically made its own crimp groove. These werent for acuracy so I didnt care. They had a VERY over max load of 2400 and were used for close up varmint dispatch and general fun with big fireballs

 

[cfullgraf]

I have loaded plated bullets in the 45 Colt without issue. I taper crimp to remove the mouth belling. My dies provide good neck tension.

My plated bullet loads are well within standard 45 Colt pressures, not hot rodded as for the Ruger Blackhawk.

 

[USSR]

I would suggest you try SASS#23149's advice and only use enough of a roll crimp to "straighten the flare and just a tad more". Use moderate loads, measure the OAL of your rounds, and with a full cylinder fire 3 or 4 rounds and then remove the unfired rounds and measure them again. If the OAL remains the same, I would say you are GTG.

Don

 

[Rule3]

I mean I could load him up the 180 grain lead round nose flat point but it's not in the same league as factory defense ammo.

What, the 180 grain LRNFP would not put a big enough hole?? What did they use before all the new hollow pints were around.?

 

[41 Mag]

I picked up a mold not too long ago in a MP 452-200 HP for my ACP, and have really been considering how well they look sitting atop of a Colt case with a taper crimp just above the lube groove.

Of course I don't have a pic of how they look in the case, but it's pretty slick, and I haven't loaded any for shooting just yet, but I do have that on my short list of things to do. If for no other reason just to see how they shoot. I know at roughly 850'ish FPS form my ACP they flatten out really well, and I figure with not much effort I could easily get them to around 1K from my Redhawk for some real splatter effect. Just a little bit of playing with the alloy though, and they would really be something.

If you want expansion you might look around, I know there are a couple of commercial casters who also use a similar mold from around 200 through around 230's for ACP's. With the lighter weight of them a good taper crimp would be all you would need as long as a .452 diameter would work as most are that size. Just something else to consider.

 

[USSR]

41 Mag,

Seems you and I have a lot of the same moulds.

Don

 

[HexHead]

Why not just get the bullets from Hornady they use for their Critical Defense loads?

 

[Foto Joe]

Don't discount the LRNFP's against JPH's, I wouldn't want to get hit by either one.

I load 164gr LRNFP's for 45 Colt over 8.1gr of TrailBoss that clock out at 1,035fps. In fact this morning I'll be taking the chronograph out to test fire a dozen loaded with 8.5gr to see if I can get better groups.

 

[41 Mag]

41 Mag,

Seems you and I have a lot of the same moulds.

Don

Well thats what happens when folks hang out in tha same places for a while, they start thinkin a lot alike....

 

[rcmodel]

Why not just get the bullets from Hornady they use for their Critical Defense loads?

Mmmm?
Because they don't sell them as reloading components.

rc

 

[Lee S. Forsberg]

For light loads in 45 Colt I've sized Lyman 459130, 150gr, to .454" used a light powder charge and crimp over the top dive band. They look strange but shoot fine. Haven't tried heavy loads.

 

[dgod]

Those are GOOD Lookin' Cast Bullets. If you decide to part with some, I sure would be interested, just let me know...

Dan