.452 bullets in colt?

[gunsliner1985]

hey guys?
looking for someone who has loaded a .452 bullet in a 45 Long Colt, i have a box of really nice .452 diameter hornady XTP 200 grain bullets, that i would really like to load into a 45 colt for a deer slayer load, has anyone done this? i always use a lee crimp die so 2 thousandths shouldnt really matter?

any experience would be really appreciated!

Kevin

 

[Slamfire]

I have not loaded that specific bullet, but I have loaded plenty of 250 JHP's in a 45 LC and they shoot fine.

45 LC's vary all over the place in chamber mouth diameter. Factory colts can be anywhere from .452 to .460. That is the same for S&W revolvers prior to 1988. If you fire a 452 cast bullet in a .454, .456, .460 chamber mouth, accuracy will be awful. I know.

I have a M1909 Colt, .454 diameter lead bullets shot well, .452 did not.

However, when you have jacketed bullets, they shoot much better. I could guess reasons, but jacketed bullets shot better groups.

Incidentally, what pistol/rifle/? are you reloading for/

 

[kludge]

For deer I would go with the 250gr XTP instead.

 

[rcmodel]

The correct bullet diameter for most modern .45 Colt firearms is .452".

Older guns often used .454" bullets, but newer ones don't.

rc

 

[RVenick]

I asked this question on another forum but rather then start a new thread:

Can I use a .451 230g FMJ bullet in the Colt 45 case and will there be any issues?

These loads will be used in a Taurus Judge.

 

[Walkalong]

If you get enough neck tension, they will work for plinking loads. I have shot a few of my .45 ACP plated bullet choices in my 25-5. Some shoot better than others. I have settled on bullets in the 250ish range for it. One that shot well was the X-Treme 225 TrFP. One I have not tried is the 230 RN. I haven't shot any lead in it yet. I haven't tried any Precision moly coated bullets either. I need to.

 

[GooseGestapo]

I don't think it's really going to matter with a Taurus "Judge".

It's really a .410 shotgun (with a rifled barrel to get around Fed Regs for a "sawed off shotgun"), that coincidentally will fire .45Colt.

The accuracy results I've seen suggest that you'd be better off using something else to deer hunt with. (maybe a bow or spear!)

Not slamming the "Judge", just that it's a close range self-defense arm, not a "hunting" or target grade firearm. (Unless your target is a pop-can at 20ft).

50ft (Not 50yards) groups with the Judge often exceed 6". Consider that my Ruger RedHawk .45Colt will shoot under 2" at 50yds with ammo it "likes". Which, BTW are .451-.452" bullets.

A really amazing bullet is the .451" 250gr SST's (and FTX) from Hornady. It actually is as "BAD" as it looks loaded in the Nickle plated Starline cases.... ~2" groups at 50yds and m/v of 1,250fps over a max load of #2400....(See Nosler #4, Ruger loads for 250gr Jacketed bullets).

 

[RVenick]

Thanks for the replies. I was asking for a friend that has just began reloading and has the Taurus Judge. I call it a "Smoke Wagon" . I gave him box of 230g FMJ's RN that I use for my 45ACP. He will be loading 45acp also and I wasn't really sure if he would need to get different bullets for the Colt 45. He will just be plinking with the Judge anyway.

 

[mgkdrgn]

.452 is quite proper for 45 Colt.

Personally, for deer I'd go with a heavier bullet.

hey guys?
looking for someone who has loaded a .452 bullet in a 45 Long Colt, i have a box of really nice .452 diameter hornady XTP 200 grain bullets, that i would really like to load into a 45 colt for a deer slayer load, has anyone done this? i always use a lee crimp die so 2 thousandths shouldnt really matter?

any experience would be really appreciated!

Kevin

 

[mgkdrgn]

That will work just fine.

I asked this question on another forum but rather then start a new thread:

Can I use a .451 230g FMJ bullet in the Colt 45 case and will there be any issues?

These loads will be used in a Taurus Judge.