DHart
Member
Finally got a chrony and did some testing
Some of you will know that I'm interested in finding good factory defense loads in .45Colt and .44spl. for use in 16" lever rifles. I don't have the 16" Trapper yet, so I chronyed these loads with my Marlin 1894's with 20" barrels.
Here are the results from four loads which I hoped would have promise. Only one, the CorBon, performed better in the rifle than in the pistol. The other loads all suffered from the long barrel.
The test rifle was a Marlin 1894 CBC in .45 Colt with 20" barrel and for the .44spl it was a Marlin 1894SS stainless .44mag with 20" barrel. Velocity was measured in my laundry room at 9' from the muzzle with a Chrony F-1.
CorBon .45 Colt 200 gr. JHP
Pistol: 1100 FPS / 537 FPE (factory data provided)
20" Rifle: 1451 FPS / 935 FPE (my chrony data) +351 FPS !!!! WOW
Winchester SilverTip .45 Colt 225 gr. STHP
Pistol: 920 FPS / 423 FPE (factory data provided)
20" Rifle: 852 FPS / 362 FPE (my chrony data) -68 FPS
Speer Gold Dot .45 Colt 250 gr. JHP
Pistol: 900 FPS / 450 FPE (factory data provided)
20" Rifle: 828 FPS / 381 FPE (my chrony data) -72 FPS
Winchester SilverTip .44 Special 200 gr. STHP
Pistol 6.5": 900 FPS / 360 FPE (factory data provided)
20" Rifle: 893 FPS / 354 FPE (my chrony data) -7 FPS
From this I would guess that with the exception of the CorBon load, when fired from a 16" barrel, performance of the other loads *might* be comparable to that from the pistol data, but with the longer 20" barrel, performance over the pistol length barrels is definitely hampered. Except for the CorBon, these loads are definitely designed for use in pistol barrels. If chosen for use in rifles, the best choice would be the short choice, a 16" Trapper!
Guess I'll be sticking with the CorBon from my lever rifles until I can find something better... the Georgia Arms loads look promising, I'll chrony them from 16" and 20" barrels when I obtain them. And when I get the Trapper, I'll chrony these same loads again... I suspect the poor performers here might do a tad better with a barrel which is 4" shorter.
Of course with handloads, it's a whole different ballgame, but my interest here is strictly in off the shelf factory ammo for defense against two-legged vermin at close range. The lever rifles are the second choice after my Mossberg 500 Persuader, which is definitely a fair bit more "persuasive" than the rifles.
Some of you will know that I'm interested in finding good factory defense loads in .45Colt and .44spl. for use in 16" lever rifles. I don't have the 16" Trapper yet, so I chronyed these loads with my Marlin 1894's with 20" barrels.
Here are the results from four loads which I hoped would have promise. Only one, the CorBon, performed better in the rifle than in the pistol. The other loads all suffered from the long barrel.
The test rifle was a Marlin 1894 CBC in .45 Colt with 20" barrel and for the .44spl it was a Marlin 1894SS stainless .44mag with 20" barrel. Velocity was measured in my laundry room at 9' from the muzzle with a Chrony F-1.
CorBon .45 Colt 200 gr. JHP
Pistol: 1100 FPS / 537 FPE (factory data provided)
20" Rifle: 1451 FPS / 935 FPE (my chrony data) +351 FPS !!!! WOW
Winchester SilverTip .45 Colt 225 gr. STHP
Pistol: 920 FPS / 423 FPE (factory data provided)
20" Rifle: 852 FPS / 362 FPE (my chrony data) -68 FPS
Speer Gold Dot .45 Colt 250 gr. JHP
Pistol: 900 FPS / 450 FPE (factory data provided)
20" Rifle: 828 FPS / 381 FPE (my chrony data) -72 FPS
Winchester SilverTip .44 Special 200 gr. STHP
Pistol 6.5": 900 FPS / 360 FPE (factory data provided)
20" Rifle: 893 FPS / 354 FPE (my chrony data) -7 FPS
From this I would guess that with the exception of the CorBon load, when fired from a 16" barrel, performance of the other loads *might* be comparable to that from the pistol data, but with the longer 20" barrel, performance over the pistol length barrels is definitely hampered. Except for the CorBon, these loads are definitely designed for use in pistol barrels. If chosen for use in rifles, the best choice would be the short choice, a 16" Trapper!
Guess I'll be sticking with the CorBon from my lever rifles until I can find something better... the Georgia Arms loads look promising, I'll chrony them from 16" and 20" barrels when I obtain them. And when I get the Trapper, I'll chrony these same loads again... I suspect the poor performers here might do a tad better with a barrel which is 4" shorter.
Of course with handloads, it's a whole different ballgame, but my interest here is strictly in off the shelf factory ammo for defense against two-legged vermin at close range. The lever rifles are the second choice after my Mossberg 500 Persuader, which is definitely a fair bit more "persuasive" than the rifles.
), but this data should be of interest to shooters of more common revo calibers, since the 210 gr .41 is the virtual ballistic twin of the 158 gr .357, and kissing cousins with the 240 gr .44.
