Missouri Bullet ONLY .45 Colt Loads

[jambie]

Hello all,
New to loading lead bullets, and the .45 Colt cartridge in general. After reading many glowing reports about Missouri Bullet Co., I'd like to get some loading data for their bullets only, loaded to around 800 fps, for plinking and informal paper punching. My primary goal is to keep barrel leading to a minimum, so...what grain, what hardness, what velocity, how much leading as a result?

I'll be shooting both a USFA SAA 7-1/2" and a S&W Model 25-13 Mountain Gun 4". I already have a supply of Win 231 and Universal Clays powder, so loads using those would be a bonus. I also have the latest Speer, Hornady, and Lyman loading manuals, so if there any loads in those that you've used with Missouri bullets, I'd like to hear about those, too. I'll be using Redding carbide dies and a Lee factory crimp die in a Lee classic cast turret press.

Let's see, I think that about covers it...
Cheers,
Tom

 

[rcmodel]

I'd like to get some loading data for their bullets only,

Fraid that ain't gonna happen.
If you have the Lyman manual, that is as good as it is going to get for lead bullet data.

Just pick the closest Lyman bullet shape & weight to the MB ones you have and use the published data.

All of it is within SAAMI standard pressure .45 Colt spec, and any of the loads listed should work just fine in both your guns.

If you haven't ordered bullets yet, the softer bnh-12 will work best at standard .45 Colt pressure.

The harder bnh-18 ones are for Magnum class "Ruger Only" loads and such.
Not what you want to try in your USFA or S&W as they are not strong enough guns for them.
And would probably cause leading if loaded down to standard pressure.

The 250 or 255 grain bullets will come closest to hitting where the fixed sight USAF is looking.
The lighter ones will shoot very low to the sights.

rc

 

[Hammerdown77]

I use MBC bullets almost exclusively (if they made a 250 grain Keith .44 bullet, it would be "exclusively"!)

If you are loading to standard 45 Colt pressures, which it sounds like you are, make sure whichever bullet you get is the BHN 12 hardness. Those are better for bumping up at the lower 45 Colt chamber pressures.

I use the 250 grain RNFP, and the 255 grain SWC style in my Rugers, Ubert Model P, and Smith Mountain Gun. I have also found excellent loads with both of the powders you have on hand.

Win 231/HP-38 (same powder): 7.1 grains under a 250 or 255 grain lead bullet. There's room to go up on that, but 7.1 is Hodgdon's listed max and I didn't see any increase in accuracy going up to 8 grains (just more velocity).

Universal Clays: 7.5 to 8 grains under a 250 to 255 grain bullet. 7.8 is Hodgdon's max. I've gone all the way up to 9 grains in my Blackhawk, with stellar accuracy, but 7.5 grains was also extremely accurate in both my Blackhawk and Uberti, and still standard pressure.

 

[jambie]

Thanks for the info...keep 'em coming if you got 'em.

Cheers,
Tom

 

[zxcvbob]

Red Dot is a great powder for .45 Colt for normal-pressure loads, and slightly overloaded for "Ruger" plinking loads. It burns clean, and it's bulky enough you can see the powder level in the case even with a light charge.

 

[ljnowell]

I load the 255gr lswc (cowboy9) over 6.5gr of AA#2 for a light load. Very accurate. Al my other loads are Ruger only loads that you would not want to shoot in your guns.

 

[Hammerdown77]

Another good one is 5.8 grains of Trailboss. Those feel like light .38 Specials out of my Mountain Gun, and they are accurate to boot. They are only doing 725 or so fps out of a 5.5" barrel (my Uberti), so they won't light the world on fire, but they are a fun plinking/metal plate load.

 

[Jesse Heywood]

With the Keith SWC 255 gr I had good results with:
4227, 18.0 gr
800-X 9.0 gr
Red Dot 7.0 gr

Fast powders haven't worked that good behind the Keith.

250 gr RNFP

231, 6.9 gr
Titegroup, 5.7 gr
4227, 16.0 gr
Unique, 9.0 gr

I also like Brad's 200 gr RNFP, but most of my testing has been with 455 Eley loads. My favorite powders there are Unique, Green Dot, Bullseye. Also had good results with 231, 7625, 700-X, Red Dot and Trail Boss.

YMMV

 

[squarles67]

All with Missouri Bullet 250 RNFP and shot from a Ruger Black Hawk with a 4 5/8" bbl

6.8 g Bullseye - Avg 871.2, ES 18.25, SD 6.92 - this is my go to plinking load

6.0 g Red Dot - Avg 781.1, ES 28.07, SD 11.0

5.6g Trail Boss - Avg 685.9, ES 49.27, SD 18.7

 

[orionengnr]

I have an S&W M25-13 Mountain Gun

and I load the Missouri Bullets 255 gr "Elmer K" in 18 BHN. I have not loaded them to their potential (and probably will not) but have loaded between 6.1 and 7.0 grains of both W-231 and Green Dot for some moderate target rounds.

 

[suzukisam]

I shoot their "pinbuster" out of a 7.5" BH

250gr PB
18.5 gr 2400

I actually live not from them... you should feel good shooting them the owner is a good guy! and he will also make custom stuff if you want.. he will make any hardness you request in any casting. I run 18 brinnel though. out of the ruger I move them pretty fast so the harder the better. if you order direct get a lewis lead remover. leading has never been a problem for me

 

[jambie]

and I load the Missouri Bullets 255 gr "Elmer K" in 18 BHN. I have not loaded them to their potential (and probably will not) but have loaded between 6.1 and 7.0 grains of both W-231 and Green Dot for some moderate target rounds.

Do you get any leading with this load? MBC says 850 fps is their suggested transition point...below 850, go with the BH12, above 850, go with the BH18...
Thanks,
Tom

 

[Irish Bird Dog]

I use Unique with 250/255 gr cast bullets (not mbc tho...yet) to approx 850fps....works great for my cowboy action shooting in both rifles and revolvers....clones of SAA...this is a kinda dirty powder tho....

 

[Mose Jefferson]

Anyone else here load the 300 grain .45 Silhouettes? I will be this week for the first time. Which crimp groove do you use, and why are there 2?

 

[ljnowell]

Anyone else here load the 300 grain .45 Silhouettes? I will be this week for the first time. Which crimp groove do you use, and why are there 2?

Yes, yes I do. I load that bullet loaded over 19.0gr of Alliant 2400 loaded to the longest crimp groove(do not shoot his load in anything other than a blackhawk, and work up to it). I also load it over 15gr of 2400 seated to the shortest crimp groove. Its not as poweful but still in ruger only class. Seating deep gets the pressure up and lets me use less powder for a nice pop.

I also load the 255gr 18bhn bullet over 6.5gr of AA#2 for a target load. In a little warmer class of load I like to load the same bullet over 16gr of 2400for a light load with a bang and 21gr of 2400 for a full on ruger only level of round.

 

[Bula]

Another vote for anything in the 250-255g weight range. I like Unique with cast, 8gr should get you in the neighborhood of 800fps, maybe a tad higher. MAX I'd recommend is 8.5g Unique-9g was recomended in an earlier post, may be a little too hot for your pistol.

 

[gro_din]

just to be sure I understand correctly, when the bullet itself is standing on a flat surface, pointed up, which groove do you consider the short groove? the bottom or the top groove? (I believe that you mean the groove closest to the point of the bullet or the uppermost one in relation to the surface of the flat surface it's resting on to be the short groove) (another way of describing the short groove would be to say that the groove which would produce the shortest OL bullet, is that correct?) I just want to be sure that I understand you correctly. Thank you

 

[Jesse Heywood]

The groove closest to the end that goes out the end of the barrel first is the standard crimp groove. That leaves the lubricant in the other grooves inside the case. For some photos, look at the sticky post near the top titled How Much Crimp.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I use either W231 or HS-6 with 250gr LRN and 255gr LSWC bulets. I can't give you the charge weights to generate 800 fps because all revolvers are different and you are also shooting a 4" and 7.5" barrel revolvers. Of course one load will not generate 800 fps in both.