black mamba
Member
- Joined
- Feb 29, 2020
- Messages
- 361
Joe, with the powders you list the N105 will easily produce the most velocity with the least pressure, and it's SUPER accurate.
Powders for warm 45 Colt loads
- Thread starter Joe Texas
- Start date
- Status
Joe, with the powders you list the N105 will easily produce the most velocity with the least pressure, and it's SUPER accurate.
Just ordered a lb!
What charge weight/velocity has worked for you w/N105?
My initial tests will be based on Quickload’s estimate that 17.2 grains of N105 under a 250 grain jhp produces a pressure of 26k.I’m gonna load a 225 FTX ladder in .2 grain increments from 15.6 - 17.0. The 250 xtps have proven accurate with both 3N37 and 3N38 with a charge just .2 grains above the most accurate 225 FTX charge. I’ll prove that out with N105 after finding the 225’s OCW.
black mamba
Member
- Joined
- Feb 29, 2020
- Messages
- 361
13.5 grains under a Gardner's Cache 340 RNFP GC @ 1.655" OAL with F155 primer. Gordon's Reloading Tool says 1025 fps at 26 kpsi.
.38 Special
Member
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2006
- Messages
- 7,355
I have settled on two* loads for the old Colt.
One is a factory duplication of 9 grains Unique with a 250 RNFP. This seems to shoot well in nearly any revolver capable of shooting well.
The other is a hunting load of 23 gr. H110 and a 325 grain WFN - obviously a Ruger-only load. I personally don't see the sense in trying to get big performance out of a light bullet like the 250, at least unless jacketed or copper bullets are being used. The heavier cast bullets can be driven nearly as fast as the lighter ones and are noticeably more effective in game.
*Not counting true BP loads, which have been seeing more and more use out of my guns.
One is a factory duplication of 9 grains Unique with a 250 RNFP. This seems to shoot well in nearly any revolver capable of shooting well.
The other is a hunting load of 23 gr. H110 and a 325 grain WFN - obviously a Ruger-only load. I personally don't see the sense in trying to get big performance out of a light bullet like the 250, at least unless jacketed or copper bullets are being used. The heavier cast bullets can be driven nearly as fast as the lighter ones and are noticeably more effective in game.
*Not counting true BP loads, which have been seeing more and more use out of my guns.
GeoDudeFlorida
Member
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2020
- Messages
- 11,059
"...and are noticeably more effective in game."
Absolutely.
I have used the 300gr. Sierra JSP and 18.5gr. of 2400 for close to 1000fps from my 4-5/8" Vaquero. It's a BEAST of a load - a real flame thrower - I do not recommend for the timid. Sierra lists 19.5gr. as their do-not-exceed max but I think that's not practical for anything less than a 7" bbl. I currently use a much lower charge of 16gr. of 2400 with the same bullet for around 900fps. Sierra doesn't recommend going lower than 15.5gr with 2400 and that bullet. It's manageable and not unpleasant to shoot. The 300gr. JSP is a good bullet for hunting even at the lower velocity. It holds together really well and pushes through bone, cartilage, muscle, etc. about like hard cast but at slower speeds. You really don't need any expansion with .451" bullets at close to 900fps. If it matters, I use the same bullet - 300gr. JSP - in .429" for my .44Mag 7.5" SBH and M77/44 carbine loads. I was given a couple hundred of them Sierra's about a dozen years ago and still have a hundred or so. Maybe more or maybe less. I'd have to check the jar I keep them in. The .429's I'm almost out of.
I always figured there were better guns to hunt with than a birds-head grip, short barrel, slicked-up Vaquero but I wanted to have ammo for it if I needed or wanted to.
Yeah, that’s a big bullet fo’sho’. I think if I was interested in sending bullets of that size I might consider a 45/70 or .454.
Your load has 793 ft lbs of pressure at the muzzle.
A 250 grain xtp over 21.3 grains #9 at 1550 fps from my rifle has that much energy out to 100 yards. The same load from my revolver at 1311 fps has that much energy out to 35 yards (my max distance were I to hunt with a 5.5” barrel).
Maybe hitting something with 3/4 of an ounce of slower moving lead somehow IS more effective than a modern expanding projectile. What do I know? Reminds me of Ron White’s joke about slowing a bullet down to 55 mph and putting headlights and a horn on it.
I have some 260 grainers from a Lee mold over 18 grains of 2400 that seemed huge to me when I was loading them. I guess they’re lightweights compared to yours. They still have the same diameter though.
If they both pass through game, does the extra length/mass do more damage than a smaller piece of lead or an expanding jacketed bullet? Maybe it breaks bone easier? Gives me something to think about I guess.
If nothing else it prolly gets the testosterone flowing shooting such an oversized for caliber bullet. Have you considered a sling and a stone? I heard you can kill a giant with ‘em.
Last edited:
black mamba
Member
- Joined
- Feb 29, 2020
- Messages
- 361
A 255 at 850 has killed everything on this continent many times over, but there is little doubt that heavier bullets penetrate better and maybe hit harder, too. I like to have some margin of performance, so I load a little heavier and a little faster. I can drive the same 340 gr bullet at 1500 out of my Casulls, but it's totally unnecessary for even big midwestern whitetails. The last three I took with a handgun were at 7, 12 and 18 yards, so high velocity isn't needed.
I can’t argue with any of that. Have you used N105 with 250-260 grain bullets?
black mamba
Member
- Joined
- Feb 29, 2020
- Messages
- 361
Sorry, no, just the heavies. But I have loaded N105 under medium weight bullets (210 - 265 gr) in both 41 and 44 magnum with great results.
When my # comes in I’ll post results.
- Status
