It's great for near Tier II loads IMHO.
Standard Pressure, Heavy .45 Colt Question
- Thread starter Walkalong
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It's been a busy Saturday, starting at just after 1:00 AM I have been to work three times and the range once, with the range trip being in between call # 2 & #3.
The shorter seating depth made more of a difference than I really expected in the big case, but then these are heavy bullets, so it seemed to compound it.
7.3 Grs BE-86: 757, 749, & 764 FPS
It keeps trying to shoot very well.
My first three shots over the chrono at 5 yards with the target at 7 yards.
The three BE-86 rounds.
8.0 Grs Silhouette: 723, 721, & 750 FPS
7.5 grs True Blue: 707, 712, & 695 FPS.
All nine rounds. My last shot (The 3rd shot with True Blue) is hanging out bottom right. (Sigh)
I am going to back off on the BE-86 a tenth or two and load some more. Ever so slightly sticky on extraction, may be the dirty chambers, may not, but if I can push those 320s at 725ish with BE-86 and it continues to shoot well, I will test it powder back, powder forward, and powder level. BE-86 tends to do well there, at least it did very well in midrange .357 Mag loads where there is not much case fill, much better than most powders did in that application, and I have tried a bunch of them there.
I have 18 rounds loaded with an average 7.1 Grs of BE-86 at the shorter OAL (1.566 to 1.568) and will shoot them tomorrow, 6 powder back, 6 powder forward, 6 powder level, and see what happens. I expect good results.
I have learned, once again, that BE-86 takes a LOT of charges thrown through my Redding 10X to settle it down.
I have learned, once again, that BE-86 takes a LOT of charges thrown through my Redding 10X to settle it down.
Texasgrillchef
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WTH.... seriously? If he has a 454 which can handle the high pressures then he should shoot them at the higher pressures. Either the 30k high pressure colt loads, or the Casull pressures. If he can’t handle the higher pressures due to higher recoil.... then I would be willing to pay a fair price for all that lead and save you and him the trouble.
I personally don’t think he will get very accurate stable loads with bullet weights that heavy and standard pressure. I would be willing to bet he will get lots of keyholes.
That was my mistake in the beginning, but he cleared that up, these are for his S&W 25-5. That caused some confusion early in the thread. My fault.
None yet.
Three rounds of BE-86 yesterday.
The first 15 rounds with five powders, some just breaking 600 FPS, no keyholes. 6" 25-5.
Obturation
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I may have to get some be-86 , seems to be versatile.
I have some, and an old Vaquero. Might need to get some heavy bullets.
buck460XVR
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The first 15 rounds with five powders, some just breaking 600 FPS, no keyholes. 6" 25-5.
What is the distance you are shooting at Walkalong?
that velocity is legal, not over saami max pressure, for a 320 grain bullet imo. nice to see that load is accurate with no keyholes. i'm calling 650 fps a legal load. anything above that I put up the warning statement.
maybe some ammo manufacturers are watching. sure would be nice to have a commercial heavy bullet load option for the 45 colt. probably not, but it's a good thing we reload!
luck,
murf
Texasgrillchef
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What’s the distance though?None yet.
Three rounds of BE-86 yesterday.
The first 15 rounds with five powders, some just breaking 600 FPS, no keyholes. 6" 25-5.
Chrono at 5 yards target at 7 yards. Mentioned a couple times throughout the thread. This is also a pretty regular setup for Walkalong.
Charlie98
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I bought BE-86 to try in the 9mm, and my first tests were underwhelming to say the least. I have since tried it in .45ACP, where it did better, and... on a fluke... in the .41MAG, where it impressed me. I also loaded some in .45 Colt, and they were a little odd... 7.5grn BE-86 under a 270grn Montana Keith produced 750fps out of my 5.5" Vaquero, but it was the report and recoil that bothered me; a very muted report and virtually no recoil, I even checked the barrel for a stuck bullet (even though there was a hole in the target and a reading on the chrono.) 7.8grn BE-86 under a 255grn LaserCast gave me 825fps out of the Vaquero, which mirrors my 9.5grn Unique load (800fps.) Accuracy testing to follow.
Definitely following this thread with interest...
could not wait:
the five shots are not marked. four are high and easily seen, the fifth is low and almost took out the "d" in "dor".
here are the particulars:
and the offenders:
same problem I had last time I tested heavy bullets in the 45 long colt, the 360 grainer started loosing it at longer distances. still no keyholes, but not as accurate as the 325 grainer.
murf
p.s. this load is still above saami specs, imo, and should not be fired in weak firearms.
the five shots are not marked. four are high and easily seen, the fifth is low and almost took out the "d" in "dor".
here are the particulars:
and the offenders:
same problem I had last time I tested heavy bullets in the 45 long colt, the 360 grainer started loosing it at longer distances. still no keyholes, but not as accurate as the 325 grainer.
murf
p.s. this load is still above saami specs, imo, and should not be fired in weak firearms.
Chrono at 5 yards, target at 7 yards. Two hands unsupported, sitting.
I have no intentions to.
I shot the rounds today.
320 Gr WFN-GC, 7.1 Grs BE-86, WLP primer, 1.566 to 1.568 OAL.
6 rounds powder back
Hi=739
Lo=695
Avg=719
ES=44
SD=16
6 rounds powder forward
Hi=734
Lo=682
Avg=701
ES=52
SD=18
6 rounds powder level
Hi=727
Lo=674
Avg=709
ES=53
SD=21
Those are excellent PF & PL numbers.
First 3
All 18 rounds - chrono at 5 yards, target at 7 yards as usual.
I want to try 7.7 grs of Silhouette again, but this time with the shorter OAL.
.
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After I shot the .45 Colt rounds I put a small 7.5 ounce soda can at the berm (22ish yards) and bounced it around with my Taurus 76 in .32 Mag. I had not slept well and was kind of down in the dumps, but that put a smile on my face, cheered me right up.
I had a few factory rounds that were given to me recently, and I shot them as well as my reloads, all but one of those cases split.
I had a few factory rounds that were given to me recently, and I shot them as well as my reloads, all but one of those cases split.
Amen to that.
Obturation
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With such extensive and thorough testing, there won't be any of those extra bullets laying around anymore, problem solved
.@JShirley , do you plan to continue using heavys after you use up what you have?
I imagine, if I get a couple hundred standard-pressure Colt, they'll last me several years.
I DO have a big box of 340 (IIRC)gr hard cast at home. I'll probably never shoot all the .454 and warm Colt ammo I already have...all the Colt I got from Byron, but he decided he wanted back the rifle to shoot them in, d@mn it. Then he died before he could decide to sell it back to me.
Anyway- I'm on a trip scouting out housing for a military move in the near future. When I get home, I'll verify the grainage of those hard cast, and anyone who wants to pay shipping can have them. Be warned, they're heavy- could be as much as 10 lbs.
Standard pressure, factory cases split, but not your heavy-bullet reloads?
Today was a complete flop. 7.0 Grs BE-86 (28.6 on 10X measure) ran faster than 7.1 Grs BE-86 (29.0 on 10X) at basically the same temperature. I double checked the weights thrown on the Redding # 2 measure (vs the GemPro 250) when I got home and they jived.
12 shots Silhouette (6 PB & 6 PF) Avg 700 PB & 626 PF
12 shots BE-86 (6 PB & 6 PF) Avg 738 PB & 715 PF (7.1 was 719 & 701 with slightly sticky extraction PB only.)
7.0 today was faster with very sticky extraction PB, but cases fell out PF.
Makes no sense.
And I need to adjust the sights left a hair.
12 shots Silhouette (6 PB & 6 PF) Avg 700 PB & 626 PF
12 shots BE-86 (6 PB & 6 PF) Avg 738 PB & 715 PF (7.1 was 719 & 701 with slightly sticky extraction PB only.)
7.0 today was faster with very sticky extraction PB, but cases fell out PF.
Makes no sense.
And I need to adjust the sights left a hair.
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