Thunder from the Mountain!!!! Need some .45 Colt help.

[BBQLS1]

I just mailed a MO on a S&W 25-13 Mountain Gun in .45 Colt. I should see it in my grubby paws next week sometime.

This will be my first gun in .45 Colt and I'd like some input. I plan on reloading, but I would like to buy some ammo to start off with. So, what HD type ammo would one suggest for this gun?

Also, anyone got an all around recomendation for a die for casting some bullets?

 

[rcmodel]

Lyman mold #452424 is the classic Keith .45 Colt bullet.
http://www.lymanproducts.com/lyman/bullet-casting/mould-details.php?entryID=33

Loaded over 8.5 to 9.0 grains Unique powder will give you all the power & accuracy your Mountain Gun is capable of.

Defensive ammo?

Your pressing need is empty brass to get started reloading it.

So, I would suggest any .45 Colt 250-255 grain load you can find at a good price.
The old .45 Colt don't need extra fancy magic bullets to do what it does best.

rc

 

[Lawdawg45]

I just mailed a MO on a S&W 25-13 Mountain Gun in .45 Colt. I should see it in my grubby paws next week sometime.

This will be my first gun in .45 Colt and I'd like some input. I plan on reloading, but I would like to buy some ammo to start off with. So, what HD type ammo would one suggest for this gun?

Also, anyone got an all around recomendation for a die for casting some bullets?

Congratulations! I carried a model 25 for years as my main duty weapon. Our approved duty ammo at the time was Winchester Silvertips, but today I would have nothing but Speer Gold Dots in it.

LD

 

[USSR]

Lyman mold #452424 is the classic Keith .45 Colt bullet.
http://www.lymanproducts.com/lyman/b...php?entryID=33

Actually, the Lyman #454424 is the classic Keith .45 Colt bullet, but it hasn't been made for years. When Lyman replaced it with the #452424, they strayed from the classic Keith design, and many people do not recognize it as a true Keith design bullet. The RCBS .45-255 SWC is actually truer to the original Keith SWC design and is a great bullet. For HD purposes, any fast pistol powder will provide you with enough velocity to put a world of hurt on any intruder. Just MHO.

Don

 

[rcmodel]

Good points all!

I have the RCBS .45-255 SWC mold myself and hadn't thought of it.

rc

 

[Meeteetse]

I've had a similar Mtn. Gun for several years and for carry it likes Win. Silvertips, however it doesn't really seem to make any difference, it shoots everything pretty well, and I've tried several PD type loads.

For practice I suggest you pick up some cowboy loads. They are pretty mild but you will be surprised at what they can do. When I used to reload my favorite load was a 250 gr. bullet with 9 grains of Unique, IIRC. Powerful and easy to control.

If you want some great factory ammo, look at Buffalo Bore. They have several loads from mild to wild. I don't know if the Mtn. Gun can handle their heaviest loads, I've never tried them except in my Rugers.

 

[AFDavis11]

Pics, or it didn't happen! . Congrats!!

 

[BBQLS1]

It actually hasn't shown up yet. I got it off gun broker. From the auction.

 

[USSR]

Oh yeah, that'll work!

Don

 

[StrawHat]

Actually, the classic bullet for the 45 long Colt is the Lyman 454190, a 260 grain RNFP. Keith designed a great bullet but long after the 45 Colt was introduced. And Lyman modified the original Keith bullet. EK wanted a heavier bullet but Lyman shortened it. The RCBS 45-270 is closer to what Keith envisioned. Realistically, either of the 260 rain bullets with a full casing of black powder will give good accuracy and penetrate an Ohio white tailed deer from sternum to ham with no problem. I have never yet recovered bullets from either mold. The 270 grain bullet, is merely more of a good thing.

Here is what John Linebaugh has to write about the 45 long Colt a few years before the 270 grain RCBS was available.

http://www.handloads.com/articles/default.asp?id=12

I have used his recipe as a base for my own 6" 25-5. When I don't load black powder, I use either Unique or 2400. Both are great powders for this cartridge.

 

[BCCL]

Congrats! Great looking gun!

I've became such a fan of .45 colt with single actions the last few years, that I've started thinking about a double action one to.

 

[USSR]

Yes, the RCBS .45-270SAA is a good one. I bought a brass hollowpoint mould based on this design from a guy who makes them in Europe, and it is my all time favorite.

Don

 

[Hammerdown77]

I have a Mountain Gun in 45 Colt, although mine is stainless and has that crazy hole in the side they tell me a key goes in......but it is one of the most accurate guns I have. It has dark wood Aherends grips like yours.

My favorite load in that gun is 13 grains of HS-6 under a 250-255 grain cast lead bullet. That load is laser like in its accuracy.

For factory ammo of the SD variety, I'd second the recommendation for the Speer Gold Dot load, or any SD specific 45 Colt load from Buffalo Bore. Quite honestly, I would not feel underpowered at all with the standard 250 RNFP lead bullet load from Black Hills. I bought those mainly for the Starline brass, and thought they were just wimpy cowboy action loads, but they aren't. They are a standard 45 Colt load. They will easily do what any standard 45 ACP load would do.

 

[BBQLS1]

Thanks for the info everyone.

The Black Hills/ Starline Brass is a good point.

I generally prefer the Gold Dots, but looking at the numbers, I kinda worry if they are too slow. Also, I think I would like to match the ballistics of what I'm thinking I will load...... 255gr at around 1000fps.

I may not know what I'm talking about though. Ideas or thoughts on this would be appreciated.

 

[Hammerdown77]

I think for a SD load (defense from soft skinned people, not bigger things with sharp teeth and claws), a 230 to 250 grain bullet moving at 800 to 900 fps is going to be better. There will be less recoil, follow up shots will be easier, and you won't have to worry about bullets sailing through the perp with enough energy to hurt someone behind them.

Again, I'd try to emulate the 45 ACP loadings if your main concern is people. Frankly, a 250 at 900 fps will work on most toothy animals as well, short of big bears.

Another option you have is to get the cylinder cut for moonclips so that you can use 45 ACP ammo. Been thinking about doing that myself. It's about $100, then you have all the commercial 45 ACP ammo at your disposal. The Mountain Gun in 45 ACP would make an excellent SD tool.

 

[USSR]

...I would like to match the ballistics of what I'm thinking I will load...... 255gr at around 1000fps.

Some loads I use in my S&W 25-5 with 255-270gr SWC's:

8.5gr of Unique
13.0gr of HS-6
18.0gr of 2400
22.0gr of 4227

Don

 

[BBQLS1]

I think for a SD load (defense from soft skinned people, not bigger things with sharp teeth and claws), a 230 to 250 grain bullet moving at 800 to 900 fps is going to be better. There will be less recoil, follow up shots will be easier, and you won't have to worry about bullets sailing through the perp with enough energy to hurt someone behind them.

Again, I'd try to emulate the 45 ACP loadings if your main concern is people. Frankly, a 250 at 900 fps will work on most toothy animals as well, short of big bears.

Another option you have is to get the cylinder cut for moonclips so that you can use 45 ACP ammo. Been thinking about doing that myself. It's about $100, then you have all the commercial 45 ACP ammo at your disposal. The Mountain Gun in 45 ACP would make an excellent SD tool.

After researching some more, I'm coming to that conclusion. I was trying to avoid sight adjustment.

I've thought about going the .45 ACP route, but I'm thinking I don't want to cut the cylinder as I don't want to damage the value of the gun. I do have lots of .45 ACP though. Another cylinder might be an option, but more expensive. In light of all that, I'm leaning to just having .45 Colt.

 

[Snag]

Like rc said if your fer sure gonna reload then start with just some cheap box ammo to build up a supply of brass. I bought Winchester white box 255 SWC's for a while before I started reloading.

I been loading laser-cast's 250 gr RNFP's over 8.3 gr Unique. Very fun, powerful, accurate load for me.

 

[BBQLS1]

That's what I did for .45 ACP. I guess I'll do that here.

 

[Water-Man]

Store-bought ammo... Speer Gold Dot 250gr. GDHP

W-M

 

[StrawHat]

Remember, anytime you change loads, you will probably need to change your sights. I tend to not do that and find a load my revolver likes and then adjust my sight for POI. If I need to change bullet weights, I have to resight it, easier to have another revovler sighted for that load. In 45 long Colt, the 260 grain bullet loping along at 900 to 100fps will stop most anything on this continent.

As for bullet pass through, unless you hit 100% of the time, the ones that miss your intended target are a bigger concern.

Your 4" M25 is certainly a good looking revolver. I have wanted one for a while but seem to only stumble over the 6" versions. When I wanted a 4" Nframe in 45 ACP, I had to build it! The factory was not making what I wanted. Now, they have run one or two batches of them. Some day the 4" long Colt will find me.

 

[Prosser]

I liked HS-6 and 4227, along with H-110 for the .45 Colt. 260 grain bullets, LFN's. 1100 fps:



That's a BIG case. Make sure you fill it as much as possible, and don't double charge.

All .45 Colt brass is not created equal. I think Remington, Winchester are not so good.
I think it's Federal, Starline as the two top choices. I could be wrong.

 

[USSR]

All .45 Colt brass is not created equal. I think Remington, Winchester are not so good.
I think it's Federal, Starline as the two top choices. I could be wrong.

Yeah, that seems to be the consensus. Although, one of the nice things about having various makes of brass is, you can restrict specific loads to specific brass. In my case, Starline means it's a full power 1000+fps load, while the other makes are restricted to low or normal power loads.

Don

 

[BBQLS1]

Prosser, that looks like it will do the trick. What were you shooting?

 

[kludge]

I plan on reloading, but I would like to buy some ammo to start off with. So, what HD type ammo would one suggest for this gun?

Federal Champion 225gr LSWC-HP. C45LCA

For handloads I like 255gr LSWC and 250gr Hornady XTP's using Universal or HS-6.