Hot .45LCs in my Bisley 5.5"

aus71383 · January 21st, 2008, 07:45 PM

I made up some handloads a few months ago and it took me until today to go out and shoot them. I'd been to the range a few times, but never a chrono friendly range, and I only made a few since I'm still working up this load so I didn't want to waste them. Please do not shoot these loads in anything but a modern Ruger or T/C if you want to keep your hands and/or face.

360 grain WFNGC from Cast Performance Bullets
Hornady .45 LC brass
Winchester LP primers
H110

Now here's some velocities:
With 18.0 grains-
670
714
858
1001
795
780

At this point I was thinking: "My wrist hurts. These velocities are all over the place. Maybe I should have used a different primer." There were no signs of excess pressure at all. Cases came out clean, primers weren't even close to flat.

With 19.0 grains-
1018
846
1073
958
974
940

Now I was thinking "Yeah, probably some CCI Magnum primers will help with ignition. Maybe I'll try these loads with Lil'Gun..." Cases still came out clean, primers looked dandy.

With 20.0 grains-
1132
1186
1137
1118
1102
1117

Sweet! That's more like it. I was shooting at about 50 yards, and the other groups were fine - maybe 3-5" or so (I didn't measure) but this group was maybe 1-1/2" - they were all overlapping and in a rainbow like arc. This was with iron sights, so I was quite pleased with myself and the gun, and the load! (I was shooting off a bag of rice - I'm not that good).

Next time I'll take some at 19.5 and 20.5 and see what it'll do. I'm working up these loads for an all purpose woods walking load - should work well for anything from field mice to elephants.

Austin

P95Carry · January 21st, 2008, 07:56 PM

Heck - that's a heavy bullet

Most book loads for .45 LC .. say with a 225 grain or so only list as about 750 fps or so - regular loads! Those last figures suggest about 950 ft lbs - which is around bottom end of .454... but OK - we are talkin Ruger here.

Well 23.5 H-110 under a 300 grain seems to show 1100 fps as a max hot load in Speer #13 ... so maybe you are OK but I can imagine the recoil is .. ''brisk''

I have some LilGun but not tried it yet - but am thinking it is a faster burner than the H-110 .......and haven't looked up any loads for it either. Your ''all purpose'' loads sound distinctly ''useful purpose"

aus71383 · January 21st, 2008, 08:03 PM

I think Lil'Gun is just slightly slower than H110. I got the data from Hodgdon - they go up to 21 grains with H110 but have it at around 1150 fps or so. Awesome potential to destroy with this load. Seriously could shoot through an engine block with this thing! The meplat on this thing is .390 - it feels good loading them in the cylinders - the want to go in. Its like they jump into the gun.

My wrist isn't swollen or anything - the first cylinder woke me up a bit, but by the last one I was enjoying it. I need to smooth a couple rough spots on my grips though - the gun jumped up and came down on my support hand and I got a little scratch. Chalk it up with the rest of the battle scars....Oh well they're factory grips - I've contemplated getting some snazzy black micarta ones...

Austin

Tubby45 · January 22nd, 2008, 12:11 PM

I see LilGun slowly replacing the standby H110/W296 loads for magnum loads, specifically in the 357 and 44 mags, with seeing more and more loads ing the Ruger 45 Colt guns.

aus71383 · January 22nd, 2008, 12:56 PM

H110 did a great job - I've still got some and I may make up a whole slew of these using it if I can fine tune the velocity/accuracy a bit. I'm making these with the old fashioned Lee Loader/plastic mallet type deal - with the benefit of my digital scale.

I think Lil'Gun's main benefit is that it (supposedly) works more consistently at slightly lower pressures, where the H110 has to be run full steam to work right. I don't know how true that is from personal experience, but that's what I've read. I've loaded some thumper 320s for my .44 using Lil'Gun, and they work fine...might need to tone them down a bit - that's when I'll see if the stuff works like "they" say it does.

Anyhow, its fun to experiment a bit - especially when it turns out good. Like 1125 fps with a 360 grain .452 from a 5.5" barrel...

Austin

bmcgilvray · January 22nd, 2008, 03:36 PM

Some loading manuals used to caution the user of H110 not to go beneath the listed starting load. It is a powder that seems to want to go full out.

Those are potent and interesting loads. I sorta like reading about load experimentation in stout guns. Balances all the dishwater in modern loading manuals. I'd think it was a hoot to touch off a few of those but wouldn't want to make a habit of it.

aus71383 · January 23rd, 2008, 06:03 PM

Hodgdon had 18.0 as the minimum load (1012fps)...maybe it should be higher. With Lil'gun it starts at 15.5 (984fps) and goes up to 18.0 (1131fps) which is at 29,700 CUP. 21.0 grains of H110 they have at 1151fps and 28,300CUP. I guess they used a 4 inch barrel, because my 5.5" is smoking those loads already. I definitely need to round off a few rough edges on my grips, but they really aren't that bad to shoot. I've felt a lot worse from my .44 Mag - these were a little much for casual shooting from the bench, but I imagine standing up they'd be just good times, no bruises.
I told my wife with the .357 Mag you want to hold it tight so it doesn't slap your hand, but with these things you want to hold it tight so it doesn't whack you in the head. Definitely a different kind of recoil with these thumpers.

Austin

ridurall · February 18th, 2008, 09:39 PM

Today I was messing around with the 45/70 Sharps and when I got done I thought I'd try to splash my gongs at 100 and 262 yards with my Redhawk .45 Colt and Holosight. I've got it loaded with 300 gr JHP and 20.3 grs of 296 for around 1125 FPS. I rang the gong with no problems at 100 yards and my wife was watching with the binoculars when I tried the 262 yard gong. I'd done some figuring at JBM - Calculations - Trajectory to see how much hold over I would need at it came to 72 inches. The first shot rang the gong like I knew what I was doing. Sure brought back some memories of NRA Silhouette shooting 25 years ago. I found some 7/8 inch steel 2 foot round circles the other day at the scrap dealer and think I'm going to pick up a bunch more of them. They make a satisfying sound when you hit them and aught to survive much better then the 3/8 mild steel. My .223 punches .40 caliber holes though the 3/8" stuff like it's a shaped charge. For real hot loads Corbon makes a 300 JSP that comes out of my Redhawk at 1317 FPS. It's a visious round that kicks like a mule.

January 21st, 2008, 07:56 PM	#2
P95Carry Assistant Administrator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: South West PA Posts: 25,366	Heck - that's a heavy bullet Most book loads for .45 LC .. say with a 225 grain or so only list as about 750 fps or so - regular loads! Those last figures suggest about 950 ft lbs - which is around bottom end of .454... but OK - we are talkin Ruger here. Well 23.5 H-110 under a 300 grain seems to show 1100 fps as a max hot load in Speer #13 ... so maybe you are OK but I can imagine the recoil is .. ''brisk'' I have some LilGun but not tried it yet - but am thinking it is a faster burner than the H-110 .......and haven't looked up any loads for it either. Your ''all purpose'' loads sound distinctly ''useful purpose" __________________ Chris - P95 NRA Certified Instructor & NRA Life Member. "To own a gun and assume that you are armed is like owning a piano and assuming that you are a musician!." If a BG dies as the result of pointing a gun at me, then he has merely succumbed to an occupational hazard of being a thug

January 22nd, 2008, 12:11 PM	#4
Tubby45 Distinguished Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: In the reloading room Posts: 1,988	I see LilGun slowly replacing the standby H110/W296 loads for magnum loads, specifically in the 357 and 44 mags, with seeing more and more loads ing the Ruger 45 Colt guns. __________________ Freakshow Manufacturing LLC "You can kill it. We can help." 07 FFL/ 02 SOT

February 18th, 2008, 09:39 PM	#8
ridurall Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: SW Oklahoma Posts: 735	Today I was messing around with the 45/70 Sharps and when I got done I thought I'd try to splash my gongs at 100 and 262 yards with my Redhawk .45 Colt and Holosight. I've got it loaded with 300 gr JHP and 20.3 grs of 296 for around 1125 FPS. I rang the gong with no problems at 100 yards and my wife was watching with the binoculars when I tried the 262 yard gong. I'd done some figuring at JBM - Calculations - Trajectory to see how much hold over I would need at it came to 72 inches. The first shot rang the gong like I knew what I was doing. Sure brought back some memories of NRA Silhouette shooting 25 years ago. I found some 7/8 inch steel 2 foot round circles the other day at the scrap dealer and think I'm going to pick up a bunch more of them. They make a satisfying sound when you hit them and aught to survive much better then the 3/8 mild steel. My .223 punches .40 caliber holes though the 3/8" stuff like it's a shaped charge. For real hot loads Corbon makes a 300 JSP that comes out of my Redhawk at 1317 FPS. It's a visious round that kicks like a mule. __________________ Life member NRA since 1983 I normally carry a Sig Pro .40 in a Crossbreed IWB but when necessary will switch to: Baby Eagle .40 W/Kramer holster Bersa Thunder380 Kel-Tec P3AT Skyy 9mm

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January 21st, 2008, 07:45 PM	#1
aus71383 Distinguished Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: United States Posts: 1,696	Hot .45LCs in my Bisley 5.5" I made up some handloads a few months ago and it took me until today to go out and shoot them. I'd been to the range a few times, but never a chrono friendly range, and I only made a few since I'm still working up this load so I didn't want to waste them. Please do not shoot these loads in anything but a modern Ruger or T/C if you want to keep your hands and/or face. 360 grain WFNGC from Cast Performance Bullets Hornady .45 LC brass Winchester LP primers H110 Now here's some velocities: With 18.0 grains- 670 714 858 1001 795 780 At this point I was thinking: "My wrist hurts. These velocities are all over the place. Maybe I should have used a different primer." There were no signs of excess pressure at all. Cases came out clean, primers weren't even close to flat. With 19.0 grains- 1018 846 1073 958 974 940 Now I was thinking "Yeah, probably some CCI Magnum primers will help with ignition. Maybe I'll try these loads with Lil'Gun..." Cases still came out clean, primers looked dandy. With 20.0 grains- 1132 1186 1137 1118 1102 1117 Sweet! That's more like it. I was shooting at about 50 yards, and the other groups were fine - maybe 3-5" or so (I didn't measure) but this group was maybe 1-1/2" - they were all overlapping and in a rainbow like arc. This was with iron sights, so I was quite pleased with myself and the gun, and the load! (I was shooting off a bag of rice - I'm not that good). Next time I'll take some at 19.5 and 20.5 and see what it'll do. I'm working up these loads for an all purpose woods walking load - should work well for anything from field mice to elephants. Austin

January 21st, 2008, 08:03 PM	#3
aus71383 Distinguished Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: United States Posts: 1,696	I think Lil'Gun is just slightly slower than H110. I got the data from Hodgdon - they go up to 21 grains with H110 but have it at around 1150 fps or so. Awesome potential to destroy with this load. Seriously could shoot through an engine block with this thing! The meplat on this thing is .390 - it feels good loading them in the cylinders - the want to go in. Its like they jump into the gun. My wrist isn't swollen or anything - the first cylinder woke me up a bit, but by the last one I was enjoying it. I need to smooth a couple rough spots on my grips though - the gun jumped up and came down on my support hand and I got a little scratch. Chalk it up with the rest of the battle scars....Oh well they're factory grips - I've contemplated getting some snazzy black micarta ones... Austin

January 22nd, 2008, 12:56 PM	#5
aus71383 Distinguished Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: United States Posts: 1,696	H110 did a great job - I've still got some and I may make up a whole slew of these using it if I can fine tune the velocity/accuracy a bit. I'm making these with the old fashioned Lee Loader/plastic mallet type deal - with the benefit of my digital scale. I think Lil'Gun's main benefit is that it (supposedly) works more consistently at slightly lower pressures, where the H110 has to be run full steam to work right. I don't know how true that is from personal experience, but that's what I've read. I've loaded some thumper 320s for my .44 using Lil'Gun, and they work fine...might need to tone them down a bit - that's when I'll see if the stuff works like "they" say it does. Anyhow, its fun to experiment a bit - especially when it turns out good. Like 1125 fps with a 360 grain .452 from a 5.5" barrel... Austin

January 22nd, 2008, 03:36 PM	#6
bmcgilvray Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: North Texas Posts: 1,152	Some loading manuals used to caution the user of H110 not to go beneath the listed starting load. It is a powder that seems to want to go full out. Those are potent and interesting loads. I sorta like reading about load experimentation in stout guns. Balances all the dishwater in modern loading manuals. I'd think it was a hoot to touch off a few of those but wouldn't want to make a habit of it.

January 23rd, 2008, 06:03 PM	#7
aus71383 Distinguished Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: United States Posts: 1,696	Hodgdon had 18.0 as the minimum load (1012fps)...maybe it should be higher. With Lil'gun it starts at 15.5 (984fps) and goes up to 18.0 (1131fps) which is at 29,700 CUP. 21.0 grains of H110 they have at 1151fps and 28,300CUP. I guess they used a 4 inch barrel, because my 5.5" is smoking those loads already. I definitely need to round off a few rough edges on my grips, but they really aren't that bad to shoot. I've felt a lot worse from my .44 Mag - these were a little much for casual shooting from the bench, but I imagine standing up they'd be just good times, no bruises. I told my wife with the .357 Mag you want to hold it tight so it doesn't slap your hand, but with these things you want to hold it tight so it doesn't whack you in the head. Definitely a different kind of recoil with these thumpers. Austin