45LC All Around & Plinking Loads

[3Horse]

I'll soon start reloading 45LC for a 24" barrel. What are some good all around lead bullet loads for plinking and target shooting? And maybe occasional armadillo and coyote control?

[Ohio3Wheels]

When I don't have any of my 250 to 255 grain cast I pick up the same weights from one of the two local casters. Either RNFP or SWC my 92 isn't particular. Powder wise I've used Trail Boss, Tight Group and Black Horn 209, maybe a couple others (I'm out of the house right now and don't have my notes). In my 20" Trail Boss with either weight is just plain fun to shoot, Tight Group needs little stiffer loads to keep from having very smokey cases. With the Black Horn 209 I use the web site reccomended load and clean throughly after use. It's a fun powder and easier to clean up than black but you still need to clean soon after shooting, including the cases. I'll try to get back after I check my notes.

Make smoke,

[Steve-R]

For plinking and fun I shoot a cartridge loaded by another guy. It is in the Lyman cast bullet catalog. 6.3 gr titegroup and 250 gr RNFP. It is pretty accurate in my Henry, and is not a light load, should be a good hunter.

[donhuff]

I like the 454424-255 grain SWC and 8.5 grains of Unique. Shoots great in my R92 and even better in my blackhawk. I'm casting the NOE version now, and like it as well or better than the original.

Others swear by the 285 RCBS or one of it's copy's. I don't know as I have never tried it, but it looks to be a good one with those wide bearing surfaces plus has a little more weight.

http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/product_in ... 0lp47pco14

[3Horse]

Do 45LC SWC's typically feed well in Rossi's?

[Ohio3Wheels]

Do 45LC SWC's typically feed well in Rossi's?

Don't know about typically but I had run 50 or 60 through mine before I read somewhere on the internet that lever guns don't feed SWCs very well. I don't let the Rossi use the internet .

Make smoke,

[johniv]

Don't have a .45 lever gun , but my Rossi .357 feeds H&G #51 swc and the Lyman 358156 swc like a champ. If I get a .45 I will try my RCBS 270 gr 45SAA. Don't see why it wont work.

[Coop 45]

8.5gn of trailboss under a 250gn round nose flat point. 1050fps, (20" barrel) fantastic case life, could shoot them all day long. 612 foot pounds of energy. 2" groups at 100m.

22gn AR2205, same projectile. 1350fps, 3 firings max before case splits. Kicks like a ........
1012 foot pounds of energy. 2" groups at 100m.

For all the plinking, cowboy silhouette and hunting I do the trailboss is perfect (and cheaper).

[donhuff]

3Horse,

The chamber on 45 colts is pretty generous, and this helps the swc design feed better. It seems that the larger calibers feed better anyway, and the 357 is the most "picky" about it's bullet shape.

But if your worried about it, and do not have your projectiles already, you can go with any bullet shape that suites you, for the targets you have described. A .452" hole will do a good job no matter what the nose is shaped like.

Powder wise, my 45 burns everything with reasonable accuracy, especially with the milder loads.

[3Horse]

8.5gn of trailboss under a 250gn round nose flat point. 1050fps, (20" barrel) fantastic case life, could shoot them all day long. 612 foot pounds of energy. 2" groups at 100m.

22gn AR2205, same projectile. 1350fps, 3 firings max before case splits. Kicks like a ........
1012 foot pounds of energy. 2" groups at 100m.

For all the plinking, cowboy silhouette and hunting I do the trailboss is perfect (and cheaper).

Sounds like the 8.5grn Trailboss and 250grn RN is my kind of load. I'll give it a try.

Thanks,