Author Topic: Only took 3 hours... (Read 1420 times)

rdlange · « **on:** February 01, 2011, 01:36:57 PM »

Feels nice. Very clean and crisp. He said it only have about 25 thru it. Now where do I find some inexpensive ammo please?

cwlongshot · « **Reply #1 on:** February 01, 2011, 02:05:52 PM »

She is a beauty!!!

Cowboy action ammo or commercial reloads will likely be the cheapest OR maybe its time to roll your own!!

CW

Doublebass73 · « **Reply #2 on:** February 01, 2011, 02:53:18 PM »

Time to start reloading! .45 Colt is what got me interested in reloading and I wouldn't have it any other way now. For the cost of about 3 or 4 boxes of factory .45 Colt you can buy everything you need to get started.

Hit or Miss · « **Reply #3 on:** February 01, 2011, 03:09:27 PM »

I can't say I have ever seen .45 ammo what I would call reasonable in price. Reload all the way! I rolled about 170 or so this weekend while it was nice. Some 270 gr Keith style over 2400, pretty stiff but the BC liked them! Nice rifle by the way!

Catshooter45 · « **Reply #4 on:** February 01, 2011, 05:10:30 PM »

Nice rifle! The .45 Colt was just made for reloading. One of the easiest ones to reload out there, huge number of powders will work and work well in it. Just like the .45-70.

Cat

rdlange · « **Reply #5 on:** February 01, 2011, 05:52:03 PM »

Thank you all. This is #3 rifle. (have 2 1/2 Pardners also) I NEVER would have done this without your 'help'.

Planning on reloading or I wouldn't have gotten the gun. Never done straight cases, so I'll be researching myself into a headache as usual. Any tips appreciated. (already re-read the 454 reamer thread).

It's an HX receiver with the plastic plugged trigger view port in the left side, extractor barrel. I just put an O-ring in the forend. And maybe have a shooting date Saturday, so it has to get scoped by then.

The ammo I got from the seller is mixed brass handloads, all JHPs, marked 'rifle only'. Hmmmm....

Be well...

Dinny · « **Reply #6 on:** February 01, 2011, 05:58:29 PM »

Straight wall cases are so much easier to reload for. Get a set of carbide dies.

Thanks, Dinny

S.E.Ak · « **Reply #7 on:** February 01, 2011, 09:18:56 PM »

Bought a 45colt Lee loader for ten buck on E-Bay and it loads great rounds,even 454casull

gcrank1 · « **Reply #8 on:** February 02, 2011, 03:47:51 AM »

Dont even buy one box of ammo, just use that money to buy some reloading stuff. You bought the rifle cheap enough and in short order you can be making your own (and be ever so glad you are).

bikerbeans · « **Reply #9 on:** February 02, 2011, 04:33:55 AM »

rd,

Nice catch, have fun shootin' on Saturday. Word of warning though, I wouldn't shoot someone else's handloads. A "Hot" load means different things to different folks. Better to pull the bullets and reuse the brass and bullet, I would dump the powder and get rid of the primers because you really can't tell what powder or primer you have. Pulling bullets is usually a lot easier than driving a jammed case out of the chamber with a brass rod.

Like Tim says, don't ask me how I know this.

BB

Doublebass73 · « **Reply #10 on:** February 02, 2011, 04:43:28 AM »

Lots of good advice here. I, too would be leery of shooting someone else's reloads especially if they were marked "rifle only". I'd pull the bullets and reuse the brass.

rsl · « **Reply #11 on:** February 02, 2011, 04:51:43 AM »

Fun little guns.. I haven't got reloading stuff yet for the 45 colt.. I tired a box of Blazer 200 gr hollow points and she shot real well. About 1 1/2" at 50 yards with cheapy scope.. Tried some Cowboy ammo and it sucked.. 6" at 50yards..Good luck

quickdtoo · « **Reply #12 on:** February 02, 2011, 05:20:25 AM »

Congrats!! +1000000 on reloading, for the cost of one or two boxes of factory ammo, you could be well on your way to reloading your own ammo! The prices in the Lee Loader link are a bit dated, but if you buy used, not far off. 100 new brass are about $20-$25, powder is ~$20-$25 a lb, and primers $3-$4 per 100, the Lee Loader comes with data, but there's lots of published data free online from powder manufacturers if you want to add a scale instead of using the dipper, but it's just too easy to do with a Lee Loader, even a cave man could do it!

Tim

http://www.beartoothbullets.com/tech_notes/archive_tech_notes.htm/51

gcrank1 · « **Reply #13 on:** February 02, 2011, 07:28:05 AM »

But if you buy or order some lead bullets do NOT buy the same dia. you would for jacketed; almost all cast for good shooting should probably start at .454 (with a rare exception) to fit the bore groove well.
I'll bet those 'cowboy loads' had undersize (std. dia.) bullets. Even with light loads, if I use the right dia. they shoot well, if too small they shoot patterns rather than groups (and lead the bore!).
I know there was a thread on what dia. lead was working for most guys not too long ago; anybody remember?

hunterwinco · « **Reply #14 on:** February 02, 2011, 08:10:01 AM »

sharp looking rifle. I was just going to post a note about reloading. It is a great hobby and certainly necessary to achieve optimum accuracy out of a given rifle. BIG 10-4 on NOT using someone else's reloads!!!! I'm sure that he marked them rifle as that they may be too hot for his handgun. Buy some inexpensive commercial and keep the brass. When you get your reloading set up, pull those rounds he gave you and dump the powder. I just ordered a 357 barrel for one of my frames and I will no doubt load up some rounds above and beyond what I want to put through my s/w 27-2. I will load those in nickel cases. I know a lot of guys who reload and I dont fire theirs and they dont fire mine...just a zero tolerance policy that a lot of us have. I read your thread yesterday and HECK YA, I would have made that trip!

HogFan · « **Reply #15 on:** February 02, 2011, 08:12:29 AM »

Congrats on the gun. I found one for sale locally that the guy had shot ten times, and wanted $250! Too bad I was in Baghdad at the time. The guy that bought it from the original owner just sold it for $300 to help fund a new AR. If I had not just spent all my gun money I had saved up, I would have bought it in a heart beat.

bigbird09 · « **Reply #16 on:** February 02, 2011, 08:43:55 AM »

*is jealous*

rdlange · « **Reply #17 on:** February 02, 2011, 10:14:11 AM »

OK... so I probably gotta slug the barrel unless someone can tell me what size lead cast to use.

I called a shop and they sell cast 250 RN & 255 FN, .454 for 45LC.

Be nice if this was right and I could buy some quick.

Any mold recommendations?

Be Well...

gcrank1 · « **Reply #18 on:** February 02, 2011, 10:26:10 AM »

It isnt so much the bore/groove as it is the throat of the chamber. IIRC several people posted on an earlier thread that .454 had worked well. The key is the fit of the bullet in the fully fire-formed case neck from your chamber.
I suggest getting those and trying them before you commit to a mould. FWIW, I have had good luck with the LEE moulds, and you can get them in multiple cavity so casting goes a lot faster than a single. I use wheel weights with a dash of tin for castability.
If the price is right on buying them and they work in your rifle use them while you figure the next step.

Catshooter45 · « **Reply #19 on:** February 02, 2011, 01:35:08 PM »

The only limit on size is will the cartridge chamber? If it does, you're good. .454 will probably good, but to know you have to slug. Have to. No one can tell you the size of your bore. Guessing usually doesn't work well with cast.

If you'd like to know more about casting, go here: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/index.php

There is the site that is the cutting edge of casting technology.

My bore is .453 and I've shot from .454 to .457 and they work wonderfully. It's a great gun. Good luck with yours.

Cat

Jimbo47 · « **Reply #20 on:** February 03, 2011, 02:30:37 AM »

Anyone living near San Antonio I know of a Rifle Range/gun shop that sold me mine a couple weeks ago marked $254 NIB and I know they had a couple more left at the time.

When I saw the price I tried to walk away but the addiction was too strong and I went back the next day and bought it, and I'm glad I did!.....Love that little gun!

rdlange · « **Reply #21 on:** February 04, 2011, 09:28:04 AM »

Progress: Got box 50 Win. CAS because it was only ammo local. Stock is 1"+ too long. Slugged barrel = .452-3. Mounted odd scope I had. Still plan on range trip tomorrow. Ordered RCBS 45LC dies on sale from Natchez. More enthusiastic about the gun than any other for a long time. Looks nice, feels good.

bikerbeans · « **Reply #22 on:** February 04, 2011, 02:26:43 PM »

rdlange · « **Reply #23 on:** February 05, 2011, 02:18:21 PM »

Well, I shot it. Trigger is heavy but crisp. Way high at 25yds with Win. cowboy ammo. Need another scope or mounts so I don't have any real accuracy info. Felt good. Enough recoil so I had to have a spotter tell me where it hit. Still happy sorta. Next time.

Be Well...