.45 Colt in rifle

[jd45]

Hello to all. I also have an EMF-'92, but it's an older one they used to offer made by Armi San Marco. It has a 24" octagon barrel made by Clerke, with a 1 in 12 twist rate(good for heavy bullets), and the tang is drilled & tapped for a tang peep sight. I've had a Lyman #2 on it, but it's not adjustable for windage.
Has anyone  played with Alliant's Reloader#7 & this rifle-cartridge combo?I read an article by Paco Kelly on the Sixgunner.com website in which he says this powder shows promise because of its slower burn rate, as opposed to 2400, 296, H110, or 4227. With the Lyman 454424 Keith @ 260+grs, he suggests a starting charge of 25grs, using a mag primer, & says in a strong, modern gun, like a Rossi or a Browning '92, 2200fps is possible. Just wondering if anyone has any feedback. Thanks.

[Mikey]

jd45:  Reloader #7 is a rifle powder.  I use it for heavy loads in my 444 Marlin calibered rifles.  It is slower burning than either IMR or H4198, which I have used before but only and always in rifle calibers.  

Please note that his article said that it 'shows some promise'.  OK, you might be able to get a successful burn in a 22-24" tube, meaning no powder residue left over but it is a question as to whether the slower burning RL #7 will, in fact, give you either the accuracy or the velocity you want from the 45 Colt cartridge.  Of the powders you listed, 2400 burns the fasted, WW296 and H110 are the same powder, and 4227 is the slowest of the four listed.  

The questions you have to ask yourself are:  is there really that much of a velocity gain using the slower powder and, will the accuracy improve?

On the end of it all, if it gives you the velocity you think is necessary for that bullet to perform better and the accuracy you want from a hunting rifle in that caliber, then go with it.  I'm just wondering though whether it is possible to make that bullet go that fast and what sort of pressure ranges you will get into.  Note please that his article said 'in a strong, modern gun'.  To me, that means you're pushing an envelope and if you like your '92, why push it.  Hope this helps.  Mikey.

[Blackhawk44]

jd45- need to go back and re-read Paco.  His top loads were for the Rossi only.  Even Winchester '94s, Marlin '94s, Browning '92s were to stay about 35Kpsi and original Win '92s actions around 25Kpsi.  Never having read of anyone working with the San Marco and hot loads, I would pretend it was an old pre-war Winchester and go easy.

[w30wcf]

Interesting question.  I have owned a '94 Marlin .45 Colt  Cowboy since 1997 and have tried many, many  different loads in it.  I have read PACO'S levergun article that you mentioned and find it interesting that he was able to get 2,000+ f.p.s. using RL7 powder.  

To me, this  does not seem possible, because although 30 grs. of RL7 is a capacity load with a 250 gr. bullet,  it takes 30 grs. of a much faster powder to break 2,000 f.p.s. in my rifle's 24" barrel.

Possibly PACO has an older  faster burning lot of RL7.  I'll have to test the 30 gr. load and see what happens. Sounds like another fall project........

w30wcf

[w30wcf]

Another reference ....
Alliant Powders Handloaders' Guide

.44-40 / 240gr. bullet / 24" bbl. / 23.5 grs. RL7 / 1290 fps / 12,100 cup

.45-70 / 300gr. bullet / 24" bbl. / 50.0 grs. RL7 / 2,075 fps / 24,700 cup

In Lyman's Cast Bullet Handbook they show 50.0 grs. of RL7 with a 322 gr. cast bullet giving 1,842 f.p.s. at only 16,200 cup (copper uhits of pressure).  

As we can see, 23.5 grs. in the .44-40 gives 1,290 fps with low pressure.
Based on that data with that lot of powder, it would seem that  PACO's 25 gr. load in the larger .45 Colt case would be in about the same range.

It takes 50 grs. of RL 7 in a .45 caliber bore to break 2,000 f.p.s. but with a heavier 300 gr. bullet. Even at that, the pressure is below  25,000.  Lyman shows less than that with a heavier bullet.

I would predict that a capacity load of 30 grs. of my lot of RL7 in my .45 Colt Cowboy would be in the  1700 f.p.s. range at best with pressure below 20,000.   We'll see.

w30wcf

[jd45]

I just want to thank all you guys for your responses. It looks like I'm gonna go conserv & keep my loads below the 25kpsi level, especially since I've been advised that the receiver on my rifle is a casting & not a forging.