Squib load??

cptmclark · August 10, 2020, 05:18 PM

Well, Here I sit embaressed, with 20 beautiful 250 cast loads of 25 long colt. Yes, I still call it that.
My issue is that I loaded them with 6.4 grains of Unique. (My ACP load).

So I suspect that is a borderline squib load. What say ye??
If it is slightly better than that I would prefer to shoot them and check each for stuck bullets than to pound the bullets out on a concrete floor.

Any experience shooting 6.4 Unique behind a 250 cast boolit??? (Did I mention how pretty they are??)

Thanks

Centurion · August 10, 2020, 09:07 PM

You should be somewhere in between 630 to 750 fps depending on several factors as alloy, bullet caliber, barrel caliber, etc...do you have a chronograph?

Jim Watson · August 10, 2020, 09:08 PM

Lyman starting load for 250 cast .45 LC is 6.0 gr. Unique.

cptmclark · August 10, 2020, 09:41 PM

Yes, I have a cronograph. Bt I don't know at what speed bullets can get stuck.

Centurion · August 10, 2020, 09:44 PM

It depends again on the alloy, caliber of the bullet vs that of the barrel, etc, etc. I shot 230 grains 45 webley at 450 or 500 fps in an old Royal Irish Constabulary and never experienced neither a stuck nor barrel leading...

Centurion · August 10, 2020, 09:50 PM

You can try a first shot, if it leaves the barrel at +600 fps it is almost sure the rest of it should not stuck...

TX Nimrod · August 10, 2020, 10:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cptmclark

Well, Here I sit embaressed, with 20 beautiful 250 cast loads of 25 long colt. Yes, I still call it that....

Most folks might call it the .45 Long Colt.....

You have received good advice, all I would ad is to check the barrel for an obstruction for every shot....and tip the muzzle up before each shot. Due to a potential high shot-to-shot velocity deviation, a single sample is not a good indication of a load’s safety.

.

**44 AMP** · August 11, 2020, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Lyman starting load for 250 cast .45 LC is 6.0 gr. Unique.

My Lyman manual (1970) has starting load at 7.5gr Unique, 250gr cast bullet, showing 790fps from a 5.5" Colt SAA test gun.

Shoot one of your rounds. If the bullet clears the barrel, shoot another. Repeat until finished.

I doubt any will squib, but assume they might, until proven otherwise.

Raise the powder charge for your next batch.

cptmclark · August 11, 2020, 02:59 PM

It's what I get for laying off a while and loading from memory. It was a perfect load for my ACP

I think I can load one at a time. Who knows? It might be the most accurate load ever

.

DaleA · August 12, 2020, 01:08 AM

I had a bullet from one of my own reloads fail to exit the barrel due to a low charge and it was a revolver and the results were VERY noticeable! All the gases exited via the cylinder/barrel gap which kind of left me in a mini-cloud of smoke and the sound was way different. It was OBVIOUS that something was wrong. No damage to the gun and I eventually convinced myself that what had happened was a "learning experience" (cough cough).

ghbucky · August 12, 2020, 02:40 PM

You've only got 20 loaded.

Just pull the bullets and start over if you aren't confident with the load.

Don P · August 12, 2020, 04:06 PM

Quote:

So I suspect that is a borderline squib load

?????

No way to tell either the bullet exits the barrel or not.

Quote:

Bt I don't know at what speed bullets can get stuck

When its moving too slow to exit the barrel due to lack of powder. Only way to know would be to start at the minimum starting powder charge and then down load the powder 1/2 grain at a time to see what the minimum fps is before the load is a squib using a chrono. Barrel condition, round shot through barrel all plays into what you ask.

**Unclenick** · August 12, 2020, 04:38 PM

I don't know what your barrel length is, but I can tell you I've loaded the slightly faster Bullseye down as low as 2.9 grains behind 240-grain swaged LSWC's in 44 Special and had no problem. On the rule of thumb that Unique loads will be about 20% heavier, that's like shooting 3.5 grains of Unique in the same gun. Ignoring other specifics, in QuickLOAD, your load in 45 Colt should be producing twice the pressure my equivalent load in the 44 Special does, so I doubt very much you will have any kind of issue.

Granted, the old Colt round may leak more gas around the case than the 44 Special does because of the tendency to make the cylinder throats wide enough for the old .454" bullets. But I still think you'll do OK unless, of course, you actually do try to run a 25 caliber bullet in it. That would leak some gas, even assuming you could fit one as long as a 250 grainer would be into your chamber. At least it would fall out rather than get stuck.

noylj · August 12, 2020, 04:52 PM

Almost ANY amount of powder will take you out of the squib (barrel blockage) load range, and that much Unique will get lead bullets out of rifles.
What is a .25 long colt? Sounds like a heck of a wildcat.

cptmclark · August 13, 2020, 08:38 AM

OK, you caught my typo.

I had a colt in 25 cal, but this isn't it. If anyone is confused it is indeed a 45 Colt revolver.

August 10, 2020, 05:18 PM	#1
cptmclark Senior Member Join Date: November 22, 2004 Location: Indiana Posts: 432	Squib load?? Well, Here I sit embaressed, with 20 beautiful 250 cast loads of 25 long colt. Yes, I still call it that. My issue is that I loaded them with 6.4 grains of Unique. (My ACP load). So I suspect that is a borderline squib load. What say ye?? If it is slightly better than that I would prefer to shoot them and check each for stuck bullets than to pound the bullets out on a concrete floor. Any experience shooting 6.4 Unique behind a 250 cast boolit??? (Did I mention how pretty they are??) Thanks

August 11, 2020, 02:59 PM	#9
cptmclark Senior Member Join Date: November 22, 2004 Location: Indiana Posts: 432	Squib loads for 45 Colt It's what I get for laying off a while and loading from memory. It was a perfect load for my ACP I think I can load one at a time. Who knows? It might be the most accurate load ever.

August 12, 2020, 04:38 PM	#13
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,063	I don't know what your barrel length is, but I can tell you I've loaded the slightly faster Bullseye down as low as 2.9 grains behind 240-grain swaged LSWC's in 44 Special and had no problem. On the rule of thumb that Unique loads will be about 20% heavier, that's like shooting 3.5 grains of Unique in the same gun. Ignoring other specifics, in QuickLOAD, your load in 45 Colt should be producing twice the pressure my equivalent load in the 44 Special does, so I doubt very much you will have any kind of issue. Granted, the old Colt round may leak more gas around the case than the 44 Special does because of the tendency to make the cylinder throats wide enough for the old .454" bullets. But I still think you'll do OK unless, of course, you actually do try to run a 25 caliber bullet in it. That would leak some gas, even assuming you could fit one as long as a 250 grainer would be into your chamber. At least it would fall out rather than get stuck. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

August 13, 2020, 08:38 AM	#15
cptmclark Senior Member Join Date: November 22, 2004 Location: Indiana Posts: 432	25 Colt OK, you caught my typo. I had a colt in 25 cal, but this isn't it. If anyone is confused it is indeed a 45 Colt revolver.

August 10, 2020, 09:07 PM	#2
Centurion Senior Member Join Date: May 9, 2016 Posts: 270	You should be somewhere in between 630 to 750 fps depending on several factors as alloy, bullet caliber, barrel caliber, etc...do you have a chronograph?

August 10, 2020, 09:08 PM	#3
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,541	Lyman starting load for 250 cast .45 LC is 6.0 gr. Unique.

August 10, 2020, 09:41 PM	#4
cptmclark Senior Member Join Date: November 22, 2004 Location: Indiana Posts: 432	Yes, I have a cronograph. Bt I don't know at what speed bullets can get stuck.

August 10, 2020, 09:44 PM	#5
Centurion Senior Member Join Date: May 9, 2016 Posts: 270	It depends again on the alloy, caliber of the bullet vs that of the barrel, etc, etc. I shot 230 grains 45 webley at 450 or 500 fps in an old Royal Irish Constabulary and never experienced neither a stuck nor barrel leading...

August 10, 2020, 09:50 PM	#6
Centurion Senior Member Join Date: May 9, 2016 Posts: 270	You can try a first shot, if it leaves the barrel at +600 fps it is almost sure the rest of it should not stuck...

August 12, 2020, 01:08 AM	#10
DaleA Senior Member Join Date: September 12, 2002 Location: Twin Cities, MN Posts: 5,313	I had a bullet from one of my own reloads fail to exit the barrel due to a low charge and it was a revolver and the results were VERY noticeable! All the gases exited via the cylinder/barrel gap which kind of left me in a mini-cloud of smoke and the sound was way different. It was OBVIOUS that something was wrong. No damage to the gun and I eventually convinced myself that what had happened was a "learning experience" (cough cough).

August 12, 2020, 02:40 PM	#11
ghbucky Senior Member Join Date: June 12, 2020 Posts: 1,177	You've only got 20 loaded. Just pull the bullets and start over if you aren't confident with the load.

August 12, 2020, 04:52 PM	#14
noylj Senior Member Join Date: October 21, 2007 Location: Between CA and NM Posts: 858	Almost ANY amount of powder will take you out of the squib (barrel blockage) load range, and that much Unique will get lead bullets out of rifles. What is a .25 long colt? Sounds like a heck of a wildcat.