45 Colt

Bucksnort1 · June 19, 2015, 03:56 PM

I found a box of lead 45 caliber round balls. I was about to toss them in the trash when I got the idea to load them. I found a recipe but what I want to know is. How far do I seat the ball? Is it at greatest point in the circumference?

Also, are these ok to shoot in a Uberti Cattlemen 45 Colt? I would assume so but you know what they say about assumptions.

1100 tac · June 19, 2015, 04:57 PM

What size balls?

Ozzieman · June 19, 2015, 08:31 PM

I did some last year in 44 and used a recommended load from Lymans lead manual.
Book said it was around 475 FPS. Looked more like 20fps

At 15 yards I could keep them in the black with a 5 inch Blackhawk.
First I started with VERY little bell. I wanted as tight a fit to the side of the case as I could. I seated them just slightly more than half way into the case without crimping them. Then crimped them very slightly.
The reason I didn't crimp them as I seated the ball is because on the first try when I seated and crimped they cut into the soft ball and when done although it stayed in the case you could spin the ball.
Since they are most likely made for cap and ball revolvers don't push them very fast or you will get a mess in the barrel.
What is the diameter of the ball. 455 or 457. either will work.

Clark · June 19, 2015, 09:11 PM

If you put a tiny amount of powder in the case and cover with wad(s), then seat the bullet so deep and hard the it squishes from ball shape to cylindrical, then usable velocity can be had with very little noise.

http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Catego...-A?PageSize=25

Bucksnort1 · June 19, 2015, 10:04 PM

1100tac,

Kind of a personal question, asking another dude what size his balls are, don't you think?

Mine are .457".

Mike / Tx · June 20, 2015, 06:17 AM

I haven't done any with the 45 yet, but did some with the 44 years ago. I seated them first, as mentioned above, then crimped. I just eye balled it until they went in the case just below the middle of their circumference so that when I added the little bit of roll crimp it rolled just over the mid point on them.

I think I used somewhere around 5 - 8grs of Unique. These were just for knocking some big raccoons off my deer feeders without having to wake the woods up doing it.

1100 tac · June 20, 2015, 11:33 AM

OK, with .457 ball your best bet might be to not re size your case, most likely you will get sufficient case tension without sizing. seat the ball to the equator over 4-5 gr bullseye and run a very light roll crimp.

This technique has worked well for me in my Ruger and my Henry. And don't worry about the round balls being made for black powder making a mess, unless you fire a few hundred at a time without cleaning.

T. O'Heir · June 20, 2015, 01:44 PM

Rifling twist won't be right(diameter is for a BP rifle too), but load 'em to the OAL for their weight.

1100 tac · June 20, 2015, 03:25 PM

1-16 twist is just fine for .457 round ball.

Bucksnort1 · June 21, 2015, 03:07 PM

1100 tac, thanks for the information.

I forgot to mention the weight of the balls. They are either 144 or 145 grains. They weigh somewhere between these two amounts. Because none of my loading manuals show a recipe for the 144 grain ball, I think they were intended for cap and ball revolvers.

What about the weight?

Clark · June 22, 2015, 08:05 AM

Quote:

Mike / Tx
.. around 5 - 8grs of Unique. These were just for knocking some big raccoons off my deer feeders without having to wake the woods up doing it.

The BIG5 of the bird feeder would be coons, possum, squirrels, rats, and crows.

The 45 seems to be the minimum of quiet loads for body shot stops on coons, biggest of the BIG5.

1100 tac · June 24, 2015, 06:24 AM

A round ball can only weigh so much, it is the lightest projectile there is per bore size, don't worry about it.

You main worry is making sure the ball has enough velocity to exit the barrel, and stay in the case while the others are being fired.

They are only good for close range quiet(er) loads, and experimenting to see what you can do with them, I never got any great accuracy from them in a cartridge gun. My1860 Army is a whole 'nuther ball game.

June 19, 2015, 03:56 PM	#1
Bucksnort1 Senior Member Join Date: July 8, 2013 Location: Littleton, Colorado Posts: 1,121	45 Colt I found a box of lead 45 caliber round balls. I was about to toss them in the trash when I got the idea to load them. I found a recipe but what I want to know is. How far do I seat the ball? Is it at greatest point in the circumference? Also, are these ok to shoot in a Uberti Cattlemen 45 Colt? I would assume so but you know what they say about assumptions.

June 19, 2015, 08:31 PM	#3
Ozzieman Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 2004 Location: Northern Indiana Posts: 6,117	I did some last year in 44 and used a recommended load from Lymans lead manual. Book said it was around 475 FPS. Looked more like 20fps At 15 yards I could keep them in the black with a 5 inch Blackhawk. First I started with VERY little bell. I wanted as tight a fit to the side of the case as I could. I seated them just slightly more than half way into the case without crimping them. Then crimped them very slightly. The reason I didn't crimp them as I seated the ball is because on the first try when I seated and crimped they cut into the soft ball and when done although it stayed in the case you could spin the ball. Since they are most likely made for cap and ball revolvers don't push them very fast or you will get a mess in the barrel. What is the diameter of the ball. 455 or 457. either will work. __________________ It was a sad day when I discovered my universal remote control did not in fact control the universe. Did you hear about the latest study.....5 out of 6 liberals say that Russian Roulette is safe.

June 19, 2015, 09:11 PM	#4
Clark Senior Member Join Date: December 4, 1999 Location: WA, the ever blue state Posts: 4,678	If you put a tiny amount of powder in the case and cover with wad(s), then seat the bullet so deep and hard the it squishes from ball shape to cylindrical, then usable velocity can be had with very little noise. http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Catego...-A?PageSize=25 __________________ The word 'forum" does not mean "not criticizing books." "Ad hominem fallacy" is not the same as point by point criticism of books. If you bought the book, and believe it all, it may FEEL like an ad hominem attack, but you might strive to accept other points of view may exist. Are we a nation of competing ideas, or a nation of forced conformity of thought?

June 20, 2015, 06:17 AM	#6
Mike / Tx Senior Member Join Date: April 8, 2000 Posts: 2,101	I haven't done any with the 45 yet, but did some with the 44 years ago. I seated them first, as mentioned above, then crimped. I just eye balled it until they went in the case just below the middle of their circumference so that when I added the little bit of roll crimp it rolled just over the mid point on them. I think I used somewhere around 5 - 8grs of Unique. These were just for knocking some big raccoons off my deer feeders without having to wake the woods up doing it. __________________ LAter, Mike / TX

June 20, 2015, 01:44 PM	#8
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	Rifling twist won't be right(diameter is for a BP rifle too), but load 'em to the OAL for their weight. __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

June 19, 2015, 04:57 PM	#2
1100 tac Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 2012 Posts: 299	What size balls?

June 19, 2015, 10:04 PM	#5
Bucksnort1 Senior Member Join Date: July 8, 2013 Location: Littleton, Colorado Posts: 1,121	1100tac, Kind of a personal question, asking another dude what size his balls are, don't you think? Mine are .457".

June 20, 2015, 11:33 AM	#7
1100 tac Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 2012 Posts: 299	OK, with .457 ball your best bet might be to not re size your case, most likely you will get sufficient case tension without sizing. seat the ball to the equator over 4-5 gr bullseye and run a very light roll crimp. This technique has worked well for me in my Ruger and my Henry. And don't worry about the round balls being made for black powder making a mess, unless you fire a few hundred at a time without cleaning.

June 20, 2015, 03:25 PM	#9
1100 tac Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 2012 Posts: 299	1-16 twist is just fine for .457 round ball.

June 21, 2015, 03:07 PM	#10
Bucksnort1 Senior Member Join Date: July 8, 2013 Location: Littleton, Colorado Posts: 1,121	1100 tac, thanks for the information. I forgot to mention the weight of the balls. They are either 144 or 145 grains. They weigh somewhere between these two amounts. Because none of my loading manuals show a recipe for the 144 grain ball, I think they were intended for cap and ball revolvers. What about the weight?

June 24, 2015, 06:24 AM	#12
1100 tac Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 2012 Posts: 299	A round ball can only weigh so much, it is the lightest projectile there is per bore size, don't worry about it. You main worry is making sure the ball has enough velocity to exit the barrel, and stay in the case while the others are being fired. They are only good for close range quiet(er) loads, and experimenting to see what you can do with them, I never got any great accuracy from them in a cartridge gun. My1860 Army is a whole 'nuther ball game.