.45 colt bullet question

[jnestle]

new to reloading. I have had good success with my first 1000 rounds of .40 cal and want to reload some .45 colts.
my question: From loaddata.com I see the diagram depicting the bullet diameter of .454 but most of the .45 cal bullets i find from Midway, Cabelas etc show a .451 diameter. Can the .451 be used for the .45 colt?

Thanks in advance

Jnestle

[zxcvbob]

Yes, that should work just fine. Are they jacketed bullets? (cast bullets are usually .452") Before WWII, most .45 Colts were .454"

[Doodlebugger45]

All my cast bullets for 45 Colt are .452". I bought just one box of jacketed Sierra bullets for super hot 45 Colt loads for my 454 Casull. Those were .4515"

[sourdough44]

The .452 will be fine, for most any modern gun. Way back there were some larger bore dimensions and others may fine tune cast bullet to bore fit with a larger bullet. For the average modern gun the .452 will do.

[Ozzieman]

What are you shooting them in?
I shoot a lot of lead and I get my lead bullets from Penn bullets and they are sized to .454. The two Rugers that I own like larger lead bullets for accuracy.
Some bullet manufactures will size 45 from 451 all the way to 455.

[zippy13]

jnestle, welcome to reloading,
One of the big advantages of rolling your own is better accuracy. Time after time we get postings from new reloaders who are delighted with the results of their efforts (e.g., theFear's This is why I shoot a Savage and Reload…). To that end, as a reloader, you have the advantage of using bullets that fit your gun. Don't guess, or ask others… slug your barrel and you'll know exactly what's the correct size for your gun.

[Slamfire]

Can the .451 be used for the .45 colt?

Starting with this M25-7 made 1989, you could use a .452” bullet in a S&W 45 LC and not have leading or mediocre accuracy.



Older 45 LC pistols have a huge variance in barrel and chamber mouth dimensions. Previous S&W’s M25-2’s had chamber mouths that were at least .456” in diameter. 452 lead bullets shot at best four inches at 25 yards, and leaded. The groups got better with .454 diameter bullets, but these were hard to find.

You will need to measure the inside diameter of your chamber mouth. If your chamber mouth is .452 or so, it will shoot well with .451 to 452 bullets. If it is .455 and up, groups will be gruesome. And your pistol needs to be post WWII. Pre WWII 45LC’s seem to have .454 barrels and huge chamber mouths. Post WWII seem to have .452 inch barrels and huge chamber mouths. Somewhere in the 90’s some manufacturers got their heads out of their butts and figured out how to make better 45LC revolvers.

I do not have an Italian 45 LC, so I don't know if the pasta people know how to make an accurate revolver.

[TX Nimrod]

I had an M-25 that would allow .458" rifle bullets to fall freely through the cylinder. Needless to say, accuracy with anything was terrible. I sent the revolver back to S&W and they replaced the cylinder with one having .4515" throats. It shot like a house afire, highly accurate. Wish I hadn't sold it.....


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[Slamfire]

I had an M-25 that would allow .458" rifle bullets to fall freely through the cylinder. Needless to say, accuracy with anything was terrible.

I sent the revolver back to S&W and they replaced the cylinder with one having .4515" throats. It shot like a house afire, highly accurate. Wish I hadn't sold it.....

Never sell a good firearm, that way you will never have regrets.