.45 Colt OAL for Lever Guns?

LIProgun · April 26, 2002, 09:02 AM

I just started loading .45 Colt for a lever action rifle. I noticed that Speer's latest manual has some loads listed with a caveat that they are too long for lever action rifles. However, other reloading sources have even longer loads and don't give any warnings about OAL.

Does anybody know if there is a suggested max OAL for .45 Colt in lever guns?

**Mal H** · April 26, 2002, 12:15 PM

Rob - Just out of curiosity, spurred by your inquiry, I just loaded some dummy rounds to test for the max OAL for my Win '94 in 45 Colt. It wouldn't feed reliably until I got to around 1.655 and the rounds wouldn't chamber without some extra pressure until I got to 1.650. So, in my rifle, the max would be less than 1.650. But I would be more comfortable leaving them at the standard of 1.600 or less for it. Needless to say, the same over-length rounds had lots of additional room in my Vaquero. Rounds of 1.665 (the one Speer mentioned) fit fine.

To answer your actual question, I haven't come across any OAL data specific to the lever action.

El Loco Lobo · April 29, 2002, 10:52 PM

I shot a Marlin .45colt with a 250 round nose flat point at oal at 1.580 they feed really well. much longer than that they don't feed well. so oal? does it feed reliably every time!

LIProgun · April 30, 2002, 08:05 AM

Thanks for the helpful replies, guys.

My .45 lever gun is still on order, so I couldn't run any rounds through it yet. I've been trying to do some loading beforehand, and I've tried to keep everything under 1.600". I did load Sierra's 300 grain JSP to 1.650, at the suggestion of Sierra. I hope these will feed.

**Mal H** · April 30, 2002, 08:33 AM

Assuming you talked to or emailed them, did Sierra understand the rounds would be for a lever rifle and not for a revolver? In my tests I used a Laser-Cast 250 gr RNFP. I'll wager the 300 gr bullet will have a much higher shoulder. I trust you will check to be sure the bullet isn't hard against the grooves before firing one even if they do feed successfully.

LIProgun · April 30, 2002, 11:46 AM

I did mention to Sierra that the pressure level I was looking to load was that suitable for Ruger revolvers or modern lever action rifles. With this bullet the OAL is really governed by the cannelure location, and the shortest I could get these bullets loaded and still crimped in the cannelure was pretty much the exact OAL Sierra recommended.

The Sierra 300 grain JSP has no shoulder, per se. From the cannelure up it is a truncated cone. But I still take your point, and I'll check to see both that these loads feed properly, and that the ogive is not touching the rifling.

April 26, 2002, 09:02 AM	#1
LIProgun Senior Member Join Date: August 27, 2000 Location: Hudson Valley, NY Posts: 489	.45 Colt OAL for Lever Guns? I just started loading .45 Colt for a lever action rifle. I noticed that Speer's latest manual has some loads listed with a caveat that they are too long for lever action rifles. However, other reloading sources have even longer loads and don't give any warnings about OAL. Does anybody know if there is a suggested max OAL for .45 Colt in lever guns? __________________ MOLON LABE. - Leonidas of Sparta, 480 B.C.

April 29, 2002, 10:52 PM	#3
El Loco Lobo Member Join Date: April 8, 2002 Location: East Helena, MT Posts: 33	I shot a Marlin .45colt with a 250 round nose flat point at oal at 1.580 they feed really well. much longer than that they don't feed well. so oal? does it feed reliably every time! __________________ Life is to short to hunt with an ugly gun

April 30, 2002, 08:05 AM	#4
LIProgun Senior Member Join Date: August 27, 2000 Location: Hudson Valley, NY Posts: 489	Thanks for the helpful replies, guys. My .45 lever gun is still on order, so I couldn't run any rounds through it yet. I've been trying to do some loading beforehand, and I've tried to keep everything under 1.600". I did load Sierra's 300 grain JSP to 1.650, at the suggestion of Sierra. I hope these will feed. __________________ MOLON LABE. - Leonidas of Sparta, 480 B.C.

April 30, 2002, 11:46 AM	#6
LIProgun Senior Member Join Date: August 27, 2000 Location: Hudson Valley, NY Posts: 489	I did mention to Sierra that the pressure level I was looking to load was that suitable for Ruger revolvers or modern lever action rifles. With this bullet the OAL is really governed by the cannelure location, and the shortest I could get these bullets loaded and still crimped in the cannelure was pretty much the exact OAL Sierra recommended. The Sierra 300 grain JSP has no shoulder, per se. From the cannelure up it is a truncated cone. But I still take your point, and I'll check to see both that these loads feed properly, and that the ogive is not touching the rifling. __________________ MOLON LABE. - Leonidas of Sparta, 480 B.C.

April 26, 2002, 12:15 PM	#2
Mal H Staff Join Date: March 20, 1999 Location: Somewhere in the woods of Northern Virginia Posts: 16,955	Rob - Just out of curiosity, spurred by your inquiry, I just loaded some dummy rounds to test for the max OAL for my Win '94 in 45 Colt. It wouldn't feed reliably until I got to around 1.655 and the rounds wouldn't chamber without some extra pressure until I got to 1.650. So, in my rifle, the max would be less than 1.650. But I would be more comfortable leaving them at the standard of 1.600 or less for it. Needless to say, the same over-length rounds had lots of additional room in my Vaquero. Rounds of 1.665 (the one Speer mentioned) fit fine. To answer your actual question, I haven't come across any OAL data specific to the lever action.

April 30, 2002, 08:33 AM	#5
Mal H Staff Join Date: March 20, 1999 Location: Somewhere in the woods of Northern Virginia Posts: 16,955	Assuming you talked to or emailed them, did Sierra understand the rounds would be for a lever rifle and not for a revolver? In my tests I used a Laser-Cast 250 gr RNFP. I'll wager the 300 gr bullet will have a much higher shoulder. I trust you will check to be sure the bullet isn't hard against the grooves before firing one even if they do feed successfully.