Looking for some data on reloading 45LC for 185grain bullets

uglygun · October 21, 2001, 05:27 PM

will be picking up a 45LongColt S&W N-frame soon and was wondering if anyone could point me to some data for reloading 185grain jacketed hollow points. My Speer book only lists the 200s and on up, I'd like to make a few 185s for the gun as well. With 200s being listed right up around 1100fps max velocity I would like to see if the 185s can be safely driven up to around 1200+fps.

I've got a 44Magnum for pushing the 180s way up there around 1600fps but if possible I'd like to bump the 45LC up a notch.

The 45LongColt is going to be a relatively new cartridge to me, got the gun more out of fascination with the old cartridge and having a pleasant large bore gun to shoot casually but it would be nice to know the limits of what's available to me(keeping in mind that this is an N-framed S&W though not a Vaquero). Would appreciate hearing anyone else's opinions or experiences with the cartridge.

WESHOOT2 · October 22, 2001, 05:59 AM

Gonna a need a cannelure tool for those 185g bullets, and finish with a heavy roll crimp from a REDDING Profile Crimp die.

Universal Clays, AA5, Blue Dot........

In the correct launch platform (5.5" Redhawk) bullets from 200-405g, my 300g XTP-HP deer load goes an easy 1309fps, hard to find speedloaders.......

Correctly loaded, the 45 Colt is adequate for ALL North American game. (not bad in Africa, either...)

swifter... · October 22, 2001, 11:04 AM

You probably won't get in trouble if you just go ahead and use 200 gr. load data for the 185s. You might find you can bump it up a 1/2 gr, or so, or perhaps not, but if its safe for 200 gr., its safe with 185 gr., IMHO.

You'll like that 25-5, I really like mine. I shoot a homecast 250 WFN with about 13.0 gr. Blue Dot for around 950 fps. Not awfully fast, but it takes a lot to slow it down...

Tom

uglygun · October 22, 2001, 12:02 PM

Honestly, the 25-5 is a gun I've been wanting for a few years now. I finally have one that I think is going to make me extremely happy to own and shoot, (125years of S&W commemorative, 10k of them made so I don't think it's a super collectable after getting a reply from Roy Jinks the S&W historian)and it's just gonna be a fun damned gun I'm thinking, I'll likely shoot a lot of mild loads through it but I'd like to have just one handload using something like 185grain GoldDots that will manage to outclass the 45ACP if only by 150fps or so.

I bought a 44Magnum at the same time as the 45LongColt so if I want to shoot something real fast I'll just push the 180s at 1500-1600 fps from the 44Magnum, still though I'd like to get some 185s moving from the 45LongColt.

When I posted the question I TOTALLY forgot that I had a Sierra Handgun Load Manual out in the garage floating around, going out and looking through it they list a 1150fps for their max loads using the Sierra 185grn JHP and 185grn FPJ.

12.0 grains of Unique being max at 1150fps
9.4grains of 700x being max at 1150fps
14.2grains of SR4756 being max at 1150fps

These are the loads they publish for the more standard strength actions which they do list the 25-5 as one of those "standard pressure" guns to load for, not like the Ruger Blackhawks or Vaquero/Bisleys.

I suppose the loads published are right about the level I'm looking for, just a little warmer than a standard 185grain 45ACP.

October 21, 2001, 05:27 PM	#1
uglygun Senior Member Join Date: March 27, 2001 Location: Cowpie Ca Posts: 552	Looking for some data on reloading 45LC for 185grain bullets will be picking up a 45LongColt S&W N-frame soon and was wondering if anyone could point me to some data for reloading 185grain jacketed hollow points. My Speer book only lists the 200s and on up, I'd like to make a few 185s for the gun as well. With 200s being listed right up around 1100fps max velocity I would like to see if the 185s can be safely driven up to around 1200+fps. I've got a 44Magnum for pushing the 180s way up there around 1600fps but if possible I'd like to bump the 45LC up a notch. The 45LongColt is going to be a relatively new cartridge to me, got the gun more out of fascination with the old cartridge and having a pleasant large bore gun to shoot casually but it would be nice to know the limits of what's available to me(keeping in mind that this is an N-framed S&W though not a Vaquero). Would appreciate hearing anyone else's opinions or experiences with the cartridge.

October 22, 2001, 05:59 AM	#2
WESHOOT2 Senior Member Join Date: February 20, 1999 Location: home on the range; Vermont (Caspian country) Posts: 14,324	SOME THOUGHTS Gonna a need a cannelure tool for those 185g bullets, and finish with a heavy roll crimp from a REDDING Profile Crimp die. Universal Clays, AA5, Blue Dot........ In the correct launch platform (5.5" Redhawk) bullets from 200-405g, my 300g XTP-HP deer load goes an easy 1309fps, hard to find speedloaders....... Correctly loaded, the 45 Colt is adequate for ALL North American game. (not bad in Africa, either...) __________________ . "all my ammo is mostly retired factory ammo"

October 22, 2001, 11:04 AM	#3
swifter... Senior Member Join Date: March 16, 1999 Location: So. CA Mountains Posts: 540	You probably won't get in trouble if you just go ahead and use 200 gr. load data for the 185s. You might find you can bump it up a 1/2 gr, or so, or perhaps not, but if its safe for 200 gr., its safe with 185 gr., IMHO. You'll like that 25-5, I really like mine. I shoot a homecast 250 WFN with about 13.0 gr. Blue Dot for around 950 fps. Not awfully fast, but it takes a lot to slow it down... Tom __________________ There are damn few situations so screwed up that adding government to them will not make 'em worse... The best homeland security is an armed & informed citizenery! Molon Labe!

October 22, 2001, 12:02 PM	#4
uglygun Senior Member Join Date: March 27, 2001 Location: Cowpie Ca Posts: 552	Honestly, the 25-5 is a gun I've been wanting for a few years now. I finally have one that I think is going to make me extremely happy to own and shoot, (125years of S&W commemorative, 10k of them made so I don't think it's a super collectable after getting a reply from Roy Jinks the S&W historian)and it's just gonna be a fun damned gun I'm thinking, I'll likely shoot a lot of mild loads through it but I'd like to have just one handload using something like 185grain GoldDots that will manage to outclass the 45ACP if only by 150fps or so. I bought a 44Magnum at the same time as the 45LongColt so if I want to shoot something real fast I'll just push the 180s at 1500-1600 fps from the 44Magnum, still though I'd like to get some 185s moving from the 45LongColt. When I posted the question I TOTALLY forgot that I had a Sierra Handgun Load Manual out in the garage floating around, going out and looking through it they list a 1150fps for their max loads using the Sierra 185grn JHP and 185grn FPJ. 12.0 grains of Unique being max at 1150fps 9.4grains of 700x being max at 1150fps 14.2grains of SR4756 being max at 1150fps These are the loads they publish for the more standard strength actions which they do list the 25-5 as one of those "standard pressure" guns to load for, not like the Ruger Blackhawks or Vaquero/Bisleys. I suppose the loads published are right about the level I'm looking for, just a little warmer than a standard 185grain 45ACP.