45 Colt SWC Lever Action

Mr.RevolverGuy · May 24, 2009, 01:24 PM

Has anyone had luck reloading SWC in lever actions. I am looking to buy a lever action in 45 colt to go with my S&W performance center picture below.

I have worked up some great loads with Trail Boss Powder. I have about 4000 lead SWC bullets and it would be great if these same loads would work in the lever I plan to purchase. I am loading them to an oal of 1.600' it seems length is usually the determining factor. Before I go out to the bench to try and load some up I would love to hear from the experts whom have got SWC to cycle in their lever's.

res45 · May 24, 2009, 08:43 PM

Nice shooting looks like you have a great load worked up. I have no personal experience using SWC in a lever gun,from what I have read they tend to hang up and not feed as well with some rifles. You can give them a try only your rifle will determine that,but your best bet would probably be to stick with RN bullets.

I'm sure someone on the board can give you some better insight if the SWC feed or not.

OD#3 · May 25, 2009, 11:30 PM

I have reloaded a lot of 45 Colt 255 SWC for my Rossi Model 92. They were superbly accurate (I actually used to hunt groundhogs with them), and I only began handloading for them after watching those slow factory Winchester Silvertips arc through the air. I used the 45 Colt rifle data from Lyman's 47th reloading handbook and used about 10.5 grains of AA#5. This gave really good velocity out of that Model 92. Feeding was excellent, but I had to seat it deeply (crimped over the front band). Lube was liquid alox which completely prevented any leading. Good luck!

TEDDY · May 27, 2009, 06:12 PM

I use what I load for my ruger blackhawk. 9.5 unique,255 gr SWC.works in my winchester trapper.980fts in ruger and 1150 in winny.

Mr.RevolverGuy · May 27, 2009, 06:29 PM

I think my best bet is to stay away from SWC. I have been experimenting with my friends Puma 92. It will not take any swc no matter if I load them long or even short. I made a dummy round where I seated the SWC so that the crimp was over the edge slightly and it still failed to feed.

Now I am second guessing if I want a lever in 45 Colt now because the headache.

Tucker 2 · May 27, 2009, 10:01 PM

I started out reloading .38 spl. because I have a rifle and revolver in that caliber. I have used .38 spl. swc in my Marlin 1894c without problems.

zxcvbob · May 27, 2009, 10:08 PM

I can make SWC's work in my Marlin (.357/.38) but they are rough -- they catch going into the chamber and I have to force them. Flat-points work a *lot* better, and they make just as nice holes in paper from the revolvers.

Joat · May 28, 2009, 12:44 AM

I tried loading 240gr swc for my Marlin and had issues with feeding reliably until I played with the OAL. It was trial and error but I did get them to work reliably as long as the action was worked smoothly at about mid speed.
I finally switched to RNFP for CAS as I needed to go faster than the SWC would allow.

Joat

Magnum Wheel Man · May 28, 2009, 06:22 AM

Personally I wouldn't give up on the 45 Colt rifle ( even though I don't have one

but could see getting one in the future )

I'd go ahead & get the rifle, then work on developing a load that works good in both... maybe a trunctuaed cone, or flat point with a radiused algive or ???

but I'm sure you could come up with a load that shoots equally well in both guns if you wanted to ( I get quite alot of satisfaction doing just that )

RidgwayCO · May 28, 2009, 10:29 AM

Don't give up on the lever action idea. I've got a Marlin 1894S in .44 Magnum/Special that I had cut down to 16 1/2" to make it "handier". I've gotten more admiring looks and comments about that rifle than any of my other guns. The gunsmith who did the work for me says that his other customers who saw it all had favorable comments as well.

It shoots well too, just not with LSWC bullets. Sure they're accurate, but the LSWC rounds sometimes hang up while feeding. But with LRNFP bullets, the Marlin operates like greased lightning. I only shoot .44 Special out of this rifle (home defense), and even after being cut down it still holds 9 rounds.

So all you have to do is buy some 250gr LRNFP bullets in .452" and you're set to reload for that lever action. And you always need more bullets anyway, right?

steamroller · May 28, 2009, 12:38 PM

I tried some Speer 250gr SWC in my new Puma .45 LC the first time out and they were 50-50 as far as freely loading. My magazine holds 10 rounds and 5 of them bound up but I could eject them OK. I did 50 rounds and the last 30 or so I loaded like a single shot. I have since used 240gr Lead Round Nose Flat Points from TrueLine and have gone through almost 200 without a single bind. They are Brinnel 17-18 hardness and the flat point presents no problem with contact of the primer in the round ahead of it.

May 24, 2009, 01:24 PM	#1
Mr.RevolverGuy Senior Member Join Date: February 24, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 991	45 Colt SWC Lever Action Has anyone had luck reloading SWC in lever actions. I am looking to buy a lever action in 45 colt to go with my S&W performance center picture below. I have worked up some great loads with Trail Boss Powder. I have about 4000 lead SWC bullets and it would be great if these same loads would work in the lever I plan to purchase. I am loading them to an oal of 1.600' it seems length is usually the determining factor. Before I go out to the bench to try and load some up I would love to hear from the experts whom have got SWC to cycle in their lever's. Last edited by Mr.RevolverGuy; May 24, 2009 at 03:49 PM.

May 24, 2009, 08:43 PM	#2
res45 Senior Member Join Date: September 15, 2007 Location: NC Posts: 753	Nice shooting looks like you have a great load worked up. I have no personal experience using SWC in a lever gun,from what I have read they tend to hang up and not feed as well with some rifles. You can give them a try only your rifle will determine that,but your best bet would probably be to stick with RN bullets. I'm sure someone on the board can give you some better insight if the SWC feed or not. __________________ The Reloaders Network discord Channel https://discord.gg/Nafuzht

May 27, 2009, 06:12 PM	#4
TEDDY Junior member Join Date: December 10, 2006 Location: MANNING SC Posts: 837	45 colt I use what I load for my ruger blackhawk. 9.5 unique,255 gr SWC.works in my winchester trapper.980fts in ruger and 1150 in winny.

May 27, 2009, 10:08 PM	#7
zxcvbob Senior Member Join Date: December 20, 2007 Location: S.E. Minnesota Posts: 4,720	I can make SWC's work in my Marlin (.357/.38) but they are rough -- they catch going into the chamber and I have to force them. Flat-points work a lot better, and they make just as nice holes in paper from the revolvers. __________________ "Everything they do is so dramatic and flamboyant. It just makes me want to set myself on fire!" —Lucille Bluth

May 28, 2009, 12:44 AM	#8
Joat Senior Member Join Date: March 31, 2008 Location: Dayton, TX Posts: 383	I tried loading 240gr swc for my Marlin and had issues with feeding reliably until I played with the OAL. It was trial and error but I did get them to work reliably as long as the action was worked smoothly at about mid speed. I finally switched to RNFP for CAS as I needed to go faster than the SWC would allow. Joat __________________ All things being equal, fat people use more soap. (I know I am one.) High speed, low drag does not even come close to describing ME.

May 25, 2009, 11:30 PM	#3
OD#3 Junior Member Join Date: December 27, 2006 Posts: 12	I have reloaded a lot of 45 Colt 255 SWC for my Rossi Model 92. They were superbly accurate (I actually used to hunt groundhogs with them), and I only began handloading for them after watching those slow factory Winchester Silvertips arc through the air. I used the 45 Colt rifle data from Lyman's 47th reloading handbook and used about 10.5 grains of AA#5. This gave really good velocity out of that Model 92. Feeding was excellent, but I had to seat it deeply (crimped over the front band). Lube was liquid alox which completely prevented any leading. Good luck!

May 27, 2009, 06:29 PM	#5
Mr.RevolverGuy Senior Member Join Date: February 24, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 991	I think my best bet is to stay away from SWC. I have been experimenting with my friends Puma 92. It will not take any swc no matter if I load them long or even short. I made a dummy round where I seated the SWC so that the crimp was over the edge slightly and it still failed to feed. Now I am second guessing if I want a lever in 45 Colt now because the headache.

May 27, 2009, 10:01 PM	#6
Tucker 2 Member Join Date: September 19, 2006 Posts: 95	I started out reloading .38 spl. because I have a rifle and revolver in that caliber. I have used .38 spl. swc in my Marlin 1894c without problems.

May 28, 2009, 06:22 AM	#9
Magnum Wheel Man Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2006 Location: Southern Minnesota Posts: 9,333	Personally I wouldn't give up on the 45 Colt rifle ( even though I don't have one but could see getting one in the future ) I'd go ahead & get the rifle, then work on developing a load that works good in both... maybe a trunctuaed cone, or flat point with a radiused algive or ??? but I'm sure you could come up with a load that shoots equally well in both guns if you wanted to ( I get quite alot of satisfaction doing just that ) __________________ In life you either make dust or eat dust...

May 28, 2009, 10:29 AM	#10
RidgwayCO Senior Member Join Date: March 22, 2008 Location: Western Colorado Posts: 244	Don't give up on the lever action idea. I've got a Marlin 1894S in .44 Magnum/Special that I had cut down to 16 1/2" to make it "handier". I've gotten more admiring looks and comments about that rifle than any of my other guns. The gunsmith who did the work for me says that his other customers who saw it all had favorable comments as well. It shoots well too, just not with LSWC bullets. Sure they're accurate, but the LSWC rounds sometimes hang up while feeding. But with LRNFP bullets, the Marlin operates like greased lightning. I only shoot .44 Special out of this rifle (home defense), and even after being cut down it still holds 9 rounds. So all you have to do is buy some 250gr LRNFP bullets in .452" and you're set to reload for that lever action. And you always need more bullets anyway, right?

May 28, 2009, 12:38 PM	#11
steamroller Member Join Date: January 20, 2009 Location: South Carolina Posts: 18	45 Colt in Lever Action I tried some Speer 250gr SWC in my new Puma .45 LC the first time out and they were 50-50 as far as freely loading. My magazine holds 10 rounds and 5 of them bound up but I could eject them OK. I did 50 rounds and the last 30 or so I loaded like a single shot. I have since used 240gr Lead Round Nose Flat Points from TrueLine and have gone through almost 200 without a single bind. They are Brinnel 17-18 hardness and the flat point presents no problem with contact of the primer in the round ahead of it.