Reloading 454 Casull

[credx2]

Folks,

I am new to reloading. I built a few hundred 45 ACP, LSWC loads for bulls eye competition and found a good load for my particular pistol so I understand reloading as far as that goes. I am now attempting to build loads for my Freedom Arms 454 Casull. I need somebody to check my math so to speak.

I have a set of Redding dies that came with the pistol. They are in like new condition. I resized new brass with these dies and they came out of the die at 0.470" outside diameter. The factory loads I have to compare it with has an outside diameter of 0.474"

Question #1: Is the difference between what my dies resized my brass to and that of the factory loads going to make a difference or more precisely make these loads dangerous.

Question #1a: is the 0.004" gap big enough to let gasses slip past the brass or will the brass expand to fit the chamber?

Question 2: I'm using Freedom Arms 260gr J-fp bullets. When I pressed them into the resized brass they create a very slight bulge in the brass where the bullet resides. The bullet actually expanded the brass to an outside diameter of 0.475". The end result is a cartridge with the top 0.35" of the bullet @ 0.475" and the remaining inch or so @ 0.470. Again is this a problem or dangerous? Or will the brass expand to the chamber?

Question #3: I have looked at the resizing die and can see no way of adjusting it or changing the overall diameter of the round; just the depth of the pin that pushes out the spent primer. Am I missing something?

Question #3: I'm using Hodgdon H110 powder. The reloading data from Freedom Arms, my Hornaday handbook and from Hodgdon all recommend a starting load of 34 - 36 grains of H110. I started with 34 grains which about fills the brass leaving just enough room for the bullet. I measured and re-measured and read the data and read it again and I'm pretty sure I have it right, but after making bulls eye loads of 3.8 grains of Bullseye, the loads for the 454 seem huge by comparison. So...before I take these out to the range and blow up my gun or me, would those of you in the know who load the 454 Casull check my work.

I think I got it right but I like my medical opinions, history lessons and now reloading with a second opinion.

I haven't crimped these bullets yet in case I need to tear them down and start over.

Thank much in advance

[mrawesome22]

Sounds like everything is going great. H110 is a slow powder and will fill the case nice. The bulge you are seeing is normal. If they chamber, crimp them up and shoot them. And hang on to your gun. That charge of H110 is going to be a very powerful round. I shoot a 240gr XTP Mag under 37gr H110 and it is a real hand full.

[Scrapperz]

Sounds like you have the same neck tension I have after resizing them. The brass will expand and seal.

When I resize my brass on a straight handgun case like this I only resize about half way down the case with no problems on my 45 Colt, 454 Casull, and 460 Mag. I have also resized only the neck part with no problems also. The less you work the case the longer they last.

[credx2]

mrawesome22 and Scrapperz

Thanks much for your feedback. I feel much more confident in what I have put together now. I'll go ahead and crimp them up tonight and see how they work this weekend. I'll let you know how it goes.

[Lost Sheep]

credx2, welcome to the forum,

Your reloading manual(s) should give the nominal cartridge dimensions. Mine says 454 Casull cartridge should be .476" and .45 Colt, .480". But they are supposed to both fit OK in the 454 Casull chamber. A little smaller is not going to be a problem, except that, as stated before, less "working" of the brass will result in longer life before the brass becomes brittle and develops cracks.

As scrapperz suggests, you can resize only that part of the cartridge that needs to grip your bullet (which is just the part you see bulged by the bullet). With slow burning powders like H110, keeping the pressure evenly high is important to maintaining a proper burn rate to avoid pressure spikes. So, a good grip on the bullet and a good crimp on the bullet are important.

If you are going to only resize a portion of the length of the cartridge, I suggest you take all five rounds fired from a cylinderfull and check to ensure that each round will fit in all five chambers (not just the one chamber it was fired from). That way, you will know that a cartridge fired in the largest chamber will still fit in the smallest chamber, even with minimal resizing. Do this right after firing, before any resizing. Freedom Arms are very precisely made guns, so I would expect all the chambers to be exactly the same size, but making sure only takes a few minutes and you will know for sure forever. You want the resized, reloaded rounds to fit in any chamber, no matter what chamber it was fired in before.

I had some bulged cases (with cast lead bullets) as you describe in my Dan Wesson .357 Magnum. DW revolvers have tight chambers. So, there I was ready to shoot with 50 rounds and I could not fit them in with a hammer. Frustrating. Check their fit in the chambers before you go out to the range.

Go forth and enjoy.

Lost Sheep

[Scrapperz]

I'm glad Lost Sheep added this he makes a good point here:

If you are going to only resize a portion of the length of the cartridge, I suggest you take all five rounds fired from a cylinderfull and check to ensure that each round will fit in all five chambers (not just the one chamber it was fired from). That way, you will know that a cartridge fired in the largest chamber will still fit in the smallest chamber, even with minimal resizing. Do this right after firing, before any resizing. Freedom Arms are very precisely made guns, so I would expect all the chambers to be exactly the same size, but making sure only takes a few minutes and you will know for sure forever. You want the resized, reloaded rounds to fit in any chamber, no matter what chamber it was fired in before.

[credx2]

As suggested I did check that my rounds chamber as loaded and will check them again when I finally get to the range to try them out. Thanks again. I sincerely appreciate the help and sound advice.

[Scrapperz]

Your Welcome, Be Safe and Have Fun. That Freedom Arms you got there is a nice gun I was looking at one too but ended up getting the 460XVR 8 3/8".

[credx2]

After being on the road most of the spring I finally got to the range with my 454 hand loads. As my Granddad used to say "HOLEY SMOKE!!!" they were powerful. More so than the Winchester factory load I had run through it before. More power than I need as I don’t see an Alaskan moose or Cape buffalo in my future. Anyone have any experience loading H110 under the recommended 34 grains with a FA 260g bullet. I have read some concerns about squibs. I don’t need to go way under just enough to make the round more manageable but remain reliable. I have a whole jar of H110 I hate to not use it but if 34 grains is the minimum I'll have to switch to a different powder. I have loaded a bunch of 45LC for plinking that are easy on the hand but what’s the sense of having a Ferrari if you’re going to drive the speed limit.

I appreciate any guidance

Thanks

[Lost Sheep]

Go to Hogdon's web site and read what they say about H110 powder and reduced loads.

H110 requires high pressure to burn right and if not properly set up, can experience pressure spikes which can produce catastrophic failure. The mechanism by which this occurs is not completely understood, even by ballisticians and the performance is erratic. Sometimes the powder burns nicely and sometimes it doesn't and sometimes guns blow up and sometimes they don't.

If you want reduced loads, you have to switch to a different powder. 2400 is a good one for mid-range to warm. For fun plinking, Trail Boss is excellent. Unique is good, too, but does not fill the case but about a quarter of the way, so care to avoid double-charged cases must be exercised (and uncharged cases are easy to miss, too).

H110 has its place, and it is at the top of the heap for full-performance loadings, but that is its only place.

Caveats and disclaimers:

Remember, only believe half of what you see and one quarter of what you hear. That goes double for what you get from the internet. Even this post.

Do your own independent, confirming research when ANYONE gives you new facts on the web.

Also remember, even the idiotic stuff might have a kernel of truth buried in there somewhere.

Lost Sheep

[Doodlebugger45]

As mentioned, you can't go very light with H110. I have experimented with 4227 and TiteGroup for reduced charge loads in my 454. For some reason I get unburned powder using the 4227. I don't get thata in my 480 Ruger though with the same powder. The TiteGroup worked really well though for a mid range load. When I was looking for those types of loads I didn't have any 2400 powder. Now I do though and I think I'll give that a try.

[mrawesome22]

I have no needs for reduced loads in my 454Casull. I have a 357RemMag for that. It was stated earlier, what's the point of having a Ferrari if you are just going to drive it 25mph? LOL I bought one of the most powerful handguns in the world. It deserves to be feed the good stuff. LOL

[Scrapperz]

credx2,
You can also try using Trailboss which is a reduced load powder also. Check out this link >>>http://hodgdon.com/PDF/Trail-Boss-data.pdf

[credx2]

I'll save that H110 for when I want to go racing and try something with a little less gusto for the milk runs.

I have a 45 LC cylinder for my FA and some trail boss I use for 45 Long Colt that is really pleasant and accurat to shoot at the range.

Thanks for the info and the advice.

[Lococop]

I am glad you are having a blast with your 454 reload. I too reload the 454 along with my 45 Colt and 460 S&W Mag. That 454 is a hell of a round especially with the H110 which what I also use. I have the S&W 460 Mag Performance Center revolver. Even though the 460 is a more powerful round, the 454 doesn't fall to far behind. Nice job of the Freedoms Arms.

[m&p45acp10+1]

454 Casull
Barrel: 7.5" ■ Twist: 1-24" ■ Primer:CCI 400 ■ Bullet Dia.: .452"
No.9 250 HDY XTP 25.2 1,558 28.0 1,770 45,800 1.700
No.9 300 SIE JSP 23.4 1,404 26.0 1,596 46,200 1.765
4100 240 SIE JHC 28.6 1,639 31.8 1,822 42,601 1.735
4100 260 NOS PART 26.8 1,559 29.8 1,733 52,698 1.735
4100 300 NOS PART 25.0 1,448 27.8 1,609 50,629 1.750
5744 240 SIE JHP 31.5 1,489 35.0 1,693 51,800 1.705
5744 250 NOS JHP 30.6 1,518 34.0 1,726 52,600 1.700
5744 300 HDY XTP 28.8 1,381 32.0 1,570 52,600 1.765
1680 240 SIE JHP 32.4 1,498 36.0 1,702 42,200 1.705
1680 250 HDY XTP 33.3 1,547 37.0 1,758 49,100 1.700
1680 300 HDY XTP 30.2 1,403 33.5 1,594 49,600 1.765
Lead Bullets
4100 335 CP WLNGC 23.2 1,363 25.8 1,515 52,550 1.760
4100 370 CP WLNGC 21.4 1,245 23.8 1,384 47,477 1.770
4100 395 CP WLNGC 19.7 1,181 21.8 1,312 47,576 1.770
5744 250 LC RN FP 26.1 1,347 29.0 1,531 37,100 1.750
5744 300 MCB WP FB 24.3 1,260 27.0 1,432 45,500 1.690
1680 300 LC FP 27.0 1,229 30.0 1,397 33,700 1.690
Barnes XPB Bullets
No. 7 250 BAR XPB 19.6 1,517 21.8 1,686 54,850 1.780
This is from Acurate Arms If you do not have the data it is available in a free download from thier website it is in Adobe reader for.
I have not loaded for .454 Cassul yet. I do like using AA#9 with my .41 mag It is a step below H110.