.454 Casull Reloading

[jeffreyulatan]

Just purchased a .454 Casull from buds today, and was looking into getting everything to reload .454. I already reload numerous calibers such as 44, .223, 45s, and 7.63x54r. However I have not reloaded .454

Just wondering if you can use a .452 (45 ACP) bullet for reloading .454.

[hounddawg]

here ya go

http://www.reloadammo.com/454casull.htm

[Edward429451]

Yes you can but with the acp bullets having no cannelure they would be very mild loads and taper crimped.

[smokin54]

Make sure the bullet you use will stand up to the pressures used in the 454 , I was pushing some hornady 240 grain bullets pretty hard and had a core seperate from the jacket . spoke with hornady and found that the bullet was designed for a 1500 fps max. If you use a 230 grain they a typically designed for a 45acp at much less velocity than the 454 typically shoots . My 454 really starts to shine with 300 grain bullets

[50 shooter]

Be sure you crimp them well, stout loads can actually pull bullets out of the cases in the cylinder. I've seen it happen and it locked up the pistol, had to push the bullets back in to get the cylinder open.

[mmb713]

For full power 454 loads DO NOT use bullets designed for 45 auto. They could wreck your gun. For full power loads only use bullets designed for the 454. Even bullets designed for the 45 Colt shouldn't be pushed to 454 pressure levels. They can obturate and ruin the forcing cone. For mild loads you can use regular 45 bullets but for full power loads stick with bullets made for 454 pressure levels.

[mrawesome22]

Originally Posted by jeffreyulatan

Just purchased a .454 Casull from buds today, and was looking into getting everything to reload .454. I already reload numerous calibers such as 44, .223, 45s, and 7.63x54r. However I have not reloaded .454

Just wondering if you can use a .452 (45 ACP) bullet for reloading .454.

No. You need bullets designed to handle the pressures and velocity the Casull generates.

This is a hunting cartridge with impressive speed and recoil. It's not a plinker.

[cdoc42]

I agree with all posts above. Do not use thin-walled copper jacketed bullets. I use 300gr Hornady XTP without a problem. I had used 200gr Speer for some time but I was probably just lucky nothing happened. About that time I also had a Ruger Super Blackhawk in .44 Mag that I loaded hot and used Speer bullets. I fired a shot and the bullet went about 4 feet to the left and hit the bank at 25 yards. I looked at the gun and the barrel was split like a piece of bamboo. With the help of Ruger I discovered the problem: the thin copper jacket bullets at high velocity separate and leave a ring of copper in the barrel which reduces the internal diameter and acts like an obstruction - that split the barrel. Had it been a total obstruction, more damage. I was lucky. You do not want that to happen with the .454.

[Edward429451]

That does make a lot of sense about the jackets and keeping to design speeds for the bullet. Perhaps I should clarify my statement with...I only shoot lead boolits so have nothing to separate.

[Mike / Tx]

Double Post...(cat thought she would help)

[Mike / Tx]

Just purchased a .454 Casull from buds today, and was looking into getting everything to reload .454. I already reload numerous calibers such as 44, .223, 45s, and 7.63x54r. However I have not reloaded .454

Just wondering if you can use a .452 (45 ACP) bullet for reloading .454.

In a nutshell, as mentioned above, NOT with standard 454 loads. If you pick up some 45 Colt cases, you would use them with standard 45 Colt loads, but not Ruger/TC loads. You CAN however use most other .452" bullets which are designed for the Colt pressures, with the Ruger/TC loads. I would however stay away from the lighter weight Gold Dot, or Deep Curl with the +P Colt loads. Or if your simply looking for target loads, you might contact Hodgdon and ask them about using Trailboss with the standard 454 cases, and what loads and bullets they might reccomend. That would be the ONLY chance I would take using anything jacketed, other than what is designed for the pressures of the 454.

If you REALLY want to bring out the best with your new 454, you should look hard and heavy at cast bullets in the 265gr and up range, which use a gas checked bullet. You may or may not need the GC, but it sure does help with any leading you might get with the upper loads, and pressures you will get with this caliber. There are several commercial cast bullets which are very well suited to the 454. I haven't used anything but the Cast Performance in their 265 and 300gr gas checked versions, but they both shot excellent and preformed VERY well on hogs. (don't expect to recover one though)

It only took me a little while to discover that I could get better accuracy, and performance from cast than anything I found with the jacketed, and cleaning was quite a bit easier as well. Like I mentioned above, I started out with cast using the Cast Performance 265gr, then the 300gr, and after shooting the 300's decided that was the weight I wanted to use. I ordered a Lee C452-300RF 6 cavity mold, and after some research, a bit of Q & A from some very knowledgable folks over at the Castboolit site, I was up and running. Below is a link to my post showing a simple water test. I didn't bother with gallon jugs as I didn't figure I had enough to stop them. (click on the big blue link in the post for the short vid clip)
Lee C452-300-RF Water Test....

These were simply poured up from straight wheel weights, lubed with what is referred to as Recluse Lube or 45/45/10. All it amounts to is Lee Alox, Johnson's Paste Wax, and Mineral Spirits. I tumble lube them once, then install the GC and run them through the Lee sizer, then lube again and they are ready to load. I have run them up to 1700fps with no leading noted, but decided that particular load was simply way more than I needed and have backed it down to an average of 1550fps. They are VERY acurate out to 100yds, and will easily take anything you have the desire to drop the hammer on within the lower 48.

I'm not advocating that the Lee is the "best" design out there, I simply went with that mold due to production, and initial cost to get started. I figured it would be easy to learn with and "IF" I liked the result, I would look into something possibly a bit better. The fact is however, it pours excellent bullets which shoot great from my revolver, and I haven't seen the need to upgrade.

Anyway hope you find something that you like with yours. I know that from the first shot on a hog, I was hooked with cast, and even though I have an ample supply of jacketed which were designed for the 454, I doubt seriously I will ever shoot them. When you can draw down and dump a running hog on it's nose at 80+ yards, what else do you need?

[Gbro]

You didn't say what your .454 Casull is. If it is a Freedom Arms Revolver you can use the tables that are listed on their web site. I have a bud that loads them for his T/C Enchore but that's his business.
Found here http://http://www.freedomarms.com/loading.html
I have to watch my COL very close and the use of .45 Colt is not recommended in the magnum cylinder. I have the colt cylinder but don't use it at all.
Absolute pleasure to shoot except when shooting from a rest.