be careful

I am going to try to work up some loads using hs6 powder and some 200 grn polymer coated bullets soon ! be careful dont go to low or ignition may be a problem ! Thats a big case to fill when you use the casull brass and the small bullet ! i had a a squib load that stuck in the barrel unnoticed by me and ruined my barrel when i fired a second round ! i posted about it on ruger.com and The High road forums ! Kevin

 

Why no just shoot some 45 Colt loads in it?

 

why not just shoot .45 colt ?

i have limited experience with shooting .45 colt in my srh454 but it seemed to me that the slower colt loads were not as accurate in my gun as the lower powered Casull loads ! I f you load the lighter bullets in the .454 the recoil is reduced substantailly ! i think it is because of the gap left by the shorter colt cartridge in the casull cylinder and the rifling pitch in the .454 is 1 turn in 24 vs 1 in 16 for most colt guns ! i think the slower pitch barrels need a touch more velocity to shoot well ! Kevin

 

I had the same experience shooting .45 colts in my SRH .454. I think you will find that using as fast as the bullet can contend with in .45 colt loads will increase accuracy measurably.I find shooting high end .45's alot more enjoyable the .454's!!! the recoil of the high end .45's are about like a .357 with 158's!!! Be sure your are not leading barrel seems every cast bullet has it's own personality!!! The load i use is going about 1150fps but they are very hard cast. Shooting these from my .45 sheriff's model is not alot of fun, but in the SRH a real pussycat!!!

 

thanks for the input

That is about what I want to develop ! i was thinking 200 grn bullet at about 1300-1400 fps from a casull case ( i dont want to cause errosion in the cylinder from using colt cases ) but havent seen exactly what i want yet ! Thanks Kevin

 

I don't think erosion will be a problem; more the issue will be residue build up from the shorter cases. Good cleaning regime wil erdicate this trouble. I have had my SRH for 3 years and switch back and forth with no problem. I don't think you will find load data like you are looking for as way below manual minimums. Be very careful trying to devlop loads as described as erratic pressures can develop especially with slower burning powders such as win 296; imr 4227; and 2400 hercules!!!!take care let me know where you are going with this!!!!!!!!!!!!P.S. also rember with faster burning powders pressures will peak very quickly with the small rifle primers used in the .454 cases!!!They are much hotter than standard large pistol primers!!!!!!!!

 

I bought another manual that is a compilation of several different manufactures data !1 it is called one book/one load i got it from Midway ! in it i found a load for 200 grain bullet using IMR 800-x listed MV = 1314 pressure is 18,400 cup ! now all I need is to find some 800x powder ! I was alos considering using a pinch of fiberfill to keep the powder in place ! Any thoughts ? Kevin

 

Hi Kevin,
Those light 200gr loads should be in the 45 Colt case,no filler.
Use only the recommended starting loads.
Was reading about "duplex" loads-Please,don't do it.
Dick Casull,when he was developing loads,a couple powders didn't exist.So he used a "triplex" load.In one of my magazines, the writer told of how much of which powder.
Dick Casull destroyed several 45 frames.
Since there's 296,and H110 available,no need to experiment with "duplex/triplex" loads.
You sure can use "Ruger Only" in the 454.And then some !
Any "cowboy" loads can be fired in the Casull.
I agree with Gunnut45/454 on this.As the pressures are quite high with the regular 454 loads.
That's the reason why rifle primers are used.Most cases are now small rifle primer pockets.
I do have some made for the large rifle primers.
You can go over to the Freedom Arms website.At the very bottom, is "reloads".Save this either as an HTML,or better yet, as TXT.Or, by snail mail,request the loading sheet from them.
My best to you.

 

8oo-x a mid range burn rater powder. Duplex loads can be tricky.You must be sure to layer and compress if I am correct. Any other input to say otherwise appreciated.Where did you get that data??I f i would try I would use a slower rate powder so as to use more volume!!!I am considering selling SRH as .45's not quite accurate enough and .454's too violent!!!Been eyeing a .45 redhawk!!Take Care let us know wher you ended up!!!

 

BE careful of leading I LEARNED THE HARD WAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

The manual i have is

te manual I have is called the complete reloading manual for the 454 casull ! it is says onebook/one caliber on the top ! you can find them at Midaway or their website is http://loadbooks.com . It includes data from several bullet and powder manufacturers !
As for the duplex loads !! i have no intention of creating a duplex load ( 2 types of powder in one case ) that is way over my head ! I found a load for IMR powder for 200 grain bullets using imr 800x powder that seems that it will do exactly what I want it to do ! Kevin

 

Misunderstood!!!!!!!!!

Sorry about that !! You must be talking of some other fill techinque I am not familiar of.I am going to try one more time with the cannon. loading some 240 xtp's at book minimum if I cannot tolerate Off she goes!!!! I really think the .45 redhawk the answer to my needs!!!Shot a beaver with 250 gr in the spinal cord about blew the head off!!Only hide holding head on carcass!!!![angling away at about 40yards]Let me know how she goes!!!.454's are definately a different copared to .38, .357, or.45 colt!!!

 

I found the 800X powder yesterday at BPS so I hope today i will get the loads made up ! i am using the remains of my Masterblaster polymer coated bullets for these loads ! if it works well i will have to find another bullet to use ! i wont get a chance to shoot until next week ! i will keep you posted !I have soem 240grain XTPs loaded allready and some 300 grain speer gdhp ! Most of my loads are using Lil Gun powder ! The fiber fill I was refering to is pillow stuffing that is put in the case ontop of the powder but under the bullet to hold the powder charge in place ! I have never done it but I have read about it ! it can be useful with large cases and low powder charges especially ! kevin

 

Well i loaded up the 200 grain bullets with the 800X powder ! 13 grains of powder should give a velocity 1314 fps at only 18400 CUP this should be about the same as a ruger only colt 45 load!but using the .454 case ! The only problem I had is that the 800x powder is kinda chuncky (large irregular particles ) I found that if i used the lee perfect powder measure and tapped it twice between powder drops to get a consitant drop ! I will hopefully shot them next week ! right now i am fighting a bad cold and fever and am too achy to shoot ! Kevin

 

finally shot the .454 today 1

Well i shot those 200 grain loads with 800X powder this afternoon ! i have to say they were very pleasant to shoot ! felt about like .45 colt loads ! the accuracy is yet to be determined ! The groups were about 1 1/2 inches at 25 yards ! But i only shot 18 rounds and i am out of practice and didnt have a rest other than letting my hand rest on the bench while shooting ! they will make a good practice load though really mild you could shoot them all day ! I also shot 6 rounds of 240grn jhp over Lilgun this load is sweet ! i fired 6 rounds and ended up with 2 3 shot groups of about 3/4" at 2o'clock and 10 o'clock in the 10 ring of the 25 yard bullseye target ! i am meeting the guys i work with in the morning at the outdoor range so i wanted to save some of the loads for longer distance testing ! Kevin !

 

finally shot the .454 today 1

Well i shot those 200 grain loads with 800X powder this afternoon ! i have to say they were very pleasant to shoot ! felt about like .45 colt loads ! the accuracy is yet to be determined ! The groups were about 1 1/2 inches at 25 yards ! But i only shot 18 rounds and i am out of practice and didnt have a rest other than letting my hand rest on the bench while shooting ! they will make a good practice load though really mild you could shoot them all day ! I also shot 6 rounds of 240grn jhp over Lilgun this load is sweet ! i fired 6 rounds and ended up with 2 3 shot groups of about 3/4" at 2o'clock and 10 o'clock in the 10 ring of the 25 yard bullseye target ! i am meeting the guys i work with in the morning at the outdoor range so i wanted to save some of the loads for longer distance testing ! Kevin !

 

GSPKurt
I just use 454 Cases and use light 45 LC load data! You can also drop down to SP primers instead Mag primers! Just remember don't use SP primer with Regular Casull loads -Bad JuJU!!

 

Well I got some .454's reloaded last week, then shot them. They were going 1650 with 240 xtp,This cannon is WAAAY to much for me. I had neck surgery last winter and after the ok from the doc he said i would know when it is too much recoil. The loads shot great tough about 3 inch group at 75 yards. then tried some .45 colt loads going about 1050fps and the groups opened up dramaticley. probababley 8 inch groups. This the final straw for the SRH it is a fine gun but downloading really tears up the accuracy. I guess the SRH is going on the trading block.I don't know maybe a M&P .45 or a 345 ruger, something that is a little tamer.

 

It seems you have made the same observation about velocity that I made with respect to accuracy ! I dont know where anyone got the idea that i was going to try duplex loads ! There is no way i am going to attempt any load that i dont find published in a manual ! There is allready too much variablity in the reloading process ! i am striving to reduce it not add to it !
Conibear ! sorry you have had such a hard time ! I still think you can shoot the SRH if you go down to 200 grain bullets ! you can get the velocity up where it needs to be without nearly as much recoil ! Believe me the 200 grain bullets barely moved my SRH! Kevin