Reeder Custom Guns - .45 Colt Pressure Data

I am not sure if I posted this before. If I did just ignore this. :-P

Years back John Linebaugh helped me get .45 Colt loads pressure-tested at Hodgdon's in their pressure barrel. John had built the pressure barrel for them and had access to it whenever they weren't running tests.

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comparative numbers. The .357, .44, .454 CUP data we had before it went to PSI were much higher. Even the humble .22 WMR has shockingly higher CUP. But the cylinder thickness at the bolt cut is pretty whimpy on some .45 Colts.

An old 1960's SA copy is a little iffy, but a Ruger Blackhawk or much less a Redhawk is no worry for me. The S&W M25 needs a little more gentle consideration.

Most of those loads are way more that what I care for on a daily or sustained basis.

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The 300 gr. load will not fit a Colt or Colt-size cylinder. It's too long.

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Crimp into the top grease groove. Makes the OAL too long for the weaker guns.

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168/174 gr. in a similar manner within .38 Special cases, at .357 Magnum power levels. They would not fit a .38 Special Chamber I ever saw. I think that was the intent. You could load .357's with the same bullet but you had to seat it funky so it did not protrude from the end of the cylinder. It was exactly the same OAL and capacity as the forementioned .38 "magnum" loads.

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hotter 45Colt loads. Trying 255/250gr bullets with 2400, higher charges if Unique and longshot.

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under a 300 gr. cast LEE bullet. Velocity was right at 1000 fps in a 5.5" Ruger. I think 1680 is almost too slow burn rate, but safe.

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.45 Colt Pressure Data

That's not too scary, considering true Magnum CUP

These were all Ruger Blackhawk loads.

That is a very good idea. I used to load Keith's

I thought that looked like a .45/70 bullet, resized.

It's the old Lyman .45-90 bullet.

Thanks Jim! I’ve recently been toying with

I think I had almost a compressed charge of 1680