I am going to be loading for my 1894 in 45 colt to be used for short range deer, bear, and hogs. What bullets have you experienced that do well with a combination of penetration and expansion? Most of the bullet manufacturers responded that they don't publish +p loads. Speer did recommend their new deep curl 250 gr. Any help would be appreciated.
1894 45 Colt +p loads
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Look up the leverguns forum, Paco Kelly has a good article on the very subject. I'd be looking for loads with LBT bullet designs. Another source is John Linebaugh's web site. John is considered the father of stiff .45 loads. Paco Kelly rates the 1894 guns to 40,000cup I believe. With John's theories/loads I'd think 30,000 to be a reasonable maximum. Trust me, that is a handful in a handgun and a lot of power besides...Good luck, Steve.
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Welcome to the forums kfran. I hope you enjoy your membership here as it is a great site. You might want to post this in the "Reloading" forum down the home page as you will probably get more replies.
In the meantime, I'll look up some of my hotter .45 colt loads for you.
bjm
In the meantime, I'll look up some of my hotter .45 colt loads for you.
bjm
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kfran, welcome to MO from central Florida. You might as well head over to this thread and join Team 1894.
1895gunner
1895gunner
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I don't have any experience loading +p loads for mine yet either but am interested down the road once my reloading experience and confidence improves.
http://www.leverguns.com/articles/paco/45coltlevergun.htm
With the big 300 to 350 gr 45 Colts, penetration usually come in first over any expansion needs.
http://www.leverguns.com/articles/fryxell/marlin_1894.htm
http://www.leverguns.com/articles/paco/45coltlevergun.htm
With the big 300 to 350 gr 45 Colts, penetration usually come in first over any expansion needs.
http://www.leverguns.com/articles/fryxell/marlin_1894.htm
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Interesting topic for me personally in that I was pressure testing my TLC454-290-RF on Friday out of my 1894S. First things first.
Most do not realize that the trick behind successful +P loads is the brass. +P brass is thicker and is marked "+P" on the rim. Each .001" of thickness added can contain approximately 6K PSI! Our Marlins are strong but a case failure in the chamber can still have some catastrophic results. 45 Colt +P brass is not offered as a reloading component. Buffalo Bore offers 45 Colt +P ammo but the brass is made to their spec by Starline. Back to my efforts.
Remembering that a 45 Colt has a 14.0K PSI SAAMI spec (16.0K CIP) my shooting at 35.0K to 40.0 PSI reflects the need to consider the useful case life of the 45 Colt. Case walls are the same spec for the 45 Colt as the 44 Mag but the 45 Colt does demonstrate stress at the web with these heavy loads.
Most do not realize that the trick behind successful +P loads is the brass. +P brass is thicker and is marked "+P" on the rim. Each .001" of thickness added can contain approximately 6K PSI! Our Marlins are strong but a case failure in the chamber can still have some catastrophic results. 45 Colt +P brass is not offered as a reloading component. Buffalo Bore offers 45 Colt +P ammo but the brass is made to their spec by Starline. Back to my efforts.
Remembering that a 45 Colt has a 14.0K PSI SAAMI spec (16.0K CIP) my shooting at 35.0K to 40.0 PSI reflects the need to consider the useful case life of the 45 Colt. Case walls are the same spec for the 45 Colt as the 44 Mag but the 45 Colt does demonstrate stress at the web with these heavy loads.
Hi boys, new to this site so bare with me. I have a 1894 marlin CB lmtd. that i want to use about a 270-280 gr. lead bullet for a heavy load. I know that the Marlin is limited on pressures so I am looking to get as high of velocity that is safe. Powders to be used would like to be on the slow side in order to move the pressure spike down the barrel a little further. Would like any and all input that is safe. Bob O. out!
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Welcome to the two new members in this thread, Kfran and BadBob.
I have no idea what reloading experience either of you has, but if you are just getting into reloading, please don't start with +p loads. Use the published loads, even take them to the max published loads, and try those for a while. If you are new to reloading, you need to get the hand loading routines down to where an overload is only an extremely rare possibility, before you go beyond the published loads. A +p load will not turn the .45 Colt into a 45-70. Increases in velocity are really quite modest. The .45 Colt is quite effective in it's own right. It throws a heavy bullet, and makes a big hole. That's a very effective combination.
Be careful, stay healthy my friends...
I have no idea what reloading experience either of you has, but if you are just getting into reloading, please don't start with +p loads. Use the published loads, even take them to the max published loads, and try those for a while. If you are new to reloading, you need to get the hand loading routines down to where an overload is only an extremely rare possibility, before you go beyond the published loads. A +p load will not turn the .45 Colt into a 45-70. Increases in velocity are really quite modest. The .45 Colt is quite effective in it's own right. It throws a heavy bullet, and makes a big hole. That's a very effective combination.
Be careful, stay healthy my friends...
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Look for accuracy first, make your brass last longer. I don't push the limits in any of my loads.
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Welcome guys, I shoot the 300 grain XTP bullets got a friend that loads to 1100 fps. I have taken a lot of hogs with it at short range with a Blackhawk it really hammers them quickly. Never shot a deer with it but I have no doubt it would be very effective. Never shot a bear so I have no idea.
Good link, I have it in my saved favorites.
Hunting load for my 45 Colt in Rossi 92R 24" barrel.
280 gr cast GC bullet: start at 19.5gr of 300-MP and work up. I was getting blow by from the case not sealing until 20.0 gr. This powder is a little slower like H110 or Lil'Gun. I topped out at 21.0-21.5 gr at 1,550 - 1,600 fps. Watch for pressure signs on the primer and lower case bulge as you go.
Very accurate. When I want to make the 100 ram dance, I pull these out in the lever silhouette match. Only issue is recoil and muzzle blast. I get complaints form those on both sides of me. Good for a few shots, not 40 or 50 in an afternoon of shooting.
Hunting load for my 45 Colt in Rossi 92R 24" barrel.
280 gr cast GC bullet: start at 19.5gr of 300-MP and work up. I was getting blow by from the case not sealing until 20.0 gr. This powder is a little slower like H110 or Lil'Gun. I topped out at 21.0-21.5 gr at 1,550 - 1,600 fps. Watch for pressure signs on the primer and lower case bulge as you go.
Very accurate. When I want to make the 100 ram dance, I pull these out in the lever silhouette match. Only issue is recoil and muzzle blast. I get complaints form those on both sides of me. Good for a few shots, not 40 or 50 in an afternoon of shooting.
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Agreed,
Follow published data and learn what to look for to catch pressure indicators early is very sound advice. I would add Unique to the list of powders to start with as well.
Your remarks regarding the 45 Colt not being a 45-70 are also true. However, my 1885 low wall with a 410 gr .441" bullet plus 2 layers of notebook paper to complete a .451" bullet produces trapdoor level performance safely. Yes, good old paper patch. The best accuracy is around 1,050 fps and I stopped at 1,350 with no excessive pressure using Federal large pistol match primers. It was more the steel crescent butt plate on a 6 pound rifle with little wood to grip that made more velocity counter productive for off-hand accuracy and a 60 year old shoulder.
roud:
Follow published data and learn what to look for to catch pressure indicators early is very sound advice. I would add Unique to the list of powders to start with as well.
Your remarks regarding the 45 Colt not being a 45-70 are also true. However, my 1885 low wall with a 410 gr .441" bullet plus 2 layers of notebook paper to complete a .451" bullet produces trapdoor level performance safely. Yes, good old paper patch. The best accuracy is around 1,050 fps and I stopped at 1,350 with no excessive pressure using Federal large pistol match primers. It was more the steel crescent butt plate on a 6 pound rifle with little wood to grip that made more velocity counter productive for off-hand accuracy and a 60 year old shoulder.
roud:
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OK, what does +p mean. I've seen it in 38 also
Ruger level loads will work great with the proper bullet. I have gone past the Ruger level for some loads to run in my 454's with out getting loose primers. Those loads were NOT running 454 pressures but were over 30,000 psi. 454 chambers are cut tighter and support the brass better, case life is fine.
Having said that, I have gotten to know John Linebaugh pretty well in the last 5 years, he is trying to convince me that loads over 1,100- 1,200 fps just aren't needed with good cast bullets. After one penetrates chest to ham and out, how much more do you want? MUCH nicer to shoot as well as giving better penetration, think about sticking you hand out the car window. 30 mph isn't too bad, 60 hits it much harder and 90 you just get your arm hurt. Same thing shooting thru milk jugs of water, more penetration to a point, then penetration starts to decrease. I'm a slow student, but John is persuasive. DP
Having said that, I have gotten to know John Linebaugh pretty well in the last 5 years, he is trying to convince me that loads over 1,100- 1,200 fps just aren't needed with good cast bullets. After one penetrates chest to ham and out, how much more do you want? MUCH nicer to shoot as well as giving better penetration, think about sticking you hand out the car window. 30 mph isn't too bad, 60 hits it much harder and 90 you just get your arm hurt. Same thing shooting thru milk jugs of water, more penetration to a point, then penetration starts to decrease. I'm a slow student, but John is persuasive. DP
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