Testing 325 gr. 45 Colt with a pair of Henry carbines......

[fortyshooter]

Continuing my load work on the MB 325 Slammer 45 Colt subsonic round for use with suppressor or without. Last try was with Alliant 2400 at 15 and 17 gr. which both proved to be too fast at 1200-1300 FPS. to shoot quietly.
Todays test was with 8 gr. of Unique and it proved to hit my goal at around 1000 FPS with some good accuracy. Video also shows how well it cycled in the Henry carbines.....https://youtu.be/IgPDDnAFA0k

My Henry Carbine front loader was setup with the MagnaSpeed chrony and the X Model had the suppressor and was used on the paper target. The Rossi Ranch Hand brought along to see how well it cycled and shot thru it.
After some work on the Henry front loader it cycled the wide flat nosed Slammers just as well as the Ranch Hand....like hot butter smooth! The X Model will chamber the round but you have to jiggle it a bit and I think some adjustment on the carrier height or angle will fix that.

Looks like a successful heavy Colt load for the Henry rifles plus revolver use as well!

[DsGrouse]

Thanks. I have bunch of heavy matt's bullets and a new 8lb jug of unique. I'll give these a go. Now for supers, I had very good luck with the heavy 300+ grn bullets and IMR 4227.

I'd be interested in knowing what you did on the inside to get it to load those long beasts.

[fortyshooter]

Thanks. I have bunch of heavy matt's bullets and a new 8lb jug of unique. I'll give these a go. Now for supers, I had very good luck with the heavy 300+ grn bullets and IMR 4227.

I'd be interested in knowing what you did on the inside to get it to load those long beasts.

On my front loader carbine I just machined back the case stop about .080 and it runs really well with the 1.655 45 Colt as you could see.
Now the 45 X model would take that length without any mod but the lifter tends to want to drop down a bit and cause an issue unless I jiggle the rifle but with a typical 250 gr. 45 Colt load it works fine.
Will have to study that and see what I can do.

[DsGrouse]

hmm, i am trying to find load data for heavy 300grn+ loads using unique, but all the data says 6.1 grns is the max

[Rifletom]

After watching the video, I'd certainly say that load with Unique is a keeper. Heavy hitting load there forty. Nicely done.

[fortyshooter]

hmm, i am trying to find load data for heavy 300grn+ loads using unique, but all the data says 6.1 grns is the max

That load might be max for standard 45 Colt pressure. My load was found listed under Ruger and Contender load data where 8.5 was shown as max.
Really felt easy shooting in the rifles and the Ranch Hand.

[fortyshooter]

After watching the video, I'd certainly say that load with Unique is a keeper. Heavy hitting load there forty. Nicely done.

Thanks and glad you enjoyed it Tom! I loaded up about 75 of them which was all the clean 45 brass I had at the time. Lots of Colt 45 brass to clean up!

[DsGrouse]

hmm, i am trying to find load data for heavy 300grn+ loads using unique, but all the data says 6.1 grns is the max

That load might be max for standard 45 Colt pressure. My load was found listed under Ruger and Contender load data where 8.5 was shown as max.
Really felt easy shooting in the rifles and the Ranch Hand.

interesting, I found that in the 50th lyman book, but not the 51st. 50th says the max is 8.5, 51st says 6.1.




Lyman 50th version has the load data

As does my Sierra book.



I checked the Alliant page, and they don't give unique data over 255grns. I've checked Hornaday, Lee, lyman 50, 51st, and 4e cast, obviously, the Hodgen manual was useless. Sierra has a loading for unique under Ruger Colt Dan Wesson Freedom Arms 300grn at 9.3

[Vaquero]

Hey, forty I only watched a part of the video. sure looks like it slaps the steel pretty good.
What about the recoil with the 2400 loads?
I just ordered a sample pack of those to try in my Marlin and Rossi rifles.

I do have a though, Why since you pulled the mag tube out,
didn't you just simply drop the rounds down the end vs struggling with the slot?

RP

[fortyshooter]

Hey, forty I only watched a part of the video. sure looks like it slaps the steel pretty good.
What about the recoil with the 2400 loads?
I just ordered a sample pack of those to try in my Marlin and Rossi rifles.

I do have a though, Why since you pulled the mag tube out,
didn't you just simply drop the rounds down the end vs struggling with the slot?

RP

Just the habit of putting them in the slot I guess.... or one of those common brain farts!

Recoil was mild to me with the 2400 loads.

[DsGrouse]

My heavy load workups using unique,

280 to 300 grain bullets. I have 300 grn XTP, 305 SWC, and 320grn blue bullets to load tomorrow.

[fortyshooter]

Nice variety of heavy lead! Be looking for your results.

[DsGrouse]

I'm eager to give the blue bullet 320 grainers a try. I'll be loading them up to your 8.0 grains of unique. For the rest the good bullets are Cast performance (from midway) and Matts bullets.

One of these days we are going to have to get together and compare 45 caliber cans. I've my Ghost-M, My form 1 cans, and my griffin bushwacker 46v2

[fortyshooter]

I'm eager to give the blue bullet 320 grainers a try. I'll be loading them up to your 8.0 grains of unique. For the rest the good bullets are Cast performance (from midway) and Matts bullets.

One of these days we are going to have to get together and compare 45 caliber cans. I've my Ghost-M, My form 1 cans, and my griffin bushwacker 46v2

Sounds like a plan with some cooler weather!

I have some 45 ACP I loaded with BE-86 I want to test to compare to my 6.0 Unique loads as soon as a break in the humidity comes around.

[DsGrouse]

Today's efforts. This finishes off my current 45 colt test loads.
Matts 305 grain swcgc, Hornaday 300 grain JHP, and Blue bullets 320 grn hammers.

[BrokenolMarine]

I haven't been loading for a while, just haven't been shooting so I haven't had to. I don't see loading more when the bins are full.
I enjoy watching the load development though. I load for 45acp, but not the 45 Colt. I have resisted adding any other calibers to the stable that I don't have dies for these days. The setup for the Dillon is pretty high to add another caliber and I have plenty.

[Vaquero]

Marine, I'm hear ya on not keep loading.
I've got quite a bit at the moment as I just haven't been shooting much. And when something happens to me I don't want the wife to worry about all the reloads. The components will be easier to sell.

Now, I got an email this morning saying my order has been shipped.

RP

[Vaquero]

Marine, I'm hear ya on not keep loading.
I've got quite a bit at the moment as I just haven't been shooting much. And when something happens to me I don't want the wife to worry about all the reloads. The components will be easier to sell.

Now, I got an email this morning saying my order has been shipped.

RP

[BrokenolMarine]

I thought very seriously about buying dies for a couple of additional calibers, pulled up the website and looked and lo and behold, even with the higher prices of ammo these days... for as little as I'd shoot the newer rifle / pistol calibers... with the cost of the setups, I could buy a lot of factory ammo. When I add a caliber I like to have dies, toolhead, powder measure, etc. That way it's all set up and ready and you just pull the pins, and slip in the tool head and perhaps change the deal at the bottom and off you go. Of course you have to check the powder drop, and I do that about every 10 rounds anyway.

new bench comp.jpg (698.29 KiB) Viewed 1137 times

I am set up to load 9mm, .38 wadcutter, .38 semi-wadcutter, .40. and 45acp. (All my competition calibers)
I decided a long time ago not to bother with rifle calibers.

[DsGrouse]

I thought very seriously about buying dies for a couple of additional calibers, pulled up the website and looked and lo and behold, even with the higher prices of ammo these days... for as little as I'd shoot the newer rifle / pistol calibers... with the cost of the setups, I could buy a lot of factory ammo. When I add a caliber I like to have dies, toolhead, powder measure, etc. That way it's all set up and ready and you just pull the pins, and slip in the tool head and perhaps change the deal at the bottom and off you go. Of course you have to check the powder drop, and I do that about every 10 rounds anyway.


new bench comp.jpg


I am set up to load 9mm, .38 wadcutter, .38 semi-wadcutter, .40. and 45acp. (All my competition calibers)
I decided a long time ago not to bother with rifle calibers.

I have heads for all my calibers. With the lyman T8, I am able to put a two calibers per head unit. Now I found out Creedmoor sports has enhanced press heads.
https://www.creedmoorsports.com/product ... ng-presses

Then I found out there is a 9-station turret press.
https://youtu.be/BOoEcsmKEFo
But for way less than 1200, I have my t8 with 6 extra heads.

I am happy with the turret press. One day, if i shoot in volume again, I'll pick up a worth while progressive.