.45 Colt - Jacketed Bullets

[ligonierbill]

Been loading cast bullets only in my Blackhawk, but got to thinking...What's your favorite jacketed bullet in a "Ruger only" load?

 

[57K]

If it's for hunting purposes, Hornady makes a .452" 240 gr. XTP designated Magnum. It's plenty tough for game You can get 30,000 PSI data from Ramshot, by emailing them and requesting it. If your bullet is not listed, contact Rob Behr who is Western Powder Co's. ballistician and he'll be glad to help you with data. Western owns both Ramshot and Accurate powders. Enforcer is a great powder for the application and it's also sold as AA#4100. AA#9 will also work and these powders have a much broader load range than H110/W296 and they are slightly faster in burn rate.

 

[ligonierbill]

Thanks. FedEx just delivered some AA #9, and I have H110 on hand. Only lacking the bullets; I'll try to locate some of those Hornady's.

 

[twobit]

for a jacketed hollow point.....Gold Dot Deep Curl 250 grain over Unique powder. Not at home right now to look up the powder amount. I load it for the less strong Uberti guns per charts.

 

[AL45]

I've used Sierra 300 grain JSP with H110.

 

[sundog]

Jacketed in 45 Colt? Heresy, I say!

 

[g.willikers]

Yeah, it's hard to beat a heavy, long lead SWC.
But jacketed, or just copper coated, truncated cone types, are good.
The local bullet maker quit stocking lead bullets, due to the local ranges no longer allowing lead.
Since his main business is suppling reloads to them, he now only has copper coated truncated bullets.
They work just fine.

 

[GeauxTide]

57K has it right. I'd use H-110; however, Alliants new Power Pistol 300-MP has the same load density and doesn't require Mag primers.

 

[Real Gun]

Powder Valley has "HORNADY 45 CAL .452 300 GR HP/XTP (50)" @14.95.

The Hornady book load for that using #9 is 15.5g@1050 fps through 17.0 g @1150 fps. H110/W296 will move it much faster (using mag primers).

 

[mmb713]

I like Hornady's 250gr HP-XTP in my Blackhawk. It's been very accurate for me, with loads from mild to wild. Good luck finding them right now. Every where I've looked, online and locally, has been out of stock for months.

 

[ligonierbill]

Scored some Hornady .452 300 grain XTP at Cabela's. And rest assured I am not going totally to the Dark Side. I still like my 300 FP cast/H110 knuckle bustin', palm stingin' bear busters.

 

[57K]

Sounds good, and a 300 gr. XTP will kill anything just as dead as any 300 gr. cast FP, IMO. It simply has too much sectional density to ever worry about a penetration issue.

 

[ligonierbill]

Heresy though it is, I tested some of the big Hornady XTP today, and they are right at 1,200 from my 6 1/2" Blackhawk. And the cases drop right out of the cylinder, no problem. Quite the thumpers, but I still like my laser cast.

 

[ljnowell]

I have loaded a 185gr 45acp JHP over 24gr of 2400 in my blackhawk. Its quite the firebreather.

 

[WESHOOT2]

based on critter

I prefer the superior 325g Swift A-Frame.




Inexpensive alternative = 300g Hornady XTP-HP.

 

[ligonierbill]

Next up is Cast Performance 325 grain. The old Blackhawk did not choke on her first taste of jacket, but she prefers good 'ole lead. I might even have to start casting my own boolits.

 

[Ruger45LC]

I like to load the 250gr XTP under 26gr of Lil'Gun which gives me right at 1,400 fps from my 5.5" stainless Bisley Blackhawk. The bullet is good for about 1,400-1,500 fps so this load works out fine and it will do a number on deer.

 

[Steven57]

WESHOOT2,,,

What load do you use for the Swift AFrame 325gr? Have you loaded it for 454 Casull by chance?

I just got some and some Cast Performance 325gr as well.

 

[WESHOOT2]

no 454 Casull for me

In no particular order:

-My 325g A-Frame load is over-book; not for public consumption. It is/was based on specific intended launch platform (and my personal lots of W296, ignited with Federal Magnum primers, loaded only in new sized Winchester nickeled cases, and very firmly crimped using the superior Redding Profile Crimp Die).

-I found the 335g lead launched around 1100-1200fps will penetrate sufficiently for big brown bear.

-Everyone should test for themself the Penn Bullets 270g Thunderhead.