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Don't let me blow my head off!

2K views 10 replies 9 participants last post by  Little Rooster 
#1 ·
Fellow reloaders, This morning I wanted to reload fifty .45 colts. My manuels did not have a call-out for Bullseye powder for a 225TC bullet. I research the Internet and found the company that makes RedDot and BullsEye. I went to there page and read the stats for .45Colt powder charge using .225 GR tapered flat nose. They reccomend 6 grains of BullsEye powder. I loaded the ammo at 6 grains and OAL 1.580 in lieu of 1.600. I like to make sure I have plenty of room for my lever action to load a round. Do any of you guys think 6 grains of BullEye is too hot a load for my M92 lever action rifle?

Deacon Man
 
#3 ·
First of all......maybe there is a reason no data for Bullseye in what you want to load.....
Personally, I have never thought to use it for .45colt......
RedDot and Unique are my general 'go to' powders for the .45colt in a 225/230gr lead.
Unique would be my choice for a 225gr jacketed.
Just buy a lb of other powder......use your Bullseye elsewhere....
Example:
Double swagged lead 225/230gr [I use a flat nose in tubular]
8.8gr Unique
990fps
10,500 C.U.P. (est)
1.590" OAL
In my Marlin Lever...
I even like W231 powder in .45colt[lead or plated]
but maybe because I shoot so much of it in my other pistol rounds....
and always have it on hand.
I used to load a Montana Gold 250gr jacketed
7.0gr W231
800fps
1.590" OAL
Sweet and accurate......would still today....
but the projectiles got too pricey.
 
#4 ·
I agree with Steve. I don't know where you went, but I don't find any data for 45 Colt on Alliant's page, using a 225 grain bullet. Period. In "regular loads", they have data for 200 jacketed, 200 lead, 230 jacketed, 250 jacketed, 250 lead and 260 jacketed. In cowboy loads, all they have is 230 lead.

They do list the max load for that 230 bullet at 6.0 of Bullseye, so using a lighter bullet should not hurt you any. They list a minimum OAL of 1.585. Yours, being .005 shorter, I still don't think would hurt anything.

I'd sure like to know where you went, that you found this data for a 225 TC bullet, though.
 
#5 ·
I also agree with Ozo. I would not use Bullseye in a 45 Colt. Lots of cowboy shooters do. You use less powder, so it's cheaper. You can use 4 grains of Bullseye instead of 8 of Unique, so you get twice as many loads from a can, and your powder cost is halved.

But I think a 45 Colt case is just too damn big to be putting Bullseye in. You need to use something that takes up more room, in them big black-powder cases. I've been using Unique in my 45 Colts, for years, without any problems. I save the Bullseye for 32 ACP up to 9mm.
 
#6 ·
#7 ·
Bullseye is not a good choice for the .45 Colt, you have too much internal case capacity for the small ammount of this particular powder. You would be much better served with Unique, Blue Dot, or even 2400 if you want to stick with Aliant brand powders.Some powders are position sensitive, meaning that they need to be in close contact with the primer spark. If Bullseye happens to be one of these powders, a small ammount of it laying in the bottom of the case while in a horizontal firing position, improper ignition will result or maybe a squib. Something that comes a little closer to filling the case, while costing a miniscule ammount more per round more, will be safer and provide better results. The bullets that you are using in a lever action rifle need to have a crimping groove to insure that you don't get bullet set-back from magazine pressure and recoil. The bullet you describe, the 225gr. TC, sound like a bullet designed for a .45ACP round. Bullet designed for use strictly in a pistol can be crimped on the forward driving band to prevent the bullets from moving forward in the case under recoil, the opposite of what you're trying to achieve with ammo for your lever gun.


those who beat their guns into plowshares, will plow for those who didn't
 
#11 ·
I also agree with Ozo. I would not use Bullseye in a 45 Colt. Lots of cowboy shooters do. You use less powder, so it's cheaper. You can use 4 grains of Bullseye instead of 8 of Unique, so you get twice as many loads from a can, and your powder cost is halved.

But I think a 45 Colt case is just too damn big to be putting Bullseye in. You need to use something that takes up more room, in them big black-powder cases. I've been using Unique in my 45 Colts, for years, without any problems. I save the Bullseye for 32 ACP up to 9mm.
I agree also
 
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