45 Colt Double Ball Loads

[bexan]

Over the Christmas holidays I had a little more time to surf the net than usual, when I stumbled on some recipes for 45 Colt double ball loads.
Now reading about it is interesting but doing it is always better.

I started by rolling some .454 lead round balls in Lee liquid alox. Once they had dried overnight I used my 45acp expanding die to lightly flare the case mouths (not too deep). Next I charged the cases with 3.7 grains of IMR 700x powder. I seated the first round ball until it was flush with the case mouth.

Next I seated another ball directly on top of the first until it was just past the "equator", followed by a firm crimp. I now had a projectile payload of 282 grains.

Off to the range I went with my trusty Ruger Redhawk 45 LC. If there were going to be any pressure issues, I figured the Redhawk would be strong enough to forgive me.

I loaded one round and let rip....... Recoil was mild and pleasant. At about 12 yards one ball landed at point of aim and the other 1 1/2 to 2 inches higher.

I tried several more on paper and found they would consistently land with approximately the same spread, sometimes vertically, sometimes horizontally. When I tried plinking at a few clay pigeons placed on the berm this load absolutely vaporized them. I chrony'd them and they are just under 600 fps showing no signs of excessive pressure. Good clean fun

 

[Fargone4sure]

I've done something similar with my Bond Arms 45/410. Loading three 9mm bullets in a 410 shell. Works well.

 

[Mark-II]

Cool

Any concern about the recoil setting the bottom ball back further into the case? Or is it a tight enough fit that it won't go past the area touched by the flaring die?

That would be my only concern.

But if your velocity was consistent, then I suppose not an issue.

 

[bexan]

I've done something similar with my Bond Arms 45/410. Loading three 9mm bullets in a 410 shell. Works well.

So I guess that makes your bond arms into a six shooter?

 

[bexan]

Cool

Any concern about the recoil setting the bottom ball back further into the case? Or is it a tight enough fit that it won't go past the area touched by the flaring die?

That would be my only concern.

But if your velocity was consistent, then I suppose not an issue.

I worried about that at first. That is why I didn't flare the cases with my 45 Colt expander. It would go in deeper and there would be a possibility of the bottom ball setting back. By using the 45acp Lee powder thru expanding die it left most of the case unexpanded, so the bottom projectile is nice and snug and can't drop in.

 

[c-fbmi]

Where did you get the .454 round balls? I think that would be a great load to toy with and I happen to have 3 or 4 different 45 LC six shooters.............

 

[bexan]

The balls are Hornady 44cal blackpowder lead round balls in .454.

 

[mikeydagunz]

Lol. I did this with my 357 and 000 buck. Worked just as well. Very fun

 

[maple leaf]

Very cool experiment!

 

[c-fbmi]

I noticed Bullet Barn sells 360 round balls but no 454, could be fun in my 357s as well...............

 

[c-fbmi]

Cool

Any concern about the recoil setting the bottom ball back further into the case? Or is it a tight enough fit that it won't go past the area touched by the flaring die?

That would be my only concern.

But if your velocity was consistent, then I suppose not an issue.

Handgun recoil does not, in fact, exert forces by which the bullet or balls, in this case, would be pushed further into the case, just the opposite as a matter of fact, the force exerted upon the loaded projectile has a tendency to pull it from the case not drive it deeper in. In a magazine fed handgun it is the force of the handgun jumping back under recoil and driving the loaded ammo in the magazine into the front of the magazine that tends to seat the bullets deeper into the case, not the force of the recoil as such.