45colt and the 395g sub-x

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Hi guys.

I came across the 395g .452” sub-x bullets.
Was thinking of trying them in my Henry 45colt for fun.

Was wondering what powder you would recommend for starting?
On hand at the moment

Lil gun
Unique
4227
Trail boss

Think it might be a fun little round to try and stick a bear with in the spring.
 
You are entering relatively uncharted waters here.
I have used cast bullets up to 400 grains in 45 colt, with H4198, but projectiles that heavy in 45 colt are of limited value in my opinion.
You might get away with 4227, unique is much to fast, and I have no experience with trail boss or lil gun.

There's an article by Glen E Fryxell titled "Something old, something new, something borrowed..."
He loads heavy cast bullets in a long throated 45 colt. Shorter OAL will boost pressure significantly as will a jacketed bullet.

While I don't like to discourage trying unconventional loads, I don't feel this path of experimentation is of much value, and could be potentially disastrous.
Bottom line, tread very, very cautiously should you decide to proceed.

Stomp
 
45stomp said:
You are entering relatively uncharted waters here.
I have used cast bullets up to 400 grains in 45 colt, with H4198, but projectiles that heavy in 45 colt are of limited value in my opinion.
You might get away with 4227, unique is much to fast, and I have no experience with trail boss or lil gun.

There's an article by Glen E Fryxell titled "Something old, something new, something borrowed..."
He loads heavy cast bullets in a long throated 45 colt. Shorter OAL will boost pressure significantly as will a jacketed bullet.

While I don't like to discourage trying unconventional loads, I don't feel this path of experimentation is of much value, and could be potentially disastrous.
Bottom line, tread very, very cautiously should you decide to proceed.

Stomp
Click to expand...
Maybe I should play with a 350g cast bullet then.
I do have some 4198 as well.
 
If you load it, you won't be using H4198, it will be something much faster. Use of H4198 in the 45 Colt is only suitable for "strong" actions with upwards of 20.0 grs of powder being used in a bullet of that weight. I've done it in my Rossi Rifle, where I can seat flat-nosed 350 gr bullets to 1.600".

You have a "weak" action and are loading a heavy and long bullet. I don't know what your maximum OAL will be with that bullet, but powder space will be very small. Determining Max OAL and powder space would be Step One. Then choosing a powder like Trail Boss or Unique (or better yet Red Dot) would be Step Two. If a suitable load could be found, you'd be lobbing that heavy bullet at just a few hundred FPS, so slow you'd likely risk lodging a bullet in the bore.

All to say, I suggest you forget about it and with that rifle stick to bullet weights under 300 grs.
 
Good to hear you got the Henry back.

My understanding of the Henry's strength is it is relatively strong, (also chambered in 44mag), so you should be able to heave those 325's you got from me to a moderate speed without much trouble.

I thumped another 300 pound plus black bear about a month ago with a 280 grain at a leisurely 1100 fps, so lots of velocity is not really necessary. Shot placement is key.

My current big game load is a 280 cast bullet with 12 gr of HS-6 and a mag primer.

I tried 4227, and it was accurate, but lots of unburned kernels.

I'd probably try unique, starting about 8 gr, and no way I'd go any higher than 9.5 with that bullet.

Lil gun may work very well, but I have no experience with it.......

Cheers
Stomp





 
45stomp said:
Good to hear you got the Henry back.

My understanding of the Henry's strength is it is relatively strong, (also chambered in 44mag), so you should be able to heave those 325's you got from me to a moderate speed without much trouble.

I thumped another 300 pound plus black bear about a month ago with a 280 grain at a leisurely 1100 fps, so lots of velocity is not really necessary. Shot placement is key.

My current big game load is a 280 cast bullet with 12 gr of HS-6 and a mag primer.

I tried 4227, and it was accurate, but lots of unburned kernels.

I'd probably try unique, starting about 8 gr, and no way I'd go any higher than 9.5 with that bullet.

Lil gun may work very well, but I have no experience with it.......

Cheers
Stomp





Click to expand...

I had the same
Experience with the 4227. Lots of I burned powder. It got bettter with a hotter load. But still pretty bad.
lil gun burns very clean with great velocity.
250g xtp we’re 1600fps with 24.5g.

I think I am going to play with unique with those cast
 
Andy said:
If you load it, you won't be using H4198, it will be something much faster. Use of H4198 in the 45 Colt is only suitable for "strong" actions with upwards of 20.0 grs of powder being used in a bullet of that weight. I've done it in my Rossi Rifle, where I can seat flat-nosed 350 gr bullets to 1.600".

You have a "weak" action and are loading a heavy and long bullet. I don't know what your maximum OAL will be with that bullet, but powder space will be very small. Determining Max OAL and powder space would be Step One. Then choosing a powder like Trail Boss or Unique (or better yet Red Dot) would be Step Two. If a suitable load could be found, you'd be lobbing that heavy bullet at just a few hundred FPS, so slow you'd likely risk lodging a bullet in the bore.

All to say, I suggest you forget about it and with that rifle stick to bullet weights under 300 grs.
Click to expand...

The big boy is chambered in 44 mag. So I would say it a strong action.
But you are probably right about the COL being a issue in a lever gun.
 
I have used H110 to get a 325gr pill moving to about 1650 fps out of a 16" barrel in my Rossi 92. I use Unique for softer loads with lighter bullets that I can shoot from my Pietta 1873 SAA repro but I'd expect it could be used to good effect in developing a load much hotter than what I use it for.
 
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