Hot. 45LC loads in 454 Casull Brass?

Vin4570

Member
Rating - 100%
39   0   0
For some time I've read about the weak brass for .45 Long Colt limiting the loads for Blackhawk revolvers and lever rifles. If Casull brass was trimmed down to .45LC length would it help in the development of hot loads or just increase the pressure?
 
I have successfully loaded 45 colt brass with 240 and 300gr xtp bullets to surpass 44mag performance. I was however firing these in a firearm designed to shoot 454 casull at very minimum (and .460 s&w mag in one pistol) as I was a little shy of the pressures in a 45colt firearm. Never had any brass failures to date, and I shoot some stout 300gr lead loaded 45colt quite regularly in the one gun.
 
I was putting 23gr of IMR 4227 behind 245gr SWC in 45 colt brass and only had issues with blowing pistol primers. Reaming the pocket with a large rifle pocket uniformer allows use of magnum rifle primers to prevent this issue.

Really there isn't much concern using the 45 colt brass. Even if halves the life of it 45 colt brass is soooo much cheaper than 454 brass and I'd say all you gain with the 454 brass is a small rifle primer pocket which will be more durable to opening under high pressures.
 
Back
Top Bottom