Question on reloading .45LC

[gunpoorboy1]

I'm relatively new at re-loading and need an answer to this question....

I have some Hornady #45200 bullets in .452.

Can I reload the .452 safely for my Rossie lever action and my Ruger Vaquero or do those guns absolutely have to be the .451 size?

Thanks gentlemen.

 

[Suck My Glock]

In almost any caliber, when using cast or plain lead projectiles, it is common for them to over-size by 1/1000th. So for instance, in .357magnum, .358 diameter cast bullets are used, while jacketed projectiles are sized at .357 nominal.

The situation with .45 caliber bullets is unique, in that here we are dealing with a bore (and measurement thereof) that goes back over 145 years. Industry practices and standards in that time have varied, and as a result, so have ACTUAL bore diameters in .45LC firearms from beginning til today. Bullet construction was different in the beginning as well, so tolerances were not necessarily needed to be as tight as today.

Without getting long-winded, the short of it is that OLD .45LC bores are commonly as big as .454 in diameter, and .451 projectiles just sort of wobble down the bore inaccurately. This is ONE reason why so many shooters of older .45LC guns use plain lead or cast projectiles. They can either custom size their self-made bullets to the appropriate diameter for the gun they are shooting them in, or (more commonly) just shoot slightly over-sized lead or cast projectiles in ALL .45LC guns (with light to moderate charges to avoid over-pressure) and let the bullets squeeze-form down to the appropriate bore diameter.

But when it comes to heavier jacketed bullets in .45 meant for revolvers and not auto pistols (read that to mean grains 250 and up), while they generally are not recommended nor intended for use in guns such as antique Colt SAA revolvers meant for soft lead, it is recognized that, once loaded as live ammo, .45LC rounds with these jacketed slugs MIGHT end up in an old gun with a "generous" bore as big as.454 inch. Thus, it has become industry practice to make these heavier .45 jacketed bullets just slightly larger by 1/1000th,...to give just a modicum better chance at sealing gasses and engaging rifling in older over-sized bores,...yet not so much as to radically raise pressures when used in modern guns standardized on .451 inch.

Since your Rossie lever gun and Ruger Vaquero are both modern guns, they are not only engineered to take these projectiles and do so well, but they are also built strong enough to handle pressures the original guns of their type from 145 years ago never could. Their bores likely mic out (measure out) to exactly .451 or .452, as it should be.

Remember,...just be safe in case your ammo somehow accidentally gets into an antique or lesser quality old gun,...and never load the hot loads available for this round. Almost all load manuals give this warning, and label their loads as to whether they are safe for old spec guns or not. If you do decide to craft some "warm" loads, be absolutely certain that you label the box as to it being unsuitable for regular old .45LC guns.

 

[Flash]

You're perfectly safe.

 

[shooter444]

If you're loading LEAD or PLATED,... as stated above,... you are perfectly safe.

Actually,...shooting oversized lead boolites, is an ABSOLUTE MUST, to prevent barrel leading. There are other factors, as well, like alloy type, velocity, lube, etc.,.. BUT,...over sized boolits are a MUST!

http://mcgowenbarrel.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/45pistol.png

I have shot cast boolits 2/1000 ths over groove size,... and, in my microgroove barrel, I cast my lead boolits 4/1000 ths over groove size.

Slugging a barrel is the only true way to get an accurate groove dimension, IF, you can mic properly. And, if you wish you go deeper into the hoods,... there is a group of caster's who promote the idea that casting to CHAMBER size is FAR, FAR more important than groove dimension.


__________________________________________________________________________
Oscar Wilde,...
“Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness.” __________________________________________________________________________
Creator Endowed Unalienable Human Rights, forever!
______________________
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17-21-23
Crippletrigger
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[Az desert rat 1]

All bullets are over sized. .223 is .224. Enjoy reloading and shooting.

 

[shooter444]

All bullets are over sized. .223 is .224. Enjoy reloading and shooting.

_____________________________________

Hmmm, not exactly. Rem223 caliber,has always had a .224 diameter with corresponding barrel rifling.

http://mcgowenbarrel.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/22centerfire.png

.223 Remington
_______________________
Type Rifle
Place of origin United States
Production history
Designer Remington Arms
Designed 1962
Produced 1964–present
Variants .223 Ackley Improved, 5.56×45mm NATO
Specifications
Parent case .222 Remington
Case type Rimless, bottleneck

***Bullet diameter 0.224 in (5.7 mm)***

Neck diameter 0.253 in (6.4 mm)
Shoulder diameter 0.354 in (9.0 mm)
Base diameter 0.376 in (9.6 mm)
Rim diameter 0.378 in (9.6 mm)
Rim thickness 0.045 in (1.1 mm)
Case length 1.76 in (45 mm)
Overall length 2.26 in (57 mm)
Rifling twist 1 in 12 inch (military-style rifles use 1:7 to 1:10 to stabilize longer bullets)
Primer type Small rifle
Maximum pressure (SAAMI) 55,000 psi (380 MPa)
Maximum pressure (CIP) 62,366 psi (430.00 MPa)
Maximum CUP 52000 CUP


__________________________________________________________________________
Oscar Wilde,...
“Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness.” __________________________________________________________________________
Creator Endowed Unalienable Human Rights, forever!
______________________

My inglorious foe/ignore list !

17-21-23
Crippletrigger
HDS
Marine1
Ranger1
Razorback
YNOTAZ
redj
smithers599
Steve_in_29
stomp442
MarkItZero
Jamnmike