I hunt with handguns almost exclusively. I’ve taken piles of deer with .45 Colt; it’s my main hunting gun. I use a 255gr SWC that I cast out of a Lee mold and powder coat. It’s very accurate and shootable.
That bullet does tend to keep going through most meat targets in my experience, either shoulder or head-shot, wild pigs or deer.
What's your load for that 255?Originally Posted by Velociginger
Regional Government Sales Manager for Aimpoint, Inc. USA
Co-owner Hardwired Tactical Shooting (HiTS)
Following.
A peaceful man is capable of great violence, but he keeps it under control. If a man is not capable of violence, he is not peaceful. He is just harmless. (Jordan Peterson)
Obligatory precaution: this load might hurt you, don’t do what I do/you’ll shoot your eye out.
I shoot 12.7 grains of HS6, magnum primer (that’s what I have the most of). It’s out of Ruger Bisley Blackhawk 6.5in barrel. Lee SWC mold (plain base) scrap lead (plumbers lead, shot, some solder, wheel weights, whatever) and powder coated in the toaster oven in the garage.
Not that guy, but I like 10/Unique in the 44 Magnum. Seems to work well in other similar cartridges, too. 8 or 9 grains works well also.
Okie John
“The reliability of the 30-06 on most of the world’s non-dangerous game is so well established as to be beyond intelligent dispute.” Finn Aagaard
"Don't fuck with it" seems to prevent the vast majority of reported issues." BehindBlueI's
I would put the .44-40 in the same category. In heat treated post-1920 Colt revolvers, the modern Italian clones, S&W 544 and the Rugers the Accurate 43-206H or 43-240F make effective game loads with 18.5 grains of IMR4227 or 6.5 grains of Bullseye. While they do exceed factory standard pressure, they are safely within design limits for modern guns < 18,000 psi, similar to .45 ACP, about 900 fps from a 5-1/2""revolver with B-C gap at Mean Assembly Tolerance of pass 0.005" / hold 0.006".
I normally use the Bullseye load with the 206 stump-nosed Keith homage and 4227 with the 240 WFN. Velocity about + 150 fps in Winchester carbine. Complete pass-throughs on hogs, black bear, feral cattle, either carbine or revolver. Can cull deer 2 at a time with one shot if clustered together close.
Last edited by Outpost75; 03-19-2024 at 08:54 PM.
Have you used the Lyman 429215 any? I have a mold to try, thinking it can somewhat fill the geezer niche for 44 mag/spl with reduced recoil and reduced depletion of my lead supply. I want to try it in the Browning 92 carbine with moderate loads as well as 44 mags and spl pistols. Most comments Ive seen about 44-40 with black powder level loads seem to shoot through deer, I thought the slightly higher velocity on the medium 44 mag loads (1500 fps range) should work fine also and keep my shoulder happier.
“Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.”
― Theodore Roosevelt
It's a peach with standard specials and perfectly enjoyable with Lost River's 900 FPS load.
I used it years ago with good results, but these days wish to avoid the added cost of gas checks. I feel higher velocity unnecessary.
I load my 5 1/2'' .45 Colt Rugers with 10 grains of Unique and a 255 LSWC. It clocks right at 1000fps from a 5 1/2'' barrel. I haven't shot anything bigger that whitetails with it, but I wouldn't hesitate to. I've never had one stop inside a critter yet.
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