Advice on working up 300 gr loads for .45 Colt--Rossi 92

[CaptainFinn]

For the last three years I've been loading a 300-grain gas check in .45 Colt, 23 grains of H110 over a WLP Primer in a Starline case. Nice accurate load in my two Rossis (An Interarms 20" carbine and an Interarms 24" Half-round half-oct. rifle). The bullet is a Lee 300-gr GC with the dual crimp grooves, crimped to the upepr groove.

This load has always performed admirably in my guns. Shot a few through my vaqueros as well. I bought 1,000 of these bullets a few years back when E-bay still allowed 'bullet tips' as auction items.

Anyway, I've pretty much used them all up. I was looking at the Cast Performance Bullets website and the 300gr LFNGC looks interesting. Anyone have any experience with them in .45 Colt in a 92 ? I'm wondering if the overall length vs functioning will be an issue, as well as 100-to-150 yard downrange performance. I thought about trying the heavier bullets but I'm not sure if the WFN profile will shed velocity faster and/or degrade in accuracy. I've looked through the article archives and it seems the LFN's, with the smaller meplat, have an edge with a more aerodynamic shape.

Thanks.

[Hobie]

If you can load to within a certain LOA you should be good to go. I tried a lot of bullets in my Rossi 92 .45 Colt. I decided to go with jacketed in the rifle so that I could distinguish loads for the rifle from those for my revolvers.

[Old Savage]

It has been too long since I visited Hobie's blog. I will have to read the whole 92 article. I see he gets great accuracy with a .451 bullet. Mine seems to need a .453 or greater if I am not going to get 10" groups at 50 yds. rather than 1 1/4" to 2" with larger bullets. I was amazed and surprised at the difference. Also - Hobie did some amazing off hand shooting with his.

[Paul105]

You can get those 300gr Lee's at Montana Bullet Works (they will size to your needs).

http://www.montanabulletworks.com/wst_page6.html

Good bullets, good service.

Paul

[CowboyTutt]

You need to slug the barrel first to see what you need. Then its a matter of matching bullet hardness to pressure for proper obturation. Regarding the WFNGC or LFNGC, within 300 yards there is no difference according to some sources I know in the firearms industry. Beyond that, the "alphabet" bullets don't do so well, and you are better off with a Keith bullet. The only caveat to that is that Keith bullets do very poorly if they are exiting the muzzle at transonic velocities (1100-1150 fps). You need to be well over or above that. For long range and ultra long range shooting, the Keith bullet is hard to beat!

-Tutt

[CaptainFinn]

I shoot the keith bullet through my Rugers, but keep them at about 1000 fps (9 gr of Universal).

I have shot them through my Rossis but they were just 'okay' accuracy-wise, and with a serious hunting load running 1300 fps + out of the rifles, I figured leading on a plain-base bulelt would be an issue.

I liked the Lee bullet but I've heard good things about the CBP 300 and 335 grain GC bullets. Does anyone make a 260-to-300 grain Keith-profile bullet with a gas check ? Or, alternately, does the plain base Keith-style square grease-groove bullet hold enough lube for rifle-length barrels ? I have had zero leading problems with .452 sized 200 and 250 FN bullets, but they were at CAS velocities, nothing above 1100 fps or so.

[CowboyTutt]

Does anyone make a 260-to-300 grain Keith-profile bullet with a gas check ?

That's a durned good question! The only one I know of is a 360 grain GC Keith bullet from Mt. Baldy. Its not on their website and you have to ask for it, but they have it.

-Tutt

[Paul105]

Quote:
Does anyone make a 260-to-300 grain Keith-profile bullet with a gas check ?

Depends on what you consider a "Keith-profile"

Montana Bullets works makes 300gr SWC GC and a 255gr SWC GC

The 300gr is a RCBS (82083)

The 255gr is a Lyman (452490)

http://www.montanabulletworks.com/wst_page6.html

Paul