Cast Performance Bullets in .45 Colt Rifle

[Hawkins]

Howdy! Does anyone have experience using Cast Performance brand bullets in a .45 Colt rifle? These are the ones sold by Grizzly cartridge company. I have a box of their 325 grain plain base (no gas check) bullets, and I'm worried if they will cause leading at 1300 - 1400 feet per second. I'm using them in a 16" Rossi 92. I know there are a lot of variables involved, but I was just wondering in general if these might be OK going that fast, or if I should use one of their gas check designs.

Thanks!

Hawkins

[Les Staley]

Hawkins, slug your bore, try for a thousandth over bore diameter, lube with alox/Johnson's one step floor wax 50/50 with a lyman #2 alloy or clip on wheel weights. Plain base should be okay at those velocities. Casting is a whole nuther hobby. By the way, 325 gr @ 1300-1400 fps? How big of an old boy are you?

[Griff]

Yep, if they don't fill the grooves, doesn't matter how slow you drive 'em, they'll lead up the bore. That's up there in 454 Casull load range.

[Buck Elliott]

I pushed 325s from my 7 1/2" FA Casual @ 1700 fps..
Those same slugs exited my 24" .454 rifle @ 2100 fps..
I saw little difference between GC and PB bullets, as far as leading..
I've fired thousands of CPB slugs over the past decades..

[Old Savage]

Tutt gave me some 360s that clocked 1350 from a 20" Rossi. Recoil felt like a shotgun in that rifle.

[piller]

No experience with the .45 caliber bullets, but experience with other calibers from CPB. I will use them again.

[Hawkins]

Thanks for all the comments! I definitely won't be casting my own--can hardly keep up with the reloading as is! I've had good luck with the Cast Performance gas check bullets in 45-70. I had these plain base bullets on hand, so just wanted to get an idea if it was worth trying a few. Size is .452, which has worked well with other bullets in this rifle at lower velocities. I'm sure recoil will be a bit more than factory, especially with a light rifle and steel butt. But I'll load some up and see how it goes. Thanks again,

Hawkins

[Buck Elliott]

Just make sure your cartridge overall length will allow your Rossi to cycle properly..
You may have to cut the carrier stop back just a bit, if the noses on your CPB bullets are a mite too long..

[piller]

Just make sure your cartridge overall length will allow your Rossi to cycle properly..
You may have to cut the carrier stop back just a bit, if the noses on your CPB bullets are a mite too long..

Good advice. I ran into an overall length issue with 425 grain LBT style bullets in my .480 caliber model 92. I had to do just what Buck says.

[CowboyTutt]

Jeez, I am no expert here at all, and Buck and I are friends, and I actually shot that rifle of his. In my own personal experience if you slugged your bore and your PB bullets are a tad over that, you will be fine at 1300-1400 fps.

I believe the loads I gave to Fred were gas checked using Cast Performance bullets before Mike R. bought the company. Those bullets, loaded under higher pressure, really worked well in his Rossi. They obturated beautifully and made his Puma very accurate. Personally, I shoot my Puma 454 at 2000-2100 fps with a 300 grain load like Buck but only because I have a lengthened case by 0.1 and feed ability thanks to McPherson. Mine has a premium recoil pad and mercury tube, and has never bothered me with recoil.

The velocities I see in 454 Casull in a handgun and rifle are very close to what Buck sees, but I don't own a FA handgun, its only in my Taurus RB and modified Rossi Puma in 454, with a longer case. But I'm right behind him in revolver and equal to him in rifle and while differences in pistol are significant, differences in rifle are not.

Buck knows what he is doing and I trust him.

Here's a good read on the subject:

http://www.lasc.us/Fryxell_Book_Chapter_10_GCkorPB.htm

Regards,

-Tutt