EARL!! Need some ......45 Colt data please.

JerryB · Post by **JerryB** » Sun May 27, 2018 5:05 pm

Earl, my grandson from Texas is here with his son this weekend and about a million guns have been discussed. He really likes the .45 Colt round. He wants to have a S&W 29 converted to .45Colt with a 3 1/2 to four inch barrel. Yes there already guns chambered in 45 Colt but he wants to have this work done. He wants to know what powder he needs to get around 950 fps with a 255 gr. swc bullet. If you have time some time check it out. Thank you.

Post by **Chuck 100 yd** » Sun May 27, 2018 7:45 pm

A look in your favorite load manual will reveal several powders that will give velocitys in that range.

Malamute · Post by **Malamute** » Sun May 27, 2018 8:20 pm

8.5 grs Unique with 250 gr commercial cast rnfp bullets were running 925 fps in a 4 5/8" Vaquero actual chronographed velocity. You could adjust accordingly.

earlmck · Post by **earlmck** » Mon May 28, 2018 12:23 am

Even with that short barrel there are many powders that do the job for getting that velocity range. You are going to be in the "Ruger and other strong action only" load category with any of the powders, though the slower powders like H110 or Lil' Gun get you there with pressures below 20k psi (and lots of muzzle flash I'd bet). Unique or similar would be my choice -- will take somewhere around 9.5 grains to hit your velocity and be close to a max load (Hodgdon keeps below 30k psi for max in this type loading).

When looking at loads in the manuals, QuickLoad thinks using a 4" barrel gets you 150 fps less velocity than a 7" barrel and I'd guess QL isn't too far off that mark there.

JerryB · Post by **JerryB** » Mon May 28, 2018 10:15 pm

Thank you Earl, I really appreciate the good information.

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Mon May 28, 2018 10:55 pm

RedDot... Clays... and those mentioned above. But... I prefer RedDot.

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Tue May 29, 2018 5:09 pm

JerryB wrote: ↑Sun May 27, 2018 5:05 pm Earl, my grandson from Texas is here with his son this weekend and about a million guns have been discussed. He really likes the .45 Colt round. He wants to have a S&W 29 converted to .45Colt with a 3 1/2 to four inch barrel. Yes there already guns chambered in 45 Colt but he wants to have this work done. He wants to know what powder he needs to get around 950 fps with a 255 gr. swc bullet. If you have time some time check it out. Thank you.

Jerry,
Basically your grandson described a S&W 25-5. I got one back in 83 with the 4" barrel and shot it loose twice. I used mostly factory equivalent loads and when heavier nothing more than 9.0 Unique under a 265gr Keith SWC.
As it sits now the 25-5 is retired due to an end shake problem and light firing pin strikes. The timing has also begun to slip. All this in around 8,000 rounds.

I know you said he's gonna convert a S&W 29, but I'd suggest he keep the normal daily shooting loads down to factory level.
It will last longer that way.

Joe

JerryB · Post by **JerryB** » Wed May 30, 2018 10:32 am

Joe, isn't the 29 and 629 supposedly stronger than the 25? He is talking about something close to the load you used. Don't they have a different heat treating process for the .44 mag?

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Wed May 30, 2018 11:40 am

JerryB wrote: ↑Wed May 30, 2018 10:32 am Joe, isn't the 29 and 629 supposedly stronger than the 25? He is talking about something close to the load you used. Don't they have a different heat treating process for the .44 mag?

Jerry,
I've read it both ways. The 25s were not heat treated as much as the 29s and that they were the same frames, just marked differently. I don't know the truth of it.
I am can only speak of the experiences I had with my 25-5, and from watching my friend shoot his 29 loose with hand loads not any hotter than Keith loads. Neither of us were heavy load users.
Both of the revolvers were early 80s vintage. Perhaps S&W changed them later, I don't know.

Joe

.45colt · Post by **.45colt** » Wed May 30, 2018 1:57 pm

For what it's worth Here is what I picked up a few years a go. Has He seen the Redhawk? https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/v ... ction=view

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Wed May 30, 2018 4:59 pm

.45colt wrote: ↑Wed May 30, 2018 1:57 pm For what it's worth Here is what I picked up a few years a go. Has He seen the Redhawk? https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/v ... ction=view

I've wanted one of those since they introduced them. Maybe Santie Clawz will bring me one.

Joe

.45colt · Post by **.45colt** » Fri Jun 01, 2018 10:15 am

Joe wrote:" I've wanted one of those since they introduced them. Maybe Santie Clawz will bring me one".
I sure hope He does Joe . I waited 30 years for this Redhawk to be made, and I had to have it.

EARL!! Need some ......45 Colt data please.

EARL!! Need some ......45 Colt data please.

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Re: EARL!! Need some ......45 Colt data please.

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Re: EARL!! Need some ......45 Colt data please.

Re: EARL!! Need some ......45 Colt data please.

Re: EARL!! Need some ......45 Colt data please.