Confused about .45 bullets

davlandrum · February 19, 2008, 12:51 PM

Sorry for a complete bonehead question, but I know I can get the right answer here -

I just bought a S&W 460 XVR. I have put a box of .45 Colt, a box of .454 Casull, and a box of .460 SW through it - and (being frugal and thinking ahead...) saved the brass.

I do not reload, but my buddy does and has offered a complete set up and help getting started, which of course I am taking him up on.

I was just browsing Midway and looking at bullets available.

My question (finally, I know) is how do you figure out if you need a .451, a .452, a .454 diameter bullet for reloading?

The descriptions confused me even worse as both the.451 and the .452 are listed as .45 Colt, the .454 Casull is listed as .452, and they have the .460 SW listed with a .451 diameter.

They just can't make it easy, can they...

So I plan to continue shooting all 3 calibers - primarily .45 Colt for range time, and either the .454 Casull or .460 SW for hunting, leaning toward the .460 as my primary hunting round.

Thanks in advance for putting up with the questions!

Dave

rwilson452 · February 19, 2008, 12:59 PM

generally speaking use 452 for lead and 451 for jacketed.

amamnn · February 19, 2008, 02:57 PM

I think I would stick with jacketed bullets until you get a feel for the cartridge. I have a friend who loads for it and he says the lead fouling was intense. Otherwise, you might be interested in this:

http://www.chuckhawks.com/460_SW_Mag.htm

Despite Mr. Hawks obvious hard on for SW--I guess he hasn't heard yet that the bad old brits sold it back to us--he does have some good info. You can always measure a factory bullet that works well for you with your micrometer.
another loading opinion:

http://www.reloadammo.com/460sw.htm

Personally, I would use the larger diameter bullets. I don't think I'd like a small one rattling down the tube; that could not possibly do the barrel any good, to say nothing about accuracy. I don't have the SAAMI drawings for the .460, but I do have the .454 casull and they list .4525 as the ideal bullet diameter.

TexasSeaRay · February 19, 2008, 03:10 PM

I agree.

Until you get familiar with all aspects of your caliber and the art/science of reloading, I'd recommend reducing all the variables you can. Going with jacketed bullets is a variable you can control.

I do know folks who cast their own--I'm getting into it myself--who can, and do, cast bullets for their hunting rounds that can exceed 2000fps with no noticeable leading.

A lof of leading comes from the same place fouling does--inconsistent cylinders and barrels/bores. I borelapped my 686 a long time ago when I was shooting IPSC with it and have had no leading problems since. Getting ready to do it to my Model 29's.

Might have a gunsmith check your cylinders and barrel before running too much of anything through it. It can all be cleaned out, but me personally, I don't usually enjoy cleaning my guns. I like reloading for them and shooting them. Cleaning them. . . . don't always enjoy it.

Always do it after every trip to the range, but I also usually do a bit of grumbling as well.

Jeff

Jeff

davlandrum · February 19, 2008, 03:54 PM

Thanks for all the replies, especially the links, amamnn.

The .45 Colt is a really fun round with this gun, and I am glad I can shoot it to get in a lot of shooting. After a box of .454 and a box of .460 at the same session, I was really ready to take a break!

Glad I had my Ruger P345 .45 ACP along to shoot something lighter.

gac55 · February 20, 2008, 07:25 PM

Dave, you have been given a lot of good info. And there are a lot of factors when it comes to shooting and reloading. The first thing I do, when I get a gun is do a fast slug job on the barrel, and what I mean as far as a fast slug is this.
On your gun you are taking about do this, prop your gun with but down, barrel up.get you a no. 8 or 10 nail, shove some newspaper cleaning pad what ever, push it down a couple of inches, get you a cheap candle ,get it burning, when you get a good puddle of hot wax, place that nail in the barrel head down try to center it, holding the nail fill the couple inches of the barrel with the hot wax. Let it cool good, so that it is hard.(One thing I forgot to tell you, is use some vasiline and coat the inside of the barrel, but just a light coat) this will let the hard wax slug come out of the barrel easy,wipe the vasiline off, do not damage the slug, take a good caliper and measure it.
Good rule of thumb, you can go over 2 thousand on lead, but not with a jackected, then you will know what to shoot in your gun. I have been building to old hawes SA 45LC that I bought in a box, lots and lots of parts not there!Not a lot of rifling either, but hawes are know for shallow rifling, I will cast and shoot 456 dia threw them.

I hope that my rambling on, has not confused you, but helped you.
See Ya
Greg
If you do not want to use Vasiline you can use 3and1 oil, olive oil, whatever!
One more thing, and I will shut up! Some people like to shoot cannon loads, and some don't, I don't I shoot a nice plinker load, it cost less, it isn't as hard on your gun, it doesn't striss your brass, so you very seldom have to trim, and it will make you a better shot! If you start off on light loads, then you can work your loads up to a place where you like to shoot!!

What ever floats your boat, my advice is just that, I have been reloading for 30 years, and I have never loaded a round over max, but on my home defense loads, I will load them as hot as the gun and I can handle it, but never over spec's.
See Ya
Have fun Shooting and reloading
be carefull and safe!!

davlandrum · February 21, 2008, 01:05 PM

gac - Thanks for the knowledge!

February 19, 2008, 12:51 PM	#1
davlandrum Senior Member Join Date: February 27, 2006 Location: Lane County Oregon Posts: 2,547	Confused about .45 bullets Sorry for a complete bonehead question, but I know I can get the right answer here - I just bought a S&W 460 XVR. I have put a box of .45 Colt, a box of .454 Casull, and a box of .460 SW through it - and (being frugal and thinking ahead...) saved the brass. I do not reload, but my buddy does and has offered a complete set up and help getting started, which of course I am taking him up on. I was just browsing Midway and looking at bullets available. My question (finally, I know) is how do you figure out if you need a .451, a .452, a .454 diameter bullet for reloading? The descriptions confused me even worse as both the.451 and the .452 are listed as .45 Colt, the .454 Casull is listed as .452, and they have the .460 SW listed with a .451 diameter. They just can't make it easy, can they... So I plan to continue shooting all 3 calibers - primarily .45 Colt for range time, and either the .454 Casull or .460 SW for hunting, leaning toward the .460 as my primary hunting round. Thanks in advance for putting up with the questions! Dave __________________ U.S Army, Retired Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do. -Potter Stewart

February 19, 2008, 02:57 PM	#3
amamnn Senior Member Join Date: May 13, 2006 Location: WA, the left armpit of the USA Posts: 1,323	I think I would stick with jacketed bullets until you get a feel for the cartridge. I have a friend who loads for it and he says the lead fouling was intense. Otherwise, you might be interested in this: http://www.chuckhawks.com/460_SW_Mag.htm Despite Mr. Hawks obvious hard on for SW--I guess he hasn't heard yet that the bad old brits sold it back to us--he does have some good info. You can always measure a factory bullet that works well for you with your micrometer. another loading opinion: http://www.reloadammo.com/460sw.htm Personally, I would use the larger diameter bullets. I don't think I'd like a small one rattling down the tube; that could not possibly do the barrel any good, to say nothing about accuracy. I don't have the SAAMI drawings for the .460, but I do have the .454 casull and they list .4525 as the ideal bullet diameter. __________________ "If the enemy is in range, so are you." - Infantry Journal Last edited by amamnn; February 19, 2008 at 03:09 PM. Reason: content corrections

February 19, 2008, 03:10 PM	#4
TexasSeaRay Senior Member Join Date: November 19, 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 810	I agree. Until you get familiar with all aspects of your caliber and the art/science of reloading, I'd recommend reducing all the variables you can. Going with jacketed bullets is a variable you can control. I do know folks who cast their own--I'm getting into it myself--who can, and do, cast bullets for their hunting rounds that can exceed 2000fps with no noticeable leading. A lof of leading comes from the same place fouling does--inconsistent cylinders and barrels/bores. I borelapped my 686 a long time ago when I was shooting IPSC with it and have had no leading problems since. Getting ready to do it to my Model 29's. Might have a gunsmith check your cylinders and barrel before running too much of anything through it. It can all be cleaned out, but me personally, I don't usually enjoy cleaning my guns. I like reloading for them and shooting them. Cleaning them. . . . don't always enjoy it. Always do it after every trip to the range, but I also usually do a bit of grumbling as well. Jeff Jeff __________________ If every single gun owner belonged to the NRA as well as their respective state rifle/gun association, we wouldn't be in the mess we're in today. So to those of you who are members of neither, thanks for nothing.

February 19, 2008, 03:54 PM	#5
davlandrum Senior Member Join Date: February 27, 2006 Location: Lane County Oregon Posts: 2,547	Thanks for all the replies, especially the links, amamnn. The .45 Colt is a really fun round with this gun, and I am glad I can shoot it to get in a lot of shooting. After a box of .454 and a box of .460 at the same session, I was really ready to take a break! Glad I had my Ruger P345 .45 ACP along to shoot something lighter. __________________ U.S Army, Retired Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do. -Potter Stewart

February 21, 2008, 01:05 PM	#7
davlandrum Senior Member Join Date: February 27, 2006 Location: Lane County Oregon Posts: 2,547	gac - Thanks for the knowledge! __________________ U.S Army, Retired Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do. -Potter Stewart

February 19, 2008, 12:59 PM	#2
rwilson452 Senior Member Join Date: June 10, 2004 Location: Tioga co. PA Posts: 2,647	generally speaking use 452 for lead and 451 for jacketed.

February 20, 2008, 07:25 PM	#6
gac55 Junior Member Join Date: July 18, 2007 Posts: 9	Dave, you have been given a lot of good info. And there are a lot of factors when it comes to shooting and reloading. The first thing I do, when I get a gun is do a fast slug job on the barrel, and what I mean as far as a fast slug is this. On your gun you are taking about do this, prop your gun with but down, barrel up.get you a no. 8 or 10 nail, shove some newspaper cleaning pad what ever, push it down a couple of inches, get you a cheap candle ,get it burning, when you get a good puddle of hot wax, place that nail in the barrel head down try to center it, holding the nail fill the couple inches of the barrel with the hot wax. Let it cool good, so that it is hard.(One thing I forgot to tell you, is use some vasiline and coat the inside of the barrel, but just a light coat) this will let the hard wax slug come out of the barrel easy,wipe the vasiline off, do not damage the slug, take a good caliper and measure it. Good rule of thumb, you can go over 2 thousand on lead, but not with a jackected, then you will know what to shoot in your gun. I have been building to old hawes SA 45LC that I bought in a box, lots and lots of parts not there!Not a lot of rifling either, but hawes are know for shallow rifling, I will cast and shoot 456 dia threw them. I hope that my rambling on, has not confused you, but helped you. See Ya Greg If you do not want to use Vasiline you can use 3and1 oil, olive oil, whatever! One more thing, and I will shut up! Some people like to shoot cannon loads, and some don't, I don't I shoot a nice plinker load, it cost less, it isn't as hard on your gun, it doesn't striss your brass, so you very seldom have to trim, and it will make you a better shot! If you start off on light loads, then you can work your loads up to a place where you like to shoot!! What ever floats your boat, my advice is just that, I have been reloading for 30 years, and I have never loaded a round over max, but on my home defense loads, I will load them as hot as the gun and I can handle it, but never over spec's. See Ya Have fun Shooting and reloading be carefull and safe!!