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Posted: 8/13/2010 4:06:48 PM EDT
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I'm looking to buy a new wheel gun a Blackhawk 45LC and I'm kind of in the middle between 45 long colt and 357 mag. I'm trying to find a place that has the 45LC brass for sale at a good price be it used or new. Since this is the reloading forum I'd like to ask this also. I know some of you out there load and hunt with you 45LC and use "Hot loads" for this round. How well does the 45LC do for a hunting round? Also what are good hunting rounds for this? If you'd care to place your $0.02 in on 357 or 45 please do.
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In a Ruger you can load the 45 Colt up to near equal to 44 mag and still be within the loading charts. Plus all of the Cowboy action loads.
200gr to 250gr bullets. It will kill a deer just as dead as any 44 mag. This from a guy that deer hunts with a 1911 but has started packing either a 44-40 or a 45 Colt Long. In a 357 you chamber & shoot 38 specials. have also killed deer with a 357. Its all good & bullet placement is far more important than bullet size. MLG |
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Pretty much every animal on earth has been taken with a .44 magnum. The .45 Colt will equal and/or exceed the power of the .44 mag with the right handloads.
I have .357, .44, and .45 Colt handguns. Buy whatever you'll be the most proficient with if you intend to hunt with it. |
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Can't add to the advice above about the cartridges, but if you're not set on a single action and you want the option of using your revolver for defence I strongly recommend a Ruger double action for its strength and durability, and I almost forgot to add fine accuracy.
As a double action you can practice as I do shooting only double action with a very high degree of accuracy, once you learn the technique of trigger cocking. Simply stated you learn to cycle the revolver by squeezing the trigger till you feel the cylinder rotate and lock then fire. Lets say double action fire requires a 12 lb pull. It probably takes 10 lb to rotate and lock and the remaining 2 lb to fire. This is a technique that most revolver shooters never learn. Its an advantage IMO if I ever have to use my gun in a defensive situation, but it also helps in hunting if you have a deer very close where it is going to hear you cock that revolver "which has happened to me" and bolt before you can line up your sights. With trigger cocking your sights are already lined up and all you have to do is speed up your shot if the animal is alerted. Its what a double action is for. How many times have you seen someone at a range shooting a double action, single action, especially a snubby? Its silly really, but that's a different subject as you're more concerned about hunting. Though if I were hunting dangerous game with a revolver, I'd not want to play around with cocking a hammer before I'm able to shoot! JMOFWIW |
Go for the 45 Colt, it's just cooler
I use Starline brass, they were backordered when I placed my order but they shipped pretty quick. Loads with 255g LSWC from Missouri Bullet Good economical load 6.8g Bullseye 874.2 avg ES 15.14 SD 6.00 Good midrange load (Ruger only) 8.3g Titegroup 997 avg ES 8.17 SD 3.16 Heavy (Ruger Only) 25g W296 1192 avg ES 15.78 SD 5.38 Haven't hunted with it yet (only had it about six months) but will this deer season |
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Pretty much every animal on earth has been taken with a .44 magnum. The .45 Colt will equal and/or exceed the power of the .44 mag with the right handloads. I have .357, .44, and .45 Colt handguns. Buy whatever you'll be the most proficient with if you intend to hunt with it. Hunting with this pistol is a "I would one day like to." This is mostly going to be for plinking and a hiking pistol as wheel guns seem to be more people friendly the semi autos. You guys might be the right ones to ask this to also. Can the new lever action rifles use these Hot loads? That will have a lot to do with what one I pick because my wife wants a lever action rifle. |
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Can't add to the advice above about the cartridges, but if you're not set on a single action and you want the option of using your revolver for defence I strongly recommend a Ruger double action for its strength and durability, and I almost forgot to add fine accuracy. As a double action you can practice as I do shooting only double action with a very high degree of accuracy, once you learn the technique of trigger cocking. Simply stated you learn to cycle the revolver by squeezing the trigger till you feel the cylinder rotate and lock then fire. Lets say double action fire requires a 12 lb pull. It probably takes 10 lb to rotate and lock and the remaining 2 lb to fire. This is a technique that most revolver shooters never learn. Its an advantage IMO if I ever have to use my gun in a defensive situation, but it also helps in hunting if you have a deer very close where it is going to hear you cock that revolver "which has happened to me" and bolt before you can line up your sights. With trigger cocking your sights are already lined up and all you have to do is speed up your shot if the animal is alerted. Its what a double action is for. How many times have you seen someone at a range shooting a double action, single action, especially a snubby? Its silly really, but that's a different subject as you're more concerned about hunting. Though if I were hunting dangerous game with a revolver, I'd not want to play around with cocking a hammer before I'm able to shoot! JMOFWIW The 'trigger cocking' technique is how I shoot all my double action revolvers. Very easy to learn with a Ruger DA. |
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Because of the Cowboy Action Shooting phenom brass is hard to find. I would visit several sites and hit the "contact me" option so you'll be notified as soon as the brass comes in.
I've become so frustrated searching for certain bullets I resorted to this method and it's worked out great. I don't call or search them, they call me asap when the stuff I want shows up. Have your VISA at the ready and act immediately when contacted via email. I just got 2000 Hornady 87 grain .243 HPBT match bullets this week using this method. It will stop wasting your time trying to find it first. Widener's Mid South Shooter's Supply Graf''s Man Venture Outpost Midway Powder Valley These are but a few that will give you a decent chance of getting the stuff you want sooner, instead of later. |
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Pretty much every animal on earth has been taken with a .44 magnum. The .45 Colt will equal and/or exceed the power of the .44 mag with the right handloads. I have .357, .44, and .45 Colt handguns. Buy whatever you'll be the most proficient with if you intend to hunt with it. Hunting with this pistol is a "I would one day like to." This is mostly going to be for plinking and a hiking pistol as wheel guns seem to be more people friendly the semi autos. You guys might be the right ones to ask this to also. Can the new lever action rifles use these Hot loads? That will have a lot to do with what one I pick because my wife wants a lever action rifle. Marlin can, I don't know about the winchesters or others, although anything built on a Win 1873 or clone is far too weak for anything other than BP equivalent loads. My wife's first deer rifle was a now discontinued Marlin 1894 CP in .357 mag. Marlin still makes the 1894 in .357, but IIRC, standard barrel length is 18 or 20 inches...my wife's is 16.25 and it's a very handy little carbine. The 1894 in .44 mag has more thump, but it's also a little heavier and the wood isn't as slim. |
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Can't help you on the brass, I shoot new once and then reload so I'm not very useful. Just make sure you get the convertible Blackhawk. It's amazingly handy to have the .45acp option available ... providing you have other .45acp's. It's not quite as useful if you don't have a stash of .45acp already.
If you swing that way, the .357 comes with a 9mm cylinder. I haven't priced them lately but the convertible model is slightly more expensive, but I still feel it's worth it ETA the obligatory picture - 
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Can't help you on the brass, I shoot new once and then reload so I'm not very useful. Just make sure you get the convertible Blackhawk. It's amazingly handy to have the .45acp option available ... providing you have other .45acp's. It's not quite as useful if you don't have a stash of .45acp already. If you swing that way, the .357 comes with a 9mm cylinder. I haven't priced them lately but the convertible model is slightly more expensive, but I still feel it's worth it ETA the obligatory picture - http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb159/wyzardd/Shooting/DSCI0026.jpg That is a nice pistol! I'm looking more and more at 45lc being I love to reload. I'm trying to get info about 4 inch barrel vs longer ones on game. My main side arm is a XD45 so the conversion would be most welcome. I'm also looking at the whole blackhawk VS redhawk. |
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That is a nice pistol! I'm looking more and more at 45lc being I love to reload. I'm trying to get info about 4 inch barrel vs longer ones on game. My main side arm is a XD45 so the conversion would be most welcome. I'm also looking at the whole blackhawk VS redhawk. I have 2 Blackhawks in 45 LC, and one in .357 Mag. The .45's are both convertibles and it does come in handy to be able to shoot both 45 Colt or 45ACP. I have the .45's in 5 1/2" and 7 1/2" barrels. I liked the balance on the 5 1/2" barrel better than the 4 5/8" barrel. When I am going pistol hunting I take the 7 1/2" barrel .45 Colt, as its better at longer range with the longer sighting plane. It also adds about 100 fps with my 255 gr loads. The shorter barrel is easier to carry and is also quite accurate. I also like the Redhawk, but they are about 8 oz heavier in the same barrel length, and at least another $200 more expensive. The .45 Colt is an excellent hunting round in the normal factory loading. The factory 255 gr bullet at 855 fps will penetrate a 275 feral pig from nose to tail and exit the pig, I have done it first hand. With Blackhawk and Redhawk you can easily load the same 255 grain bullet to over 1200 fps. The Rossi carbine in 45 Colt will handle the same hot loads as the Blackhawk and is an excellent companion. The best place to get 45 colt brass is directly from Starline, it usually takes a few weeks, but they have the best price, and it is arguably the best brass for heavy loads. G . |
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I own a Ruger Blackhawk .41 Magnum that is virtually identical to the .45 LC Ruger pictured above. I have considered buying a .45 Vaquero and have been looking in earnest lately. I seem to be drawn to the 5.5" model, but then I'd have to buy another holster rig. A 4 5/8" .45 LC would work just fine in the rig I own now.
Decisions. I do recommend the .45LC/.45ACP convertible, why not? Twice the options, and .45ACP can be loaded much hotter in a revolver. |
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That is a nice pistol! I'm looking more and more at 45lc being I love to reload. I'm trying to get info about 4 inch barrel vs longer ones on game. My main side arm is a XD45 so the conversion would be most welcome. I'm also looking at the whole blackhawk VS redhawk. I have 2 Blackhawks in 45 LC, and one in .357 Mag. The .45's are both convertibles and it does come in handy to be able to shoot both 45 Colt or 45ACP. I have the .45's in 5 1/2" and 7 1/2" barrels. I liked the balance on the 5 1/2" barrel better than the 4 5/8" barrel. When I am going pistol hunting I take the 7 1/2" barrel .45 Colt, as its better at longer range with the longer sighting plane. It also adds about 100 fps with my 255 gr loads. The shorter barrel is easier to carry and is also quite accurate. I also like the Redhawk, but they are about 8 oz heavier in the same barrel length, and at least another $200 more expensive. The .45 Colt is an excellent hunting round in the normal factory loading. The factory 255 gr bullet at 855 fps will penetrate a 275 feral pig from nose to tail and exit the pig, I have done it first hand. With Blackhawk and Redhawk you can easily load the same 255 grain bullet to over 1200 fps. The Rossi carbine in 45 Colt will handle the same hot loads as the Blackhawk and is an excellent companion. The best place to get 45 colt brass is directly from Starline, it usually takes a few weeks, but they have the best price, and it is arguably the best brass for heavy loads. G . Sounds like I have the right round from what I want it to be able to do. Yes the brass costs more for the 45lc and so does the bullets and it uses more powder . Yet I get something more powerful then a 44mag! Being that I hand rolled the 45LC. When I have looked the 45lc brass and bullet it's about the same price as most 44 mag! |
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I don't understand why you think the 45LC is more powerful than the 44 Mag unless you're pushing it to above the recommended loading levels, and I mean those for the Ruger's.
As for cost I found a Super Redhawk that was slightly used a couple years ago and walked out the door with a 7 1/2 inch model for $425.00 I'm not trying to change your mind, I just want to clear up any misconception that may alter the choices of other less knowledgeable people. I also own a 7 1/2" Super Blackhawk, plus 3 other Ruger Revolvers currently, and have owned several others over the last 30 some years. The Super Redhawk is heavier than my Super Blackhawk by 4 oz. and the way it is designed puts a lot of that weight in the barrel and forward of the frame. This does a lot in taming down recoil especially when using the heaviest hunting loads. There's only a very small minority of people who can handle, or even need anything bigger than a 44 mag as well, and most of them people live North of the Canadian Border. JMOFWIW |
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I don't understand why you think the 45LC is more powerful than the 44 Mag unless you're pushing it to above the recommended loading levels, and I mean those for the Ruger's. As for cost I found a Super Redhawk that was slightly used a couple years ago and walked out the door with a 7 1/2 inch model for $425.00 I'm not trying to change your mind, I just want to clear up any misconception that may alter the choices of other less knowledgeable people. I also own a 7 1/2" Super Blackhawk, plus 3 other Ruger Revolvers currently, and have owned several others over the last 30 some years. The Super Redhawk is heavier than my Super Blackhawk by 4 oz. and the way it is designed puts a lot of that weight in the barrel and forward of the frame. This does a lot in taming down recoil especially when using the heaviest hunting loads. There's only a very small minority of people who can handle, or even need anything bigger than a 44 mag as well, and most of them people live North of the Canadian Border. JMOFWIW Link to a good site after reading this it made me want the 45LC more. Kind of a long read but it says that a 45LC can do more then the 44mag with about 5,000 PSI less and half the size of the barrel. |
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I don't understand why you think the 45LC is more powerful than the 44 Mag unless you're pushing it to above the recommended loading levels, and I mean those for the Ruger's. As for cost I found a Super Redhawk that was slightly used a couple years ago and walked out the door with a 7 1/2 inch model for $425.00 I'm not trying to change your mind, I just want to clear up any misconception that may alter the choices of other less knowledgeable people. I also own a 7 1/2" Super Blackhawk, plus 3 other Ruger Revolvers currently, and have owned several others over the last 30 some years. The Super Redhawk is heavier than my Super Blackhawk by 4 oz. and the way it is designed puts a lot of that weight in the barrel and forward of the frame. This does a lot in taming down recoil especially when using the heaviest hunting loads. There's only a very small minority of people who can handle, or even need anything bigger than a 44 mag as well, and most of them people live North of the Canadian Border. JMOFWIW Link to a good site after reading this it made me want the 45LC more. Kind of a long read but it says that a 45LC can do more then the 44mag with about 5,000 PSI less and half the size of the barrel. I agree this is a very interesting article on the merits of the 45LC for simple internal ballistics over that of the 44 Magnum. The article also points out the facts that most of us don't have the need for such a load for shooting thin skinned game, just as I alluded to in my comment about not needing anything more than a 44 mag unless you live North of the Canadian border. The article also goes into some detail about the non-availability of sturdy double action revolvers chambered for the 45LC as I also Mentioned. I've shot 45 and 50 cal magnums. I just don't understand what anyone thinks they can do better with a revolver larger than a 44 mag or how a single action could have any advantage over a double action all other things being equal, Like I said it's JMOFWIW! |
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not needing anything more than a 44 mag unless you live North of the Canadian border. Border jumper? Montana roadkill. 
http://www.saubier.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3218&highlight=griz |
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not needing anything more than a 44 mag unless you live North of the Canadian border. Border jumper? Montana roadkill. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v514/montdoug/image0009.jpg http://www.saubier.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3218&highlight=griz I thought we were talking about the merits of handun designs not automobiles! LOL |
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After searching for used 45LC brass and watching it sell for more than new prices I bought a case from midway couple years ago, Starline brass.
I now have enough to last me the rest of my life. 45LC Brass |
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So I have been told this
I have reloaded thousands and thousands of rounds for the .44. I reload for the .45 colt as well,but find the .44 significantly easier to find accurate loads for. The short version is that quite often you will come across .45 Colt chambered guns that are quite finicky about bullet diameter and a pain to reload for. The .44 on the other hand has always had the same dimensions and it is rare to find a .44 mag that will not shoot quite well.
Can anyone tell me if this is a common problem with the 45LC? Not trying to say the OP of this quote is telling tall tales I'm sure he telling the truth from his experiences with the 45LC. What I'm trying to find out is if this is common with 45LC reloaded ammo? Has there been problems with people buying 452 bullets and them not being the right diameter? |
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So I have been told this I have reloaded thousands and thousands of rounds for the .44. I reload for the .45 colt as well,but find the .44 significantly easier to find accurate loads for. The short version is that quite often you will come across .45 Colt chambered guns that are quite finicky about bullet diameter and a pain to reload for. The .44 on the other hand has always had the same dimensions and it is rare to find a .44 mag that will not shoot quite well.
Can anyone tell me if this is a common problem with the 45LC? Not trying to say the OP of this quote is telling tall tales I'm sure he telling the truth from his experiences with the 45LC. What I'm trying to find out is if this is common with 45LC reloaded ammo? Has there been problems with people buying 452 bullets and them not being the right diameter? Its true. I used to load .454 dia. bullets for 45 LC. I've read that some mfg's are now standardizing to.452. In trying to determine what is the proper diameter bullet for your particular pistol, what I have always done is to use a jacketed bullet of known diameter, and try to insert it into the face of the cylinder. If there is a very light drag, "Not an easy slip through", that's the diameter of bullet I will use to load for this particular revolver, unless the bore is much larger that the face of the cylinder "which is very uncommon" then the cylinder needs to be reamed. This is a check you'd make with any caliber revolver especially foreign guns but variations are more common in 45 LC as previously stated, and there are also likely variations in factory ammo but I would not know because I never use factory ammo in my revolvers. Its also true that most U.S. made .44 mags are quite accurate. I used to hunt woodchucks with my Super Blackhawk, and you would be impressed with some of the shots I made. |
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