360 Grain 454 Casull

[Natenator]

I recently acquired another 454 Casull. It's a Ruger Alaskan with a 2.5 inch barrel.

I am using Oregon Trail 360 hard cast bullets to start with. I have a number of Matt's Bullets 350 grain coming as well. I'm seeing conflicting data with charges of H110 load data so far.

Books list charges from 21 grains of H110 to a Max of 24 to 24.5; However, I am finding several online in forums using as much as 34 grains compressed (heavily). I'm deducing that these are loads generated in Quickloads?

Anyone have any insight? I'd like to push these to 1200 fps with the 2.5 inch barrel if practical.

[Boolseye]

I would deduce those loads right out of your mind. Sounds truly crazy.
I have loaded Casull using a custom Accurate mold at 350 grains, shot from a Ruger Redhawk Toklat with 5" barrel.
Max around 24 of 296 if memory serves. Similar with Little Gun, which I haven't used (dad does).
Why push it? it's already a 60,000 psi gun.

[Natenator]

I would deduce those loads right out of your mind. Sounds truly crazy.
I have loaded Casull using a custom Accurate mold at 350 grains, shot from a Ruger Redhawk Toklat with 5" barrel.
Max around 24 of 296 if memory serves. Similar with Little Gun, which I haven't used (dad does).
Why push it? it's already a 60,000 psi gun.

Well in fact none of the max book loads are listed at 60k psi. They are listed at around 45-48k per Hodgdon. I'm posting to gain insight into real world numbers or even an idea what Quickloads is saying not saying I'm GOING to push it there just trying to get an idea of what's safe and generally accepted

[RobS]

Barrel length is something to consider as most test barrels are not 2.5". Around 30 to 35 fps can be lost per inch of barrel. Running H110 in a short barrel may give you quite of a fireball so if at night that maybe something to consider. Maybe look at a faster powder or a powder with a flash suppressant to it such as the new powder Accurate 11FS. It also give some impressive velocities. http://www.accuratepowder.com/produc...4&product=11FS

http://www.accuratepowder.com/wp-con..._data_11FS.pdf

[Boolseye]

Didn't mean to come on too strong...and you're right, it's not 60, I mis-spoke, it's around 50.
I will defer to more knowledgeable heads than mine on quickloads algorithms. Best of luck with your new piece.

[5Shot]

Most MAX loads of 296 or H110 will have the powder column just touching the bottom of the bullet with no compression. The OAL with a particular bullet will dictate the max load. In most situations it really depends on the crimp groove location. I would follow book loads and not some load off of the forums. That little thing is a handful (I had one), so even a midrange load is going to be punishing.

[44Blam]

Barrel length is something to consider as most test barrels are not 2.5". Around 30 to 35 fps can be lost per inch of barrel. Running H110 in a short barrel may give you quite of a fireball so if at night that maybe something to consider. Maybe look at a faster powder or a powder with a flash suppressant to it such as the new powder Accurate 11FS. It also give some impressive velocities. http://www.accuratepowder.com/produc...4&product=11FS

http://www.accuratepowder.com/wp-con..._data_11FS.pdf

^^^ This ^^^
Or AA9 or AA7 or even something like Alliant 2400 or Alliant Blue Dot... All of these are a little quicker burning magnum powders.

I like to load W296 in my Tokarev and then go to the range. That's because it really does get to pressure, but there is a lot of unburnt powder so it goes BANG FLASH! And looks/sounds impressive. But AA7 is a much better powder to shoot in the Tok because it burns most of the powder.

[Natenator]

Barrel length is something to consider as most test barrels are not 2.5". Around 30 to 35 fps can be lost per inch of barrel. Running H110 in a short barrel may give you quite of a fireball so if at night that maybe something to consider. Maybe look at a faster powder or a powder with a flash suppressant to it such as the new powder Accurate 11FS. It also give some impressive velocities. http://www.accuratepowder.com/produc...4&product=11FS

http://www.accuratepowder.com/wp-con..._data_11FS.pdf

Aware barrel length is an issue. Finding load data for powders beyond H110/296, lilgun and imr4227 or trail boss is non-existent so far for the 360 grain bullet.

Edit--just now looking at the AA11fs data looks doable...if I can find any.

[Natenator]

Most MAX loads of 296 or H110 will have the powder column just touching the bottom of the bullet with no compression. The OAL with a particular bullet will dictate the max load. In most situations it really depends on the crimp groove location. I would follow book loads and not some load off of the forums. That little thing is a handful (I had one), so even a midrange load is going to be punishing.

Agreed I'm skeptical of forum loads as anyone should be. I have book loads loaded up to test. Oregon trail has loads for their 360 with H110 at 24.5 grains which is .5 grains over max listed for Hodgdons data.

Finding AA powders for me is hard as well as no one carries it locally and I've not seen it at the local Cabela's (who's selection is now worse than ever). IMR, Hodgdon and Winchester are the go to powders here in central Ohio.

[lar45]

What is the length of your 360gn bullet and what is the loaded length?

I used to shot alot of 320-350gn(all with a .4" nose) bullets from my Raging Bull. The load was 26gns of WC820. An equivalent velocity with 296 was 28gns.

If you could squeeze 34gns in to the case, Quickload says it would be over 100,000psi.

I had a conversation with John Linebaugh about heavily compressed loads. They were working up top loads for the .475 and as they compressed more and more 296 into the case, they started getting lower velocities. He said that he spoke with a ballistician at Hornady(I think) who said that compressing the powder that much actually made it burn slower. FWIW.

[Natenator]

What is the length of your 360gn bullet and what is the loaded length?

I used to shot alot of 320-350gn(all with a .4" nose) bullets from my Raging Bull. The load was 26gns of WC820. An equivalent velocity with 296 was 28gns.

If you could squeeze 34gns in to the case, Quickload says it would be over 100,000psi.

I had a conversation with John Linebaugh about heavily compressed loads. They were working up top loads for the .475 and as they compressed more and more 296 into the case, they started getting lower velocities. He said that he spoke with a ballistician at Hornady(I think) who said that compressing the powder that much actually made it burn slower. FWIW.

Interesting. Well Oregon Trail lists data of 24.5 grains of H110 as their max. I'll probably stick with that for now. Shooting these in about 2 weeks over Chrono so will see how they go.