Easy loadin'. Real easy.

[Dick Dastardly]

Last Christmas I gave away my flat of loaded Cowboy 45 Special brass stuffed with Holy Black and EPP-UG bullets to my sidekick.  Now, I had to load some up for my own self.

I put the 45 ACP turret on my LEE Classic Turret press and had at it.  I've never, and I mean NEVER, had an easier case to load or a bullet so agreeable to seat.  Dang near missed dinner. . . .

DD-DLoS

[Adirondack Jack]

LOL I thought I was the only one    I loaded some up the other day and was havin' such a good time I was disappointed when the primer alarm on the Dillon went off.  No muss, no fuss, just crank the handle and make ammo.  The little EPPs seem to just jump right into the case and seat themselves.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Can't say specifically 'bout the 45 Spl, but as I grow older the 44s or 45s I load for are sure a lot easier than those piddley 9s, 357s and 'specially 223s!  The bigger hole is easier to see as well!

[Dick Dastardly]

Ya know, we Gentlemen of mature age kin appreciate a larger hole.

It's been said that they don't yell, they don't tell, they don't swell and they're greatful as heck. . . .

DD-DLoS

[Steel Horse Bailey]

 

[Oldelm]

It's been said that they don't yell, they don't tell, they don't swell and they're greatful as heck. . . .

LOL!!!.................

............now there's some loading data based on wisdom ya won't find in any Lyman Handbook.

[Cactus Cris]

Used the EPP-UG in my ROA's today in a six stage match.  Worked great!  The pure lead ones went in real easy & didn't back out with 22 gr. 2f.  The ones cast out of WW went in easy too.  Will prob. cast them out of WW the rest of the way.  Acc was more than adequate too.  Only drawback was the kinda messy lube thing.  BUT there is more than plenty of lube to keep the pistola's running & the fouling soft in the bore. DD ya gots a winner!!!

[Adirondack Jack]

I played around at the woods range today too.  It was so nice all week, I just HAD TO get out and shoot before winter actually arrives.

No BP stuff, just heathen smokeless, but I ran some different loads over the chrony with the EPPs, ranging from some light Red Dot loads (actually a hair too light) to some Non-CAS experiments with the EPP that were fun.

It is an absolute HOOT in ACP for the 1911.  Gently taper crimped right at the shoulder, they fed perfectly and a 5.5 grain Red Dot load ran em at 1000 fps to POA with my 4 inch GI Champion.  A real FUN plinker in the ole 1911.

then in the +P department for Cowboy .45 Special, I tried a few at Hot-cha Cha levels.  Now I don't think I'd do this in an old Colt or a toggle link, but in my Big Vaquero and marlin modified for Cowboy .45 Special, a load of 10 grains of Power Pistol ran the little EPP at 1305 and 1475 FPS respectively.

That little pup is a NASTY customer at 1300 fps, and would make a very good pest round.

At 1475 out of the Marlin, it was still a very tame recoiing shooter, and went where I pointed it, but I failed in my attempt to recover one.  I think the one I shot through a 1 gallon milk jug with a pine backer blew up.  the rough 2X4 backer was only dented, but the jug was unwrapped most violently, and flew way away from the table.  Two heavy hunks of rough 2X4 were blown off the table in the process.  The jug had multiple holes in it, so I think the bullet started to come to pieces at that velocity (cast from WW and water quenched).  I know some kind of shrapnel hit my chrony, which was off to the side by 8 feet, and has now got a couple very small holes in the front plastic.  (still works though).  I'm thinkin that load in the marlin would be a NASTY pest control round for something like fox or 'yotes up close.  It's every bit a solid .357 manglem load, but with a whole bunch less pressure (maybe 22500 or 23k? compared to high 30s), and isn't gonna plow through a lot of stuff beyond the target

in any event, The epp is a most versatile bullet.

[Dick Dastardly]

Mornin' Pards Chris and Jack, thanks.

I haven't run the ww tests yet, but I did "stiffen" up my mix some and found that they still loaded very easily.  I just got a new die for my Star lube/sizer and found that it was tricky to adjust, but as soon as I got it set up, the rig really does a nice job.

Chris, the new PL-II lube tames the mess problem some.  It's a mite stiffer and stays put a bit better.  For reasons I can't be sure of, it's also a mite stickier.  One thing I like about it is that the melt point is about Ten degrees higher than original PL.  I won't give out the recipe for PL-II cuz it's tricky to alloy.  Once mixed tho, I prefer it to original PL.

Coffee's hot, gotta go.

DD-DLoS

[Cincinnati Slim]

Howdy All,

I've got a Lee Turrent press on order from Cabela's.
Probably have 500 rounds of .45 Colt brass waitin' to be stufffed with Holy Black or Triple-Seven. I Like boom and recoil; that's why I shoot fourty-fives !

Already got my dies, I'll be getting a bunch of them "big-lube" bullets next.

Gonna try some of the shorty ".45 Cowboy Special" brass once I get up to speed.

I keep hearin' Dillon this Dillon that but my daddy had a Lee press and dies and they always worked for him.
I remember reloading .45 Colt cases with him when I was a little boy. Those cases looked HUGE to me when I was little, fact is, they're still purdy durn big !

Mr. Dastardly I'm for-sure likin' that cylinder loader I got from you. Consistent loading makes for mucho better accuracy.

One quick question, can I use them "Big Lube" ROA bullets in my Pietta Remmies using your cylinder loader ?

My chamber bores measure .450 inch, shave a perfect little ring using .454 balls.

Thanks,

Cincinnati Slim,

p.s. went shootin' at Friendship again January 29th, it was sunny and 58 degrees and there was just me, Charlie and one other fella there ! Sure thought there would be more folks there shooting their smokepoles.
I know Santa brought a bunch of folks BP guns for X-mas; Bass Pro was clean outa CAPS !!! 

[Dick Dastardly]

Ho Slim,

I'm thinkn' the EPP-UG would size down to .452 rite nice and the loading stand would do the rest when the bullet was seated.  One Thousandth per side isn't too much to seat if they are cast soft.

I'm thinkn' our long autumn is over for a few weeks.  Then, I'm lookin' for spring.  Hope to shoot with ya down the trail.

DD-DLoS

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Howdy Cincy Slim!

I won't preach Dillon to ya, even 'tho I prefer their presses, BUT that Lee turret ya have on order will do ya jes' fine! 

I wouldn't try those BigLube 250s in your Remington ... even if you get them made of pure lead - which IS the best way for C&B.  They might prove to be too much boolit, ESPECIALLY iffn ya use the 777!  Starts to push the pressure switch in all but the lightest loads.  It'll do fine with roundball loads, 'tho.  Some folks have had good luck shootin' wheelweight alloy bullets, and heavy bullets thru their I-tralian guns, but most are puttin' 'em thru their Ruger Old Armies, if I remember right.  And Rugers are built hell-for-stout from top-quality steels for use with 44 mag hunting loads.  IMHO, just stick with the lighter (standard weight) conicals and roundballs.

Dick D did mention another possibility for ya, 'tho.  That stubby lil' EPP-UG booliit might fill the bill if ya jes HAVE to shoot something bigger than roundballs.  I don't know whether Mason has the boolits (mould) yet, but I'll bet he will when he sees there's a good market for 'em.

Do ya ever get up here to Indy?  If ya do, find me and maybe we could take in a shoot together.  (I'm pretty easy to find here at CAS City.)

Keep yer powder dry!

SHB