".45 Colt's Government" Cartridges...

[mtmarfield]

      Greetings!

   This information is taken from my Post in 'Frontier Iron', wherein I related my reloading experiences preparing cartridges for my new A. Uberti #3 Old Model American, .45 Colt, 5" bbl.
   Having successfully fired .45Colt's handloads in this beautiful new revolver, I resolved to fashion cartridges of the shorter .45 Colt's Government, to facilitate a more sure ejection of fired brass. Standard .45Colt's brass is readily extracted from the cylinders chambers, but not all are fully ejected, and must be plucked out. I reasoned that the .45Colt's Govt cartridges brass being the same length as .45S&W should reliably clear the chambers, and upon that reasoning, I proceeded thus:
   I took two double handfuls of mixed headstamp .45Colt's brass, and trimmed them all to 1.095" ( The length of StarLine ".45 Schofield" brass ), and dressed their case mouths. The cases were primed with both CCI #300 and S&B Large Pistol Primers. Using established Reloading Manuals, I decided upon a starting charge of 5.4gr Alliant Unique, and corked with the NEI #323A / .454-230HB bullet, sized to .454", ALOX lubed, and about 14BHN. I also loaded one old box of StarLine .45 Schofield brass with the same components, and using for all an old set of Hornady Titanium Nitride .45ACP/.45Colt's 3 Die Set. The larger rim diameter of the .45 Schofield brass demands the use of a different shell holder: I use the RCBS #35; for the .45Colt's I use RCBS#20 or Hornady#5. Hard bullet crimps were not used, the Seater/Crimper Die adjusted to press the case mouth snugly against the bullets ogive, and give 1.404" OAL.
   With my eyeballs screwed in tight, and struggling with an atrocious trigger, I could, to my satisfaction, manage 2.5" to 3" groups at 25yds with all bullets right over the front sight. I could not discern any performance difference between my CCI #300 Large Pistol Primers, or the S&B brand Primers, and neither was there any between my handloads utilizing the shortened .45Colt's brass and the StarLine .45 Schofield brass. I could also more reliably eject the .45Colt's Government brass, with only an occasional case getting under the extractor star.
   Shortening the .45Colt's brass was rather a hassle, but lacking .45S&W Schofield brass, it is certainly an option. I also appreciated the fact that I was getting very good performance and economy from the Alliant Unique, a significant reduction of powder compared to my standard .45Colt's handloads.

                               M.T.M.
                             6-01-22

[DeaconKC]

Thanks from another Schofield shooter, very well laid out and explained.

[mtmarfield]

      Greetings, DeaconKC!

   Thanks Mucho for the feedback. I'm an enthusiastic, life-long handloader, and I like to be very clear about what I'm presenting.

                     M.T.M.
                   6-01-22