Got a 45 Colt, which Big Lube boolit is best?

[44caliberkid]

   Well I finally had to buy a 45 Colt chambered Rooger, NMV, stainless, 4 3/4 barrel.  So I'm gonna have to buy a Big Lube mold for it.   Don't know weather to get the 250 or the 200.  Most of the shooting will be CAS, but might have to shoot something fleshy some day too.   What are your preferences?  How's accuracy compare between the two at 25 - 30 yards?

[Pukin Dog]

Howdy,
I will be sending in an article on just this subject to the SASS Cowboy Chronicle in the next few days.  I tested the EPPUG (El Paseo Pete Ultra gamer) 150gr bullet, the DD ROA (Dick Dastardly Ruger Old Army) 210 bullet, the J/P200 (Johnson/Peterson 200gr) bullet and the PRS (Pigeon Roost Slim 250gr) bullet.  I shot each at 25 feet from a bench rest (1st and last cylinder) with 15 shots in between to simulate a standard SASS shoot.  I used an Uberti SAA clone and an Uberti Remington '75 clone for the tests.

This is the table of the results I had compiled (note: the table didn't paste in too well):

The Results

After measuring all of the results I put them into the following table for review.  I had a couple of flyers in the results and put that into the notes section.

Gun                   bullet   1st group   last group   Difference   Notes   
1873 SAA      EPPUG   2.75"   2.5"   -.25"   
1875 Outlaw   EPPUG   2.25"   3"   +.75"   
1873 SAA      JP200/45   3"   *3.75"   +.75"   *2.25" w/o flyer       
-.75" diff
1875 Outlaw   JP200/45   2.75"   2.25"   -.50"   
1873 SAA      DD ROA   2.25"   2.5"   +.25"   
1875 Outlaw   DD ROA   1.75"   3.75"   +2.00"   
1873 SAA      PRS 250   3.5"   2.125"   -1.375"   
1875 Outlaw   PRS 250   *4.125"   2.25"   -1.875   *1.25 w/o flyer
+1.00" diff
      Average   Average   Average   
      2.80"   2.77"   -.03"   

As you can see, in most cases the first grouping and the last grouping are not too far off from each other.  The overall difference was .03 hundredths of an inch between the first and last groupings, so is practically insignificant.  For the majority of bullets the difference was less than 1 inch between the first shots and the last shots for the various combinations.  I experienced minimal binding of the cylinder over the course of firing with both revolvers.  Of the 2, the SAA handled the binding the best but in either case it was of no significant overall affect.

Bottom line is that they all shot quite well.  I like the J/P200 the best as it is a moderate weight bullet which is quite accurate and carries a lot of lube.

[Dick Dastardly]

Howdy Kid,

Good advice given above.  Best all around for CAS may be the J/P 45-200.  If you want to kill something the PRS would have an edge.  It's really more of a preference kind of a thing.  I have both in stock for the moment.

DD-DLoS

[44caliberkid]

  Thanks PD and DD.  I was leanin' toward the 200, seeing as that's what I shoot in my .44's.  Recoil would be pretty consistant.

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

I normally prefer the original, the PRS 250 grain bullet. In an 'original model' Ruger, or even in a Colt, I think the recoil is manageable, and I love shooting big bullets. The 200 grainer was developed for a little bit less recoil. I prefer to use it in my R&D cylinder equipped 1858 Remmies, because for some reason the recoil with a 250 grain bullet is a bit more than I can take with those guns.

But there is a little something you should know about the 200 grainer. When seated to the crimp groove, the portion of the bullet that is inside the case is actually less than the amount of bullet inside the case with a PRS 250 grain bullet seated to the crimp groove. So there is actually a little bit more powder capacity in the case with the 200 grain bullet than with the 250.

Actually, for reduced loads in my Remmies I usually shoot the 200 grain J/P 45-200 loaded over about 28 grains of FFg in a Schofield case. Makes for a very nice, mild recoiling load that still has plenty of authority.

[Dick Dastardly]

We enjoy a LOT of versatility in 45 Cal pistol ammo and guns.  From short to long there is brass in Cowboy 45 Special, 45 Schofield and 45 Colt.  There are others, but these three are the main players.

There are Four Big Lube™ bullet designs that work great in all of them.  So take three lengths of 45 Cal pistol brass and Four different Big Lube™ bullet designs and there you have a Dozen different great performing Cowboy Action loads.  Mix all that with a couple of different 45 Cal pistols and you better buy some more ammo boxes.

One thing they ALL have in common is the fact of continuing accuracy and function coupled with very easy cleanup.  Shooting Black Powder has never been easier or more convenient to your particular mission.  Pick your pills, pick your guns and pack 'em off to the next match to enjoy some great Cowboy Action shooting with the real feel of the Old West.

Hot dang!! I'm sure ready for that season opener put on by the Rock River Regulators come April 4.

DD-DLoS

[Wills Point Pete]

 I shoot the 250 grain PRS bullet. I have also shot some 230 grain .45 acp bullets over a grease cookie, the 250s shot right to the sights in both my revolvers. Lighter bullets shoot low.

If you are looking for advice, get a sample pack, a gunful or two of each bullet, see where each bullet shoots in your revolvers. Then choose that mold. Or get ready to do some filing on your sights.

[Springfield Slim]

I shoot 165 grain 45Slims in my 72 Opentops and they shoot to Point of Aim, so lighter bullets don't always shoot low, especially at the distances we shoot.  Try different ones to see what works best for you.Filing sights is so .....permanent.

[Pukin Dog]

I sure am ready to get out and shoot again!  As I found out in my tests, all the bullets perform quite well through a standard SASS 5 stage match.  In fact, 6 stages is quite doable if you find yourself in a multi-day match where they may shoot 6 and 4 or 6 and 6.  You can easily shoot the match without cleaning during it, and then go back to the tent, motel, motorhome, etc and clean the guns with your favorite beverage at hand.

Although the J/P200 is my main choice of round, I have found that the EPPUG is a real laser!  You would want to use ffg or at least a bit of filler however to make sure you don't break the 1000/fps rule.  On top of 34gr of fffg, I'm sure you would be exceeding that speed.  On a full case of Goex ffg, it tracks around 950/fps so is quite close.  Plus it has alot more recoil than I would like to put up with in a long match.

[Ransom Gaer]

Just started using the Big Lube bullets in .45, so my experience is limited, but I am already starting to develop opinions about them.  In general they are great.  A big improvement over what I had been doing.  So I will be ordering more of them.

In my first order from Springfield Slim I ordered equal numbers of the J/P 200 grain and PRS 250 grainers.  The intent was to use the J/P 200 in .45 Schofield and the PRS 250's in .45 Colt.  I have found the J/P 200 in .45 Schofield in the pistol work great.  No problems, except for some recoil.  May have to back down the charge a bit.  In my Henry the J/P 200 when crimped to the crimp groove will not cycle through my rifle(unmodified carrier) at all.  The PRS 250 works fine in .45 Colt.  My next experiment will be to try the PRS 250 in the Schofield case to see how it will work in the Henry.  So for me it appears the PRS 250 is the best choice.

Ransom Gaer

[Dalton Masterson]

I really like the JP200 in my 45 Colt cases for rifle use, and I use the EPP-UG 150 in Schofield cases for pistol work. The EPP-UG looks different enough, I dont accidentally get a Schofield in the rifle, and they are very comfortable over a full case of black out of my Rugers. The 200s feel good out of the Schofields too, though.

DM