45 colt blowback with 200 grain bullets

[winchets]

I recently switched from my standard load of 250 cast bullets to200 gr wit about the same powder 7.0-7.5 unique if I remember correctly ,the problem is I feel like i'm shooting in a sand storm with these new loads. I need a face shield instead of safety glasses

Do I need more crimp or something else. I didn't notice any of this with the 250 grain slugs. the rifle is a marlin cowboy.

Thanks

[Steel Striker]

Lighter boolit produces less resistance to moving, thus less pressure build up & less powder consumed.  Without annealed brass, not sufficient pressure to expand case in your shooter to effectively seal.

Stay with the 250gr or more powder for the 200gr.

Been there, now annealing.  Shooting 5gr of Trailboss w/200gr LRFN pills.  Brass is now clean, gun is clean, no goggles required.

[Using Ruger New Vaquero's & Marlin 1894CB rifle]

[Four Eyes Henry]

Try CBC brass, it's thinner than other brass.

[Bunk Stagnerg]

I had pretty good luck by fire forming .44-40 brass to .45 Colt. In the fire forming process I  used some 250 grain Laser cast bullets and Trail Boss. This cuts down on blow back a lot. I am told that in some rifles the extractor will not catch the .44-40 case rim. Fortunately both of mine do. 
I don't have the data at hand, but it was a mid range load for that bullet and powder. The lifter stayed nice and clean during the process. Both my Uberti 1860 Henry and 1866 New Improved Henry were used in the process.
Now those cases are used with FFFg Gun Powder and a 210 grain bullet and the lifter stays pretty clean.
Somewhere on this forum I posted the fire forming process  used in converting Star Line .44-40 cases because the new cases are straight sided and the process is fairly simple. Fire forming is also used as practice so it works out as a win-win.
Yr' Obt' Svt'
Bunk

[Popa Kapoff]

I would check your load data there should be difference between those two weight. You may have to much powder. I can't find my book at the moment or I'd look it up for your.

Then there is the last option a batch of weak primers but that's super rare.

[Abilene]

In no particular order:

1. Add more powder.  Lighter bullets require more powder for the same pressure.
2. Change to a different powder, and use enough of it (check reloading manuals).
3. More crimp
4. Go back to 250gr bullet.

You could do it, but annealing brass or using 44-40 brass are not needed.  The main benefit for those is if you are shooting BP.

[Coffinmaker]

winchets,

Your Marlin has a somewhat generous chamber.  You can't fix that.  The 45 Colt cartridge does not expand well to seal the chamber.
"Others" have actually provided the "best" and "other" solutions.  If you wish to run lighter bullets and lighter powder charges to
better manage recoil, your going to get blow-by.  In those circumstances, your only way to mitigate the blow-by is to anneal your
cases (what a groan) or fire form 44-40 brass to 45 Colt dimension.  With thinner metal at the case mouth, the 44-40 cases seal
the chamber much better than a 45 Colt case.

If recoil management is not the issue, follow Abilene's lead. 

Coffinmaker

[winchets]

Im not using 200 grainers for recoil management, the prices and availability is a little better with the 200 gr rnfp plus I was thinking about using one bullet for my cowboy guns and my 1911 in wild bunch.  I will try more crimp and check the load. I'm using the lazer cast manual for cast bullets, I'm pretty sure my load is in spec. if its on the low side I will increase. I don't want to anneal cases.

thanks for the help.I will report back.

chester

[Hans Christian]

Dirty cases and blowback is a common occurrence with 45 Colt especially with light CAS loads. There are no easy answers.

Others have gone to neck sizing only to avoid blowback. It works, but I don't care for it- especially for CAS where you want high reliability.

We finally settled on the Redding dual ring sizing die for 45 Colt. The case body is not worked as much resulting in a larger diameter and better seal.  Case life is better too.

Unique is a good 45 Colt powder when used with heavier loads. Do you have any other powders available? I use Trailboss and Red Dot with light loads with good results. 700x and Clays may also work better than Unique with 200 gr bullets.

[winchets]

I have increased the powder charge and applied a heaver crimp and the problem seems to have gone away. I will try some of the other powders when I run out of Unique.

Thanks

[Crow Choker]

I've used Win 231 and Hodgen HP38 (same powders, different can) with good results. One of my favorite is Red Dot, clean burning, accurate. Hodgen Titegroup is a goody, is not position sensitive in the big 45 case, like it a lot, accurate.. Trail Boss works good. I've even used IMR 700X and 800X, both fast burners, but a little dirtier burning than the rest. I've always used 230-250 grain bullets in the 45 Colt, so I can't advise how it works with the 200 grain offerings. I've used Unique a lot too, one of my favorite powders. All good info previously posted, check various loading manuels, Lyman's Cast Bullet one is a excellent one if you don't have it, I refer to it more than any other.

[Bunk Stagnerg]

Blow back with the.45 Colt is inevitable. It is like feral hogs, cockroaches, or politicians, but I repeat myself, the problem can be controlled to some extent but cannot be eliminated.
If you shoot the .45 Colt, as I do, and have for many years, you just accept the dirty cases, tumble clean them, and live with it because it is just the cost of dong business.
Anyone who claims they have the answer to blow back likely will also claim to understand women.
Yr' Obt' Svt'
Bunk

[Crow Choker]

What Bunk said!!!

[Coffinmaker]

What Bunk Said.

What Crow Choker Said.

What I've said inna past.

Blow-Back can to some extent be mitigated.  The 45 Colt case simply DOES NOT lend itself to guns with "generous" chambers.  The
case DOES NOT obturate (expand) to fill the chamber until you get to really HEAVY loads.  There is actually no point in wasting powder
and lead in heavy loads.  It can be mitigated somewhat by annealing the case mouth.  Or, fire forming 44-40 cases to 45 Colt.  The
success in mitigating the problem will vary greatly from gun to gun.  There is NO solution that works equally with ALL the rifles
chambered in 45 Colt.  Way too much variance in chamber dimensions.
Your dime.  Your call.  Success will be fleeting.

Coffinmaker

[Gabriel Law]

I shoot a Pedersoli Colt Lightning pump action rifle in .45 Colt.  In the beginning, I had blowback issues, and then I read that heavy bullets and stout loads would help.  So I loaded 250 gr. bullets over compressed Black Powder, or smokless at around 1000 fps, and of course, wear safety glasses.  I do not notice blowback at all any more, and I shoot my pump quicker than guys with 73's tricked out and in 38 spl.

I appreciate the advice and leadership I got here....many thanks.