i'am having trouble getting my ruger vaquero in 45 colt to shoot accurate. i'am trying 700x powder. i've went from min. to max. charges and nothing wants to group. i'am shooting a 250gr. cast bullet from a lee mold that has been sized .452 in a magma sizer and lubed with 50/50 lube. i'am new to this casting and reloading so what do i need to do, change my powder? if so what powder to try? or is it probably just those cheep lee molds.

I would spend the money and shoot a box of maybe two different factory loads with 250 grain bullets, Lead and SP.

If they don't shoot either, it might be the gun, not your loads. I don't think that's likely but you never know.

Nah, not cheap Lee molds. Probably that cheap Rooger gun with .454" forcing cone. Best to turn it into a tomato stake for your seedlings.

quote:

Originally posted by kacole:
i'am having trouble getting my ruger vaquero in 45 colt to shoot accurate. i'am trying 700x powder. i've went from min. to max. charges and nothing wants to group. i'am shooting a 250gr. cast bullet from a lee mold that has been sized .452 in a magma sizer and lubed with 50/50 lube. i'am new to this casting and reloading so what do i need to do, change my powder? if so what powder to try? or is it probably just those cheep lee molds.

What are the size of your groups and at what range?

45 colt, Unique, Hold gun steady Keep trying



.

quote:

What are the size of your groups and at what range?

i'am getting about 4" groups at 25 yards off a sand bag

quote:

Originally posted by kacole:

quote:

What are the size of your groups and at what range?

i'am getting about 4" groups at 25 yards off a sand bag

Don't take this personally....it's intended to help....

Find someone that has a proven ability to shoot handguns and ask that person to shoot your gun for you.....see if there's a difference.....or in other words....take the shooter out of the equation!

My personal experience with Ruger handguns has been very positive.....they're as good as any!.....except they seem to need a trigger job as they come from the factory!

i won't take nothing here personally. i will have my dad shoot it for me. he's a very accomplished shooter. i'am not bad but he's still better. that way we can take me out of the equation.

Going off the top of my head, I thought .45 colt bullets were supposed to be .454" I'll have to dig out the manual when I get home.

Modern 45 colt are suggested .452. Acp is .451. Historic guns may be .454 or even larger

My Vaquero shoots most loads well if the bulletdiameter is correct. But so far all loads with VV Tinstar shoots very poorly. It might be the powder.

I had the same problem you are talking about when I first started shooting my 3-screw Ruger 45. Turned out that it was me the shooter. Seems that i was anticipating the blast from the target loads I was shooting and was flinching badly.
What a friend suggested, worked for me. I loaded some light rounds using titegroup powder with light bullets. 200 grain RNFP and practiced not flinching. Got me there. I later had a trigger job done on the ruger and that incresed my accuracy. I am down to 1" at 25 yards on a regular shooting day.

Beware of Ruger bashers. I seem to be the one that always has the guy next to me remarking "Hey GUYS look a RUGER that shoots!". Maybe it will someday dawn on him that I have 15 of them and they ALL shoot very well.

I have a New Blackhawk in 45 Colt and it is a real shooter...

In my oldest son's hands it will shoot 1.5-2 inch groups at 12 yrds NP...


Me,I am very happy with 2 inch groups.

That said I have only shot Berrys cowboy 200g (.452) bullets with Trail boss.

I have some 250G HC (.452) with Blue dot loaded but have yet to shoot it....

Also We have shot only 200-250(ish) rounds so things can change,

Well that’s my 2 cents


T

My OM Vaquero 45 Colt shot terribly when I bought it. The forcing cone at the end of each chamber was too tight. The bullets were practically rattling down the barrel and recovered bullets had uneven and shallow rifling marks. I opened up the forcing cones with a reamer and my groups shrank from 6 inches to 2 inches at 25 yards.

Being a critic is the easiest job in the world.
I own all the calibers made for the Rugers; all Old Models. They are great, strong revolvers. Try some factory loads, and let someone else (who is known good) shoot it; that will tell you if it is the revolver or shooter. On your bullets; if you think it is them, try some other make. I will send you some if you want. Lee molds are usually ok; I use them as well as other makes. What alloy are you using? What is the diameter of your chamber in front of the cylinder (that is not the forcing cone; that is in your barrel). Modern 45lc barrels are .451/2. So manufacturers can use the same tooling for both acp and lc.

quote:

Originally posted by onefunzr2:
<> Probably that cheap Rooger gun with .454" forcing cone. <>

Can't be much of a "cone" unless it starts higher than .452. I don't know what it measures, although I own a New Vaquero. Just sayin'. I would be more concerned with the cylinder throat size.

I have a 45-410 which I use 230 gr lrn in with AA#7. I get the best results when I add some dacron batting on top of the powder. I think it's because the .45 Colt cases are far too massive for modern propellants and the dacron keeps it close to the flash hole. If you try this method, you must reduce your loads until you determine what is safe because of increased chamber pressure from the dacron.

Just a suggestion.

Could you post a pic of the dacron you use? Is it like cotton balls, or is it stacks of cloth patches?

I think Dan uses dacron to prevent gas cutting as his bullets are floating through the long .410 chamber; you do not have that situation, although if you think you want to protect your bullet bases, I do not recommend fillers and neither do the powder makers. Use a flat card wad if you want.

You can check the diameter of the throats in the cylinder using one of your sized bullets. You should be able to push a the bullet through the cylinder with your fingers. Both of my blackhawks had to be reamed for proper size. Don't know about the Vaquero, but the blackhawks throat diameter varied quite a bit. That could cause accuracy problems.

My bet is on the bullets.... I have 2 Vaquero's in 45LC and get good accuracy using Rogers better bullets

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
I think Dan uses dacron to prevent gas cutting as his bullets are floating through the long .410 chamber; you do not have that situation, although if you think you want to protect your bullet bases, I do not recommend fillers and neither do the powder makers. Use a flat card wad if you want.

The dacron may have this effect, but I also notice that I am spraying less unburnt powder from the barrel and less is left in the chamber. I am led to believe that this is because without the dacron the powder will lie along the side of the case rather than next to the primer. I actually got the idea from a fairly old thread on this forum about milking mor accuracy from .44 mags (another oversized case). As I said above, if anyone does implement this strategy, begin testing using the start load for safety's sake, more ejecta means more pressure.

quote:

Originally posted by CTI1USNRET:
Could you post a pic of the dacron you use? Is it like cotton balls, or is it stacks of cloth patches?

It's just regular polyester quilt batting. It comes as a sheet which I cut into 1" squares. I've read that it is bad to use cotton, I believe it may react with the nitrates in the powder. I unfortunately cannot post a picture from my phone, but just look inside an old quilt for an example, or your wife (assuming you have one) probably has some in her sewing supplies.