Hello All,

My first reloading attempts have been successful. I have a Montana Bullet Works (MBW) 250 grain WFN with Trail Boss powder shooting very nicely.

I am now looking for a load that is more powerful. I like the MBW bullets and see no reason to try elsewhere. I like the WFN and WLN shapes with gas checks. I don’t realistically expect to use these for anything other than walking through the woods and knowing that it can take care of business. From here on it gets blurry.

The bullets that I have keyed in on are 280 gr WFN, 300 gr WFN, 325 gr WFN, and 335 gr WLN. I like wider metplats with the 280 grain and 335 grain having the largest at .370. Whatever bullet I end up with I intend to try with two different powders: H110 for high power loads. HS6 for medium power loads. I am getting this straight from John Linebaugh’s very helpful customsixguns.com. I will be using these in a Ruger Bisley (Blackhawk), 5 ½”, .45 Colt.

So…is there any difference at all between these bullets? Will one bullet get the job done in an application where another one might fail? With higher end loads of H110 would one of these bullet weights be marginal while another one better? And why? Is the difference in trajectory and longer range stability noticeable?

While I don’t post often I read this forum regularly and truly enjoy the insights and shared experience on this site. Thanks in advance!

Respectfully,
Harry C.

I really dought that any critter you shoot with any of them wll be able to tell the differance.

20 to 30 grs of bullet weight and a 100fps differants in vel no one well evber know.

You might want to try 4227 for medium power.

Darn, I have to tweak a few guys again!
The 280 to 300 gr would be the best for the most internal damage because the heavier ones are slower. You will still get good penetration. Heavier is better for very large animals even if slower though.
They are all very good boolits and work in their range but if you meet a very large bear, the heavier boolit is better. If you just want to pop a deer, go a little lighter and faster.

quote:

Originally posted by bfrshooter: Heavier is better for very large animals even if slower though.

I have to record this for posterity! You're finally coming around....LOL!

quote:

Posted 04 February 2011 23:07 Hide Post

quote:
Originally posted by bfrshooter: Heavier is better for very large animals even if slower though.



I have to record this for posterity! You're finally coming around....LOL! dancing

Nope, nope, nope, never changed a single thing I believe in. Small animals like deer need different then large animals. Long range needs different from short range too.

Alot of it really depends on what you and your gun like and can hit best with . You can run the 335s up to 1300 fps or better . but if you can hit what you aim at like bfr , jwp or witworth do with thier pistols when you are shooting the 280 gr load @1200 fps then that is definatly the load to concentrate on for some time at least . I,m a pretty poor shot but @ 10 ft on a brown bears skull I manage just fine . And thats why I pack a pistol when all is said and done .

Thanks for the feedback!

I have done alot of testing with almost the exact same thing you have with the exception of barrel length.From my experience with MBW bullets and loads I like the 320LFN for an all round load.I used a MBW 300gr WFN to this to a deers heart this year,and wouldn't be afraid to go heavier.I have tested bullets from 250-360 for the colt and any good bullet can handle the job,after all it has since it's invention.

quote:

Originally posted by OLBIKER:
You might want to try 4227 for medium power.

I would recommend HS-6 over 4227. While 4227 is my go to powder for the .357 Herett; it does not burn fully and fills up revolvers with unburned powder kernels in my experience.

Where in south MS are you located?

Hello MS Hitman,

I have moved since I got this account with Accuratereloading. I lived in Long Beach, MS from 1998 through 2008. Had the priviledge of traveling through much of Mississippi while I was here. Really enjoyed my time in this fine state.

I now live just outside of Baltimore, MD. A big change. Half the house for twice the price. Not all bad though.

Hi C. Stock,

Looks like that bullet worked for you! Nice shooting as well!

Other than recoik, do you know of any downside of using heavier bullets? Do you know of any upside of using lighter bullets? I'm trying to get my head around these concepts to avoid ordering components willy-nilly.

Thanks!
Harry

Harry,

You don't need to drive the heavier bullets as hard to make the weight work for you. I have gotten 30" of penetration using a 260 Lyman "Keith" bullet launched from a .45 Auto Rim case. These bullet zips through deer like a hot knife through butter.

I will say, it is my belief that 325 grains of bullet weight is optimal for a .45 caliber.

You can try contacting the different bullet makers and try ordering a smaller quantity of the bullets your a interested in testing.

quote:

Originally posted by MS Hitman:
Harry,

These bullet zips through deer like a hot knife through butter.

But did you have enough muzzle energy? It's a good thing deer can't read.....

Harry C. my hero hitman is right I have found like many others anything over 1200 in the colt is just noise.For me,and it maybe in my head,I like the heavier stuff and the recoil is more managable for me.A 260-300gr loaded up tight has a quick snappy motion during recoil while a heavy 1100fps load has a heavier push.

I will say this if I had to choose a particular loading and bullet to do all my future hunting it would probably be a 300LFN over 13gr of HS-6.That is a hard hitter and pleasent to shoot and accurate.Hope this helps.

I loaded some 350s at 1200 and they were more comfortable to me than a 275 at 1350.