I just purchased a 2nd Model S&W hand ejector of 1916 vintage. It has been chambered for .45 Colt, with the back of the cylinder recessed to accept .45 rims and the cylinder reamed to accept full length .45 Colt cartridges.
I've been cautioned to use mild loads. I got an old Lyman 45468 hollow-base mold which throws 182gr bullets using my scrap lead alloy, of unknown hardness. As cast diameter is .455". A dummy cartridge with this bullet fits fine. The cylinder chamber mouths are .458"
I've reviewed several Lyman handbooks. I have Bullseye, Unique, and 700X powders. I'm hoping to achieve a load with about 700fps velocity and low pressure.
The manuals are not contestant, but seem to indicate that a charge of 4.0 gr of Bullseye has a velocity of 536fps and 5.0 gr is at 810fps. Interpolating in between results in a charge of about 4.6gr for 700fps.
With Unique, a charge of 6.0gr produces 595fps and 8.0gr is at 785fps, so 700fps would be a charge of 7.0gr of Unique.
Some handbooks do not list pressure but those that do indicate that Unique has lower pressures than Bullseye.
While this is a lighter bullet, 5.5gr of Unique gave me sharp recoil in a USFA .44 Special with 240gr bullets. I know it is comparing apples and oranges, but I don't want to damage the gun.
What do you think?