The Freedom Arms 45 Colt Chambers...

[Encore64]

It always amazes me at the information we can come up with once our curiosity is piqued. Once we start measuring, loading and experimenting...LOOK OUT!!!

[45MAN]

WENT TO MY RANGE ON THE RIO GRANDE THIS MORNING (8/13/24), TEMPERATURES IN THE MID 80's 8-10mph WINDS. TOOK THE 12" MODEL 83 WITH THE 45 COLT CYLINDER AND SHOT 2 3 SHOT GROUPS, OFF A REST, @ 104 yds.

1. FIRST WERE USED STARLINE CASES, CCI 350 PRIMERS, SIERRA 300gr JFP (#8830) "SECONDS" AND 25grs OF 296. THIS LOAD HAD CHRONO'ed 1,320fps IN A 6" FIRST GEN 45 COLT ANACONDA WITH A CUSTOM (44 MAG RECHAMBER) TIGHT 45 COLT CYLINDER BY JRH. IN THE 12" MODEL 83 CYLINDER THE 3 SHOTS AVERAGED 1,463fps AND GROUPED 4" CENTER TO CENTER ("C2C") WITH 2 GROUPING 1.25" C2C. EASY EXTRACTION AND NO APPRARENT PROBLEMS. WHEN RESIZED THE BRASS EASILY FIT IN THE TIGHT CUSTOM JRH 45 COLT BISLEY CYLINDER.

2. SECOND I USED VIRGIN STARLINE BRASS, CCI 350 PRIMERS, SIERRA 300gr JFP (#8830) "SECONDS" AND 26grs OF 296. IN THE 12" MODEL 83 45 COLT CYLINDER THE 3 SHOTS CHRONO'ed 1,532fps AND GROUPED 2.75" C2C WITH 2 GROUPING 3/4" C2C. EASY EXTRACTION AND NO APPRARENT PROBLEMS. WHEN RESIZED THE BRASS EASILY FIT IN THE TIGHT JRH BISLEY.

No. 2 GETS VIRTUALLY THE SAME fps AS I GET IN MY AE MODEL 94 45 COLT SRC TRAPPER CARBINE USING THE #8830 BULLET. I USE LESS POWDER IN THE CARBINE.

WHAT NEXT: GOING TO USE ONCE FIRED STARLINE CASES, CCI 350's AND THE SECONDS OF THE 300gr SIERRA JFP WITH 26.5 AND 27 grs OF 296. NEED TO KNOW WHAT LEVEL I CAN GO TO AND HAVE BRASS THAT WILL RESIZE TO FIT IN THE JRH AND NOT HAVE EXTRACTION, PRIMER FLOW AND/OR LOCK-UP ISSUES. 

[bigbrowndog]

I think you need to kick that old gun to the curb, along with its 10” lil brother I’ll make you a good offer. 4” and sub 3” groups at 100 is awesome buddy, especially for just a random load. My least concern would be case and chamber sizing.

Trapr

[45MAN]

WENT TO MY RANGE ON THE RIO GRANDE THIS A.M. (8/15/24), LOW 80's VERY LITTLE WIND. USED ONCE FIRED STARLINE 45 COLT BRASS, CCI 350 PRIMERS, 2nds OF THE 300gr SIERRA JFP BULLET (#8830) AND 296 POWDER. 2 3 SHOT GROUPS, OFF A REST, @ 104 YARDS, USING THE 45 COLT CYLINDER IN MY 12" MODEL 83:

1. 26.5grs OF 296: 3 SHOT AVG OF 1,581fps, EASY EXTRACTION (2 OF 3 FELL OUT OF THE CYLINDER), 3 IN 4" C2C WITH 2 IN 2.25" C2C, AND NO APPARENT PRIMER FLOW OR LOCK-UP ISSUES. ALL 3 CASES, WHEN RESIZED, EASILY FIT IN THE TIGHT BISLEY JRH CYLINDER.

2. 27.0grs OF 296: 3 SHOT AVERAGE OF 1,597fps, EASY EXTRACTION (2 OF 3 FELL OUT OF THE CYLINDER), 3 IN 4.25" WITH 2 IN 1.375" C2C, AND NO APPARENT PRIMER FLOW OR LOCK-UP ISSUES. WHEN RESIZED, 2 CASES EASILY FIT IN THE JRH CYLINDER AND 1 BARELY FIT IN ONE CHAMBER BUT NOT THE OTHER 5. WILL TRY TO CHECK TO SEE IF IT FITS IN THE 454 CYLINDER FOR THE 12" GUN.

WHAT NEXT: GOING TO SPLIT THE DIFFERENCE M/L BETWEEN 26.5grs AND 27.0grs OF 296, USE VIRGIN STARLNE BRASS AND TRY CCI 350's, FEDERAL 155M's AND WINCHESTER MATCH WLP's AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS. A LITTLE LESS POWDER THAN 27.0 grs AND VIRGIN BRASS SHOULD GIVE ME A "ALL FIT IN THE JRH AFTER RESIZING" LOAD, PLUS WITH VIRGIN BRASS YOU TEND TO PICK-UP SOME fps. LOOKS LIKE I CAN GET DARN CLOSE TO 1,600fps AND STILL HAVE BRASS THAT CAN BE RESIZED TO FIT IN THE SUPER TIGHT JRH CYLINDER.

I MAY ALSO HAVE TO REVISIT 26.0grs OF 296, WHICH SO FAR HAS GROUPED THE BEST.

[45MAN]

SINCE MY LAST POST ON THIS THREAD (8/15/24) I HAVE BEEN BACK TO THE RANGE ON 8/20/24 AND TODAY (8/23/24) WORKING ON A 45 COLT LOAD FOR MY 12" MODEL 83 454 USING THE XTRA 45 COLT CYLINDER. BEEN LOADING STARLINE BRASS, SPEER 300gr JFP BULLETS (# 8830), WINCHESTER 296 POWDER AND CCI 350 PRIMERS.

TRIED THE CCI 350's, FEDERAL 155M's AND WINCHESTER MATCH WLP's WITH 2 DIFFERENT CHARGES OF 296, IN USED STARLINE CASES, A SMALL SAMPLE, BUT THE CCI 350's SHOT BETTER AND FASTER THAN THE OTHER 2, 2nd FASTER WERE THE FEDERAL 155M's AND 2nd MOST ACCURATE WERE THE WINCHESTER MATCH WLP's. NO EXTRACTION OR OTHER APPARENT ISSUES. SOME OF THE 350 PRIMED BRASS, WHEN RESIZED, WOULD NOT FIT IN THE VERY TIGHT CHAMBERED JRH CYLINDER ON A CUSTOM RUGER BISLEY. BASED ON THIS OUTING ON 8/20/24 I DECIDED TO GO WITH CCI 350's AND THE LESSER CHARGE OF 296 (26.3grs) USING UNFRED STARLINE BRASS AND THE # 8830 300gr BULLET (not 2nds).

THIS MORNING (8/23/24) I WENT TO MY RANGE ON THE RIO GRANDE WITH THE 26.3grs OF 296 LOAD. I TWEAKED THE SEATING DEPTH SO THAT I AM CRIMPING JUST UNDER THE TOP OF THE CANNELURE RATHER THAN JUST ON TOP OF THE BOTTOM OF THE CANNELURE. NEW STARLINE CASE AND non-2nds OF THE SIERRA BULLET. TEMPS IN THE MID TO HIGH 80's, NOT MUCH WIND. THE MV AVERAGE OF 3 3 SHOT GROUPS WAS 1,586fps. BEST 3 SHOT GROUP (@ 104yds) WAS 1.375" CENTER TO CENTER ("C2C') WITH 2 DARN NEAR MAKING 1 HOLE. AVERAGE OF THE BEST 2 OF 3 IN EACH GROUP WAS 1.0625" C2C. EASY EXTRACTION AND NO APPARENT ISSUES. 7 OF THE 9, AFTER RESIZING, FIT IN THE TIGHT JRH CYLINDER THE OTHER 2 DID FIT IN MY TIGHT CHAMBERED LINEBAUGH REDHAWK AND A FA 454 CYLINDER. GOT IT PRETTY MUCH SIGHTED IN AT 104yds, AND I THINK I WILL GO WITH THIS LOAD FOR THE UPCOMING DEER SEASON.

SHOT JUST ONE OF THESE 26.3grs OF 296 LOADS IN A CUSTOM 5.5" 5 SHOT RUGER 45 COLT NIMRODESQUE BISLEY AND THE MV WAS 1453fps, EZ EXTRACTION AND NO APPARENT ISSUES (THE RESIZED CASE EASILY FIT IN THE JRH CYLINDER).