454C tidbits.

by John K., Monday, May 28, 2012, 18:41 (4356 days ago) @ Dave B

I bought my first FA 83 23yrs ago, a used 7.5" that was ported by the original owner. Added a used unported 6", and then a 4" octagon with fixed sights & round butt. Never documented my round count like Terry, but since I use CCI SR Mag primers almost exclusively in my 454s... and buy them in 5K cases... perhaps 20,000 rounds? Yes, the 7.5" needs a new barrel and the 6" is right behind. I've only had the 4" for a little over a year and have only shot about 1,000rds through it.

First, I must say when you light 38grs of H110 it is really, really loud - ported or not. So, I wouldn't turn down an excellent deal because someone else had added ports. No, my biggest aggravation with the ports concerns the gunk they leave on the sides of the front sight when shooting cast.

Loading the 454C is a bit different, especially if you are after top end loads. I use a RCBS size die and a modified Dillon powder funnel. The cartridge is an excellent bullet puller. Reduce the diameter of your expansion plug to .4505" or so. This gives a lot more bullet tension to counteract the recoil. Roll crimp with a Redding Profile Crimp die or a Lee FCD. A lot of cast shooters hate the FCD as it tends to reduce the diameter of the bullet IF it is oversize for the cartridge and somewhat soft. Neither applies to bullets sized and hardened to fit a FA 454. Pressures can exceed 60Kpsi.

Pay attention to OAL. The FA cylinder is 1.800" and the throats are unforgiving. I have cast moulds ranging from 250grs to 390grs with the crimp groove in the proper place, thanks to Mountain Molds. The 7.5" shoots the 390gr @ 1400fps nicely, even though the twist says it shouldn't. Generally, I shoot a 360gr @ 1550fps in the 6". This roughly duplicates the Cor-Bon Penetrator load. Whacked myself in the head with that one, rather famously, at a Texas CSA. Right now, I have about settled on a 335gr cast for the little 4" octagon but I haven't decided on an exact load yet.

You will want the cast bullets hard at top end pressures. Can you say "forcing cone damage"? Same applies to some jacketed bullets; the Hornady 250gr XTP is a wonderful deer killer @ 1600fps - but go no faster, as the bullet is "soft" and can crack the forcing cone. The MAG version is stouter. Not to say you can't shoot the softer cast or jacketed, just be mindful of the applied pressure.

Beware Lil Gun. Don't use it for top end loads in the 454C, and your throat won't look like a sewer pipe sooner than you would believe.

Check your loads as you set up your dies. Pull the cylinder out and use it as a go gage on your ammo.

Keep an eye on your brass. I use Starline, and keep it trimmed - this helps maintain a consistant crimp. Still, after about 5-6 loadings it seems to go downhill and lose neck tension, and must be annealed.

If you have a chrono, check your velocity. If it is much lower than the book says, you likely don't have enough neck tension to burn the powder properly before the bullet starts moving and increases the 'boiler room'.

Finally - if you notice narrow flat lines running the length of the cylinder exactly above the chambers, back off a grain.

Ruger 44sp & 4" M83