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.45 WinMag - experience?

Posted: 04 Jul 2019 04:08
by Fyodor
Hi forum!

Earlier this week, I got a new pet: a Grizzly by LAR, chambered in .45 WinMag. I got about 200 rounds of factory ammo with it. While new factory ammo is nowhere to be found, cases are surprisingly cheap, and the rest of the components are the same as in .45 Auto.

Because of the homeopathic quantities we can store here in Germany, I try not to buy a powder specifically for that cartridge, which I will not be shooting too much. I have Vihtavouri N32C (Tin Star), and at some point in the future I will be loading .223 Rem. So I prefer to use either N32C which I alredy have, or a new powder that can also be used in .223 Rem.

Does anybody here have some experience loading the .45 WinMag, he would be willing to share?
IMG-20190627-WA0001[1].jpg

Re: .45 WinMag - experience?

Posted: 04 Jul 2019 09:45
by orerancher
First the Thompson...Now This.... Man, You get all the Cool Stuff!!

Been lookin for a Contender Barrel in .45win mag for Years...

Can't help Ya with Data, But Happy new Gun Day!

Re: .45 WinMag - experience?

Posted: 04 Jul 2019 09:56
by Fyodor
This gun wasn't planned at all. I got an offer, which would have been a felony to turn down.

Re: .45 WinMag - experience?

Posted: 04 Jul 2019 19:14
by larryw
Sweet, happy New gun day..

Re: .45 WinMag - experience?

Posted: 05 Jul 2019 05:28
by Macd
Nice looking pistol. If you want to keep powder varieties on hand to a minimum and are willing to accept a reduced velocity .223 loading you may wish to consider IMR or H4227. I have used the LYMAN #49 14 grain cast bullet load for jacketed 55 grain bullets. It gives a velocity of about 2200 fps in my bolt action. I checked and the powder is also used in the 45 Win Mag. I can't vouch for accuracy in the pistol but it was only so so in rifle. 1-9 twist.

Re: .45 WinMag - experience?

Posted: 12 Jul 2019 01:18
by Fyodor
I fired some test shots with the factory ammo that came with the gun. The recoil is much more controllable than I expected. Not unpleasant at all.

But the fireball in front of the muzzle is impressive. Sorry, I didn't get a picture of it from my own gun.
But this video shows it very well:
[BBvideo 560,340][/BBvideo]

Re: .45 WinMag - experience?

Posted: 12 Jul 2019 07:39
by Ohio3Wheels
"Only you can prevent forest fires" :D

Make smoke,

Re: .45 WinMag - experience?

Posted: 12 Jul 2019 09:52
by RBHarter
I wrote a rather lengthy post several days ago with some suggestions but it didn't post , no doubt due to my fat fingers .
The fast rifle powders will give you that fire ball .......
I don't think the tin star will get you where you want to go .
Naturally I would suggest Unique . I think 4227 will not be happy in the 223 but I don't have enough depth to say for certain .
This is one of those times that a 3rd powder may be the only good answer . I had to finally break down and have 4 to get across the whole range of cartridges . 223 , 264 WM and 45-70 just won't play nice with a single powder and give their best .

Re: .45 WinMag - experience?

Posted: 13 Jul 2019 07:30
by Fyodor
RBHarter wrote: This is one of those times that a 3rd powder may be the only good answer.
Thanks for your post.

Well, this might be a Problem. In Germany we can only have 3 kg (6 lbs) of powder at any time.

Re: .45 WinMag - experience?

Posted: 13 Jul 2019 08:56
by RBHarter
Might be time to make a switch from Tin Star to Unique or Unequal . There is a VV that's pretty close but I don't know about it's flexibly .
Of course that depends on getting most of the potential from the cartridge vs the Tin Star giving clean cycles . Which are you using in the Thomson ? If it works there I might work the mag also .