Handloading:
Killin’ Zs: Episode 1
The .45 Colt is one of the most versatile revolver cartridges ever. In the right
hands, the Ruger Vaquero can outshoot any wheelgun in the business.
LTC Enoch Price
Crenshaw Barracks
Free Oklahoma Territory
October 11, 2172, anno Domini nostri Jesu Christi
Greetings from Free Montana Territory Kindred Enoch,I pray this letter finds you well. If you have received it, it is known to you also the caravan by which it is accompanied. Also contained in this caravan are 100 lbs. of wheat flour, 30 lbs. of Adams peanut butter, 50 apples, 100 lbs. of Lovex Buffalo Rifle powder, 50 lbs. of Pyrodex RS, 50 lbs. of Pyrodex P, 50 lbs. of HP 38, 50,000 Winchester Large Rifle Primers, 50,000 Winchester Large Pistol Primers, 10 Lyman 452424 bullet molds, 30,000 Starline 45 Colt brass cases, and 25 lbs. of Eastman Powder Coat Paint. The firearms contained within are (15) Ruger Vaqueros, (7) Charter Professional models, (3) Charter 73220 models, (5) .45 Colt Henry Big Boy Carbines, and (5) .45 Colt Henry Mare’s Leg Pistols.
SGT Nat Tektone is on loan to you to assist in technical advice and help your troops train on small unit tactics. We equip our forward elements in screening operations armed with Henry carbines and .45 Colt handguns. When the Zs travel in groups, the screen units identify and steer consolidated threats. Your other units have AR-10s to prevent Z overrun.
The loads here reflect standard SAA loadings below 14,000 psi. Most of the manuals have a different set of tables for the higher-pressure loads designed for specific firearms manufactured after the late 1990s in the 15,000-30,000-psi range. Do not use the higher pressure loads in firearms unless the manufacturer specifically says it was designed for these loads.
Since the Lyman bullet is a blunt nose bullet, it will work in any tubular magazine in any modern .45 Colt carbine in good condition.
We have included Pyrodex with your shipment. We intended you to use it for Claymores, but it can be employed for loading .45 Colt. The .45 was originally a black powder load and it pushes out bullets with amazing accuracy.
To use black powder or Pyrodex in .45, you must follow these rules. First, brass allocated for black powder must be used for black powder only. The first time you fire and clean it, you will know why. Second, never allow open space inside a cartridge with black powder. This is very dangerous. In .45 Colt, the charge must be compressed. With a dowel, measure the bullet seating depth and ensure your powder level is higher than this depth. Third, measure by volume only.
Herter’s Inc. (1893 to the early 1970s) was a mail-order company offering good products
Lindsey used Eastwood Neon Green for the first coat, then dusted
with Eastwood Mirror Blue and baked again.
The original 1873 black powder loading was a 250-grain soft lead bullet over 40 grains of black powder, but this is not necessarily a load recommendation. Have SGT Tektone experiment a bit if you think you’ll need it.
HP 38 works well in .45 Colt loads and the Hornady manual lists loads from 4.8 to 6.9 grains in a pistol and 5.1 to 6.9 grains in a rifle. Using the Lyman 452524 bullet and powder coating, it shoots well around 6.2 grains, which gets it around 790-800 fps. In the carbines, it goes around 1,000 fps, with outstanding accuracy.
Lovex D060 Buffalo Rifle is not a traditional loading for 45 Colt. It was designed for straight-walled rifle loadings. Believe it or not, our surplus of this powder has led us to use it for 5.56 loadings, where it works exceptionally well.
Buffalo Rifle is not particularly positional sensitive, and it has outstanding ignition characteristics. It can be used for low loading densities, and for most loadings, does not require a magnum primer. Although it is an extruded powder, it has short grains and works well in a powder dump. For the Lyman bullet, we tried 16–17.5 grains and 17.5 grains burns slightly cleaner and yields excellent accuracy. As you can imagine, 100 lbs. of this powder will equip your army for several years.
Thank you for the produce and dried goods. The surplus of berries will keep us in pastries through the winter. I do not know how your troops managed to produce 30 lbs. of honey, but it was welcome, indeed. The knifemaking skills of your factories are exceptional, and your shipment has already been fielded. As you can see, the powder and primer manufacturing from Greater Idaho has completely resumed and we are well supported.
Please enjoy SGT Tektone while she is in your care. She would be surprised I know this, but I understand she likes venison.
May the Spirit of 1776 live on, my Brother,
Malachi
