r/canadaguns • u/ExpandDong- • 8h ago
Milsurps / Prohib New to reloading, looking for advice to reload 41LC...
Hey there reddit chads, i recently acquired a Colt 1892 double action revolver made in 1896 chambered in 41LC. It is only after getting it that i really started to look up how to reload those and boy oh boy, i beleive i've got one of the more hard caliber to reload...
I am seeking advice from 41LC owners about reloading tips, tricks and recipes if possible, this would be my first reloading experience and my first antique revolver... I have been handling guns and shooting for 20 years but never dipped my toes in the antique or reloading world
I've narrowed it down to what i beleive would be the easiest ?
-I'd like hollow bullets but it's not easy finding them and i don't want to mold them myself
-smokeless powder, i've seen either Alliant Bullseyes or Alliant Unique as far as powder goes but i am open to suggestions
-I need small pistol primers aswell i beleive
-i would get new Starline 41LC brass for the casings (how many times can i reload the brass before they become unsafe ?)
What does your loading kit looks like ? and what advice would you give a newbie in the Antique revolver and reloading world ?
I would greatly appreciate the insight, thank you for reading / taking the time!
5
u/Pelcat 6h ago
Highwood castings has hollow based bullets. I'd recommend starting off with a case full of black powder and duplicating the velocities you get with that using bullseye or unique or some similar powder. Black powder really isn't hard to clean, easier than smokeless to be honest, if you use soapy water and ballistol that is.
1
u/ExpandDong- 6h ago
Thanks for the insight! I will definetly try both, i wasn't really worried about the cleaning part, i just prefer the snappy crack of smokeless powder than the poof of the black powder!
1
u/Borealbound 3h ago
It’s a heeled bullet, you basically got yourself a challenge. I would honestly get lead cast for .40/10mm and then swage it down to .386” to get the projectiles, small pistol primers, ugh. At least my .450 Adams uses large primers which are not as tiny.
Is the gun nitroproofed? I know a lot of people will load black powder cartridges with small amounts of modern smokeless powder, but I personally haven’t done that for the one antique cartridge revolver I own, I just use Schutzen black powder, good luck getting black powder in Canada, I had a hard time finding it out in Metro Van. You can home brew your own powder, people have had success with charcoal made from toilet paper. Everything blackpowder on YouTube have done a lot of experimentation with finding different recipies.
I actually passed on buying a .41 LC revolver here that was a decent price because the difficulty in sourcing ammunition for it.
2
u/ExpandDong- 2h ago
I have seen some ammo on Rustywood but 250$ for 50 seems harsh, and yeah... i got a challenge on my hand, but since i'm in the deep end now, might aswell learn how to swim haha, and it is a good question about the nitroproof, i will look into it, this is a great point actually, i appreciate it
1
u/Borealbound 1h ago
I have kind of thrown myself into the deep end regarding antique pistols. While I did the RPAL course and scored perfectly for both the written and practical I never went ahead with getting an RPAL due to concerns over confiscation. After moving to the US despite having access to pretty much any modern firearms design and having the opportunity to shoot various AR’s, AK’s, Tavor’s, AUGs, CETMEs, MP5’s plus dozens of different pistol models and numerous suppressed firearms I find myself drawn mostly to 19th century designs. My grail guns are all things like Smith & Wesson Model 3’s, Webley WG’s, Winchester 73’s, Sharps carbines, Trapdoor Springfield’s, the Merwin & Hulbert. That is not to say I don’t like modern firearms, just that the older designs resonate more within my soul. I would suggest browsing some of the boomer forums like the high road.
2
u/ExpandDong- 1h ago
I will take a look! I definetly appreciate the advices, this would be my first but i am also drawn to those antique firearms, i have multiple lever actions and i am just now getting into revolvers, i also did all the courses for the RPAL but i never ordered it because it was already announed that the ban was coming when i did them, and by the time i would get it the ban would have been active, so i never bothered to. I am super stoked to have a Colt but i'm also interested in those Webley's in either their original 455 webley or maybe i'd like one that has been converted to accept 45 auto rim hand load for the availability
1
u/TheRealBlue68 2h ago
Quick question to my fellow Reddit brothers…. Can I buy an antiques revolver even with the gun Ban in place ??
2
u/ExpandDong- 1h ago
Yeah, certain revolver made before 1898 are considered antique and doesn't even require a PAL, you can shoot them anywhere a non restricted would, at the range, in the woods, etc, this is why i got myself one of those, i would have bought a regular pistol if i could but hey, Colt 1892 it is lol
2
u/TheRealBlue68 1h ago
Just making sure.. but thanks for the clarification, i appreciate !
2
u/ExpandDong- 1h ago
But don't be intimidated by my post, it seems like i chose a very hard caliber to reload, if you buy a 44 russian, 455 webley, 45 auto, you can just buy ammo online for around 2$ per round, wich isn't that bad for what it is
1
•
u/Acrobatic_Potato_989 39m ago
I own a very similar colt navy and a single action army chambered in .41, which I reload for. You definitely want to go with hollow base bullets because reloading them is easier and requires 1 less step than heeled bullets but you also need enough powder to expand the hollow base or it will not engage the rifling. I use trail boss for mine because it's finally available again and I love it for my 45-70 subsonic loads as well but the powders you mentioned are both reliable options as well. The bullets are quite pricey, as is the brass but the brass will be usable for very many firings as they barely change in size with the low pressure loads and resizing is very easy. I bought my own molds for hollow base bullets to help ease the cost, they were custom made in Slovakia I believe.
•
u/ExpandDong- 25m ago
What extra step would it be ? Not that i will do it but, as i understand, i need to : 1. Deprime / Resize 2. Expand ? 3. Seat 4. Crimp
Sorry if the question feels dumb, i am looking at die kits and i don't really know what is necessary and what is extra, i want a barebone setup that will work, i don't mind priming by hand and cleaning the cases by hand, but i'd rather not buy some expensive dies that i don't need for now
6
u/Cock_ball_dickin 6h ago
Colt double action??? Damn that’s a beautiful gun