The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

Recoil is mild. But remember, even "cowboy loads" will give a greater felt recoil in a 12" barrel compared to a 5" as the bullet is in the barrel longer. A physicist once explaned it to me, but I just heard "white noise"!!!!

I have seen factory stuff around, mainly Cowboy loads from PMC and Winchester, but boy, were they expensive!! About 45 quid a hundred if memory serves. What a shame the bloke who owned Howitzer gave up after the pistol ban. Non of us thought that pistol calibers would be so popular in other guns.

That said, reloading is the way. Let say you already have your brass. 5.5gn charge is going to get you 1270 rounds from a 40 quid tub. Generic .45 bullets will set you back 10 pounds a 100 and 100 primers, 3 quid.

To load a 1000 rounds of .45 Colt is going to cost you just less than £170. To buy a 1000 rounds of factory is going to be around £450......... No brainer!!

Sorry for ignorance but what is actually meant by a "cowboy load"? Thats interesting what you say about recoil, I guess maybe its something to do with the gasses having to travel further until released out the barrel.

Yea it will definately save a lot of money reloading, I was actually thinking of trying the Kranks Value bullets which are I think £27 for 500, think they are supposed to be ok.

Cowboy loads are a generic term for cartridges loaded to lower pressures for the sport of Cowboy Action Shooting in the US. Invariably loaded with lead, round nose, flat point bullets so they can be used in lever guns as well. Loaded to pressures that are safe in original firearms as well as Modena replicas.

For want of a better phrase, mild target ammo.

27 quid for 500? looks like with the sums above you can load your ammo for about £110 a 1000! Now that's not to be sniffed at!

I'd give dodgyrog a PM for boolits, he can usually size them to best fit your chamber/throat/groove for you.

His prices are friendly too.

Sim G wrote:Cowboy loads are a generic term for cartridges loaded to lower pressures for the sport of Cowboy Action Shooting in the US. Invariably loaded with lead, round nose, flat point bullets so they can be used in lever guns as well. Loaded to pressures that are safe in original firearms as well as Modena replicas.

For want of a better phrase, mild target ammo.

Ok thanks for clearing that up, yeah the kranks bullets will make it real cheap. What size of bullet are you using? I was thinking .454?

Dromia I would be interested that to get the perfect fit for the gun, I would have to take the gun to someone to have the barrel slugged wouldnt I?

You can slug it yourself very easily and I can pop a couple of slugs in the post for you.

hakeswill wrote: Dromia I would be interested that to get the perfect fit for the gun, I would have to take the gun to someone to have the barrel slugged wouldnt I?

Naw, piece of widdle to do it yourself, just lightly oil the chambers and knock through an oversized ball. Do the same down the barrel and you have your slugs then just measure. Get them started with a good whack from a soft faced hammer and then they will push through with a cleaning rod, pack some tissue paper onto of the ball before you use the cleaning rod to form a plug lust in case the rod goes into the ball.

Ok I will have a look when I get the gun, wont have it for a few weeks yet probably until they sent me back my license

What is the thickness of the stock extension you have on your gun Simon? Is it 6mm?

I have been told that I wont ever need to trim the cases reloading pistol cartridges is this correct? I dont need to buy a case trimmer or deburring tool?

I aslo forgot to ask how is the balance of the gun with the bar? Would a counterweight not improve it on the end of the rod?