Christmas comes early, Beretta Stampede

[Phantom Captain]

Hey gang,

Was doing a bit of shopping today with my girl and we happened to wander over into Cabelas. Yeah bad mistake, hehe.

Anyway I had been searching for a GPS for her for Christmas and Cabelas had a really nice Garmin on sale for $150 which was normally $250, great deal. So after looking at those and picking one up for her we made our way over to the guns.

I have been looking at and wanting to get a BP cartridge revolver for quite a long time. I've really only seriously been into cap and ball pistols and military muskets and long rifles for as long as I can remember and have acquired quite the collection as some of you well know.

I had been checking out the beautiful Beretta Stampede .45 LC with the 5.5" barrel for months actually and was really enamored with it's looks and price. Read a bunch of reviews, researched em, etc. etc. While it's no 2nd gen Colt, those costing upwards of $1200 or more it's definitely a step above the Ruger Vaqueros and Ubertis in my humble opinion.

Well after playing with it and looking at it etc. etc. for a prolonged period of time my wonderful girl finally just says, it is beautiful and it's Christmas, put it on the card. Get it. So I did! Isn't she the best?? LOL!!

Got home, ordered some lovely checkered rosewood grips and a reloading die kit and bullet mold. BP cartridges are ridiculously expensive. $40-$50 a box??!?! The only way to go is to be loading my own. I've cast all my own round balls and minies for quite some time and I get my lead for free so doing my own .45 LC cartridges is going to be fun. The only other cartridge I reload is a .45-70 for my '73 Springfield trapdoor carbine so it's won't be anything too new to me. I don't have an expensive press or anything but the simple Lee die kit which works just fine for me so ordered the same for the pistol now too. Sure will be fun getting those together this winter! I'll make a nice 250 or so and just have them ready to go. I'm sure I'll cast up a bunch of extra bullets so I can just reload as I go through them!

I'll try to take a couple of pics and post them soon! I'm really in love with this pistol. Really really happy to finally have a SA .45!

 

[English Bob]

I'm still standing by for pictures....

 

[Old Fuff]

I would point out that while there is no reason you shouldn't fire black powder cartridges in your new Beretta Stampede, the revolver itself is proofed and intended for current smokeless powder loads.

Be aware that the residue left by black powder will attack and inbrittle brass cartridge cases, so they should either be discarded or washed out immediately after firing.

 

[Phantom Captain]

Old Fuff,

Oh yes, I'm fully aware that it can shoot the modern smokeless stuff but my first love is always and always will be the Holy Black. I bought this pistol with full intention to shoot pretty much only BP cartridges through it (gotta love the report and smoke of them). It's the same as I do with my model 1873 Springfield Carbine .45-70 and I already reload cartridges for that. The bulk of my shooting is muzzleloaders in Civil War muskets and carbine my prized Hawken built by my dad with other various flintlocks and, of course, my many cap and ball pistols and I'm always rather stocked on powder and soft lead for casting. So you see it's really easier for me to reload Black Powder cartridges than it is to buy smokeless cartridges or to buy smokeless powder for reloading since I already have mostly what I need in the BP dept. Just my thing I guess, call me a purist! Oh, and after experience with the BP .45-70s I do know that you must get the brass in water and cleaned out ASAP! Good advice though!

Ok English Bob and everyone else,

Here's the best I can do at the moment. Had a horrible computer crash and haven't reinstalled all my photo software yet so these are simple emailed pics from my cell phone. Not too bad considering the source.

The .45 long Colt is simply just an awesome round!



The color case hardening is gorgeous. Rosewood checkered grips are due in the mail in a day or two! I'll take a few more once I get those on.

 

[BHP FAN]

Just gorgeous!Are those your loads or factory?When are you joining SASS?

 

[Ratdog68]

Drool !!!

I got drool all over it... ya may as well just give it to me since I've "rernt" it.

If I ever get me one of those types of puppies... I may just get brave and put to use a "stash" I have. That'd look REALLY nice with some ivory grips on it !! Yes, I'm Alaskan Native and legally possess said material. I think I'd have to make some from wood first though (for practice sake)... raw tusks aren't easy to come by.

I have a MkIV Series 70 (.45ACP) that has some scrimshaw/ivory grips on it. I call that piece "Mistress"... the grips are.... "R" rated. Sorry, no intention to hijack your thunder... just sharing the eye-appeal of the "contrast".

 

[BHP FAN]

Saweet!

 

[English Bob]

Superb, great looking thumb buster, drooooooooool!

Those cartridges are a work of art too if those are your bp reloads.




+1 on .45Colt being an awesome cartridge.

 

[Phantom Captain]

That's a smokin' mistress you have there Ratdog68. Purty purty. Thanks for sharing!

BHP FAN, Thanks! Sorry no, those are factory loads. Had to buy a box with the pistol of course. They are BP cartridges though. Just bought 200 cases and primers to load up in the next few weeks though as soon as my mold and die kit arrive. Should be anyday now. I'll take a few pics of mine when I get a few loaded and share them with the board. I very much enjoy casting and loading my own. The .45-70s are fun to do but I really can't shoot more than 20 or so at a time. Those big bad boys hurt! Sure saves on lead, powder and primers! I don't think that will be the case with the .45 Colt.

And on the SASS note, nope, not doing it. Not joining! I'm a Civil War reenactor (49th Indiana Co. F!) and my plate is certainly full with that. I can't imagine taking on a new hobby what with all my time and money that goes into reenacting and shooting as it is! The bulk of my live shooting is normally my CW rifles and smoothies and my cap and ball revolvers. I do have the feeling though this SA .45 is going to be sneaking it's way high up on the list in my heart though!

English Bob, thanks!! It is a gorgeous piece and I'm totally loving it!! Like I said I'll post a few pics when I get a few of my own loaded up. I'm falling hard for this thing and I've only shot it a couple of times so far. I can tell it's going to completely hook me. Always wanted one and now am totally thrilled to finally have it! Hmmm, can .45 Colt replace my love for .375 and .454 round balls and loose powder and caps??!?! It remains to be seen!

I keep thinking maybe I should carry it?? LOL!! Too big, too unpractical but oh man do I love it and the cartridge.

 

[44-henry]

I've been hooked ever since I shot my first black powder cartridge. I have a Stampede in 44-40 and looked for quite some time trying to find another for a pair and never was able. I made up for it by buying a Uberti with a 7 1/2" barrel in 45 Colt. My load has been about 35 grains of 3fg Goex behind a 250 grain LRNFP lubed with SPG. This load gets a bit over 1000 fps out of my revolver. I'm enclosing a picture of a doe I shot with this gun and load this fall.

 

[Phantom Captain]

Wow, nice pistol and nice doe there 44-Henry!

How long was the shot?

 

[44-henry]

It was about 30 yards which I feel is about right for this gun. Those traditional sights aren't great for hunting which in my book is more limiting than the load which is actually quite powerful.

 

[dwave]

Nice Pistol. Christmas came to me early too, just yesterday, but in the form of a 45-70. I just picked up an original Model 1873 Sprinfield Trapdoor! Good condition. Pictures to follow later.

 

[Phantom Captain]

dwave, still waiting on those pics of your .45-70! Post em when you can! I'm very interested in seeing it.

But in the meantime as promised...

Here's the new rosewood checkered grips on the Stampede, what do you all think?








And also, promised to show my handloads once I got into doing some. Well today has been the perfect lazy sunday so far. I cast up about 150 or so bullets, pure soft lead. I'm loading using Remington brass, CCI Large Pistol Primers and Goex 3f. Wasn't sure if I wanted to start using 3f or 2f. I loaded 50 with the 3f and I'm going to finish up loading another 50 with 2f and then see which I like better, is more accurate, cleaner, etc.



Lyman mold, 250 grain, .452" Took the picture before they were lubed but I use SPG.



Here's my finished cartridges, these haven't been crimped yet but that's all that's left.

 

[mykeal]

Very, very nice looking gun.

 

[Macmac]

Is crimping a must do thing? I made some 45-70 loads and didn't, since the gun was a single shot Sharps (real old one) I found the slugs worked ok.

Um nope You do need to. Other wise recoil will removed them for you, and make for certain unpleasentries. The beauty of single shots.

Nice looking gun and really nice wood. I can see why you bought those easy..

That Ratdog guy just sets me off with the ivory (drool)

 

[Ratdog68]

Very nice grips !!!

The new loads look great as well ! Nicely done ! I'm jealous !

 

[Phantom Captain]

Thanks all, much appreciated.

I'm so in love with this pistol already.

Macmac, yep, I'm totally aware that pistol rounds need to be crimped since the percussion can jar them out of the shell if they aren't. I handload everything using a small Lee reloader kit and the opposite end of my die tool had the crimper. Just flip it and give them a few taps with the soft hammer. I reload .45-70s also for my trapdoor but I don't crimp those, single shot as you say.

Here just two more pics...

I used 30 grains of Goex 3f for all of these. 30 grains was just perfect for these shells and left enough room for the bullet while only barely compressing the powder.

These are all crimped and finished. Nice and shiny new! You can just see the crimp at the mouth of the shell on these if you look close.



My first 50 reloads of .45 Colt ready to go! They came out really good, I'm really pleased. Can't tell them apart from the store bought box.

 

[dwave]

OOOO Shiny.

Phantom Captain, I'll get them uploaded tomorrow!

 

[Macmac]

If i appear to be smart it's an illusion.

Sometimes I think and type at the same time, err well I call it thinking.

I made the tools to load the 45-70 from wooden beads, dowels, and common nails.

One big x car seat bead was cut to support the rim and with a dowell with a nail cut off in it i could pop out primers. With a block of wood and flippin g the dowel over i could press a new primer in reeel easy. With a deer antler measure I added powda, lubed a ciggy butt paper and stuffed a new 45 slug in the case. I had one more bead that was a snug fit that made a poor at best crimp, and so I didn't really use it, unless the slug seemed too loose.

With smokess and a winchester 30-30 I had a 'ideal' loading tool that was pretty much all in one. A pretty cool tool all in all. It has a bullet mold and with it you could cast slugs and load them all with just that tool.

It was made about 1926, and was either worn in the sizing/crimp parts, or more modern brass is thinner.

I got a nasty surprise one day when a shell wouldn't feed.

Seems the slug backed into the case in recoil and the tube magazine was sort of semi filled with smokless... Needless to say i stopped shooting these loads unless i loaded them one by one.

 

[arcticap]

I'm curious about how important it is to use bullets made from pure lead. Not necessarily the one's that are cast from your mold, but commercial ones that are premade for reloading generic .45 LC brass with.
Is there a reason pure lead is more desirable? Is it so the bullet will expand more easily? Some of the commercial bullets have a bevel base but aren't swagged from pure lead.
Does it matter mainly for revolvers shooting lower velocity or "cowboy" BP loads?
BTW, that's a very pretty Stampede, grips, bullets and finished rounds!

 

[Macmac]

arcticap , I am going to take a wild guess.. With a light powder charge pure lead will grab rifeling better, and won't strip on it, because in a pistol it won't get going fast enough, like it would with a heavy charge in a long barrel.

Slugs from wheelweights would be harder and so could be pushed faster, and not 'lead' a bore, untill you reach the upper limits for that metal.

This is just a guess.. I learned here sometime time back that it is possible to 'harden' pure lead too. At times there can be advantages to do so as well.. I just never have myself.

 

[dwave]

Alright here is a few quick pics of my early present too! I can't wait to load up a few 45-70s with good ole black powder.

Only bad thing about it is it didn't come with the cleaning rod so I am going to have to buy one for it sooner or later.

 

[1858rem]

i have shot pure laed with lee liquid alox but didnt know how to use it right and had pretty bad leading, i now use either 50/50 of ww and pure lead or strait ww sometimes and both work fine.... i have since tripled up my load of lla for better lubing but it now clogs my seater die:banghead: but shoots fine with minimal leading.... cast boolits are excellent and enable me to shoot lots for less than 4.00 a box of 50!!!! what twist barrel is that? very nice

 

[Phantom Captain]

Oooooh!!! dwave!!

Gorgeous, just gorgeous. Looks to be in superb condition too!! I LOVE trapdoor Springfields, always have since I was a kid and my Dad's best friend had an original and let me shoot it. They are beasty though.

I have a repro Harrington & Richardson Model 1873 Springfield trapdoor carbine .45-70 that I really enjoy but would love to have a nice original like you have there. It truly beats me up though and I find I can't fire more than 20-25 or so before calling it quits. Did you get a good price??

I do load up my own also, always the Holy Black for those too. Have a good Lyman mold for the bullets, a Lee hand loading kit and enough brass. It's a wicked cartridge!

arcticap, to answer your question, I'm not really sure how important it is for pure lead in the cartridges. Reason I'm doing it is I only use pure for all my round and minie balls and since it's what I have it's what I use. I'm not going to make any alloy or anything and just go with what I have. I use pure lead for my .45-70s and they work great so I figured it would be likewise in the .45 Colts. I'm pretty sure it's how they were done traditionally so I can't see any problems with them. I do know that a lot of the modern and store bought round are jacketed or harder lead etc but I think most of those are shot with smokeless and it may have something to do with that. Since I'm going to be shooting BP only I'm sure the soft pure stuff will be just fine.

Would definitely welcome any further knowledge or info though from anyone of you guys who do shoot SA .45 and have experience with bullet types. This is new territory for me and I'm just winging it with what I know and my own experiences. I, of course, have nothing but great results from my pure lead balls and minies as they all work as they should in my muzzleloaders and cap and ball pistols. Feel free to chime in anyone!