Asking too much?

[Doctor Sam]

Gentlemen: You with experience with .45 Colt clones tell me what is reasonable accuracy using the "standard" load of 8.5g of Unique and 255g bullets. I have two, a Uberti made and a Taurus Gaucho. I am unable to make the Gaucho shoot worth a hoot. My two RBHs will outshoot both of them, natch. The Uberti groups OK but is about 18" low which I can fix. The Taurus has been back to the factory X2 and they sent me a test target shot at 10 yards if I remember right. I'm not interested in 10 yards and normally stick up a target at 25. I could probably hit a 55 gal drum at 50 with the Gaucho if it wasn't rolling.
Tell me what your guns and loads will do.
Many thanks.

[Hunter]

Well I have a Colt Cowboy that will keep in the black of a 12" bullseye at about 50' with a 250gr at about 750fps using 7.0gr of Unique. That aint great I understand but neither am I

[mag_01]

Sam---I have a clone (San Marco) that shoots pretty good---It groups about a foot off center at about 7.30 with all loads--- I believe my powder was bullseye and a 255swc . I will look it up and post it for you---Mag

[Lightning Ross]

I have never had any luck with any of the colt clones.I use them realy hard I do the mounted cowbow shooting and had a pair of gauchos that wouldnt hold up to just shooting blanks .And When I tride live rounds couldnt hit the inside of a barn when standing in side. One shaved lead realy bad I dont own them any more. Lost my butt on them . I have two old model ruger vaqueros and they will shoot about any thing you throw in them.Cast smokeles jacketed or black powder..I have shot my best groups with a case full of 2f Goex about 1/16 inch comprsession with a prs 250 grain Boolit with spg lube. It does snort a bit though.I think most colt clone are factory sighted for a 250 grain boolit at about 750 fps if I rember right. Any other loads take some tinkering.

[DanWalker]

My bud has one of the clones that Cabelas sells. his is a 4 3/4" model with the brass frame. Never shot it for groups, but we wearing out a car rim at 100 yards with it awhile back. Load was a 255gr rnfp over 6.5 grains of red dot. I've also shot shotgun hulls placed at 15 yards with it. It was dead on at that range. I just had trouble hitting the hulls standing offhand. Darn things kept hopping all over the front sight whenever I started squeezing off that rotten trigger pull.

[45 2.1]

Tell me what your guns and loads will do.
Many thanks.

Dr. Sam-
Please tell us what you're doing. Bought boolits or your own, etc.

[Dusty Miller]

I own a 3&3/4" Ruger Vaquero with the Birdshead grip and it was shooting low and left to a considerable degree. After slugging the bore I found a tight spot where the barrel screws into the frame. About 35 rounds of fire lapping later it shoots much later. That may be an option for you. At least slug the bore and look for tight or loose spots. If its loose at the end of the barrel it'll never shoot straight.

[Larry Gibson]

Dr. Sam-
Please tell us what you're doing. Bought boolits or your own, etc.

Agree with 45 2.1, more information needed on your load. I have a Uberti Artillery Mdl and it shoots 2" with the 255 SWC over 8.5 gr Unique. It also shoots quite well (1 1/2 - 2") with the 200 gr cowboy bullets and 190-205 gr cast .45 ACP bullets over a healthy dose of Bullseye. Further info on the bullet, it's diameter and the throat diameter of the cylender would be helpful.

Larry Gibson

[Dale53]

I have a Ruger Bisley Vaquero in .45 Colt and it shoots under 2" at 25 yards whether black or smokeless. It shoots to the sights at 25 yards (dead on out of the box).

I have a nice Cimarron .44 Special Colt Clone that shoots even better. I had to regulate the sights but the trigger is 2.0 lbs out of the box. Really a nice carry gun. Finished extremely well. However, the sights are hard to use (narrow front blade and just a notch in the rear - similar to the original Colt's). The Ruger's sights are fixed but very nice.

Dale53

[mag_01]

Sam -- Have those loads for you---looking thru old notes I find---255swc with 6 to 7 grs. of W231------as well as 255swc with 7.3 to 7.8 of Unique----I have heard of cowboy shooters using 6.3 of Unique but never tried it ---I think its too light-----I shot a san marco clone that printed ok at 25 yds. for as crude as the old guns where made---my clone never gave me any problem----Mag

[arkypete]

Howdy Doc
Check the cyclinder mouths as to diameter. Check barrel diameter. The cyclinder mouths should be at least one thousandth bigger the n the barrel diameter.
If I just told you what you already know and I ruffled you feathers, I'm sorry.
I usually over look the obvious when I'm having difficulty.
All of my 45 Colts absolutely. bar none, love .454 bullets.
Jim

[Char-Gar]

Lots of these Colt clone have truly huge cylinder throat (.458 - .460). To get decent accuracy, it requires a big or soft bullet.