45 colt powder choices

[Doc.Holliday]

Good afternoon; I am a newbie to this forum and also a new 45 colt reloader.
I have one nagging question when it comes to reloading this cartridge regarding powder choices.
I am of the opinion that no matter what, you will never turn this cartridge into a race horse. So assuming you use the correct diameter of bullet for your 45 colt; the correct lube, the right primer, good brass, and a couple of reloading manuals for load data; WHAT is the real advantage of or how do you select a powder for this cartridge when the for example in Lymans Reloading Handbook #46 gives 7 powders for the#454190 bullet (250 grain#2 alloy) that if loaded to max load the velocity difference goes from 1017 fps with HS5 to 1185 fps with unique with the other 5 clustered around 1100 fps.
Now these are Ruger T/C loads.
So to summarize what would make one choose one powder over another in this instance where none is going to turn it into a barn burner. Would it be its clean burning traits. amount needed per load - economy, or what you already have on your bench?
Many thanks for your patience.
Doc

[Wally]

IMHO Red Dot is the best choice as it is fluffier. Many like Trail Boss and Unique. As I recall Mike Ventrino advocated Red Dot powder, but now prefers Trail Boss...

[Doc.Holliday]

I have that powder and I see in the book under Ruger loads 6.5 gr for 835 fps to 9.4 gr for 1097 fps.
I cannot see any other powder listed giving much better velocity or economy?
It is supposed to be a clean burner so perhaps there is no better alternative ??
Thank-you
Doc

[rbertalotto]

I shoot lots of 45LC. I have six revolvers and five rifles in that caliber.

For mild plinking loads I use Green Dot............Why? Because some one gave me 16 pounds of it a few years back and at 6.5g a load, it will last a long time! Very clean burning and super accuracy for a plinking / cowboy action load under a 255g Lee boolit.

Now, for hunting loads in the rifle......I certainly do get these puppies traveling in the company of 44mag. I use cut down 454 Casull brass with the small primer pocket. Thicker brass and much more brass around the primer. In my Marlin 1894 and my Rossi 454/45 I have a 250g boolit traveling at 44mag velocity. I use H110 exclusively for this type of load. Do a search, there is a long article somewhere on the web about loading the 45LC to much higher pressures than you would think.......(Now, all this said, do not exceed data in the reloading manuals........:coffee:)

For other loads I've been having great fun with Trail Boss. I like it in my progressive press because it's hard to accidentally double load a case. Very clean and extremely accurate in all my guns.

I've also loaded Vit N110, 5744, 4759 and Pyrodex.

All I use for boolits are 200g RN and 255g FPRN..........

Have fun!

[Doc.Holliday]

Thank-you for the reply.
I have a Rossi 92 carbine with 16 inch barrel and a Rossi Ranch Hand -the Wanted Dead or Alive replica with a 12 inch barrel.
The Ranch Hands are classed as a rifle up here so it is non restricted etc.
Almost a colt buntline.
If I were to pick Red Dot and used 7.0 grains for plinking in both would the max load of Red Dot make an appropriate Deer Hunting load? Or am I missing something by not going to a slower powder?

Thank-you
Doc

[zxcvbob]

My favorite .45 Colt powder is Promo. (just like Red Dot but cheaper and slightly less fluffy)
Maybe switch to Herco for your hunting load.

[Rocky Raab]

Of the 20 or so powders that CAN be used in the 45 Colt, the ones in the approximate middle of the burn rate spread are probably the better choices. That would mean powders like Unique, Universal, True Blue, Herco, 231, PB, AA#5, 4756, and a few more. The final choice would come down to accuracy.

[btroj]

I use lots of #105 surplus. Burns very similar to AA5. I like it , meets my needs and I have lots of it.

[pmer]

I'm a 45 Colt fan too and I am going past 1550 FPS with this 300 grain FPGC and H110.

http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=45-300G-D.png

The rifle is 20 inch Rossi and the Boolit feeds great. Some of the other longer nosed boolits won't feed in my Rossi 92 but this one will bring the flop to a whitetail for me.

[BoolitBill]

I love my 45 Colts and I am glad you stated that nothing will make it a barn burner. My personal opinion is that it reallly doesn't need to be one to be effective. With that said my favorite 45 Colt powder is Unique. Some say it is a dirty powder, leaves black soot on my cases, etc., but I like it because in my guns it is accurate.

[Tim357]

9 grains Unique with either Lyman 454190 or 454424

[Keith429421]

Along with the Unique load of 8.5 gr, I like 7.5 gr of 231.

[zxcvbob]

Has anyone tried Bullseye? (about 7 grains with a 255)

[Superfly]

7 cc lee dipper of win 231 sure works nice in the rossi circit Judge and in the Vaqaro rugur

lee 255 boolit

[gandydancer]

I started shooting hand cannons back in the days when bill ruger made some of his 1st 44 mag flat top's. as a matter of fact I still have some custom made ammo proof loads made for ruger no markings on brass. at one time it was a full box of 50 over the years I have given 1/2 of it away. anyway! in june 1986 I purchased my first 454 casull 7.1/2" bbl with a 45 colt cylinder and thousands of rounds later & 3 other casull's I still have that 1st 7.1/2 revolver I also have the screwed up hands to prove it(rightis hurtess) my point is 45 long colt NOT A BARN BURNER MY ***. in CT southington pistol club 105 feet ABSL useing a sierra 200 grain jacketed bullet( I'll not give the load. powder was H110 corno at 2040fps belive it. in all those years and rounds the revoler went back once for repair a broken trigger spring. BARN BURNING MOTHER. and now all I shoot is 9 grains UNIQ 255 gr keith about the same as a factory load around 850 fps. GD

[Ziptar]

8.0 - 9.0 grains Unique, Usually right down the middle at 8.5 gr under a 255gr RNFP with WLPs.

That being said I'm trying out some Universal now. It meters easier and seems to be a tad less sooty. First batch was 7.5 gr and I wasn't overly impressed but, trying out some 8.5 gr Universal loads today see what thats like.

[Doc.Holliday]

Thank-you for all the kindly replies Gentlemen. Therefore forgive me if I am reading this wrong but does this mean I will have more success in building an accurate load with the middle burning rate powders? And as my reloading manuals do not give muzzle energy values will again middle road powders translate into a better hunting load for deer and bear?
Sorry for my ignorance and thanks for your advice.

Doc

[Doc.Holliday]

I forgot to add that my confusion is resulting from the Lyman book showing that under T/C data for the 45Colt with the #454190 bullet it has got Red Dot a fast burner only 33 fps slower than PB a middle burner at the starting level and at the maximum load the Red Dot is faster by 2 fps than the PB
Is there more energy associated with the PB powder or like in my earlier post is PB or similar burning rate powders more inherently accurate??
Sorry for the rambling and re-questioning.

Doc

[Rocky Raab]

Doc, the middle burners are a bit more tractable. By which I mean they are less sensitive to minute charge variations, give better case fill and will be operating closer to their design pressure range than fast burners.

Experiment a bit and find the powder that's most accurate in your revolver, and gives you about 900 fps with a 255-gr bullet. That's truly all you need for deer and bear at reasonable ranges. Untold thousands of critters (two and four-legged) have fallen to such a load for more than a century. It works.

[DanWalker]

I'll add my 2 cents if you all don't mind. I shoot 6.5 grains of red dot under either a 454424(HP) or a LEE 300 grain WFNGC.
I've killed pronghorn with this load, and it kills just fine. And after shooting more than few whitetails, I can tell you that pronghorn can be an awful lot harder to put down than a deer.
I shoot the red dot load due to it's accuracy and economy. I've tried 9 grains of Unique, 6.5 grains of Bullseye,and up to 20 grains of 2400. I came back to the red dot load because it works for me. The others work as well, but I prefer this load.

[btroj]

I use mostly a 290 gr flat nose from a group buy here years ago. I like it with 10.5 gr of a surplus powder that is similar to AA5. I get just over 900 from my Blackhawk. Recoil is very manageable, accurate too!
In the past I loaded this revolver to the gills. Recoil was bad. Hurt my wrists. I decided I didn't need all that.

[bigboredad]

I can tell you from experience the Dan Walker load is a fun and accurate load in not just the 255 but also the 300. For me the 300+gr. loads have worked best for me and you don't have to beat yourself or the gun to death one of my all time favorite loads is a 340gr lee rnfp loping along at 1000fps ymmv

[Doc.Holliday]

Thank You ALL kindly for your advice . I appreciate the help.
With my 270; 308 and 250 savage I was never as perplexed as this.
This is the first pistol cartridge I am reloading and was getting more confused as I went along.
I shoot a lot of 30/30 but we only pay about $12.00 a box up here for Rem or Win brand in either 150 or 170 gr so I never took up reloading for it.
Again I digress. Sorry for the rambling.
Many thanks again truly appreciated.

Doc.

[rbertalotto]

I can tell you that pronghorn can be an awful lot harder to put down than a deer.

Huh???

My buddies out in Montana have been using 22BR with 50 grain bullets out of XP100 to kill Pronghorns for years. Seems it doesn't take much to knock one over.

I would guess Deer depends on where you find them. Up in Maine I've seen some of those 250 pounders take a real beating and keep running.

[USSR]

Doc.Holliday,

The answer to your question is whatever of the listed powders you have on hand.:wink: The .45 Colt is not fussy. I use Solo 1000, Unique, HS-6, 2400, and 4227. There are a lot of other powders that will work as well, but those powders are powders I use for other applications and have in stock, so that is what I use.

Don

[Doc.Holliday]

Good Evening ; Is there any advantage in using Green Dot powder?
I see it is in between Red Dot and Unique in burning rate.
Yet I see very little or no reloading data for it with 45 colt loads, it seems to be a forgotten powder as compared to Red Dot.
Loads that I have found are pretty anemic.
Another question ; is PB a powder that takes up a lot of space?
It seems my Lyman book is showing what I call a lot of shotgun powders when you use cast bullets and more pistol powders when you use a jacketed slug for some reason ?
Thank-you
Doc

[white eagle]

definitely not a barn burner type but I do like to use the old colt to its potential
my favorite and most accurate loads come from H-110

[DanWalker]

Huh???

My buddies out in Montana have been using 22BR with 50 grain bullets out of XP100 to kill Pronghorns for years. Seems it doesn't take much to knock one over.

I would guess Deer depends on where you find them. Up in Maine I've seen some of those 250 pounders take a real beating and keep running.

I'd wager that your friends are crack shots, who place their bullets carefully. I'd also wager they sneak in and make close range killing shots, or hang back and snipe at long range. You hit an antelope poorly with your first shot, or get one nervous and worked up, and they can take huge amounts of punishment and not go down.

[dk17hmr]

I have a 15" TC barrel in 45lc that will push a 300gr LEE to 1450fps without much trouble with W296 and I havent really worked with it all that much because I am having a brake put on it so I can use it as a rifle barrel. For plinking I like trailboss and unique, most of the time I plink with my full tilt loads though. Warm 45lc loads are nice to shoot in my 454 though.

[Rocky Raab]

Doc, Red ad Green are VERY close together. (In fact, Green Dot IS Red dot - when they get a batch that's a bit too slow to call it Red, they throw in those green flakes. Honest.)

You can safely use Red Dot data with Green Dot in handgun loads. The difference will be meaningless. I actually prefer American Select to either. It supposedly falls between Red and Green in burn rate, which as we've just learned is a very narrow slot indeed. I can use load data for any of the three and get nearly identical velocity results.

[ButchC]

I'm a big fan of 2400 myself, I tried out Red Dot behind a Lee 255gr and it grouped just as tight in my puma 92 at 50 yards with less powder. I went with 2400 because it will make it to the 100 yard target without insane holdover :P

[bigted]

my very first handgun to load for was an old colt replica in 45 colt. i loaded tons....well pounds of lead and hundreds of primers and bunch's of different powder thru that old handgun. i can tell you that the very best i came across as a broke kid was unique...8 grains of it behind a lead 255 grain cast bullet i bought by the thousand. cant remember the diameter and i never slugged the barrel nor the cylinder...didn't know anything about that then...man wish i had a dollar for all the ground pigs and rabbits i killed....er sent to the big belt up above...with that revolver. the unique load was and is a stand-by for me but im trying the trail-boss now but i doubt that it will ever take the unique loads place.

[429421Cowboy]

Yep, i like Unique in mid range revolver loads. One thing to consider is that of two loads that post the same average velocity, the load that fills the case better will likely be the more accurate one due to a potential for lower velocity spread because of the reduced position sensitivty. I'm speaking in generallitys there but that is the theory there.
And i don't care what anybody says, antelope can take a ton of punishment if not hit correctly on the first shot.

[bowfin]

And after shooting more than few whitetails, I can tell you that pronghorn can be an awful lot harder to put down than a deer.

That has been my experience as well, although I don't have a theory on why that would be so.

[rwehuntn]

I use Lil gun and a 255gr swc in my 45 colts, works well for accuracy and velocity. dont have the exact amount in front of me right now, but it is definitely only for t/c, ruger etc. at around 1300 fps, it is a stout load but very manageable and on par with my 44 mag.

[429421Cowboy]

I use Lil gun and a 255gr swc in my 45 colts, works well for accuracy and velocity. dont have the exact amount in front of me right now, but it is definitely only for t/c, ruger etc. at around 1300 fps, it is a stout load but very manageable and on par with my 44 mag.

I have heard good things about Lil Gun on this forum besides the barrel heating issue, i have no experience with it so this could be pure moonshine for all i know.
We must all remember that the ol' .45 can be loaded up to .44 mag levels in strong actions but still obtains this threshold at a lower pressure (24,000? don't have my manual in front of me) than the .44 magnum.

[TXGunNut]

Gandydancer is correct, the 45 Colt will do everything a 44 mag will do and maybe a bit more. I have a 296 load I stuff under a 300gr XTP j-bullet that is very accurate, deady and punishing at around 1300 fps. I prefer my Universal load gently shoving a 255 Keith boolit at BP velocities. Someday soon I'll load it with FFFg and shoot it the way Sam Colt intended.

[mattbowen]

I love 2400, I use it in my 357 and 45 colt My favorite load is 340 grain RNFP (a .458 sized down to .452) over a load of 2400 and it's running out of my 7" barrel at 1045fps and 1275fps from my 24" barrel M92. I even worked up a load (for the M92 only) with a 405 gr HBFP over 2400 running at 950 fps

[zxcvbob]

the 45 Colt will do everything a 44 mag will do and maybe a bit more.
I have a .45 and a .41 (don't have a .44 yet) The .45 Colt can be overloaded to do everything an off-the-shelf .44 Magnum will, but the .44 hasn't started stretching its legs yet -- so I don't think it's a fair comparison. Can a .45 Colt can keep up with a .44 Magnum handloaded to CIP pressures and beyond for a long-cylinder gun like a Redhawk? I doubt it.

[ocelott]

+1 on the unique loads 8.0-9.0grains under a 250-255 will work wonders

+1 on the W231 6.5-7.5 under a 250-255

+1 on 2400 - I use 15.0 grains under a 250/12.0 grains under a 300gr

[Char-Gar]

8.5/Unique under 260 grain plain base cast bullet has been a standard 45 Colt load in my part of the world for many years. I use it.

[Doc.Holliday]

I tried 21 grains Imr 4227 over 250 grain cast bullets with different crimps and irregardless got aa lot of kernels left in my Rossi 92 rifle barrel. the load was accurate and easy on the shoulder But the kernels are a real pain in a lever action. Is their a mid range powder that anyone can recommend that does not leave kernels? Soot and smoke isn't a big deal ; just those confounded kernels.
Thank-you
Doc

[Doc.Holliday]

I should mention that at our deer camp recently the fellows and I took shots at a tree 170 yards distant. I was shooting my Rossi 92 45 colt with 7.5 grains of Red Dot over the same 250 grain bullet. This load is accurate and clean - no kernels but is apparently SLOW. When the sound of my shot faded We all could hear my bullet smack the tree 170 yards distant.
One of my more educated buddies told me the speed of sound is 1116 fps so my bullet isn't near that. Sound Right??
I was 12 inches low at that distance but dead centre. I was kind of proud of that off hand shot with iron sights but the laughter was dis heartening over the bang then thud
Doc

[DanWalker]

I'm guessing you're supersonic or very close to it with that load. Anyone who'd laugh at a shot that hits it's mark is about as smart as a fencepost.
I'll take a 1100 fps well placed killing shot over a 3000 fps gutshot any day of the week.
Your load will fully penetrate and cleanly kill anything you can get a tag for.

[Doc.Holliday]

Thank-you Dan for the reply. I guess it seems to me that I am not loading to the potential of the 45 colt. I am reading on this and other forums of achieving greater speeds and not having to use holdover etc by using more lets call them efficient powders. That was the reason for my 2nd last post regarding a mid powder that didn't leave kernels.
I have heard good things about Universal but have heard no defining advice on its speed or energy or whether it leaves kernels.
I am happy with my abilities with Red Dot but I guess man is never satisfied
Kind regards
Doc

[Doc.Holliday]

Thank-you Dan for the reply. I guess it seems to me that I am not loading to the potential of the 45 colt. I am reading on this and other forums of achieving greater speeds and not having to use holdover etc by using more lets call them efficient powders. That was the reason for my 2nd last post regarding a mid powder that didn't leave kernels.
I have heard good things about Universal but have heard no defining advice on its speed or energy or whether it leaves kernels.
I am happy with my abilities with Red Dot but I guess man is never satisfied
Kind regards
Doc

[USSR]

I tried 21 grains Imr 4227 over 250 grain cast bullets with different crimps and irregardless got aa lot of kernels left in my Rossi 92 rifle barrel. the load was accurate and easy on the shoulder But the kernels are a real pain in a lever action. Is their a mid range powder that anyone can recommend that does not leave kernels? Soot and smoke isn't a big deal ; just those confounded kernels.

Doc,

18.0 grains of 2400 is in the same power range as your 21 grains of IMR4227 load, and there are no kernels to contend with.

Don

[Doc.Holliday]

Many Thanks Don. I'll have to give 2400 a try.

Doc

[robertbank]

Doc gt yourself a F! Chrony to chronograph your loads. If you are developing loads a chrono is a must have. I do like the 8.5 gr of Unique in your .45Colt. I guess I am going to have to look for a .45Colt Rossi. I have the .44mag and .357mag. I plan to go after deer next year with the .44mag. Lots of power for deer. In time I may try my .357mag as well.

Take Care

Bob

[DanWalker]

Doc,

18.0 grains of 2400 is in the same power range as your 21 grains of IMR4227 load, and there are no kernels to contend with.

Don


GREAT load! I use 18.5 grains, and it works great. Around 1400 fps from the 16" barrel of my winchester.

[45 2.1]

Dependent on how slow a burning powder you use, you will have to crimp it very firmly in most cases. New or once fired brass is still to soft to hold a boolit long enough to get it burning right. Older, harder brass that has been fired a lot will hold crimp much better and get these powders burning right in the 45 Colt.

[Tristan]

Thank You ALL kindly for your advice . I appreciate the help.
With my 270; 308 and 250 savage I was never as perplexed as this.
This is the first pistol cartridge I am reloading and was getting more confused as I went along.
I shoot a lot of 30/30 but we only pay about $12.00 a box up here for Rem or Win brand in either 150 or 170 gr so I never took up reloading for it.
Again I digress. Sorry for the rambling.
Many thanks again truly appreciated.

Doc.


Doc -

No sense being perplexed!

The Colt 45 is on of my favorite cartridges to reload for, probably because the advise I received many years ago paid off immediately with accurate and inexpensive loads. That advise was 8-9gr. Unique over a standard primer ( I use Win. ) topped with a Keith 260 gr. projectile (I've been mostly using machine cast 255 SWC's from a Magma mold). Worked, like a charm.

Although I've never used the load to take a deer, I have read innumerable testimonials to it's ability to do so, often with the admonition that "It'll go right through a deer, lengthwise!"

Hope I get a chance to try that one day.


Tristan
Good luck with your choices and have a blast!

[Doc.Holliday]

I just purchased a pound of Power Pistol powder to try and achieve a clean burning mid level load. I had seen in other posts where its burn rate is middle of the road Further I've read that quite a few reloaders have had great success with it.
I have seen some low level loads in the latest Lyman book with jacketed slugs but am wondering if anyone has any mid level load data with cast they can share with me??
Kind Regards
Doc

[ramsay]

Hello: I use Lyman 454190 pure linotype over either 10 gr Unique, 10 gr Green Dot, or 20 gr wc 820 bought from Jeff Bartlett..

I use these loads in my Ruger Blackhawk ..

Just got a new Marlin 1894 and found the wc820 load to be good at 100 yd..
At 100 yd, the Unique load is light..

Ramsay

[Bullet Caster]

Doc,
I would suggest to use W-231 as it is cleaner burning than Unique. And did you know that Doc Holiday was Margaret Mitchell's first cousin? I used to give a two hour "Gone With The Wind" tour when I lived in Jonesboro, GA. He had an affair with his first cousin (not Margaret Mitchell, of course) and if you'll remember in the movie "Toombstone" on his death bed, he remarked to Wyatt that the only one he ever loved was his cousin and she joined a convent over the affair. Sorry I didn't mean to hijack the thread but I've done a lot of research on Doc Holiday and the influence he had on Peggy Mitchell's developing the character of Ashley Wilkes in GWTW.
Doc Holiday has been credited with several kills including Johnny Ringo which he may or may not have killed. Johnny Ringo was found dead on a tree that had fallen over a little stream. Some even say that Ringo may have been his only kill. Just thought you'd like to know. BC

[Ziptar]

Speaking of cousins and Johnny Ringo...

My Wifes' great, great, great, grandmother was Johnny Ringo's great aunt.

Back to powders......

I like 8-9 grains of Unique under a 255gr RF and 9-10 grains Unique under a 270-SAA.

I did a trade with another forum member last month for a bunch of LBT 310 grain GC LFN boolits. Theres a load on handloads.net for 9 grains of Unique but, several more that use 20-23.5 grains of H110. I guess I'll have to pick some up.

[Pigslayer]

I shoot lots of 45LC. I have six revolvers and five rifles in that caliber.

For mild plinking loads I use Green Dot............Why? Because some one gave me 16 pounds of it a few years back and at 6.5g a load, it will last a long time! Very clean burning and super accuracy for a plinking / cowboy action load under a 255g Lee boolit.

Now, for hunting loads in the rifle......I certainly do get these puppies traveling in the company of 44mag. I use cut down 454 Casull brass with the small primer pocket. Thicker brass and much more brass around the primer. In my Marlin 1894 and my Rossi 454/45 I have a 250g boolit traveling at 44mag velocity. I use H110 exclusively for this type of load. Do a search, there is a long article somewhere on the web about loading the 45LC to much higher pressures than you would think.......(Now, all this said, do not exceed data in the reloading manuals........:coffee:)

For other loads I've been having great fun with Trail Boss. I like it in my progressive press because it's hard to accidentally double load a case. Very clean and extremely accurate in all my guns.

I've also loaded Vit N110, 5744, 4759 and Pyrodex.

All I use for boolits are 200g RN and 255g FPRN..........

Have fun!
I have always loaded my .45 Colt at subsonic levels and had very good luck. Recently after buying the latest Sierra Reloading manual I found that with the newer, stronger actions such as the Ruger Blackhawk I can load them to much higher velocities. :mrgreen: I shoot a 255gr GC & a 300gr GC and have some "warmer" loads ready for the range. Just baby steps . . . but warmer.
Although the Sierra manual pertains to jacketed bullets only . . . it is still a wealth of information. Thanks for your post.
Pat

[drklynoon]

As I am sure you know a clean burn depends on the operating pressures being reached for the correct amount of time to burn all the powder. I am a trailboss guy for my .45 but if I were to move to another powder I would venture to a ball type powder like 231. The reason for this is they tend to burn uniformly under less than optimum pressures. Cast loading is a touch different than jacketed due to a cast bullets ease of escape from the case. This leads to unburned powder and odd pressure spikes. Considering your previous posts doc. What I would attempt to do is to work out a 2400 load for your Rossi. Basically I would emulate the performance of a .44 mag. I'd keep the pressures a little lower but all in all this is what I would do. I'd find a good starting load and keeping working it until the speed you want is reached. Just my .02. Cheers and good luck.

[Harter66]

+1 for Unique

I tried H110 in my RBH but didn't get the results I was looking for . It did what it was supossed to my gun just didn't care for it.

W/Unique I reach 1000fps w/the 7.5 in bbl w/LEE 255RNFP that actually weigh in closer to 265.

Sort of apples and oranges here,I have a 38/357 18" rifle and a 6" Security 6 . Same loads from the same box w/ 7nique have shown over and over a gain of 400 fps from the revolver to the rifle . I would expect similar gains for the 45s if I had a rifle to shoot them in.YMMV

[kliff]

Back in the day....circa 1973, I was using PB behind some 200gr cast boolits, probably somewhere around 8.0gr, or whatever the Speer manual of the period recommended. My Ruger BlackHawk .45LC ate it like it was candy. Actually it was the "convertible" model, but I don't remember even installing the ACP cylinder, much less firing it. All I wan't to shoot was that LC.

Still have that pistol, btw, and will have till the day I die.

[stubshaft]

Used to use Unique (still have 9 pounds of it) but have recently switched to AA#5 because it burns cleaner and someone gave me 16# of it.

[Gray Fox]

I use a slightly less than max recommended load of H110/296 from the Hornady loading manual using both the Lee 255 RNFP and the 300 grainer in both my 24" octagon barrel Rossi 92 and in my wife's 20 incher. Both shoot very nicely at 100 yards. The load is hotter than I care to shoot in my revolvers, though. I've also tried the 8 grains of 231 with the 255 that is our standard revolver load, but it really loses steam at that distance.

Bullet Caster:

I've been through Jonesboro right past the train station many times and my wife and I have shot with the "Doc Holliday's Immortals" SASS club in Griffin several times. Small world we boolit shooters move in.

[Bullet Caster]

Gray Fox,
When you were in Jonesboro, GA, you shoulda stopped in and taken my tour. I did it for 5 years before moving to TN, in '98. The tour company was called Historical and Hysterical Tours. We started out in the train depot and went by Pope Dickson's funeral home 'cause there was an old carriage in the basement that belonged to the VP of the Confederacy. From there we went to the old Confederate cemetary that is laid out like the stars & bars flag. There were about 800 yankees buried there as well--they were buried in a mass grave at the north end of the cemetary. There was the Warren House used for a hospital during the war and I just happened to find a bullet on the ground that had teeth marks in it. You ever heard the expression, "bite the bullet"? That's where the term originated as soldiers had to bite down on soft lead to endure the pain during amputation. The tour would then conclude at the "Green House" with more stories of GWTW. I really enjoyed giving the tour which started out as a 1 hour tour. By the time I re-wrote the script and after much research it turned into a 2 hour tour. Very interesting stuff about Peggy Mitchell. I had one gentleman that was a West Point graduate and he told me he learned more about the Civil War from me than he ever learned at the Point. Go figure. BC

[Daddyfixit]

No pet Trail Boss loads? I thought it was tailor made for the 45?
I picked up a can of it to give a try, what's a good load for 255gr RNFP?

[JohnnyFlake]

No pet Trail Boss loads? I thought it was tailor made for the 45?
I picked up a can of it to give a try, what's a good load for 255gr RNFP?

For what it's worth, I cannot speak from experience, but some old friends of mine and I were talking about a week ago and they have been testing .45 Colt loads with Trail Boss and 250gr RNFP bullets. Sometime this month, I will be loading up some test rounds myself to see what is the most accurate out of my guns. They both suggested to me to start with 5.3gr loads and work up a grain at a time to a max of 5.8gr. Somewhere in between you'll probably come across the best load for your gun. They no longer have a chrony that works so they could not give me velocities but they believe the velocities are in the range of 675 at the low end and 750 at the high end.

[btroj]

Trail boss was designed for large blacko powder era cases fired with smokeless. It was mostly geared towards the cowboy action shooters who wanted lower velocities. It was mostly intended to reduce the chance of a double charge.

Many want a bit more velocity than trail boss is capable of giving. So many per powders have given good results over the years that most of us have settled on a powder and load we like.

[Daddyfixit]

Trail Boss powder looks like little flat doughnuts or washers....but of all the different powders I've used it meters through my Dillion 550 better than anything else. Once set I checked 20 times and they were all exactly 5.3 grs (RCBS 505 scale) so I loaded 12 rounds and checked again, still bang on 5.3grs.

I adjusted up to 5.5gr checked 10 times...all exactly 5.5grs.
I loaded 12 more rounds and rechecked..5.5! Most powders I've used meter good(+or-.2 or so) but not THAT good. So for the heck of it I thru 10 loads in the pan...55 gr exactly
That surprised me a little

Now I'll have to get to the range and check the results

[drklynoon]

I shoot 6.0 gr of trail boss with a 255 gr swc. The speed is around 800-850 fps I haven't shot it over the chrony because I honestly don't much care. The gun just about shoots hole in hole. I love trail boss and may try to load a more stout version later on when I get my BH. The thing that has kept me from this is the load data.

[LVRFAN]

8.0 grains of UNIQUE. EVERYTHING else is a waste of time, money, and powder. If you want more power get a 44 Mag. or a 454. Unique is perfect for the 45 Colt with NORMAL loads. Of course, that's just my opinion!

[USSR]

8.0 grains of UNIQUE. EVERYTHING else is a waste of time, money, and powder. If you want more power get a 44 Mag. or a 454. Unique is perfect for the 45 Colt with NORMAL loads. Of course, that's just my opinion!

Lots of .45 Colt loads that are better than 8.0 grains of Unique, and if your handgun can handle higher than standard .45 Colt loads, then go for it.

Don

[LVRFAN]

Well, start naming those loads Don!

[LVRFAN]

8.0 grains of UNIQUE with a 250 lead bullet gives me right at 1000 fps in my 7.5" Blackhawk and 960 out of my 7.5" Colt SAA- a NORMAL equivalent load to 40 grains of Blackpowder. My short guns are about 100 fps slower. I am pretty sure that it will drop anything that I might want to shoot WITHOUT alot of recoil and muzzle blast AND good accuracy in ALL my 45's. That's MY idea of a good load. Have tried many powders for this round in the past 30 years but none have done as consistantly well as UNIQUE.

[USSR]

Well, start naming those loads Don!

John Linebaugh's 13.0gr of HS-6 is one. And my personal favorite is 18.0gr of 2400. For light loads, 6.0gr of Solo 1000 works well. The point being, there is no ONE load that is the only one to consider, and there is a great pressure space between the .45 Colt standard pressure loads and the Ruger only loads that rival .44 Magnum loads, IF you have a handgun than can safely handle them. I have a S&W 25-5, and I limit myself to pressure levels of no more than 23K psi.

Don

[Wireman134]

Have had good results with 14gr. of BlueDot with the Lee 452-252-SWC @ 1100fps.
This is a "Ruger" load around 22,000 psi. that is safe in my Blackhawk.
7.1gr. W231 @ 870fps. and 6.5gr. Red Dot @ 830fps. are good factory equivalents.

[T-Bird]

Boy, I never got close to 1000fps out of my Ruger Bisley 7.5 with 8.0 gr Unique and a 250ish gr boolet. My velocity was more like 800fps. I got far better accuracy from AA#5 in the Unique applications in all my handguns, when I first started reloading, so when thet 1st # of Unique was used up, I didn't but any more. My replacement AA#5 load would be 10gr #5 and a 250ish boolet. I guess my point is, I agree with Don. Shoot Straight, T-Bird

[Doc.Holliday]

I've put a few rounds of 45 colt loaded with 9.0 grains of Power Pistol; thru both Rossi's, the rifle and Mares leg .
There were no pressure signs at that level and there were no left over kernels.
Accuracy was very good and I nor my friends noticed any blinding muzzle flash with this powder or load.
I will keep on working up a safe accurate load as I think this powder may be the mid burner I'm looking for.
If any of you are also working with this powder and caliber please share your experiences.
Doc

[Reload3006]

There are lots of cartridges that arent going to be race horses no matter what you use. So. with that I look first to see what the load manuals recommend. Do I have that on hand? No. Ok what do I have on hand? Is there a load for that? yes try it does it work? is it a good load? keep using it. I Use a lot of IMR SR4756 because I have 20lbs of it and for the most part it works very very well. Is there better choices depends on the criteria of the question. for me I use or try to use what I have. I dont mind adding another powder to my collection if I need to. I have in the past and will again.

[Jodi]

i know i am really late to this thread (hasn't been active in over 1.5years) but i wanted to say thank you to everyone here, i am new to reloading and this is the best information i have found on the net in a while.

[justing]

Along with the Unique load of 8.5 gr, I like 7.5 gr of 231.
that's my top two choices

[jlchucker]

Doc,

18.0 grains of 2400 is in the same power range as your 21 grains of IMR4227 load, and there are no kernels to contend with.

Don

2400 is good powder in 45 Colt, and it's my go-to powder for 44 magnum rifle loads. Unique works good in both calibers, too. Those kernels come out pretty easy when you poke a patch through your barrel--or are we talking about "kernel" as a military rank? :smile:

[bigboredad]

one thing I really like about the .45 colt is that there are so many powders available that work. Some better than others but in times like what is going on today if you can't find a powder that will work good for you in the old .45 you aren't looking hard enough. They may not be what all the cool kids are shooting and recommending but you would be surprised what will work well

[outdoorfan]

I like Unique and Red Dot, myself, behind a 285 grain RCBS 45-270-SAA. 8.5 grains of Unique for 900 fps or 5.2 grains Red Dot for 650 fps. Both are plenty accurate for me out of a 4 5/8 barreled Blackhawk. The 650 fps Red Dot load is accurate to at least 50 yards, fairly quiet, and still penetrates 10 1-gallon jugs of water in a straight line.

[RobS]

one thing I really like about the .45 colt is that there are so many powders available that work.

Definitely

[Doc.Holliday]

With all the panic buying of powders and primers I've picked up a pound of 800X for my 45 colt chambered guns.
I have read good things about this powder in this caliber from Ken Waters; and a "Real Guns" article on the 45 colt.
It looks as Mr. Waters had his second best accuracy load with this powder and a 255 gr boolit. This weekend will be one of load development ; but it looks as if by extrapolation with this powder I will be over the magic 75% case fill; which old timers told me led for more accurate loads??
I weigh my loads, so the metering issues I have heard with this powder will not be an issue.

Respectfully

Doc

[donhuff]

Doc,
How did it go with the 800x in your 45 rossi? I bought 8 pounds of that powder last saturday at a gun show, partly cause that was all he had in a big quantity. And also because I cant find hardly ANY powder lately, and I'm down to a 1/2 pound of unique (which is my favorite) and the 800 is just a couple of notches slower than uniq. I also use the 800x in 10mm where it is "THE" powder for top performance, so they say. It does do well in the 10 and I have shot a few rounds loaded with it in my 44 rossi 92 @ 11.0 grains and a lyman 429421 swc. I also tried 13.0 grains and the same boolit, and that was a strong load. No real pressure signs, but my shoulder could tell it was strong. Could have been that I had already shot the gun maybe 225-250 times that day. I'm wondering about your experience cause about 4 hours ago, I bought a 20" 92 in 45 colt. I have 3-400 rounds of 45 loaded up and ready for my blackhawk using 9.0 unique, but when they are gone (probably in the next couple of days!) I'll have to move to the 800X. According to my old Lyman manual, 10.8 gets around 1100+. And like they told you... I have got to get a chrono. I use to have one, but i let it get rained on one day and it quit.

[helice]

From all I have been able to see finding any powder is a good thing.

[Ziptar]

After much experimenting and trying different loads, powders, and bullets I reached a conclusion.

The only load I really enjoy and would ever need for. 45 Colt is 9 grains of Unique under a 270-SAA. Mine drop at ~295 grains. Its all I need for everything from plinking to hunting with rifle or hand gun.

Yes it might be boring and mundane but it is also simple, consistant, and a pleasure to shoot. Its the sweet spot for me.

Sometimes I'll go 10 grains if am feeling squirrely but not too often. I also do load some 350 grain WFNs over 21 grains of H110 but, I pretty much save those for when elephants invade the back yard.

[robertbank]

8 Gr of 800X under a 260Gr LSWC Mountain Mold shot from a Beretta 4.75" SAA gave me an avg vel of 790 fps with a Standard Deviation of 7 and an Ext. Spread of 35 fps. Loads was accurate. This load should work equally well in a carbine.

[jmort]

"The only load I really enjoy and would ever need for. 45 Colt is 9 grains of Unique under a 270-SAA. Mine drop at ~295 grains."

Thank is so true. KISS. That simple combination will do just about anything a gun can do. Will shoot through just about any critter on a broadside. That is a great bullet and I am a Unique Fan-boy.

[40-82]

I've learned not to assume that a load picked out of a loading manuel at random will be accurate in the 45 Colt. It's much touchier than say the .38 special or the 44 special, but with the right load it's as accurate as anything. Right now I'm using 6.0 grains of titegroup or 6.0 grains of HP-38 behind a 255 Lyman or 260 grain RCBS. 7.0 grains of bullseye works pretty well too, but is about as hot as I would want to go in some of the older guns I use. These loads for me at least are accurate in a number of different guns.

[opos]

I load a lot of Trail Boss and Unique in 45Colt. I've used 231 as well. I'm older and my eyesight is not the best...I load single stage and weigh all my charges and am super cautious about over and under charging. Trail Boss makes things pretty simple as it's a real "fluffy" powder...I load it with a 200 grain LRNFN boolit and it sort of putters along, is really accurate, doesn't scare me or anyone on either side of me at the range, is easy on brass and just an all around great plinking load. I use Unique when I want to step things up just a tad and aside from some soot which I don't mind it's accurate, easy on the shooter and economical...this under a 255 grain Boolit. I got some Nosler 240 grain "blems" (can't see the blem) that I've run with 23l....works fine and moves right along and clean...I just don't like the way the cases being so large kind of hide the 231 load...might be fairly easy to overcharge.

I shoot only Ruger Blackhawks and Vaqueros along with one Pietta SAA clone which is a low pressure "original" type of gun. With my lower loads and soft lead I've not had to have the cylinders reamed and don't get leading...once in a great while I get a little with Unique loads but never have had any with the low loaded Trail Boss...I shoot a 12 Harness


If I want to hot rod a 45 Colt I go get my 44 mag and problem solved easilly, cleanly, safely and with no experimenting.

[Herb3]

I have tried Red Dot, True Blue and Universal in my 45 Colt. What has worked best for me is 7.3 gr of Universal under a Accurate Molds 45-260K. Fun and very accurate plinking load out of my 7.5" Blackhawk

[Noah Mercy]

I mostly load Titegroup since it isn't position sensitive, uses very little powder, and runs moderately clean. Downside is the muzzle blast...Titegroup can be very annoying to those around you. 6 grains under a 255 grain RNFP Lee (260 grains actually) cast from straight WW, lubed with stick alox, and sized .452 is my go-to load. Most every 45 Colt handgun I've shot this load in grouped fairly well and right to the sights (on fixed sight guns).

Other powders I've had great success with were Hodgdon Clays, VV N320, IMR Trail Boss (mild loads for introducing new shooters to CAS), and Hodgdon Lil'Gun for Ruger loads. My +P loads use 300+ grain LBT-style projectiles, but my standard loads generally carry 250-260 grain boolits. My 24" Marlin Cowboy actually shoots 200s more accurately, but my 20" Rossi loves the heavier slugs. All the powders I have listed work great with 200s or "250s".

I just loaded some pretty hard cast (50/50 lino/WW) 255s over 9.5 grains of Unique for my Mom's Ruger New Vaquero as bear/wolf/mountain lion/politician protection for when she's on the mountain this summer. It's a very nice, strong load that doesn't beat up the shooter or gun much. I haven't benched it, so I can't speak to accuracy, but knowing Unique, it likely shoots tighter than I can hold.

[Doc.Holliday]

Doc,
How did it go with the 800x in your 45 rossi? I bought 8 pounds of that powder last saturday at a gun show, partly cause that was all he had in a big quantity. And also because I cant find hardly ANY powder lately, and I'm down to a 1/2 pound of unique (which is my favorite) and the 800 is just a couple of notches slower than uniq. I also use the 800x in 10mm where it is "THE" powder for top performance, so they say. It does do well in the 10 and I have shot a few rounds loaded with it in my 44 rossi 92 @ 11.0 grains and a lyman 429421 swc. I also tried 13.0 grains and the same boolit, and that was a strong load. No real pressure signs, but my shoulder could tell it was strong. Could have been that I had already shot the gun maybe 225-250 times that day. I'm wondering about your experience cause about 4 hours ago, I bought a 20" 92 in 45 colt. I have 3-400 rounds of 45 loaded up and ready for my blackhawk using 9.0 unique, but when they are gone (probably in the next couple of days!) I'll have to move to the 800X. According to my old Lyman manual, 10.8 gets around 1100+. And like they told you... I have got to get a chrono. I use to have one, but i let it get rained on one day and it quit.

Sorry for the delay in responding about 800X as I have been playing with my new to me 1957 Winchester 94 carbine in 32 special at most opportunities..
But I loaded up 10 rounds at 12.0 gr and 10 at 12.5 grains and didn't take my Chrony but Ken Waters at his word.
At 40 yards with Marbles iron sights on my 92 Rossi Trapper I had 4 rounds touching and the other 6 very close; the farthest being not quite 2 inches off this cloverleaf. This was with the 12.5 grain load which was superior to the 12 grain load by alot.
I will chrony this load next time out; but I am well satisfied with iron sights ; a 16 inch barrel and 60 plus year old eyes.
This load left a clean barrel and action and is economical too boot.
The recoil in the little Rossi is also quite stout and the blast is louder than 11.1 grains of Power Pistol with this 800X.
My cast bullet comes in at 242 grains and using Fed 150's.
At 40 yards my bullets were impacting about 8 inches higher with the 12.5 gr of 800X over my 7.5 gr of Red Dot load.
Will keep you posted when I chrony but I think 800X will make a fine hunting load.

Doc

[snaketail]

Newbie here - will I get better rifle accuracy driving a light boolit faster or a heavy boolit at mid-range velocity? Looking for 200 yard (Rams) accuracy.
My best so far is a 230 gr LRN over 8 gr of HP-38 from a 20" Rossi. 2nd best was 10 gr of AA5 under a 230 LRN.
I tried 7 & 8 gr of HP38 with 200 gr booits, but they "patterned" rather then grouped at 50 yards.
Should I try going heavier or faster?
Thanks
M

[zxcvbob]

Have you tried 250 or 255's yet?

[Moonie]

So far I've only used 2 powders, Unique and H110/W296 but I load Ruger level loads. I don't know that I'd use Clays for 45 Colt as the powder charges would be rather small, I save the Clays for my 45 ACP loads in my 1911's and the 45 ACP cylinder in my NMBH Convertible.

[Doc.Holliday]

Decided to try and make some plinking rounds with 800X today; Used my 242 gr RNFP -FB bullet and Fed 150's. Loaded up 10 rounds each of 9.0 gr; 9.5 gr; and 10.0 gr of 800X .
Was not happy with group size with 9.0 grains and sooty cases; 9.5 grouped better and cases were cleaner; 10 grains and group was so tight that 4 rounds of that 10 were in 1 hole ! Average Chrony speed was 1206 fps with 10 grains.
I am really liking 800X in 45 colt. I weigh each round so them big flakes are no problem for me. I can see where they probably don't meter worth a hoot.

Doc.

[blackhawk4545]

The last time I went powder shopping, the shelves were as bare as Ole Mother Hubbard's cubbard. I have 5# of Goex black power. Does anyone use Goex as their go-to? I saw in one of the above posts, 40 grs for 960 fps.

[Kull]

8.5/Unique under 260 grain plain base cast bullet has been a standard 45 Colt load in my part of the world for many years. I use it.

This ^^. I've tried half a dozen other powders and most I didn't like as much as Unique. N340 is one I did like more, and it's what I'm using at the moment.

[jonp]

I've been trying several powders with my 45colt BH. I've settled into Red Dot for target stuff using a 200gr rnfp because I have several thousand of those I use with my 45acp and it is something you can shoot all day and H110/w296 if I want to go heavy. I was using 2400 but I found that it is a sharper recoil than the h110 and produces a pretty interesting fireball when you get up to 19gr or so.

[DougGuy]

I have loaded the Ruger Only loads for many years, once I got my old vaquero back from Ruger and they got the windage shooting point of aim, I was wide open for load development. WW296 and H110 being long time favs for heavy boolits, that's where I started after laying off handloading for a number of years. I still had ammo loaded from the mid 1990s that shot well, so I knew I was good to go in taking up where I left off.

Once the vaquero came back, I reamed the cylinder throats and also taylor throated the barrel/forcing cone, and it seems to like just about any 300+gr boolit I shoot now. Getting great groups with traditional slow burning powders, I found for slightly less than minimum Ruger Only loads, 2400 was a great choice as it will easily go a bit below the minimum level of H110 and be quite pleasant and accurate at the same time. I have a softer alloy 320gr GC deer load that I will use 2400 for just that reason.

The rest of the stuff I load is very stout. After comparing H110, 2400, Herco, and getting good results, I tried a pound of LilGun and was favorably impressed with not only it's performance, but in nearly all of my loads, the group sizes were reduced considerably. All the while still being able to shoot to point of aim with a fixed sight revolver. It has allowed me to develop 5 loads that will shoot through each others' holes on paper.

After much range testing with 3 and 5 shot strings, I photographed and logged all my targets and loads and found the LilGun to be the most accurate powder for the heavies. Now that I have found the best charge weight and best group in each boolit style, I am loading in 30rd groups by weight, and will begin backing off to 50yds, 70yds, to see how far I can reliably group on a 6" paper plate with a 4 5/8" barrel.

This is a trail gun, not a long range hunting gun, meant to accompany a rifle or shotgun while hunting. Compact, portable, and hard hitting. I have taken an amazing number of deer with a pistol from my treestand, dang near shooting straight down. It amazes me. I thought I better get a shorter barrel to keep from hitting them with the muzzle!

On the other hand, I also wanted a sufficiently empowered revolver for hunting hog, so developing loads with heavy hardcast wide flat nose boolits was a must.

I think I will stick with H110 for the 340gr WFN boolits, but the 330gr WFN PB, 325gr WFN GC, 320gr WFN GC, will all get seated over LilGun.

I've also gone back to using .060" thick sheets of dental wax for soft gas checks to use with the PB boolits, as it seems to help keep the barrel cleaner between shots and the blue magma lube doesn't always melt enough to perform like a lube should, so the wax seems to help out.

[TXGunNut]

The last time I went powder shopping, the shelves were as bare as Ole Mother Hubbard's cubbard. I have 5# of Goex black power. Does anyone use Goex as their go-to? I saw in one of the above posts, 40 grs for 960 fps.

Not Goex but it would do fine. I like FFFg but some folks use FFg in 45 Colt. My load happens to be 37 grs KIK FFFg but those 5 #'s of GOEX are worth a try. Have fun!