How low can I go (H110 & .45 Colt; Ruger Blackhawk)?

[outdoorfan]

For 280 grain & 340 grain boolits

I know, I know, H110 is not good on reduced loads, but it's what I have and I want to tinker a bit (safely). So, I figured I'd bounce this off of ya'll. I don't want anyone going out of their way to look stuff up, but if you can report out of your own personal experience, I'd like to hear it.

My Speer manual says 21.1 for a 300 grain jacketed. My Nosler manual doesn't say anything useful. Hodgdon says 23.5 for a 260 grain jacketed and 21.8 for a 300 grain jacketed. However, they list 21 grains for a 325 grain cast & 20.5 for a 335 grain cast. So, there's my minimum for a 340 grainer, I suppose.

Reloadersnest has someone that dropped down to 20.5 grains for a 280 grain cast and 18.3 grains for a 355 grain cast. Stevepages lists the range for a 300 grainer from 17-23.

Using WLP primer.

[deltaenterprizes]

Call the Bulletsmiths at Sierra Bullets.

[yondering]

It depends a lot on seating depth. You can drop the charge a little lower if you seat the bullet deeper.

H110 really is a terrible powder for anything other than full house hot loads. I would suggest do not go lower than 18 grains with a 280gr bullet seated deep; even that may be too low. You'll know, because ignition will get inconsistent. My notes show I've gone as low as 19.5gr H110 with a cut down NEI bullet that ended up at 280gr; velocity was 970 fps but inconsistent. 10gr Unique gave the same velocity with much better results.

You'll get better accuracy, with the same velocity, and considerably less recoil, by using something like Unique, if you're trying for a low powered or midrange load.

[outdoorfan]

Thanks. The problem I have with Unique is that it causes terrible leading with these boolits in my Ruger. Accuracy was good, but not worth it for what it did in leading. But I have a finicky gun. I can shoot 140 grain boolits at 8-9 bhn at 1200 fps out of my 4-inch 686 using Unique, and it leaves a perfectly shiny bore. Go figure.

The two boolits are a 340 gr LBT wfn & 45-270-SAA.

[yondering]

The problem I have with Unique is that it causes terrible leading with these boolits in my Ruger.

Been there, done that. Unique isn't the problem. Bullet fit in the gun is most likely the problem there.

Cylinder throats too small, bullets sized too small for the bore, and/or bullets too soft are the culprits I'd look at first. If your bullets are too soft, they may be sized down by the case, from the neck tension.

Most of these Rugers have small cylinder throats, which will cause leading. If H110 loads don't lead, it may be because the pressure peak is at the rear of the barrel, rather than in the throat, causing the bullets to bump up in the barrel to fit. Reaming the throats is an easy job, or cheap to pay someone else to do.

[jhrosier]

I tried loading H110 light in the 45 Colt exactly once.
I had hangfires and no accuracy to speak of.
I use H110 or Win296 only with full loads now and have good results.
For slightly lighter loads, 2400 is better.
For plinking loads Trailboss gave me reasonable results.

Jack

[44mag1]

I have a ruger bisley that I shoot the RCBS 45-270 out of with 9 grains of power pistol without leading. I did have the throats opened up by the cylinder smith. I always had bad leading before.

[lwknight]

Buy a 454 casull and shoot the 45s in it at full powder capacity. LOL
Sorry , I just had to be smart alek.
I have no idea what really happens with reduced loads using H110. I do know that ball powders work best at 90 percent or more capacity. It has been my experience that you do not get a squib load but you get a radically inaccurate load. Also the heavier boolits will be more downloadable than the lighter ones.

Its not exactly the same as H110 but I have been using WSF a lot and found out that it is stable in larger capacity cases as long as the boolit is heavy enough. I trid some 110 grain bullets in 38 spl with 5,6,7 and 8 grains powder and got lower velocity everytime I increased the charge. The same powder was higher velocity with 158 grain bullets.

I deduced that light bullets are OK in small capacity cases (like 9mm) but will not work in larger cases like 38s with light bullets.
A 250 grain boolit in a 45 cal is borderline light where H110 is concerned so you might get radical and unpredictable loads. If you are determined to do this then I suggest you work with the heaviest boolit that you can.
H110 is a remarkably smooth and forgiving powder in high pressure loads but in light loads you are in uncharted waters.

[outdoorfan]

Been there, done that. Unique isn't the problem. Bullet fit in the gun is most likely the problem there.

Cylinder throats too small, bullets sized too small for the bore, and/or bullets too soft are the culprits I'd look at first. If your bullets are too soft, they may be sized down by the case, from the neck tension.

Most of these Rugers have small cylinder throats, which will cause leading. If H110 loads don't lead, it may be because the pressure peak is at the rear of the barrel, rather than in the throat, causing the bullets to bump up in the barrel to fit. Reaming the throats is an easy job, or cheap to pay someone else to do.

Nothing wrong with boolit fit. And this gun has been worked over. It is sound. I can't speak for the forcing cone, whether or not there are any anomolies there; but it has been firelapped.

It leads with soft and hard boolits when using Unique.

When it comes to H110, I don't want to try "reduced" loads, just loads that people have typically found to work fine at the low end of the functional scale. I have the confirmation I was looking for, so I'll play with it a little. Thanks.

[Ferdinand]

I've no experienc with H110 in 45 Colt. However, I have used it a lot with .357 Mag under jacketed projectiles - never tried it with cast. H110 seems to need a lot of pressure to ensure complete and consistent combustion. In .357 I had to go to a roll crimp to get consistent ignition, even with max loads. I've had excellent results with Unique, aside from its dirty residue, under cast bullets in .357 Mag and .45 ACP, even at near-max charges.

[fredj338]

Its not exactly the same as H110 but I have been using WSF a lot and found out that it is stable in larger capacity cases
Not only not exactly, but not even in the same zip code! WSF is much like Unique, a tiny bit slower. I've shot quite a few 270gr-305gr cast bullets (mostly ww & 25-1) in my RBH using Unique, IMR4227, 2400 & H110. I used to get some leading until I opened the throats from 0.450" to 0.4515". My accuracy was almost twice as good & leading dropped to almost nothing. I believe the rule of thumb supposedly for H110/W296 is to not drop below 5% from max. I think you can go a bit more w/ heavy for caliber bullets. I've gone down to 18gr under a 300grLTC, about 930fps in my 4 5/8"bbl. It seems more accurate @ 19gr for 950fps+, so that is my min.

[44man]

Cast performance told me to start at 19 gr for the .45 colt and the 335 gr WLNGC. I found 21.5 gr of 296 is extremely accurate.
My Lyman 325 gr boolit drops from the mold at 343 to 347 gr but it also loves 21.5 gr of 296.
I use the Fed 150 primer.
My favorite target, 5 shots at 50 yards.

[outdoorfan]

Cast performance told me to start at 19 gr for the .45 colt and the 335 gr WLNGC. I found 21.5 gr of 296 is extremely accurate.
My Lyman 325 gr boolit drops from the mold at 343 to 347 gr but it also loves 21.5 gr of 296.
I use the Fed 150 primer.
My favorite target, 5 shots at 50 yards.


I might try that 19 & 20 grain level load. Thanks. Right now I'm shooting it at 21 grains.