Powder Recommendation for std. pressure 45 Colt in 24” barrel

What powder would take advantage of a 24” barrel to make the most MV and still be at the standard pressure for the the old 45 Colt cartridge?

I have Hodgdon CFE-Pistol which works very well in my 5.5” barrel Ruger New Vaquero. Hodgdon’s shows CFE-P producing top MV in a short barrel.

I’m looking for a powder that will boost MV in a long rifle barrel. I was hoping to get a little over 1200 fps if that is even possible for this cartridge at low pressure.
I was thinking Alliant 2400, or Hodgdon HS-6, the higher charge weights shown in the powder company’s loads for 45 Colt might be burned more efficiently or effectively in the long barrel even though the operating pressure is low 14,000 psi.
I’ve read that slow pistol powder don’t burn very efficiently at low pressures.
I need to keep pressure low for a Winchester 1873 rifle.

Your powder recommendations please, and thank you.

I would suggest asking this question in the leverguns forum as well..

My favorite load would work for you. I load a Lee 255 gr bullet, as cast, over 7.0 gr of Bullseye.

Very accurate and around 1200 fps. The following target was shot at 45 yards, 3 shots from a Rossi 92. The target is mis-labelled. It was not a LSWC but a Lee 452-255-RF.


Steve in N CA

Attachment 222848

^^^^Agree with above^^^^

I use 7.0-7.2 grains of Bullseye in my break-open .45 Colt rifle, which is based on a tiny, pre-WW2 .44 shotgun action and is therefore less beefly than modern Marlin lever-actions. I tried #2400 and could not get uniform velocities. IMR4227 was a bit better, but the unburned powder was a nuisance and loads were less accurate than Bullseye.

If accuracy is the objective, don't fixate on velocity to its exclusion.

The Accurate 45-259EB bullet will feed well in your 1873, and its increased seating depth helps occupy some of the excess free airspace in the case. It also has adequate lube capacity to prevent foul-out in your long rifle barrel and is accurate cast 1:30 tin-lead with SPG lube and 30 grs. of Goex 2Fg.

Attachment 222849

Longer barrels get you more velocity but the powder that gets the top velocity in the short barrel is probably the powder that will get the top velocity in the long barrel. It'll just get more of that velocity.