"Go to" .45 Colt load

[Ziptar]

I've been enjoying the heck out of anything from 8-10 grains Unique and Lee 452-255-RF boolits out of a micro-grooved Marlin 1894. Seems like 9 grains is about perfect.

I've tried some Universal but, I don't see any reason to stray from those Unique loads.

There's a Mihec SAA-270 on its way to me, can't wait to get it.

Now that I've finally got all my casting and reloading stuff purchases out of the way I can finally start putting all my "allowance" towards getting that S&W 25-9.

[Char-Gar]

8.5 Unique/454424..not new, modern or original, but it works for me.

[45lcrevolver]

Well I'm going to try two new loads to me. 300 grain rnf with a charge of 12.5 2400 and 12.8 2400. We will see how it goes. I hope my uberti cattleman can handle it lol.

[Silver Jack Hammer]

Settled on 8.7 gr Unique and Lyman's 454190 lubed with Alox and sized to .454". 2400, Bullseye, Red Dot are good powders but my .45's in Colt's seem to favor Unique. I'm with the guys who haven't found the Keith bullet a great performer at velocities obtained in Colt's revolvers. The Keith bullet really performs in the .44 Special, but not the .45. 452460 is very accurate but it just doesn't seem right to top a cavernous .45 case with a tiny 200 gr SWC. Might take up 452460 in some Schofield brass I got from Starline someday, naw I don't think I will after all.

[45lcrevolver]

Well, 12.5 grains of 2400 is the honey spot behind a 300grain rnfp. It produced a nice group. Also it got me my first kill of the year, squirrel.

[No_1]

8.5 Unique lit by Rem large pistol primer pushing a magma 45-250 RNFP (BAC lubed), starline cases. Fun times to be had always.

[Rusty W]

Had to try the Red Dot load.

[odis]

All I shoot in my old new model black hawk is 6 grs red dot with a 270 gr SWC. Since I got my 5 shot 45 I reserve the really heavy stuff for hunting in that gun. I never have less than 500 or 600 of the red dot loads for the black hawk in case I need to go to the pit and relax.

[ocelott]

Well, 12.5 grains of 2400 is the honey spot behind a 300grain rnfp. It produced a nice group. Also it got me my first kill of the year, squirrel.

How was there even enough left of it to identify?

But I gotta say, nice shootin' there Tex.

[Catshooter]

I've shot small game with a 45, both Colt and ACP using Keiths. They poke a .45 caliber hole right through. No fuss, no muss.


Cat

[johniv]

8.5 gr of unique for a light load and 18.5 gr of 2400 for a heavy. The last gives 1060 fps out of my 4 5/8" bh , with the RCBS saa 270 boolit and I dont notice a lack of accuracy at the light end . Both loads shoot fine for me at 25 to 50 yds, about all I can ask as I dont give a rats butt how they shoot at extreme long range.
John

[Clinebo]

I have a 7 1/2 inch Vaquero that likes the 9 grs of Unique. My Model '92 levergun seems to prefer the heavier 2400 load. I'm using a 255 RNFP boolit, Starline brass,and CCI primers.

[MtGun44]

8.0 W231 under 285 Keith (group buy) works well, and with 23 gr of H110 it is a real
thumper. Both mostly used in Ruger BH. Lean towards the light load mostly in the USFA,
would not use the 'maggie' load in a SAA or clone.

Bill

[G. Blessing]

Well, 12.5 grains of 2400 is the honey spot behind a 300grain rnfp. It produced a nice group. Also it got me my first kill of the year, squirrel.

thanks for that!

I'll have to try that as soon as my new boolits get here.

G.

[Whiterabbit]

3 Rugers in .45 Colt -- two large frame Bisley Vaqueros and one Blackhawk. One of the Vaqueros was well smithed by Bowen and made even prettier by Mssrs. Fishpaw and Turnbull. The other has had a decent action/trigger job and the cylinder chambers uniformed by Cylindersmith. The Blackhawk is stock and unfired. Have been shooting various factory loads in the Vaqueros with acceptable if not excellent results on paper. No game taken, yet. I want to find suitable hunting loads for whitetails at bowhunting ranges (my own self-imposed limitation). While I understand that each gun is a law unto itself, I'd like to find one load that works in all three. I have to start somewhere, so please tell me where y'all would start. Don't worry - I'll double check all recommendations against manuals. Thanks.

My pet starting point will work for any projectile you want to use, any gun. My pet starting load is a full case of trailboss, with the powder stopping just under the bottom of the projectile.

For pistol this load has not let me down yet.

[TXGunNut]

7.5 Universal under a 255 Keith (Lyman) boolit. Plenty accurate and potent for po'd boars. Nice enough for plinking as well.