Linebaugh's .45 colt loads

[44MAG#1]

If one is shooting a 45 Colt that is of the strength to load upper loads than that is perfectly fine.
What is wrong with it in your estimation?
Just curious is all.

[Vann]

So basically, from what everyone that is against loading a 45 colt heavy and shooting it out of a Ruger is saying is that even though a gun is better made with thicker cylinders and better heat treatment and thicker brass. Your stupid for trying it, even though someone paid a lab to prove that the Ruger can handle it, and even though powder manufacturers give the data for it. It still shouldn't be done.

I guess that goes for the 45-70 to then. I guess you shouldn't load level 2 loads for my Marlin, and heaven forbid that I load a level 3 for a Ruger rifle.

[44MAG#1]

It would be fun to be able to see into some people's mind.
this morning a guy bore sighted a rifle for a guy at the range and allowed as to how it would put him on the paper at a hundred. He fired three or four rounds and never touched the paper which was probably sixteen by sixteen.
He couldn't figure it out. But I could tell he was far smarter than me. I would have been so stupid as to walk out close to the target fire one shot see where it hit, made a rough adjustment, walked back farther and do the same thing a couple times more back to the bench and then sight the thing in. At least it would have been well on paper after the walking and shooting and adjusting.
Did that many times with handguns. Saves ammo.

[Good Cheer]

If one is shooting a 45 Colt that is of the strength to load upper loads than that is perfectly fine.
What is wrong with it in your estimation?
Just curious is all.

With the strength of a Ruger it isn't just a .45 Colt. It's a .45 Short Mag.
Once knew a fellow that shot .44 Mag swaged lead factory ammo in his Ruger .45 for a year and a half before he tried to find out how come he wasn't improving with practice.
For me the pleasure I take in the older revolvers is part of why I reload the Colt cartridge. By inclination I don't try to max out any firearm, not even the Ruger .41. By the same token I think you ought to load 'em hot if it makes you happy. That's what we do stuff for, is 'cause we like it.

[44MAG#1]

Ocassionally I shoot standard 45 Colt loads from a Ruger even with their strength.

[jonp]

I tried his loads in my 7.5in BH. 10gr Unique was enough for me. I carefully approached his top end with both H110 and 2400. I much preferred H110 as the recoil was less snappy than the 2400. No evidence of any over pressure and the cases came out easily. I just tried them to check them out but can see no use for them.

If anyone tries them hold on tight

[Good Cheer]

By the way, my brother once had the short barrel Ruger (before it was stolen) that absolutely was just his baby. He developed a 296 with 454190 load that was super accurate and would probably put down a Ford at a hundred yards. If you have the old round nose mold, it worked well in his.
Me I stuck with wadcutters in the 1909. It rolled an armadillo at fifty which was all I wanted.

[xrider472]

I've shot his recommended loads of 13 gr HS-6, H110'at 24 gr both with the RCBS 270 SAA bullet in my New Vaquero. Good loads too.

I was just curious. After reading all of your comments on this subject, did you really shoot 24 grains of H110 topped with the RCBS 270 SAA thru a Ruger New Vaquero???

[P Flados]

If you want to shoot hot 45 colts, Mr. Linebaugh's articles are a very good reference.

I would recommend reading all of the papers Linebaugh's site carefully if you want to push a 45 colt. He did lots of real development work including getting loads pressure tested and in purposely testing to the point of gun damage. He provides a good basis for a 32,000 psi limit for Rugers. One big item that jumped out at me was that he repeatedly makes it clear that you should not normally need to push the 45 Colt that hard for most applications. He also explains why you really need to understand your gun if you do want to push it. Bigger than desired chambers, throats and cylinder gaps can really work against you. Although WW296/H110 can really perform for a 45 colt, he explains how you can get in trouble where blow by and gap losses can prevent proper burn with these powders.

I have used 250 gr JHPs and 225 gr boolits. Powders were 296, 4227 or HS-6. My loads were from published sources and were at least a grain or so under what I saw as max in Linebaugh's articles This was in my 8" or so contender barrel. It shot pretty good for accuracy. Given how light this gun is, these loads smacked the hand pretty good when using wood grips. Not quite as bad with the rubber grips but still enough to get your attention.

If shooting HS-6, Unique or similar, I really do not see any good reason for loads that go all the way up to max allowed pressure. If you are using these powders, you are in the "mid range" category. Mid range is for fun and for high volume. Linebaugh gives 15 grs of HS-6 as max for a 260 gr boolit with 1225 fps and 30,000 CUP. Later he points out that he personally uses 13 grs of HS-6 for 1050 fps. I did some 12 gr HS-6 loads under a 225 gr boolit and though it had plenty of umph.

If you want higher velocity, your powder should probably be in the range that starts around 2400 and ends around 4227.

[Lloyd Smale]

I know John and will say this. He knows more about ruger handguns then anyone at ruger and theres not one ounce of bs in anything he says. If he said it you can take it to the bank that hes tested it over and over and over. He is not so stupid as to post loads that could possibly bring a law suit on him to boost his ego. He is a quiet unassuming man that tells it like it is. Ive shot all of his loads OVER AN OVER AGAIN and have never had so much as a flatten primer and im talking his ruger loads, his linebaugh loads and his smith and Wesson loads. Now you can post here and try to impress everyone by saying you know more about whats safe and whats not but to guys that know him your just looking like an a wanabe internet expert.

[cherokeetracker]

y all,

Has anyone tried the loads listed in Linebaugh's article "Dissolving the Myth"

http://www.customsixguns.com/writing...g_the_myth.htm

Specifically, those listed in the chart for a 260 gr cast bullet? Even more specifically those for unique and 4227?Lyman lists the max load for ruger only loads at 10.2, Mr. Linebaugh takes it up to 12!?!

Not going to lie I am thinking about touching off a few...

I have used the load for the S&W s If I remember correct it was the 265 grain with the 9.o grains of W231 I liked the load and it was fairly accurate out of my gun. I also tried three loads with the 265 grain GC from cast performance with 4227. I got the following information from an article or a post from John Taffin. It was the following.
18 grains of 4227 w/ 265 grain LSWCGC John's load
19 grains of 4227 w/ 265 grain LSWCGC Hank Williams JR load
20 grains of 4227 w/ 265 grain LSWCGC John Linebaugh's load

I do not know any of those men and am not name dropping. Like I said, I got this from John VIA somehow. In testing the three loads the Linebaugh load was the most accurate in "my pistol" I actually liked the 19 grain load,, but it is what it is.I will not and cannot argue with success.

I did see all the talk on the Unique loads and I will say this. I have a load that is one I got from Sixshot on another forum. He may be here also. It is for the 44 mag and it is 10 grains of Unique with a 250-255 grain Lead cast. I started in the mid 70s loading for the 44 mag and used Unique. Since that time there has been other powders on the market that will perform without the pressure spikes. I have even used Unique in My Colt SAA. ( And still do) There will probably always be a spot on the bench for Unique, but when it comes to loading the 45 Colt, I have found that I would rather use some other powders than Unique. I still use Blue Dot, green Dot and WST for loads and I am not against older powders. But, when it comes to a medium load, or a hotter load, then I suggest switching to HS-6, LIL-Gun, Longshot, then go on to W296 H110 and the expensive N110.
Unique does cover a wide range of uses, But I feel that we need to keep it in it's proper place. It's like downloading H110 ,,,, You will get some pressure spikes and it will act strange and most likely give you undesirable results. Some powders actually most, give better results when they fill the case between 70% and 100 %

I realize this is an old post and almost hated to resurrect it. But I did not see anyone actually address the OP.

[gc45]

Tracker, great post! There are those like me who surely think nothing is an old post because, learning is never an old thing. My one slightly warm load found so far and in my Rugers uses AA#9 for about 1000 fps shooting very accurate for me. This with the RCBS 270 mold dropping 281 grains with 12BH lead.

GC45

[scooterdavr56]

I've been using 22.0 grains of H110 and a 300 grain Laser cast bullet for years in my 10" Contender and my Ruger Blackhawks. This load is also used by Sheriff Jim Wilson, and writer Brian Pierce. Admittedly I haven't killed anything with this load I do find it accurate and hard hitting.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk

[scooterdavr56]

I've been using 22.0 grains of H110 and a 300 grain Laser cast bullet for years in my 10" Contender and my Ruger Blackhawks. This load is also used by Sheriff Jim Wilson, and writer Brian Pierce. Admittedly I haven't killed anything with this load I do find it accurate and hard hitting.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk

Since I butchered his name, I'll add that his load is 24 grains of H110 and a 300 grain bullet. I dropped down to 22 grains for recoil reasons.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk

[hc18flyer]

I too am now loading for a nm Blackhawk and working on a hunting load. Shooting for 1175 fps with the NOE 255rfn or RCBS 255swc. Concentrating on HS6/W540 and Aliant 2400 powders now. Have a # of Lil Gun, but haven't opened it Yet? I have copies or the Linebaugh article and the Handloader article on the RCBS 45-270saa, and the 3 Ruger loads levels. I have the 45-270 mold too, not sure I need to go that heavy for pistol range whitetails. Falling this old thread. hc18flyer

[osteodoc08]

Beware the warnings surrounding LilGun in revolvers. YMMV but I've quit using it in revolvers for the most part.