Need good Powder for 45 Colt (not unique )

[blackhawk man]

I have lots of 231,what is your load?

Hylander,

I use a 250 grain lead rnfp and data from Hodgdon's online reloading site. I've worked up to their max for that bullet. Nice load in a Ruger Blackhawk.

[quilbilly]

Last year when I picked up my 45 Colt Ruger, I had a full can of AA-7 left over from a traded gun so I tried it in my 45 Colt. It shoots really well at 13 gr of the powder. When I finally finish that can off, I will probably switch to Bullseye.

[Santa Lee]

Titegroup meters beautifuly, shoots great.

[Jack Stanley]

Bullseye , Red Dot , Promo .... lots of good choices .

Jack

[kaiser]

Assuming standard Colt loads, not Ruger or T/C, I've had really good luck with Accurate #5, Universal, and Blue Dot with 250 and 255gr cast and jacketed loads. My two .45Colts (Uberti and Ruger New Vaquaero) also like Red Dot and IMR4227. While Win296 or H110 is a tad too slow and pressures too high, I've had good luck with SR4759 (obsolete now) in a Uberti rifle and my pistol shoots the load as well; it fills the case better than the faster powder, so you would not be able to "double charge" your case. I've also used "Keith's Load" of 2400 (downloaded from his data, of course) with good accuracy, but it really seems to leave a lot more powder residue on the pistols than the others.

[P Flados]

Red dot and Promo work great for most handguns (including 45 ACP or 45 Colt) as long as you are not going for absolute top velocities or itty bitty charges from a powder measure.

And FYI, it is just as good as TiteGroup as far as position sensitiviy based on my actual testing.

Now I like TiteGroup when I want to either meter real small charges (less than 3.5 grs starts getting iffy with Promo & my RCBS measure) or get a little more velocity. I use Unique & H110 when I need more bang. However, 80% of my loading is going to be Promo.

I started using the stuff around 10 years ago.

I decided I need to start buying powder in bulk on-line. My biggest need was for a fast burning powder. I still had a little 700x at the time and was happy with it. I knew Red Dot would do the same job as 700x and found that Red Dot had more in the way of pistol load data and real field info on-line from people that had "pet loads" that they loved.

I spotted Promo and found that it was just a cheaper version of Red Dot.

I bought an 8 lb jug. Since I do not shoot shotgun anymore, it has just been used in handguns.

I just finished the last of that jug today. I would have used the last of it years ago, but I cut way back on using it (I was buying other stuff) when it was not available.

I topped off the powder measure with some more Promo from a recently purchased 8 lb jug. Sitting in the corner is the other 8 lb jug I bought at the same time.

Buying 16 lbs of a powder for handgun use is a pretty obvious vote of confidence.

All you Red Dot lovers should give Promo a try. I know it was mostly MIA during the powder shortage, but it is back. It is still "the same thing" (except a minor density difference) and still a bargin (cost is 85% of Red Dot based on Powder Valley cost per 8 lb jug).

[GhostHawk]

Loaded mine with Red Dot. And I have an 8 lb jug of Promo. Which is currently saved for the shotgun reloader.

For centerfire I like seeing the dots, costs me a few dollars but not that many.

BPI currently has 8 lbs of Promo at 128.60
Red Dot is 151.79 for 8lb.

3 $ a pound, it does add up. Might have to think about stocking some more primers and a couple of 8's of Promo.

[waco]

I use Redot and Universal.

[wildcatter]

I also use 231 and Redot in my non Ruger only loads. I buy 231 (same as hp38) by the keg, as I find it very universal for anything from 32 cal to 45 cal in non magnum cases.

[stubshaft]

+1 for Accurate #5. I have shot hundreds of rounds through my Rugers with it. It burns like Unique but meters so much better.

[pineknot]

So far I've had good results with True Blue in the 45 colt. I have a S&W 625 mountain gun and a Henry Big Boy and both seem happy with the powder and a 250 gr. SWC hard cast . Meters well, cleaner than AA 5 in my experience. I haven't felt the need to try anything else.

[Quiettime]

I use Universal. Love it. Sold my Hog Leg though and I'm dying for another one....

[krems]

I like and use 231 and SR4756 for all my less than full power handgun loads. I’m bummed that SR4756 has been discontinued but I have a few pounds left. It is my favorite powder for 45 Colt, 500 Linebaugh, and 500 SW in my cast bullet plinking loads. Meters great, a double charge wouldn’t allow a bullet to be seated in my loads and chronographs spreads are impressive. Never cared for unique as I meters like ****.

[earlmck]

All those old Alliant flakes -- Unique, Bullseye, the dots -- meter about the same (fair to poor) although a measure with the small diameter drum improves things a lot and if you don't have one now you need to get one. I've replaced Unique with Universal with identical powder charges and the Universal meters a little better.

[chsparkman]

I've been using Universal in .45 Colt for 25 years. It meters accurately, burns clean, and 8 grains under the Lee 255 RF is a straight shooting load in both my Bisley and my Vaquero.

[Rodfac]

Here's a vote for either HP38 or Win 231 (the same powder with a different label). The .45 Colt is a big case with a lot of volume, but 231 works well. Generally, I like a more case filling load, but these kinds of results speak for themselves...just watch out for a double powder charge. On my Dillon, my overhead light gives me a good look into each case as it moves from the powder drop die.

All of the following loads were tested from a sitting position, the gun extended between my upright knees (Keith's old long range shooting position). It's tough on the Levis but actually gives me better accuracy than shooting off bags. All were assembled in once fired Starline cases, and with Winchester Lg. Pistol primers.

With Magnus' 255 gr RNFP at 0.452" dia., I get good ~2" gps at 25 yds with 7.5 gr of 231 at 823 fps with 36 fps extreme spread (ES) over six shots.

The Missouri "Cowboy" 250 gr LBT, another 0.452" bullet, does as well with 7.3 gr of Win 231 for 813 fps and 66 fps ES.

My home cast Lyman #454190 FNL bullets, when cast from WW, air quenched & sized 0.454" & backed by 7.2 gr of 231 do 854 fps with a 27 fps ES for six shots...friends, this is a genuine sub-2" grouper...and I often wonder what it'd do with good, adj. sights. BTW, I use White Label's 50-50 lube with the above.

The gun for all of the above is a 4-5/8" Ruger New Vaquero, .45 Colt with hog wallow sights. As received from Ruger, unfortunately, it had cylinder throats that measured ~0.450"+-, but with a groove dia. that went 0.452+"; not the best of combinations to be sure. To fix that problem, I had Cylindersmith open up the throats to a uniform 0.4525". And BTW, before the cylinder throat work, the gun shot well over 3" in grouping with these same loads. I'd estimate that the cylinder work alone accounted for a 50% reduction in group size. It was cheap to do, CS getting $60 for the work IIRC.

As always, these are my loads, worked up for my guns. If interested, you should consult a GOOD loading manual, consider the pressure implications and work up to them.

Best Regards, Rod

[Larry Gibson]

I.....
Loading for standard loads with 200gr. RNFP., Not Ruger loads.
What do you guys use for best accuracy?

I use 7.2 gr Bullseye with the 200 gr RNFP in my SAA's and M1873 carbine. Runs 950 +/- fps in the SAs and 1150 fps in the Carbine. Accuracy is excellent.

[azrednek]

I like Herco in 45 Colt as well as Unique. Got to use a bit more but it works well. There is also HS-6 which works well.

I'm with Doug, Herco and HS-6 is what I've used for 45 Colt. Can't recall using Unique. Unfortunately Herco my preferred meters about the same as Unique. Best I recall as it's been more than ten years. I don't recall any problems with the way HS-6 metered in my Hornady lock n load.

[Rdbronco]

John Linebaugh calls HS6 voodoo powder. I have had good luck on that recommendation .....

[retread]

For standard loads in the big Colt case, I've often used Unique with good results. I do, however, have a Redding powder measure with both small and large micrometer powder chambers for it. With the small chamber, Unique measures out just fine so a measure with a small volume option may get you back on track with Unique.

That said, I've been gravitating towards Hodgdon's Tightgroup powder in these older-large-volume cases. Shot to shot variation is reduced from Unique and accuracy is very good. As Outpost notes above, Bullseye is also a good choice for standard loads in the 45 Colt.

I too have had really good results with Titegroup in my 45 Colt. I still use some other powders (lots of powder that I have picked up in private sales and donations) but when that stuff is gone I will be staying with TG for my 45.