What is your plinking and hunting loads in your 45 Colt rifles?

[huntersdog]

For the ones who reload, what is your load for plinking/small game and also your deer/hog hunting load?

Thanks

[Outpost75]

I use 7.2 grains of Bullseye with Accurate 45-262H flatnose in my Ruger .45 Colt revolver and also in Marlin rifle. Accurate, economical and powerful enough. Nose length of this bullet is dimensioned for the longer Ruger cylinder and NOT for Colt SAAs or clones.

Attachment 192818

[Butler Ford]

35 grains of Goex FFF and a RCBS 270 grain SWC.

BF

[sghart3578]

Funny you should ask this question. I have just started working up loads for a Marlin 1894 in 45 Colt.

My first range trip proved a few things.

So far the loads that I shoot in my Vaquero and my Blackhawk also do best in the rifle. A Lee 452-255-RF, as cast, lubed with BLL over either 8.5 gr of Unique or 7.5 gr of Bullseye.

I am getting good luck with True Blue and Accurate #5 also.

I tried 200 gr bullets but I am getting some spray in the face and scorched brass. I suspect the chamber is cut to generous specs and the lighter bullets don't develop enough pressure to seal well.

I have not chrono'ed anything yet but judging from how these two loads hit the steel swingers at 50 and 100 yards I wouldn't be afraid to use them on deer or hogs.


Steve in N CA

[The Ozzman]

I kinda like Trail Boss now as a light or medium load, using a 250gr RNFP hardcast. Even a below max load packs a respectable punch.

I also like moderate charges or unique using the same projectile as a more powerful and versatile load. I dont have much chance to hunt around here but I like 2400 for hunting loads, around 19gr from memory, I have used AR2205 with about the same amount of powder.

The hardcast 250gr RNFP goes well, I much prefer a true Keith design but have not yet got a mold for one. Blackpowder goes nicely in my opinion too, even for hunting.

Another hunting projectile option is the Hornady XTP Magnum Hollow Point in 350gr weight. I quite like them and hear they stop hogs well.

But again, I am pretty old school at heart and would use a Keith with 2400 for hunting and defense. I would think too, in terms of self defense, that the Unique loads would work well.

[Mk42gunner]

Before I started casting, I bought several boxes of 255 gr RNFP to use in my Marlin 1894 Cowboy and Ruger Bisley Vaquero. I loaded them with a forgotten charge of Clays to play the cowboy action game, then never did. I am set for quite a while for plinking loads, in the Marlin they are pretty much "put the bead where you want a hole" at least up close. I haven't really tried them on paper with the new Rossi 92.

Back when I took the Marlin deer hunting, I used a Lyman 452424 in front of a suitably large charge of 2400. Never got to see what it would do to Bambi's kin, but I have no doubt it would work fine.

Robert

[Larry Gibson]

In both the Rossi Rifle M92 I had and the Uberti M1873 45 Colt I still have my standard plinking load is any 195 - 205 gr SWC or RNFP over 7.5 gr Bullseye. Runs 1150 to 1200 fps out of the rifles and 950 fps out of my SAAs. For hunting I use a 452490 (GC) cast soft (20-1) alloy, HP'd and loaded over 7.5 gr Unique.

One of these days I'm going to try the Lyman 185 gr Devastator over 7 - 7.5 gr Bullseye.

Larry Gibson

[fecmech]

Larry--Years ago a fellow gave me some 20/1 devastators that I loaded over a stiff charge of Unique in a 1911. Wanting to test expansion for use on woodchucks I shot a Half gallon milk carton full of water with a piece of cardboard behind it to see the expansion by the hole size. The bullet went through the carton, left a 1" hole in the cardboard and was laying on the ground about 3' behind the cardboard. I only had a few bullets and never did hit a chuck with any but they would have been perfect for that.

[Gunlaker]

I only plink with my 1894 Marlin in .45 Colt. It shoots way better with a .454" bullet than a .452". I'm currently using a 454" 250gr RCBS bullet with a light charge of Unique. That works quite well at 50-75 yards. At 100 yards the same bullet works quite well with 35gr of Goex FFg.

Chris.

[wrench man]

Marlins do indeed have FAT chambers!, I load a 250grn RNFP over 7.0grns of Trail Boss to get mine to seal up.

[Harter66]

I shoot a pair of Rosschester 92's .
8.0-8.5 Unique under 45-200 SWC , 452-255 RNFP , 454424 KSWC or NOE copy are good to go . The 454424 with 9.5 gr Unique is hard on hogs up to at least 165# on the hoof from powder burn to 50 yd .

Based on my experience going over 1100 fps with the SWCs ends with missing the 100yd berm but shooting golf under 75 yd .....At least with the 1-32 " twist . A 457-340F sized accordingly can be pushed 1000 fps but it's kinda out in the weeds data wise . If you choose to go super sonic 1250 fps isn't enough to make groups at 100 with the SWCs the RNFP does a little better .

[.45Cole]

My pistols do well with 454190's over hp38, my 1885 likes 452460's over AA#5, and the lever is 230RN's over unique. My hunting load is LBT's (260-280) over H110. Pistols don't like 452460's, the 1885 will shoot anything pretty well and the marlin is pretty easy to please. The marlin has an oversized chamber, needless to say. I have other 250ish SWCs but haven't found guns/loads that work really well together.

[The Ozzman]

Yes like Gunlaker I run .454 in my .45 Colt rifle, but generally run .452 in my Uberti Cattleman.

I did run .454 in my Cattleman once by accident and it recoiled a whole lot more with the same bullet weight and charge, if I recall there was a little more leading than usual. Having said that I don't beleive I have slugged the cattlemans bore, only the rifle.

[Ken in Iowa]

We have a couple of Rossi rifles. .454 boolits are fine and help the chamber seal.

I have two different RCBS moulds, 45-225-CAV and 45-230-CM. The 225 over about 5.5 of Red Dot would be what I consider a plinking and Cowboy Action load. Reasonable close range accuracy, light recoil and clean burning. They cycle through the action beautifully.

the 230 over 5.5 of 700x is more accurate and my go to load for 50 yards. Cases are notably dirtier but cleanup in the tumbler just fine. This boolit cycles better than a SWC and has a big meplat which would be a consideration for hunting. My mould drops at 240 grains with 1-2-97 alloy which is about 50/50 WW/soft

I can't speak for hunting or heavier loads.

[hp246]

230 grn Lee .452 TC bullet ahead of 5.5 gr. of Trail Boss. Sorry, don't hunt with mine, just shoot a lot of steel with it.

[jimb16]

8.5 unique behind a 230 gr flat nose.

[Ickisrulz]

RCBS 45-230-CB and 8 grains of Unique. Shot from my Henry BBS Carbine, these have a velocity just under the speed of sound (about 1075 fps) so I avoid the sonic crack. I try not to annoy too many of my neighbors.

[Catshooter]

In my 94 Trapper I run either 9 grains Universal Clays or for more umpff 20 grains of #2400. About 1,100 & 1,400 fps each. Boolit is almost any of them really. The 452424 is lovely.


Cat

[T-Bird]

For plinking, Lee 45-200gr rnfp over 7 gr titegroup. For hunting, RCBS 270SAA over 11gr AA#5, or LY 452490gc over the same. All are accurate and work well. My Rossi is a mid '90's 24in bbl half oct.

[shootinfox2]

200 gr rnfp over 5.5 gr promo.