45C Rifle Load Info

[WI Shooter]

I load for a 45C Henry rifle. Great rifle and fun to shoot. My current load, and I am happy with it, is 8g of Unique behind a 250g cast bullet. Of course am always looking for something different and have been looking for a powder to fill the case a little more. Just read, "Loading the .45 Colt for Rifles" by Dave Thompson. He discusses H-4227 or IMR-4227 powder with 292g bullets. My Lyman #49 has some good rifle data but nothing for this powder. After looking for information on my particular combination I come up with nothing. Any help would be appreciated. Thompson does discuss 21 -22 grains of 4227 with the 292g bullet and getting 1300+ f/s.
Thanks a load from Wisconsin

[plainsman456]

I would go to the IMR powder site.

I have loaded Red Dot 7.5 grains for my brother in law and they are made for his pistol,the rifles love them too.

[Nobade]

Wife loves shooting a case full of Trailboss under a Ranch Dog 265 in her Marlin cowboy rifle. Knocks the 200M rams flat without too much recoil.

[gundownunder]

Go to the ADI manual and look up the loads for Ruger, Freedom and T/C.
They list several loads from 240 gr up to 360 gr for AR2205, which is the same powder as IMR 4227.
Lee's Modern reloading 2nd edition also lists several loads for H4227 under Ruger and T/C loads.

[Randy Bohannon]

That's pretty close to my 'Bear load' in a Winchester/Miroku 92 45 Colt ,21 grs. IMR 4227 and a 287 gr. Accurate mould @ .456" Shoots very good.

[lotech]

Ken Waters did a handloading article some years ago on the .45 Colt in a Winchester '94 AE Trapper with 16" barrel. It's in the PET LOADS book, I think.

[tsubaki]

Look at this link, get this book. https://www.midwayusa.com/product/10...loading-manual
The picture may not reflect the correct book until you click the appropriate cartridge.
Mine is a 2011 edition, if it has been updated there may now be more than the "48 bullet designs and 51 different powders".
There are a few references using IMR 4227 with various cast and jacketed stuff.
In that book one Speer listing has their 250gr 45LSWC and IMR 4227 from 17.0gr (775fps) to 19.0gr (904fps) fired from a 5 1/2" barrel. Rifle velocities would expected to be higher.
Whatever length barrel your Henry might be may translate to a desired velocity.
One of my loads using 2400 and powder coated Lee 452-255-RF is producing 900fps from a 2 1/2" barrel, 1130fps from a 6 1/2" barrel and 1510fps from a 24" barrel.

[WI Shooter]

Thanks all for the info.

[Outpost75]

In an H&R .45 Colt single-shot rifle with 1:16" twist barrel I use the Accurate 45-290H bullet with a compressed charge of IMR4198, about 21-22 grains, filling the case and compressing the powder about 1/8" as the bullet is seated in the same manner as if loading black powder. I have not chronographed the load, but it does "crack" supersonic velocity, like a full charge blackpowder and is accurate to 200 yards to ring steel, and much easier to clean afterwards than BP. I use 1:30 tin-lead alloy, no GC needed. My 7-1/2" Ruger shoots very well at 100 yards with the same load, but there is some unburned powder in the revolver.

Attachment 230789

[Gohon]

Seems I've read Henry recommends nothing larger than 260 or 270 grains because of feeding issues. Don't remember the exact weight the referenced. With that in mind, I load a 270 grain RCBS 270-SSA for my Marlin 45 Colt using the data Brian Pearce used in this article https://www.riflemagazine.com/magazi...246partial.pdf for the Ruger New Vaquero 45 Colt using IMR 4227. 22 grains gives me 1448 fps and it is a real thumper.

[44Blam]

Seems like A2400 would be a good choice...

[Walks]

I was sucked into buying 2 Loadbooks when they first came out. One for Thompson/Center Contender and one for .30-06.

All they consisted of were of photocopies of pages from the Sierra, Hornady, Speer & Lyman MANUALS.

Go to the HODGDON Website for reloading info.
They have info for H4227 for 250gr & 300gr.

Extrapolate.

[Gohon]

I like and use LoadBooks often. I have one for each caliber I shoot. Instead of a stack of manuals in front of me and having to thumb through pages to find the caliber I have a compact book in front of me for a particular caliber. The fact it is a reprint of several different manufactures is a plus fr comparing loads.

Staying inside minimum and maximum load data is the only safe method for reloading. Extrapolating outside those parameters without proper test equipment can lead to a dangerous situation.

[Potsy]

I chronographed a few loads when I had a 16" Trapper. One thing I figured out was that most loads that weren't extremely low pressure (like 5 grains of Clays and 200grn SWC), would gain 200fps over my 5-1/2" Ruger bisley.
Most of my work was done with Universal, Unique, 2400, and 296 (thumper) and 454424's with most loads being 15kpsi to 32kpsi (estimated).
Paco Kelley did some work years ago with RL-7, .45 Colt Rifles, and heavyweight bullets (not dissimilar from Outpost75's work with 4198) of 300 grains plus. I've always wanted to explore that avenue, proceeding cautiously, of course.......