Snyders JerkyMidSouth Shooters SupplyInline FabricationWideners
Lee PrecisionRotoMetals2RepackboxLoad Data
Reloading Everything Titan Reloading
Results 1 to 14 of 14

Thread: Loading some 45 Colt without flat points

  1. #1
    Boolit Bub

    GuyKickinit's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2018
    Location
    Oregon
    Posts
    42

    Loading some 45 Colt without flat points

    Ever have one of those moments when you realize none of your books or online sources have a recipe?
    So, I got some 230gr .452 lubed bullets and proceeded to load up some 45 Colt. Checking and cross checking data I find no data for a 230gr LRN. All the data is for LRNFP. So I say, did they really only use flat point in the old west? They didn't have rifles for this cartridge. So i'm thinkin' I'll just load for SA revolver.
    Then I get this bright idea to look up 230gr LRN for 45acp. Ahhh. So I guess I have almost 1k cast bullets for my 1911.
    Now the question is; Since I loaded up some 45 Colt with these using 5.6 gr of Trail Boss.
    Should I send em'?
    I only seated 5 before I decided to investigate further.
    Follower of Jesus
    Licensed Certified Gunsmith, FFL
    Member, GOA, SAF, NAGR, OSSA, OFF, AFA, and FPC. Maybe others.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master Wheelguns 1961's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2018
    Location
    Mid atlantic area
    Posts
    1,306
    Do you have any unique? Try 8.0gns. Trail boss 5.4-6.8 230gn from lyman cast bullet manual #4
    Due to the price of primers, warning shots will no longer be given!

  3. #3
    Moderator
    Texas by God's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    14,437
    I used to load 230gr LRN in my 45 LC revolvers all the time. Just use data for the closest heavier bullet. It doesn’t matter what the bullet nose shape is if the weight is the same.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Dec 2018
    Location
    Capital Region NY
    Posts
    680
    Any load for 255 will be safe for a 230, your problem may be OAL. Unless seated on the ogive, the tip won't clear the revolver throat.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master

    Hickok's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    High mountains of WV
    Posts
    3,404
    Shoot them. What you have is about the equal of a .45 Scofield load.

    The military issued just such a load for the Colt SAA and the S&W Scofield, so the ammo could be used in both revolvers. I believe the ammo was loaded in the shorter .45 Scofield case.
    Maker of Silver Boolits for Werewolf hunting

  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master Good Cheer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    the Ark
    Posts
    5,269
    Ran into the same thing with wadcutters seated flush with the case mouth in 45Colt.
    Started off low with Unique, charges based upon the height of the remaining powder space and lots and lots of measurements and research in loading manuals.
    Made a cracker jack accurate double action load for a 1909.

  7. #7
    Boolit Grand Master fredj338's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    kalif.
    Posts
    7,238
    Only diff in LRN & LRNFP is the OAL of the loaded round. If there is a crimp groove, that is your OAL. If there us no crimp groove, probably shouldn't load them in a revolver but if you do, OAL just isn't that big a deal in revolver rds unless loading full WC.
    EVERY GOOD SHOOTER NEEDS TO BE A HANDLOADER.
    NRA Cert. Inst. Met. Reloading & Basic Pistol

  8. #8
    Boolit Grand Master


    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    Aberdeen, South Dakota
    Posts
    7,136
    Is it even possible to overload 45 colt, or any cartridge, with Trail Boss? As long as you aren't compressing the powder, you are good to go.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Feb 2019
    Location
    New Market, Iowa
    Posts
    1,472
    I load 200 grain LRNFP over 8.5 grains of Unique. I have also experimented with 228 grain LRN over the same 8.5 grains of Unique. My Uberti Cattleman, as well as my Cimarron likes both of those loads.

  10. #10
    Boolit Grand Master

    mdi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    So. Orygun
    Posts
    7,240
    When I first got my 45 Colt SAA clone, I didn't have a mold specifically for the 45 Colt, but I did have .723 tons of 45 ACP bullets, so my first loads were with Lyman 225 RN bullets , loaded over some Trailboss. Worked pretty good...
    My Anchor is holding fast!

  11. #11
    Boolit Grand Master Outpost75's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    over the hill, out in the woods and far away
    Posts
    10,171
    My experience with standard-pressure loads in the .45 Colt is that Unique doesn't burn completely or give acceptible ballistic uniformity with bullets lighter than 250 grains, or with charges developing less than black powder loads. Bullseye, TiteGroup, Red Dot, 700X, 231, WST, HP38, 452AA are all better choices which ignite easily, burn completely and give uniform velocities even with lighter 200-230-grain bullets and with reduced loads down around 800 fps.

    Factory velocity in loads assembled with 250-260-grain bullets similar to #454190 are closely approximated with 6.5 grains of Bullseye, TiteGroup, Red Dot or 700X, or with 7 grains of WST, 231, HP38, 452AA.

    And with 250-grain bullets 8.0 grains of Unique or Universal or 9 grains of Herco.

    Bullseye was used for assembling full-charge factory loads in the .45 Colt for over 100 years. In The Colt New Service, smokeless frame Colt SAAs or modern clones 7 grains of Bullseye with #454424 will achieve all that is ever needed of a handgun.
    The ENEMY is listening.
    HE wants to know what YOU know.
    Keep it to yourself.

  12. #12
    Boolit Grand Master

    jonp's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Posts
    8,281
    Quote Originally Posted by Froogal View Post
    I load 200 grain LRNFP over 8.5 grains of Unique. I have also experimented with 228 grain LRN over the same 8.5 grains of Unique. My Uberti Cattleman, as well as my Cimarron likes both of those loads.
    I run that boolit over Promo in my Blackhawks quite often for target loads in my 45LC. In fact, it's my plinking boolit.
    I Am Descended From Men Who Would Not Be Ruled

    Fiat Justitia, Ruat Caelum

  13. #13
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Arizona
    Posts
    1,776
    I shot a ton of Lee 230 gr. 2R TL boolits in the Cowboy shoots back a few years ago. My load was 6 gr. Bullseye. These bullets were shot in Ruger Vacareos and my Rossi 92 lever gun. The only problem I had was the case's would get powder smudges down one side. I think the load was a little lite, I tried 6.5 but that didn't help so I just stayed with the 6.0. They were quite accurate out to 40 yards which was the longest shot of the shoot.

  14. #14
    Boolit Buddy kaiser's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Fly Over country in America
    Posts
    319
    I've been using 6.2gr of Trail Boss with 230gr Lee cast in a couple of converted BP pistol in .45 Colt with great success! (one pistol is a 1958 Pietti Sheriff model and the other a Ruger Old Army.) I've also tried this bullet in Schofield cases, but have not gotten as good of accuracy as the Colt case; perhaps a different powder recipe is in order. The round nose of the 230gr Lee also feeds smoothly in the 1873 rifle with passable accuracy, and makes for a cheap plinking round. (My 1873 rifle will not feed the Schofield round from the tube; too short!)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check