Well thank you sir! Yet your near 100 gr light on the boolit with that load data. Sure loading that amount in to a almost 300 gr boolits would show a lot of pressure!
I thank you for your help and experience seeing that your a grand boolite master and all I'm honored to have you reply to my post.
No, the manuals are not wrong separating the two levels of power, one level for an old Colt or Italian clones, and an upper more powerful level for a Ruger, and there are others that will happily shoot the 39kpsi "Ruger Only" loads. Hodgdon separates their data as well, go look on their site for data for Hodgdon powder.
AND, you are CORRECT in asking for both sets of data! When someone asks for 45 Colt data, my first question is "What gun?"
Now, LOL let me confuse things even farther.. There are TWO levels of power for the Rugers! First, the more powerful and generally referred to as "Ruger Only" loads which max out at 30,000psi, are meant for the full sized Blackhawk, Super Blackhawk, Original Vaquero, and the Redhawk. The single action Rugers that are full sized frames have a TWO DIGIT prefix in their serial number. The ratchet star boss on the rear of the cylinder is round.
Since 2005, Ruger has made a medium framed Vaquero, Flattop Blackhawk, these are smaller frames, smaller cylinders and thinner cylinder walls, which are rated to the same as 45 ACP+P pressure of 23,000psi, and are NOT SAFE with the 30,000psi "Ruger Only" loads. These models have a THREE DIGIT prefix in their serial number. The ratchet star boss on the rear of the cylinder is scalloped.
The load data and power level most associated with these medium frame Rugers are known as "Tier 2" and since SAAMI never adopted a +P designation for warmed over loads for the original 45 Colt guns, there is virtually NO published Tier 2 or 45 Colt+P load data, you have to scrounge the gun pages on the internet and get what you can find. Brian Pearce's articles on Tier 2 45 Colt is pretty much accepted as the Gold Standard of load data for these guns.
I might also add that the medium frame Rugers produced with Ruger's latest design changes that put the lawyer warning on the bottom of the barrel to make it less conspicuous are without a doubt the BEST fitted and finshed guns that Ruger has EVER produced.
Got a .22 .30 .32 .357 .38 .40 .41 .44 .45 .480 or .500 S&W cylinder that needs throats honed? 9mm, 10mm/40S&W, 45 ACP pistol barrel that won't "plunk" your handloads? 480 Ruger or 475 Linebaugh cylinder that needs the "step" reamed to 6° 30min chamfer? Click here to send me a PM You can also find me on Facebook Click Here.
Wow thank you for that information and history. So how do I know if mine is a tier two? It seems to be a newer weapon but I have bought a 10 year old P226 stainless steel Germany made that still had the packing grease on it.
The heaviest load I have shot out of it is a 18.0-18.5 on top a 296 gr solid I had no problems with the brass it did kick and it did hit hard! When I did a double tap it moved my steel target on a tripod enough that the snow and dirt shower where it was before.
Also have your heard anything about the flame cutting with Lil Gun? Thanks again!
The full sized blackhawk has raised bolsters on the frame that the rear sight fits between the 2 digit prefix on the serial # , the smaller framed model does not have the bolsters the sight base is cut into a flat topped frame 3 digit prefix.
Thanks! I'm new to wheel gun reloading. Yet 100% of my reloading has been deducted to 357 and 45LC these days!
It's been 5 years since I had the room to cast and reload as I said I mostly did it for semi auto and my 223 and 308! So straight walls are new to me so is all the load data and manuals that I need to reload!
Thanks for your help!
Have you not read anything I posted? I have already addressed the LilGun issue in an earlier reply.
I just got finished describing how you can tell the original stronger large frame Rugers from the lesser medium frame guns.
onelight also posted how you can tell the Blackhawks apart.
You have to READ these things you know.
Now 2 pages into this thread we find out you are loading for a Redhawk. Is this the only 45 Colt revolver you are loading for?
Got a .22 .30 .32 .357 .38 .40 .41 .44 .45 .480 or .500 S&W cylinder that needs throats honed? 9mm, 10mm/40S&W, 45 ACP pistol barrel that won't "plunk" your handloads? 480 Ruger or 475 Linebaugh cylinder that needs the "step" reamed to 6° 30min chamfer? Click here to send me a PM You can also find me on Facebook Click Here.
Redhawks are strong. Get yourself a box of these.
http://www.garrettcartridges.com/45rho+ptech.html
How much for 50 rounds of high quality 45 Auto, or 9MM round now?
Compare what you get in them with what you get in the Garrett's. If one can afford a big game hunt for trophy bear, or African game the price of Garrett's is miniscule.
John Boy are those BP loads weight or volume?
Minerat, all the BP charges are by weight
Last edited by John Boy; 02-20-2021 at 03:31 PM.
Regards
John
To the OP.................( and anybody else out there listening)..............never EVER use load data posted on a forum like this. These are good guys & gals on here, but just do not trust unproven load data from a public forum.
Buy the load manuals! Be safe! I have a shelf full of them and all the downloadable data from the MANY powder makers' websites (all free). LOTS of data out there. I keep it all together in one big 3-ring binder, tabulated by caliber, which is my "loading bible" for all cals/weights/profiles I load and shoot. One of the most valuable books I own.
If you cannot afford a couple of good load data manuals, how are you going to afford this hobby?
Please.............. save your body parts and buy the appropriate published load data manuals and do some research. Then, you can weigh, with knowledge, the data you are given on the several public forums out there. I did, and I now load all the weights you listed above for my 45LC guns/rifles up thru 300gn with absolutely no problem.
Good luck on your quest! And be safe!
bangerjim
I like a 310 grain LFN cast bullet seated deep 1.520 inches OAL over a moderate charge of 2400.
I loaded 8 rounds the the other day and shot them offhand at 25 yards and the 8 shots from the center of the group was Mean (averaged) 1.2122 inches with an Extreme Spread of the sample of 1.4375 and a Standard Deviation of the sample of .43422 inches.
Of course I will have to load up more to test as It was cold and me being in my elderly years did not want to submit myself to the cold anymore that I needed to.
Here's a good read: http://reloadammo.com/45cload.htm
That SAAMI max for the 45 Colt is 14,000 PSI based on the older Colt 1873 Peacemakers. Those are safe in all 45 Colt platforms. Higher pressure 45 Colt loads are perfectly safe in numerous other platforms but not in the older Colt designs.
Doug covered the Rugers very well.
https://www.johnlinebaughcustomsixguns.com/writings
https://chuckhawks.com/high-pressure45.htm
http://www.sixguns.com/tests/tt45lc.htm
https://www.gunsandammo.com/editoria...ad-data/370003
Last edited by M-Tecs; 02-21-2021 at 03:40 PM.
2nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. - "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."
"Before you argue with someone, ask yourself, is that person even mentally mature enough to grasp the concept of different perspectives? Because if not, there’s absolutely no point."
– Amber Veal
"The Highest form of ignorance is when your reject something you don't know anything about".
- Wayne Dyer
I'll also add
Handloader Issues
#246 April 2007 https://www.wolfeoutdoorsports.com/h...46-april-2007/
#275 December 2011 https://www.wolfeoutdoorsports.com/h...december-2011/
A couple of very good reads on heavy 45 Colt loading and Rugers. I have hard copies from a subscription, I go back and reread them when thinking about what loads I want to try next. Worth it to pay the back issue price IMHO. PDFs are still out there if you look around, I'd share links but I think it's against forums rules.
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 |