Super Light Powder Puff .45 Colt 160gr Plinking Load?

[Ziptar]

Lee lists a two cavity 452-160-RF 160gr .452 Diameter RNFP mold #90570.

I've only found two .45 Colt loads for it. Hodgdon has pistol loads using
HP-38 or W231 starting load at 6.5g, 7,700 CUP, 917 ft/s and a max load of 9.0g, 1177 ft/s, 13,800 CUP.
TrailBoss starting at 7.0g, 903 ft/s, 8,100 PSI to a max of 8.5, 1018ft/s, 10,800 PSI.

There is nothing listed under rifle loads.

It would make for a nice just for fun punching paper and plinking load I think. It would be nice to use it in the revolver and lever gun I'd imagine loads up near the max would be fine in a Marlin 1894 too. The revolver would be a S&W 25. Hodgdon notes the load as "This data is intended for original Colt revolvers and their replicas. Max pressure, 14,000 CUP." so I don't imagine I'd have any trouble with the max load in the revolver.

Would the TrailBoss be a better load because its "fluffy" and will take up more volume? Does TrailBoss meter well in a Lee Classic Turret?

Curios if anyone loads anything similar? I've looked all over for a Unique load but, haven't found one. Anyone have one to share?

[btroj]

Pressure with either load will not be a problem. I would tend to go with the trail boss as it will make a double charge either easy to notice or impossible as powered will be all over the place because the case is full.
The loads will be fine in any revolver or rifle you shoot them in.
The hard part with extremely light for caliber bullets in 45 colt is the massive case size. This cartridge was designed for black powder and a 250 grain bullet. You are using much less powder and even less lead. It is hard to get reliable ignition and repeatable ballistics with these light bullets. I also have to wonder how accurate the bullets are past 25 to 50 yards. These are short, fat bullets- a design not known for downrange accuracy.
While these loads, and bullets in particular will work, I don't like them. The bullets were designed for cowboy action to reduce recoil for speed shooting. They are not asked to be accurate beyond the ranges shot at those matches.
In the end, give them a shot. Be careful of squibs. If a shot doesn't sound right then STOP. Look in the barrel for a stuck bullet. Can only imagine how many guns have been damaged by a light charge sticking a bullet in the barrel only to have another shot behind it.

[JIMinPHX]

I've loaded that 160 boolit in a .45ACP. That short little boolit is a little hard to handle with my fat fingers, but once it's loaded, it seems to work well.

If you want a real powder puff load, you might take a look back in some of the older reloading manuals. They often list "gallery loads" that the new books leave out. I think that Speer #11 had some listed. I'm pretty sure that they covered the .45ACP & .44mag. They may have gallery listings for the .45 LC as well, but I'm not certain. I'm not near my books right now. I don't recall seeing any gallery loads listed in Speer #13,

[Bret4207]

My thoughts- Trailboss is nice and bulky (you end up using a lot of it) and freakin' expensive! A few grains (3.0+) of Bullseye will work just fine. I'd start with a book load and work down.

[Rocky Raab]

TiteGroup is not position sensitive and was developed for super-light loads in the Cowboy game. Hodgdon's Annual Manual for 2011 shows that bullet with TG at 6.0 (932 fps) to 7.0 (1051 fps). The start load develops only 6000 CUP, so I wouldn't reduce it much below that or you'll lose case seal.

[Ziptar]

Thanks for the input. I've done a little more reading, looks like Unique is pretty dirty when used for weaker loads.

I'll give the TB a try maybe, I'd be a liitle worried about double charges otherwise.

[Rocky Raab]

Double charges are impossible if you load as follows:

Pick up one empty case. Dispense one measured charge into that case. Seat one bullet.

Charging a loading block of cases is the only way to get a double charge or a no-charge, and is the reason I threw out all my loading blocks 40 years ago.

[btroj]

I do the same thing Rocky. Basket of primed cases, pile of vullets, powder measure. Dump, seat, set aside loaded round. Repeat. I have not used a loading block in years. Don't miss em a bit.

[DanWalker]

My powderpuff load consists of a .454 pure lead roundball, lubed with LLA.
I screw the seating stem on my die all the way down, and load the RB's over 6.5 grains of Red Dot. I get minute of rabbit and prairie dog out to around 50 yards from my win94 and Ruger blackhawk.

[BenBrackett]

The 160gr. is a great little slug with 4.5gr. Alliant American Select and a magnum primer. A old friend gave me some bullets and the load. It is light recoil and accurate in the Colt 5 1/2".45 SA. I was shocked and pleasantly surprised. Now who makes a 3-4 cavity mold???

[osteodoc08]

I love TB. I use it with a 255gr cowboy lead bullet from
Hornady. Super light and fun in the revolvers and lever actions

[Old Two Wars]

I havd a Rossi Circuit Judge .410 Ga. 45 Colt used a 160 gr lee flat nose to shoot a Whitetail Doe at 55 yards used a tasco red dot for sights complete pass through went about 10 yds fell over DRT.
If you use lead bullets get lee reloading book and a hardness tester the lee book has a huge amount of info on cast bullets.also check out lasc site look for ingot to target book link.i got a huge education from both helped keep my problems easy to fix.