45 Colt Cowboy Loads

[sundog]

I agreed to help a buddy get a usable load for cowboy shooting. He has a Vaquero with 4 5/8 barrel and a Henry Big Boy (20" bbl), a batch of Starline Cases, and Lee 45-255-RF sized .452 with FWFL.

As a side experiment after we get the Lee boolits working, we might try some Lee TL45-230-TC - just for grins.

Given that, anyone have any favorite load? It might help me keep time to a minimum finding a good load for him.

I shoot 44 mag for Cowboy shoots (Vaquero and Rossi) and my favorite powder has been Green Dot with that 240 gr 3-crimp RF group buy boolit we did some time back. I'm sure that Grn Dt and Rd Dt will work fine in 45 Colt, too. Just wanted to hear from " all y'all " (that's Okie for everone) what other favorites might be out there.

[Bullet Caster]

Try using Bullseye. 5 grains in the .45 Colt with a 255 gn. boolit. BC

[fishnbob]

I worked up to 8.6 grs of Unique with that Lee 230 gr. TC boolit and also 6.0 grs of Bullseye. They are both kinda hot but did not show any pressure in my Ruger BH or the Rossi rifle. I would recommend to start at the minimum shown in the latest manual and work up. I like 'em hot in the rifle but enjoy them milder in the pistol.

[Springfield]

I like Trailboss for my wife's cowboy loads, used Clays before that.

[2ndAmendmentNut]

I use Trail Boss for light cowboy loads. Unique for normal 14,000 cup loads. Goex 3fg for real fun.

[ReloaderFred]

Most SASS shooters use a lighter bullet in .45 Colt. I prefer the 200 gr. RNFP myself, which also turned out to be an excellent bullet in my 1911's for Wild Bunch matches. In .45 Colt, I use TrailBoss, but in the 1911's, I use Bullseye.

With the lighter bullets you get less recoil and more bullets per pound. With lead getting harder to come by, I'm trying to get as many bullets per pound as I can and still get good accuracy.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[Calamity Jake]

I shoot the Saeco #955 a 255 RF in 45C with 4.0 Red Dot, used both in Marlin Cowboy, a couple of Rossi 45 carbines and Ruger BH or Uberti Thunderes. Have used this load for 20+ years in the CAS game, have also user other boolit weights from 185 swc to the 255 with the same charge.

[kliff]

Most SASS shooters use a lighter bullet in .45 Colt. I prefer the 200 gr. RNFP myself, which also turned out to be an excellent bullet in my 1911's for Wild Bunch matches. In .45 Colt, I use TrailBoss, but in the 1911's, I use Bullseye.

With the lighter bullets you get less recoil and more bullets per pound. With lead getting harder to come by, I'm trying to get as many bullets per pound as I can and still get good accuracy.

Hope this helps.

Fred

I too shoot in SASS, and I also prefer 200gr bullets. I'm using Trail Boss powder as well. Started at 5.8gr and I'm currently at 6.1gr. manageable recoil in my Ruger BH's, also 4 & 5/8" barrels, and great in my EMF Uberti 20" rifle.
HOT loads are frowned upon by SASS, and it says so in the rule book. Load for somewhere in the 700fps area, and you'll be OK.

As has been stated, the lighter bullets, conserve lead, and provide a lesser recoil.

have fun, but don't get caught up in the "my load is hotter than yours..." pissing contests :takinWiz: It isn't needed nor condoned in SASS shooting.

[ReloaderFred]

To add to what Kliff posted, the reason for light loads isn't to be really fast, etc. It's all about safety. In SASS you're shooting steel targets at relatively close range. Light loads result in less splatter back at the shooting line and off the range. Many ranges that used to be way out in the boondocks are now surrounded by houses. Rounds leaving the range will get those ranges closed down faster than any other issue.

Light loads are also easier on the expensive steel targets. If you've ever bought steel targets and stands, you know that $1,000 won't get you much, not even enough to set up one stage, and we normally shoot 5 stages in our monthly matches. The larger matches are usually 10 to 12 stages, with hundreds of shooters.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[Larry Gibson]

For CBA .45 Colt an excellent load is 6.5 gr VV N320 under the 200 gr RNFP at 627 fps out of 4 3/4" Evil Roy SA Cimeron.

Or 7.5 gr VV N32C Tin Star under the 200 gr RNFP at 696 fps out of 4 3/4" Evil Roy SA Cimeron.

Both in Starline cases with Fed 150 primers.

An excellent "standard" .45 Colt load with the 250 gr RNFP is 8.3 gr VV N32C Tin Star at 868 fps out of 4 3/4" Evil Roy SA Cimeron.

Larry Gibson

[Bodydoc447]

5.0 gr of Titegroup with that bullet ought to be a good load. It has been for me.

Doc

[JohnnyFlake]

For Cowboy Loads I use the following, with the Trail Boss being my favorite & most accurate:

255gn LRFN - 7.5gn of Unique

255gn LRFN - 7.5gn of Universal

255gn LRFN - 5.5gn of Trail Boss

[makicjf]

Never shot them in a match ( I shoot my first one ever this weekend) but have worked up a load that, at home hits pretty close to the poa of my heavier carry/hunting loads. I have no idea how it will work under the timer. I'll find out soon
Lee 230 TC ,unsized (.454-.455) air cooled, LLA tumble lubed
7.3 Unique
cci350 primer
1.60 oal (seated right to the "shoulder")
Heavy crimp (one full turn) Lee factory crimp die
I also have the seater die set to crimp fairly heavy.

The rossi shoots .454 (slugs .452+) but both pistols shoot .452 best. I,m curious to see after 50 plus rounds what the bbls look like in the pistols. If they are leaded up, I may put the acp cylinders in and shoot the 45 acp loads.
I am thinking about picking up a 200 rnfp just to save lead. I am afraid they will not shoot close enough to the same as my hunting and standard loads though
jason

[405]

Out of Colt SAA, 45 LC
4.5 gr Trailboss, .454" 200 gr RNFP of soft alloy with light roll crimp. 560 fps

[TXGunNut]

26 grns KIK FFFg for my 255 grn play loads. Haven't loaded any SP loads since I decided to give these a whirl. Probably too warm for SASS but I like them.