45 Colt max question

[trappst]

Finally got some time to shoot some loads the other day through the new Ruger Blackhawk convertible. Mihec 454640 HP over charges of Unique and Blue Dot. I didn't care for the Blue Dot load at all...very dirty.

The boolits weighed in at 265g with the small HP pin. I worked my way up to 10.5g and as I went higher the groups shrank. Overall I was very happy with my initial tests but it left me wondering.

How much higher can I go with the Unique? At 10.5g, cases and primers look fine. No pressure signs that I can see but I'm not real used to revolvers. 10.5g may fill my needs but I will have to put the load through my chronograph to be sure.

This load will be used for whitetail and regs require a min. 500 ft. lbs. of energy at the muzzle so I'm needing ~1000 fps

What say the 45 Colt gurus?

[felix]

BD at 15 grains should not leave any dirt behind. If it does, indicate so here. ... felix

[trappst]

I went up to 15g on the BD load and you are correct, the higher charges were okay but groups opened up on me.

I didn't mention it, but this is a 4 5/8" barreled Blackhawk

[felix]

It appears your grouping is bothered by recoil. Try and prove that is not so with other shooters using that gun. I shoot 14.5 (old lot) with my 8.5 inch Smith using the Lyman Keith. ... felix

[jwhite]

I use 14.5gr of Bluedot with 270gr cast out of a 24" marlin 94 with really good results.

JW

[RobS]

You can go on up with that LFN style 250-260 grain boolit. Linebaugh is pushing a 310 grain Keith SWC style bullet with 11 grains of Unique and 12 grains for a 260 grain SWC, all in the pressure limits of a Ruger BH. The 454640 has more case volumn than the SWC since less of the boolit is seated in the case. You would be fine starting at 11 grains and working up. Also if you have a chronograph check the velocities and simply don't exceed 1150 to 1200 fps.

http://www.customsixguns.com/writings/dissolving_the_myth.htm

first group of load data

[cajun shooter]

I will say this from a Firearms instructor's point of view. While a 4 5/8 barrel is quite capable of some good accuracy, it would not be my handgun of choice for deer hunting. The very slight misalignment of the sight picture in this short barrel will make a much larger difference downrange than the 6 or 6 1/2 barreled revolver.
Why not increase your barrel length so you will know if it is the load or you. I'm not trying to be some sort of know it all by no means and I hope you understand that. At the shorter ranges you may do fine and may have already done so.
I do handgun hunt myself and have taken enough deer to know that some shots are rough even at close range. Just wondering if you may be a person can use.running some sort of test to see what you may do or what. Best of luck to you and my loads use the Unique as I feel it is the best all around powder

[trappst]

Recoil isn't an issue for me....this thing is a ***** cat compared to my 454. My eyes are probably more of a handicap than anything else!

I know the short barrel probably isn't best for hunting, but I wanted something short and handy since I already have a 7.5" Ruger SRH 454. The blackhawk will be used for short archery range type shots and that's only if I get a load ready and feel confident once the season gets here.

RobS, thank you for the info and the link! I'll load up some more and wait till I have time to get the chrono out. Where I stopped at 10.5g may be perfectly fine but I am curious to see if the groups continue to shrink as a little more powder is added.

[RobS]

I shoot 10.6 grains of Herco behind a 310 grain LFN style boolit and its very accurate in my Bisley BH. I too have the 454640 design but typically run this one in the newer designed smaller framed Ruger Flat Top 45 Colt for the wife so the loads are puff target loads that don't run in the Ruger ONLY loads data. My 310 grain load went from being 1.5" groups with 10 grains to an inch with 10.6 grains. I stopped when the accuracy was where I wanted it. I should load up some of the 454640's but don't have any cast right now.

[David2011]

Just a reminder for others reading this thread- Some of the loads being discussed here are only safe in Ruger and Thompson Center handguns. They are excessive for Single Action Colts, Smith and Wesson and anything else.

Alliant's website shows a maximum charge of 9.5 grains of Unique with a 250 Gr LSWC.

The heavy Unique loads are real thumpers and great fun to shoot in the right gun!

David

[RobS]

Good Point David........RUGER ONLY LOADS on my posts in this thread.

[rollmyown]

I take it that these loads also exceed the safe working limits of modern Marlin 1894's?

[RobS]

Ruger 30K loads are fine in a modern Marlin 1894.

heres a link and head on down to the 45 colt section:
http://www.leverguns.com/articles/fryxell/marlin_1894.htm

Paco Kelly also rates the Marlin as capable.

about 3/4's down the page:
http://www.leverguns.com/articles/paco/45coltlevergun.htm

[Moonie]

I have a new 7 1/2" NMBH convertible 45C/45ACP and I'm really enjoying it with Ruger only loads. Don't care for the way it nails the knuckle on my middle finger however with the 300gr/22gr H110 loads...

[rexherring]

I have a new 7 1/2" NMBH convertible 45C/45ACP and I'm really enjoying it with Ruger only loads. Don't care for the way it nails the knuckle on my middle finger however with the 300gr/22gr H110 loads...

Yup those will do that. Mine will take off the skin of my trigger finger knuckle with a 340 gr and 20 grs of H-110 so have to wear a shooting glove or a band aid on that finger.

[Gray Fox]

Just as a point of clarification, I believe the New Model Blackhawk is not supposed to be used with the "Ruger Only" loads that are fine with the older model. GF

[RobS]

Just as a point of clarification, I believe the New Model Blackhawk is not supposed to be used with the "Ruger Only" loads that are fine with the older model. GF



Nope. The large frame New Model Blackhawks are fine it is the new model Flat Tops built on the smaller 357 frame as well as the new model Vaquero's which are also built on the smaller frames that won't handle the RUGER ONLY loads. The smaller framed Ruger 45 Colt revolvers have smaller cylinders which means less metal between the chambers so less strength.

[Moonie]

Just as a point of clarification, I believe the New Model Blackhawk is not supposed to be used with the "Ruger Only" loads that are fine with the older model. GF

The new Vaquero and the new flat top blackhawks are not able to use the Ruger Only loads. The NMBH is 100% fine with them, has been for the decades the NMBH has been out.

[Purdey]

Good Point David........RUGER ONLY LOADS on my posts in this thread.

What about Freedom Arms guns? Everyone seems to forget about them, they are every bit as strong as the Rugers. I shoot my M97 45 Colt with 21 gr. of W296 with both 255 and 300 gr lead .

[RobS]

What about Freedom Arms guns? Everyone seems to forget about them, they are every bit as strong as the Rugers. I shoot my M97 45 Colt with 21 gr. of W296 with both 255 and 300 gr lead .

I was referring to Ruger ONLY loads as in the load development i.e. 30K to 32K pressure area. I was not referring to only large frame Ruger 45 Colt Revolvers. Yes the Freedom Arms and Thompson Center also falls within these upper 45 colt loads.

Now don't forget the original poster wanted information regards to max loads in a Ruger New Model 45 Colt (also a convertable; 45 ACP). Then there was also the discussion of the two different Ruger 45 Colts, the small frames and the large frames. So you can see why there wasn't anything really posted about a Freedom Arms 45 Colt and not that many of us actually forgot that FA revolvers can't handle upper end pressure 45 Colt loads.

[Purdey]

OOPS I have been suitably chastised.

[RobS]

OOPS I have been suitably chastised.

No not at all, I was saying that the reason why people haven't brought up Freedom Arms or TC in handguns is because the thread started out talking about Ruger Revolvers.

[zxcvbob]

One of my best loads is 16.5 grains of Blue Dot with 255 grain boolits. I discovered it just as I was using up (with disgust) the last of my Blue Dot powder, after not finding a single load that I liked with it in .357 Magnum or .30 Carbine. You should be able to go higher; I ran out of powder before I tried upping the charge.

With Herco, I've gone as high as 12.2 grains, and that was a good load. Pressure is getting on up there.