45 Colt & Greendot loads

[Huntsman]

Hey Lever shooters, I tried the "Search" and found nothing . So I have a Ruger Vaquero & Win 94 Legacy in 45 Colt.
The only powder the local shop had was Greendot. I loaded up some for my Ruger with 7grs under a Lee 250 SWC with seemed pretty stout and I was happy with how they shot. All data was taken from Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook 4th Edition
I'm extremely budgeted and Greendot will be the only powder I'll be using for now. My question is for pistol it says 7.7grs as a max and for rifle its only 7grs...?
And on Reloaders Nest theres a load for a 300gr cast with 21grs of GD. Can someone please help me out please.
I plan on using the rifle load for deer (can't hunt with pistol in Canada eh) . But if you have better advice I'm all ears.
Thanks in Advance & Merry Christmas :D

[725]

Have used 7.7 GD for a 225 gr boolit & 7.9 GD for a 205 gr boolit in .45 Colt. I liked it. Not hot. YMMV so be advised and work up to my load.

[JayinAZ]

I've not used Green Dot in .45 Colt, but it's a pretty fast powder. That 21 gr load has to be a typo or was posted by an idiot. Don't try it!

[PS Paul]

One of my most-favored powders for 45 Colt, you're right on the money with 7 grains. you can go up or down a bit, but that 21 gr. load CAN'T be right. That's a triple-charge and at the relative speed of GD, would likely blow yer gun(s) up....

You are not at any disadvantage with this powder, but there isn't a huge amount of data out there for it in 45 Colt. Good news is, it's just a tad slower than Red Dot, so it is usually safe to start with RD data (in lieu of GD data) and go up a bit.

For example; from Lyman's Cast Bullet Handbook 4th ed.
452424 255 gr SWC Red Dot 4.5 gr. 550fps 6.0 gr. 780 fps
" " " " " " Green Dot 4.5 gr. 500 fps 6.5 gr. 765 fps

The above data is 13,000 to 14,000 CUP and modern guns like yours may be loaded hotter. the 7.0 gr. load with a 250 gr. RNFP is a favorite load of mine and shoots well in my small-frame Flattop BH 45. Feel free to download as you please with 4.5 as a very tame starting load.

Hope this helps!
Paul

[Fernando]

GD runs about a grain less than Unique data - always work up.

[Huntsman]

Right on guys Thank you very much for your help. I tried a few shots today at the range but the -30 degree Celsius got the better of me.
Thanks again

[Huntsman]

Right on guys Thank you very much for your help. I tried a few shots today at the range but the -30 degree Celsius got the better of me.
Thanks again

[Huntsman]

Here's what I plan to use on deer;
http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/i375/Jamie_MG/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_000006811_zpsb7713454.jpg (http://s1090.photobucket.com/user/Jamie_MG/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_000006811_zpsb7713454.jpg.html)

I noticed in the local gun store there is a can of Lil Gun, if it's still there in the New Year I might grab it. That powder should send my cast boolits down range with some good velocity. I too have a Lee 300gr FNGC mould thats not being used......

[RobS]

I noticed in the local gun store there is a can of Lil Gun, if it's still there in the New Year I might grab it. That powder should send my cast boolits down range with some good velocity. I too have a Lee 300gr FNGC mould thats not being used......

Your photo looks like the Lee 252 SWC. The Lee 452-300-RF run with some Lil Gun will be a nice deer slayer. Be careful with the Lil Gun though as there has been some issues with forcing cone erosion in revolvers. Your 7 grain load of GD will be a nice and pleasant load.

[kens]

I use 5.0 gr GreenDot in 45acp. It is between RedDot & Unique in powder speed.
It loads nice in .45 handgun, although burns dirty like Unique.
I load 10grs greendot in .30 rifle with 120gr boolit.
21 grs in a handgun is outright dangerous.

[Huntsman]

Your photo looks like the Lee 252 SWC. The Lee 452-300-RF run with some Lil Gun will be a nice deer slayer. Be careful with the Lil Gun though as there has been some issues with forcing cone erosion in revolvers. Your 7 grain load of GD will be a nice and pleasant load.

You are correct it is a Lee 252 swc.
The Lil Gun loads would be for my Winchester lever.

[jthoring]

Are u sure you r looking at the right data? That looks like a blackhawk load which is to hot for vaquero. My lyman #3 manual lists 6.5 gr. Greendot as max for 255 SWC

[Huntsman]

The data was taken from Reloaders Nest. My Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook 4th edition shows 6.3gr start & 7.0grs Max with Green Dot & 250gr bullet #2 Alloy.
I just picked up a Lee 255 RF mould which is what I think I'll use instead since it has a wider meplat.
Thers no list for "rifle data" but pistol it shows; 255gr-Green Dot-4.5gr start & 6.5 Max

[Huntsman]

This is the data I'm using;
http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/i375/Jamie_MG/IMG_00000726_zpsfc94bc6c.jpg (http://s1090.photobucket.com/user/Jamie_MG/media/IMG_00000726_zpsfc94bc6c.jpg.html)

[jonp]

I've used 21gr of 2400 under a 255gr boolit in my 45Colt but 21gr of Green Dot? I don't believe you should try that under any circumstances although it seems like you have better sense than to try that.
It does point out the dangers of trying stuff you get off of forums without back up from manuals or the manu's themselves.

[Huntsman]

Ok, so after a bit of looking at different powders and loads and availability of certain powders I ended up getting a lb of Longshot which was $10 cheaper than Lil Gun.
I just need some gas checks and I'll be resizing some Lee 300gr FN wGC. I weighed these casts and they are running 295grs. Thats with a Lyman #2 alloy.
I hope to get out to the range this Saturday.

[Fernando]

Just launched a whole bunch of NOE and Lyman 250's with 9.5 GD and all went better than good.
Recipe out of Sillywet section of a Hodgdons manual.
Nice snappy no psi load.
Noe's fly a little to left compared to the lyman but groupd were close enough to need further testing
on which boo lit my 45 Bis prefers.

But my Rossi ate them really well - no leading and I must have put the sight in the right spot as it
shot right on from the get go. I put a ghost ring type sight on and it's awesome for quick snap shooting
but precise target work is out of the question No leading either sized .452 - was a little worried on that.
I wanted a nice load to run in both but had read the rossi needed .454 but mine does not.
Again the Noe likes to goto the left??

[Huntsman]

Just launched a whole bunch of NOE and Lyman 250's with 9.5 GD and all went better than good.
Recipe out of Sillywet section of a Hodgdons manual.
Nice snappy no psi load.
Noe's fly a little to left compared to the lyman but groupd were close enough to need further testing
on which boo lit my 45 Bis prefers.

But my Rossi ate them really well - no leading and I must have put the sight in the right spot as it
shot right on from the get go. I put a ghost ring type sight on and it's awesome for quick snap shooting
but precise target work is out of the question No leading either sized .452 - was a little worried on that.
I wanted a nice load to run in both but had read the rossi needed .454 but mine does not.
Again the Noe likes to goto the left??

Did your brass bell out just above the rim?

[missionary5155]

Greetings
For fun I looked in my 73 vintage Lyman and it shows a max load of 8 grains GD with a 215 grainer for 1185 fps in a 24 " Marlin 94.
I think a 21 grain load would be a spectacular blowup.
Mike in Peru

[Fernando]

Brass looked good - can even tell which was fired in the rossi - it leaves it's own little mark on the primer.
Cases in the Bis would not fall on their own but cylinders were dirty from a previous run of low psi wc820.
I need to retest with a known alloy as these were not written down when cast but were medium hard.
I got the data out of Hodgdons #26
Not too snappy either - well compared to 19.5 820 and a 290gr those went BOOM - That one shot awesome:-D

Oh ya Rem Nickel brass