Need a 45 Colt 320 grain load

[webradbury]

I'm having trouble finding powder in my area. I have a pound of Unique and was wondering if anyone had used this with the Lee 452-300 gc. Its 320 grains with lube and gc. Using it for deer in a Winchester 94 AE Carbine.

[TXGunNut]

I'd start around 6grs and see where it goes from there.

[DougGuy]

Unique is really not the best choice for such a heavy boolit. It's a little faster burning than you want, and pressures can be very spiky and unpredictable @ 10.0gr and over. try to find some 2400, LilGun, 296, H110, AA#9, almost any slow burning ball/shotgun powder will work better than unique.

If you had a lighter boolit and were going for 1100-1250f/s out of the 94, unique would be good in the 9.0 to 10.0gr charge. If I -had- to use the unique, I would use a lighter boolit.

[TXGunNut]

Unique or Universal do OK for the lower velocity loads but yes, 296/H110 is what I use for heavy hunting loads in 45 Colt.

[webradbury]

I do know where I can get reddot and thought I saw a load for 45 colt with this powder a while back. in my area there are only about three places to get powder and pickins are slim. I hate/can't afford ordering and paying the hazmat fee!

[TXGunNut]

Haven't see any in awhile but powder availability seems to be a regional thing. Also there's no telling what will appear at your LGS, good reason to cruise them on a regular basis. I keep thinking the situation is getting better but most folks (me included) are putting back a supply of the powders they use (and some they might use) and that is having an effect on the available powders.

[webradbury]

Ok...how bout bp with this boolit for deer? I've got plenty of that. I know that's an odd choice for this boolit.

[DougGuy]

I found two loads using unique, one is 9.0gr behind a 310gr LBT boolit, 1.7" COA, WLP, 962f/s velocity, barrel length and pressure not given. The other was 9.5gr behind a 300gr j-word bullet, 950f/s with CCI LP primer. No other data given. I don't think you would do any better with BP but you would get more velocity from a rifle barrel than a Ruger Blackhawk, and that is plenty fast enough for deer where you are.

The 94 will handle pressure of a 10.0gr load, and prolly any spikes to boot. I been shooting +P+ loads in this caliber for many years, 10.0gr of unique for me, is a little scary at times in a blackhawk with a heavy boolit. I guess you could start at 9.4gr and work up to 10.0? There are others here that wouldn't bat an eye at 10.0gr behind that boolit, and if unique was stable and predictable at those charge weights I wouldn't either but it gets weird on the heavy end of things and that is something I shy away from. I want to know exactly what it is gonna do BEFORE I drop the hammer..

[webradbury]

I found two loads using unique, one is 9.0gr behind a 310gr LBT boolit, 1.7" COA, WLP, 962f/s velocity, barrel length and pressure not given. The other was 9.5gr behind a 300gr j-word bullet, 950f/s with CCI LP primer. No other data given. I don't think you would do any better with BP but you would get more velocity from a rifle barrel than a Ruger Blackhawk, and that is plenty fast enough for deer where you are.

The 94 will handle pressure of a 10.0gr load, and prolly any spikes to boot. I been shooting +P+ loads in this caliber for many years, 10.0gr of unique for me, is a little scary at times in a blackhawk with a heavy boolit. I guess you could start at 9.4gr and work up to 10.0? There are others here that wouldn't bat an eye at 10.0gr behind that boolit, and if unique was stable and predictable at those charge weights I wouldn't either but it gets weird on the heavy end of things and that is something I shy away from. I want to know exactly what it is gonna do BEFORE I drop the hammer..

I know what you mean! Thanks.

Yeah, we have itty bitty deer over here! Occasionally we'll see one larger than a medium size dog!! Now the alligators...that's a different story!! Now that I think about it, what is a good 45 Colt alligator load?

[DougGuy]

Now that I think about it, what is a good 45 Colt alligator load?

One that don't attract the attention of the game warden! They would throw your ar$e under the jailhouse if they caught you shooting one.

The same 320gr flying oil drum would be my choice for deer, bear, hogs and gators. I use it a little soft for deer and bear, 50/50+2% alloy for BHN12 or so, and hard for hogs, air cooled ww at BHN 15. I would likely choose the harder alloy for gators as well.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/nc-officers-kill-alligator-after-it-eats-80-pound-dog/

[webradbury]

Oh I was just joking...I would never kill anything "just because". I remember the dog getting eaten though... not too far from me at all! A soccer mom in a minivan killed one on the highway in Dare county a few months back. 12 feet long and I think around 700 pounds!

Thanks again for the load advice!

[Irascible]

6grs of Red Dot is supposed to equal a factory 45 Long Colt load at about 850fps from a handgun, probably another 70 to 100 fps more out of a rifle. I'm up to 6.5 in my Blackhawk and it's pretty mild with no overpressure signs.

[TXGunNut]

Ok...how bout bp with this boolit for deer? I've got plenty of that. I know that's an odd choice for this boolit.

Not really, but I really enjoy seating a 255 gr boolit over a case of FFFg. Most 300gr boolits infringe on your case capacity a bit but that's not a bad thing in the 45 Colt. To tell the truth most of my 45 Colt ammo is loaded over BP and fired in Colt and replica SAA's. Been considering shooting some in my Trapper but haven't yet.

[helice]

I was just wondering - What caliber was that minivan?

[dubber123]

The only load I found in my book is 8.5 grains of Unique, LEE 320 crimped in the top groove. 880 fps. from my 4" S&W Mountain Gun. I think the only reason I didn't go higher was problems with boolit pull.

[DougGuy]

This will fix any bit of boolit pull: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?201449-Question-about-type-of-crimp-required&p=2239315&viewfull=1#post2239315

[starmac]

All I use my marlin 45 for is play, but 8 grains of unique behind that lee boolit is purdee fun. lol I don't know how fast it is going, but I wouldn't want to be in front of it, and I doubt it would bounce off of a deer.

[44man]

No, no, no for Unique. 21.5 gr of 296 for the Lee. You don't weigh boolits after lubing anyway. That boolit needs over 1100 fps to stabilize. near 1200 is better.

[44man]

A rifle will be different with more velocity but what twist does your rifle have. Ruger revolvers are 1 in 16" and still need fast enough.