Suggest a load for .45 Colt please

[cpaspr]

I have a NM Redhawk convertible .45 Colt / .45 ACP revolver. 5.5" barrel. The throats on both cylinders have been fixed (thank you again, DougGuy).

In the .45 Colt, I've been running 17gr of 2400 under a 262gr Lyman 454424 SWC, but I've developed a nasty flinch with it, so it seem a bit too hot for me. The flinch seems to be unique with this gun, as I don't flinch on even my hot .357s out of my LCR (and they are on the border of "OMG what was in that thing! hurtin hot").

It's a wee bit stouter than I care for, so I'm looking for a bit milder load.

I've read Linebaugh's article on the .45 Colt (http://www.customsixguns.com/writings/dissolving_the_myth.htm), but many of his loads seem to be rather stout. He mentions his 5'1" 100# wife using basically this same bullet at 900 fps to kill antelope and mule deer, but doesn't mention at that point in the article the specific load she used. However, at the end of the article he lists his personal favorite loads that he's settled on, and the first one, 8gr of WW231 under a 260gr cast bullet is probably the one she used.

I've never used WW231, but if that load kicks less than the 17gr of 2400, I'd be happy to consider it. I've seen some references to people using Unique as well.

What are some of your favorite loads for 750-900 fps with a 255-260gr cast boolit for a .45 Colt?

[Char-Gar]

My first question is always, why do you need a load this stout? If you are not getting ready to kill something quite large, there is no purpose to do so.

For generations the factory load in the 45 Colt as 6.2 grains of Bulleye, maybe 6.5 in some loads. There are plenty stout for anything up to and including large deer. I load 6.2 in my old 1921 Colt New Service and 6.5 in my newer single action Rugers.

[Outpost75]

My first question is always, why do you need a load this stout? If you are not getting ready to kill something quite large, there is no purpose to do so.

For generations the factory load in the 45 Colt as 6.2 grains of Bulleye, maybe 6.5 in some loads. There are plenty stout for anything up to and including large deer. I load 6.2 in my old 1921 Colt New Service and 6.5 in my newer single action Rugers.

+1 on what CharGar said.

With current production Alliant Bullseye 6.5 grains with a Saeco #955 is a good approximation of the factory load, 880 fps from a 4-5/8" barrel with 0.005" cylinder gap.

This charge should not be exceeded in older guns such as the Colt New Service, and Char-Gars 6.2 is more prudent in older smokeless Colts if you want them to last.

For lighter recoil for cowboy action shooting you can drop down to 5 grains of Bullseye and obtain about 700 fps with a 255-260-grain bullet. I do not recommend reducing further in .45 Colt brass.

If lighter recoil is important to you, a charge of 4.5 grains of Bullseye with the 230-grain Saeco #954 bullet gives 730 fps in .45 Schofield brass.

In .45 Colt brass you can safely go as far as 7.2 grains of Bullseye with a 255-260-grain bullet in your Ruger, which gives 1000 fps from a 4-5/8" barrel, but there is no really good reason to do so.

Something about 1000 rounds for a pound of powder has a nice "ring" to it!

[sghart3578]

I use 7 gr of Bullseye under a Lee 452-255-RF in my 7/1/2" Vaquero and the same load in my 24" Rossi.

I have never chronoe'd them but from the way they ring and swing the steel I have to believe they will take out anything I may run across. The recoil issue is neglible with these loads, my Vaquero is one of the older large frames.

I also load 6 gr of Bullseye for a fun plinker.

[DougGuy]

8.0gr Unique is a nice mellow load. 8.5gr Herco is nice too.

If you want to load that same boolit in ACP brass, or use some of that Cowboy brass, you can use .45 ACP load data with it. I put up some 453423 in .45 ACP seated 1.200" over 6.0gr Unique, haven't shot it yet but I think it quite tame.

[cpaspr]

Thank you all for your quick responses.

Char-Gar - I don't need one that stout. That is where I started, based on the research I did, and it's stouter than I realized it would be. I don't remember now how I found it, whether I was just looking for 2400 loads for the .45 Colt, or .45 Colt loads in general. I suspect I may have been focusing on just the one powder, since I had a bunch of it.

I have a couple of pounds of Unique, and maybe half a pound of Bullseye. I'll need to keep my eye out for more Bullseye, but in the meantime I should be able to load up enough using each to see what my gun likes.

And yes, getting more loads to the pound of powder is a very nice thing.

[Outpost75]

DougGuy gave you good info on the 8 grains of Unique, that also approximates standard pressure factory stuff. Six grains in Schofield brass is like 5 of Bullseye. Would not go below 6 Unique in .45 Colt brass, but 5 is fine for a light load in Schofield brass or Cowboy Special.

Six grains of Unique in the 0.89" length Cowboy Special brass is a full charge load, approximating .45 ACP, hotter than factory Auto Rimmed.

[M-Tecs]

8.0gr Unique is a nice mellow load.

That has been my got to fun load since 1971

[Seeker]

7 grns. of Bullseye behind a 200grn SWC or a. 255 grn RF is one of my favorites.

[RayinNH]

Another fine loads is 6-6.2 grains of Red Dot with a 250 ish grain boolit.

[runfiverun]

I use 8,5 grs of unique in my convertible with a 250.
and 6 under a 230 in the acp cases.
they shoot fairly close to each other.

[Jupiter7]

Another vote for the 6.5grs BE and the 454424. Just so happens to be most accurate in my NM 4 5/8".

[375supermag]

Hi...

I have used 8 gr of Unique with a 255gr LSWC bullet for a few decades with excellent results in a couple of full-size Vaqueros, a BlackHawk and a S&W 25.

I have also shot it in my SBH in .45Colt and while accurate, I think I can move to a more powerful load in that revolver. I intend to do more testing as time goes on as other projects get finished...so much to do, so little time.

[Potsy]

I've ran 5.0 grn of H-Clays under a Miha H&G 68 for about 700-750fps. Plenty accurate and my 9 year old (at the time) nephew shot them out of my Bisley, no problem.
The only problem (for me) is they'll hit WAY below your normal sight setting for 454424's at 900fps or more.

[osteodoc08]

231 is a nice low mid range powder and you should find that load very manageable. I love using TrailBoss under a NOE 454255 as a nice plinker load in my Marlin CB. There is no need to go full throttle everywhere you go. I shoot many times more mellow loadings than all out full throttle loads......But when I do I use 296.

[oldblinddog]

That has been my got to fun load since 1971

I have loaded 9.0 gr Unique under a RCBS 45-255-SWC in a S&W 25-5 6" for years with outstanding results. That is about max for that gun but should be mild to medium in your Redhawk.

[MT Gianni]

The Dan Walker load of 6.5 Red Dot does great work in the blackhawk.

[rintinglen]

Char-gar's load of 6.2 grains of Bullseye is as time tested as you'll find, as is the use of 8.0 to 8.5 grains of Unique. Both have been endorsed by shooters going back before I was born-pre-1953. I have had good results with 6.5 grain of WW-231 and 6.0 grains of Red Dot. One of my shooting buddies swears by HS-6, and he shoots a lot more 45 Colt than I do.

If you have your heart set on 2400, try 15.0-15.5 grains of 2400.

You'll find a list of loads as long as your arm ranging from mild to wild, so I am sure you can find something to please.

[TXGunNut]

Shot one of my Colt clones today after a Wolff spring swap. Loaded up a few rounds for the occasion, it was my go-to fun load for the 45 Colt; 2.5 cc (about 37grs) of KIK FFFg under a 255gr boolit.

[bangerjim]

Why not buy the books and follow the published load data???????????

I have 5 books and there loads galore for all things 45 ca!!!!

Spend a little......shoot a lot.

bangerjim

[cpaspr]

I use 8,5 grs of unique in my convertible with a 250.
and 6 under a 230 in the acp cases.
they shoot fairly close to each other.

RFR - Is that ACP load just for rounds shot through the Blackhawk, or do you also shoot that through 1911s? I ask because Alliant lists 5.8gr as a max load for a 230gr lead boolit.

[awaveritt]

I was looking at the older Lyman books the other night and noticed data for Green Dot, in both 45acp and 45 Colt. Anyone tried this? I bought a lb from LGS a few years back during the shortage when it was all I could find. Any Green Dot fans?

[bangerjim]

I have use GD in everything pistol. Works great. The older books have a lot of SG powders they do not list today. Lawyers?

banger

[Uncle R.]

I haven't tried Green Dot in pistols, but there was a time maybe 20 years ago (Or was it 30 years? Time sure flies.) when Red Dot was being talked up for use as a fast burning pistol powder. It was said to be more or less suitable for applications where you'd use Bullseye, and there was data in Lyman handbooks, maybe others as well.

I tried it a few times in .45 auto and perhaps a few other pistol calibers. I didn't experience any problems with it, but I didn't find it any better than Bullseye either.

That was about the time I started using 231 for my standard pistol loads and I never looked back. I found 231 to be accurate, predictable, versatile, smooth in a powder measure and reasonably clean burning. I still think so and I use 231 in probably 90% or more of my "standard" pistol loading.

Uncle R.

[avogunner]

I'm in the 8.0gr Unique camp too. I've shot the hot 2400 loads and have used Bullseye and Red Dot but the Unique has been my gold standard for years. I like either the Lee 452-255-RF or the Lyman 454190...both have shot great in all the pistols I've had.
Semper Fi.

[RogerDat]

I find these discussions useful if for no other reason many manuals will give a range of load weights. Members are reporting where in that range of loads they find the best results, and why. There is also the potential (pretty high potential actually) of someone mentioning a powder I don't use or have not considered for that purpose. Also while subjective there is the personal feed back on how it felt or how it worked well in one model but not another. All good stuff.

I'm doing 45 colt with Unique at 7.9 - 8 gr. in a Vaquero About to try some slightly higher at 8.5 gr. Under Lee 255 RF.

[Ken in Iowa]

I find these discussions useful if for no other reason many manuals will give a range of load weights. Members are reporting where in that range of loads they find the best results, and why. There is also the potential (pretty high potential actually) of someone mentioning a powder I don't use or have not considered for that purpose. Also while subjective there is the personal feed back on how it felt or how it worked well in one model but not another. All good stuff.
.

Agreed!

[Good Cheer]

Not long after WW296 became popular my big brother developed a load using Lyman's 454190 for use in his short barreled Ruger single action. Hugely powerful and ridiculously accurate.
But hey, he has always been ridiculously accurate. :drinks:

[RKJ]

I've been playing with 8.5 - 9.0 grains Unique in a 25-13 Mountain Gun I got awhile ago, they're stout enough to know you're shooting a big bore but not enough to hurt. They are super accurate in this gun and don't seem to be hurting it.

[gc45]

Have 2 Ruger's and one Smith 625 all in 45 Colt; all three love 231, red dot and Bullseye, can't go wrong with any of them...Like someone said, get the loading books and learn all the different loads out there, fun!

gc45

[Kosh75287]

I've loaded and shot lots of 8.0/Unique/250 RNFP, probably on the order of 2000 rounds or more, and both my .45 Colt guns shoot more accurately with this load than with any other. 9.0/Herco/250 RNFP does very much the same thing, though a little faster in barrels over 6". Use the same charges under a 200 gr. RNFP, for a very soft-shooting but still not wimpy load.

[smokeywolf]

8.2 grains of Unique in a 45 LC casing under an Ideal 454190 boolit shot out of an early 1920s Colt SAA Artillery model. If it's in the cross draw holster while I'm in the woods, it has 9.0 grains of Unique under those same boolits.

[El Bango]

Used 8.5 gr Unique behind a 255gr Keith SWC since 1976. Accurate hard hitting inexpensive.Whats not to love?

[flyingmonkey35]

Lee 230grn rn boolit

Indoor range 6 grns tight group
Outdoors 35 grains FFF black powder.

[johnson1942]

down on the wheel gun spot we have been talking about reloader 7 in cartridges like the long colt. with compression it works quite well.

[Wolfer]

If I'm not mistaken 8 gr of unique and a 250ish boolit has been a 45 colt standard since around 1898.

When I got my new vaquero this is the load I started with. I soon realized why it was a standard load. I filed my sights to this load which was running around 950 fps.

The gun had a pretty bad thread choke and after I lapped it out I had to go to 8.8 gr to get it to shoot to the sights.

I have taken several deer and coyotes with it and see no reason for more power. The country where I hunt is very thick with 30 yd shots being on the long side.

[USSR]

If I'm not mistaken 8 gr of unique and a 250ish boolit has been a 45 colt standard since around 1898.

Actually, Unique was a marketed as a shotgun powder called Infallible until 1937 when the name was changed to Unique.

Don

[doc1876]

I am having really good luck with IMR4227. I use 13-20g depending on what I am loading for. It shoots clean and accurate with no flinch.

[lotech]

I used the popular 8.5 grs. Unique load for the #454424 for years but recently tried HS-6 for about the same velocity. This is not a favorite powder, but accuracy is better than Unique in two S&Ws.

[Gaseous Maximus]

I use 11.5 gr. Blue Dot under a 255 gr. Lyman C.B. It runs 915 fps out of a 5 1/2" Uberti, and is pretty accurate.

[Hickok]

8.0gr Unique is a nice mellow load.

I'm with Doug on the above. A good 250-255 cast boolit on top of 8 gr of Unigue. I chronographed some Winchester and Remington Factory 45 Colt 255 gr loads (not the neutered cowboy loads) and this load of Unigue duplicates the velocity 850-890 fps in my NM Vaqueros, one a 4 5/8" and the other a 7 1/2" barrel. Give or take a few fps, this is the same as the old standard black powder load that made the 45 Colt famous. You can go up to 9 gr./Unigue if you wish easily.

It is also a very deadly load, as it will completely shoot through a deer at any range you may be able to hit one. I say this from experience, not just blowing wind!

[161]

Just read through this thread I shoot Red Dot. But looks like to me 8 gr. of Unique is the thing for you to try since you have some.