Hunting load for Vaquero

[El Oso]

I'm using a 255 rnfp cast out of wheel weights, I'm trying to find a load using
Alliant 2400. I don't need a full blown barn burner just something for whitetail
hunting.

[Wayne Smith]

Ruget uses the same proof loads for the Vaquero as they do for the SBH, so use anything that is published for the SBH.

[Bodydoc447]

New Vaquero or old Vaquero. Many folks think limiting the new Vaquero to 25,000 psi loads (S&W Model 25 level) is prudent. The old Vaquero is loaded as warm as any other New Model Blackhawk. As far as specifics with 2400, I don't use 2400 with my Blackhawk .45s. I usually use WC820 and heavier bullets than the 250 you mentioned. A bunch of the loading manuals have specific sections for the Ruger Blackhawk and TC Contender. Brian Pearce did an article in Handloader a while back with a series of different pressures for different frame strengths.

Doc

[Wayne Smith]

Ruger is using the same proof loads for the new Vaquero as they did for the old one, which is the same as for the BlackHawk.

While I resist pushing any gun, this one is as safe as the previous model.

[Nrut]

Ruger is using the same proof loads for the new Vaquero as they did for the old one, which is the same as for the BlackHawk.

While I resist pushing any gun, this one is as safe as the previous model.
We are talking .45 Colt here aren't we?
You are 100% sure about that Wayne???...Reason I ask there sure was alot of Lee-menting,handringing, and just plain whinning over at leverguns.com when these New Vaquero's came out cause everyone thought smaller = weaker...and sure enough Jim Taylor shortly there after posted a report of "I heard from a friend story" that one of these New Vaquero's blew up because of a overload...giving the impression that it wasn't as strong as the old Vaquero's.....My thought's were maybe that same load would have blown up a old Vaquero also and why in the hell would Ruger be so stupid as to make said NV and drop OV when they knew damed well just about all reloading manual's printed "RUGER,CONTENDER ONLY LOADS"???...yours is the first post anywhere I have seen that perhaps the NV will handle OV loads...thanks for shedding new light (at least for me) on this issue........cheers mic

[Char-Gar]

The fact that Ruger uses the same proof load does not indicate the two pistols are of equal strength. Ruger does not recommend either revolver with the use of handloads, much less the super duper stuff many folks load.

It could be dangerous to infer the revolvers are of equal strength because they use the same proof loads.

That aside...I don't use 2400 in the 45 Colt round, but 20/H4227 will give a hair over 1K fps with that bullets and be safe in any 45 Colt made for smokeless loads. This load is plenty of muscle for deer. It will sail through any deer and any more horsepower is just guilding the lily.

[Blackwater]

I haven't shot any deer with the .45 LC myself, my lone handgunned deer being with a .30 Herrett, but a good friend grew up with his grandpa on one of the little blackwater rivers in this area. Grandpa made a living hunting, fishing and trapping, and doing farmwork seasonally. My buddy shot many truckloads of deer, hogs and whatnot with the .45 LC and the plain 250 gr factory lead bullets with the small meplat. None ever complained, and he didn't have to do much tracking, either. He just knew how to shoot and where to place the bullet, and that big slug just did what it's always done, which is to just plain be rather effective.

I'd load for accuracy. The last two he shot were with a 250 gr. RNFP and 6.7 gr. Red Dot and a CCI primer. Very accurate in his pistol. I asked him how they'd reacted at the shot, and he said, "They went straight down." I said, "Really?" He said, "Well, yeah, but they tend to do that when you shoot them in the head." Good lesson there! Just wish I could see the darn sights on my pistol like HE can! I used to run him a good race on targets, but my vision's going south, so I try to cheat any way I can when we shoot together now, like distracting him. Only makes him bear down more, though.

I think if it were me, I'd just go with the warmest accurate load I could find for the gun and then forget about the gun & load, and just start thinking placement. I think you'll get your deer with no problem.

[Wayne Smith]

I'm not intending to infer equal strength, just that you can safely use published loads for the SBH in the new Vaquero. If I remember right, that was the original question.

And yes, using the same proof loads does answer this question.