Help with hunting velocity loads.

[Hogstir]

I am new to loading using cast boolits. I am attempting to work up a good hunting load for my 7.5 inch Balckhawk in 45 Colt.
I will be using 255gr Keith coated boolits by Missouri bullets.
I have the Lyman Cast bullet loading manual but it does not list "Ruger only" loads and the loads listed in the 45 Colt rifle section of the manual are exactly the same as the loads listed in the 45 Colt handgun section namely fairly low velocity loads.
My Hornady manual does not list any loads using cast bullets in the "Ruger and T/C only" section.
Any ideas for a good load using this bullet for hunting Hogs and deer?

[tsubaki]

I'm doing 18.0gr of 2400 with CCI350 primers in 45colt brass with powder coated Lee 452-255-RF (262gr actual weight) and Hornady #45200 250gr HPXTP.
From my SBH 454 (6 1/2" barrel) the Lee boolits are averaging 1130fps and the XTP's 1100fps.

These averages are obviously above the replica standards but below the Ruger only or +P velocities.

What powders you have intended for this use?

[Dale53]

Hogstir;
Send me a PM with your email address and I will send you Brian Pearce's Handloader article on hunting loads for the large frame Ruger by attachment.

Here is a link that will answer most of your questions:

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

Dale53

[Hogstir]

I'm doing 18.0gr of 2400 with CCI350 primers in 45colt brass with powder coated Lee 452-255-RF (262gr actual weight) and Hornady #45200 250gr HPXTP.
From my SBH 454 (6 1/2" barrel) the Lee boolits are averaging 1130fps and the XTP's 1100fps.

These averages are obviously above the replica standards but below the Ruger only or +P velocities.

What powders you have intended for this use?

I have both Unique and H110.

[Hogstir]

Hogstir;
Send me a PM with your email address and I will send you Brian Pearce's Handloader article on hunting loads for the large frame Ruger by attachment.

Here is a link that will answer most of your questions:

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

Dale53

Thanks Dale,
I PM'd my email address.

[tsubaki]

The link Dale posted pretty much covered Unique and H110 in the 260gr cast section.
That is one of the places I looked before arriving at the load I'm using.

Lyman has a load listed with their #452424 255gr (The Elmer Keith Bullet) and Unique of 8.5gr (845fps) up to 10.2gr (1081fps). The test firearm was a 10" Contender. Heading read "For Ruger & T/C Only".

[44MAG#1]

From verbal comunucation with John Linebaugh using a landline communication device. His personal load of 24 gr H110 and the 260 Keith and also the 270 RCBS bullet and its clone from Mihec and WLP primers.
This load will do what the vast majority of us will ever do with a 45 Colt.
In fact, I am getting ready to load some for my S&W 45 Colt MG shortly.

[needausername]

Be careful with the "classic" loads. The powders have been reformulated over the years. I load 45 colt for 5.5", 16" and 20" barrels and the best thing I ever did was buy a chronograph, even though it is sadly deceased now. I load the Magma Engineering 45-250gr (I buy Missouri Bullet #1's and many commercial buys are using this mold) and compared it to wheel weight cast Lee 452-255. Loaded Unique from 6.5gr to 10gr in .5gr increments and 2400 from 13gr to 19gr in the same .5gr incriments. 5 rounds in each were shot at various target ranges from 30' to 100'.

Turns out that 8gr Unique averaged 925 out of the 5.5" and 15.5gr of 2400 was about the same. The Lee averaged about 20fps slower with equivalent charges. 2400 outperformed Unique in terms of accuracy in every instance I tried. By that, I mean that 2400 would cut clovers and Unique would be palm sized groups at 30'. Didn't want that to be the case due to the cost but results are what they are. I now save Unique for 38Sp. and 200gr and under 45 Colt loads.

I don't know what you require of a hunting bullet or at what ranges you intend to use this round, but 15.5gr of 2400 under a 250 to 260 grainer is leaving a 20" barrel at over 1200fps and leaving a 5.5" barrel at around 925. I don't know of any critter that would escape it.

Please be careful with the 18-20gr suggestions. My eyes were really opened with a cheap chronograph on sale for less than my press cost.

[runfiverun]

18-20 grs is below the old standard of 21+ that's getting into H-110 territory.
how things are working is that the higher powder amount is getting the velocity through gas volume not pressure.
if you re-shot the tests and used 800-x or steel you might find something quite different.

[bigdog454]

10 gr blue dot and a 255 gr flat nose lead cast @ 2 lyman lead = thru ande thru deer at up to 50 yard from a 7 1/2 in ruger with a lot of internal damage to lungs etc.
about 1000 fps. more then enough.

BD