Point of aim load

[Trifocals]

I recently purchased a 5 1/2" USFA .45 Colt revolver. Up to this point I have only shot it at 25yds with Win. Super X 250gr RNFP lead factory ammo. It shot amazingly small groups, but 3" above point of aim. Can anyone who shoots an identical revolver suggest a lead bullet handload(s) that shoots to point of aim?

[bobthenailer]

for cowboy action shooting the min velocity is 500 fps and you can use under 200 gr bullets and you rairley shoot 25 yards more like 25 to 50 feet, try different loads and a closer range and see where they hit. or if the front sight is replaceable get a higher front sight

[geargnasher]

If it shoots 3" high at 25 yards with a factory 250 grainer, try a lighter boolit, say, 200 grains or so with Unique or Univeral Clays. Quick way to find out is buy a box of factory 200gr. Cowboy-oriented cartridges (BHA makes some, among others) and try it. That should bring your point of impact down 3-5" at 25 depending on velocity. You could also handload ~255s (any boolit style) with a faster powder like Titegroup (burns very consistently in the big .45 Colt cases) to bring poi down. I've had to go both directions to keep from filing sights on several fixed-sight .45 Colt revolvers using standard pressure loadings.

Gear

[Trifocals]

Sorry, I'm not looking for light CAS loads or plinking loads...at least not at this time. What I am looking for is a good deer hunting load that is within safe pressure limits and that will shoot to point of aim. Hopefully someone with a USFA revolver identical to mine can be of some help.

[Piedmont]

I don't have a revolver like that but you were given good advice on the lighter bullet. Try something in the 220-235 grain range. They will print lower.

[Four Fingers of Death]

The lighter boolit advice is good, but if you want to stick with the heavy boolits for hunting, I'd work out a load that I liked, keep some targets and get in touch with USAF or a competent gunsmith, give them a box of reloads with the gun if possible. I am about to pick up my pair of 44 Special USAFs. Am I excited? No! I'm way past excited :D :D :D :D

Goos luck and let us know how it goes.

[Groo]

Groo here
3 IN high at 25 is not bad at all-- shoot it at 50 and 75 and see what you get..
Given the size of a deer k-zone you may find this to be better than you thought.
many old time shooters would set the deer on top of the front sight
and adj to hit high so they always could see the game.

[crgaston]

Faster bullets hit lower, too. Likely you'll want a hunting load that's a bit faster than a cowboy load, so pick a good 250gr. bullet and start loading for it.

[smith52]

I agree with everyone else, for POA drop your bullet weight, try a 200gr or 225gr bullet.

[DanWalker]

Try 6.5 grains of Red Dot under a 250 grain swc of your choice.

[geargnasher]

Sorry, I'm not looking for light CAS loads or plinking loads...at least not at this time. What I am looking for is a good deer hunting load that is within safe pressure limits and that will shoot to point of aim. Hopefully someone with a USFA revolver identical to mine can be of some help.

Never said anything about lighter loads, just lighter boolits or faster powders to fix your poi issue. I don't have a usfa gun either, but I do have some pertinent experience with similar guns in .45 Colt, and it isn't like the usfa is an entirely different species. Most factory "cowboy" loads are plenty hot enough (near max pressure for the SAA-style guns) and even with 200 grainers are plenty for Bambi. I was also suggesting staying with those pressure levels for handloads as well. Try a working up to a middle-of-the-recommended-charge-range Titegroup load with a 255 grain boolit, you'll get 750-875 fps out of it and more energy than a 150-grain .30-30 wcf. Or try a 230 truncated-cone like for a .45 acp with the equivalent published middle-range charge of Titegroup. Or try working up to a near-max HS6 load with a 200 grainer. If THAT won't fix your poi and smack deer to the ground I don't know what will.

+1 what was mentioned about shooting at longer ranges to see what's really happening.

Now if you get a strong model of Ruger, well that's a whole 'nuther ball o' wax!

Gear

[NickSS]

I agree with every ones opinion on adjusting to point of aim. However, for a hunting handgun you want to find out what it does with your developed load at 25, 50, 75 and maybe even 100 yards. once you know then you can work on the sights. As for me I would use a slug that is heavy and flat nosed for deer hunting. I like the old keith style SWC over 9 gr of Unique. As far as 3 inches high at 25 yards goes that is right in the ball park for giving you decent range. My Ruger Vaquero with that load shoots three inches high at 25 yards and right on at 50 and about 3inches low at 75. This is all beaten path for hunting something like a deer, Just hold in the middle of the chest and squeeze it off the deer will be hit in the hart lung area anywhere out to 75 yards and not to worry about Kentucky windage