Round Ball Loads for the 45 Colt

[BobS]

Hello the Group:
Love my 45 Colts and carry on a regular basis a Ruger BlackHawk 45 Colt.
Want to have some decent round ball loads and loading suggestions such as how to crimp the ball and use of wars and etc.
Thank to all for any and all help and suggestions.
BobS:lovebooli:lovebooli:lovebooli:wink:

[NickSS]

I load round ball loads in both 45 colt and 45 schofield cases. I use black powder for most using 28 gr plus corn meal filler to allow for some compression when I seat the ball. I use .454 dia balls and lube them in LLA before seating, I also use a lubed under ball wad of felt when loading black powder. I also load 5 gr of WST or Red Dot into the case and seat the ball on top. I size and bell the brass per usual and the ball sits on top when I run it into the seating die. The die is adjusted to grip about the middle of the ball. I have determined that the two loads are interchangeable in my 1858 Piatta Remington replica in my R&D conversion cylinder.

[BobS]

NickSS:
Thanks for the info. I will sure give it a try this weekend. I do like the two loads using BP and Red Dot. I have plenty of Red Dot so I feel that may become my plinking carry round. I will have to experiment with the crimping. I was especially grateful for your info concerning the use of wads. I do like wads over my PB. I have shot BP for close tp 50 years but have never loaded it into cartridged before. I bought an old Ruger Blackhawk that had been kept in a tackel box and had rusted but only on the outside so this has become my everyday pardner. Like those Rugers. I do have 3 OA's in SS.
Thank you again.
BobS

[fortrenokid]

Howdy Pard
Notice this is an old thread but thot I'd add a few cents more to it. I find round ball loads to be very economical and effective in 45LC (and also 44mag/44special). Use 'em mainly for light, plinking loads but heavier loads work fine too. A very light load is the Lee 3cc dipper with Unique or , for a bit more umph, Bullseye. Titegroup adds even a bit more power. This load has a mild report and near-nonexistent recoil. Try these loads carefully in your pistol I've never had a ball stick in my long-barrel pistols with this load, but try it in your pistol before loading a mess of 'em. Definitely don't try this load in a 45LC rifle; you're begging for a stuck round. More power? Go to the Lee 5cc dipper or, for even more, the 7cc dipper. I gently bell the cases, seat a .451 ball (.454 or .457 balls work fine too), and run it thru my crimper die. I find a good crimp helps in getting good ignition for light loads. While 5.5gr of Tightgroup and a Lee 255 WFN is my standard Cowboy Action Shooting load, I have begun using the round ball/5cc of Unique for close-in shooting at clangers. A very, mild gentle load; easy on the hand and easy on the pistol barrel.
I use Lee round-ball moulds for 45 and 44. For the light loads I use non-water-quenched wheelweights or range lead. I've thot at times of casting some round balls from lino or water-quenched wheelweights and some heavy charges of powder but that'll be an experiment for another day.
On a totally different vein, a .457 round ball and 7gr Unique in my Trapdoor 45-70 (H&R Officers Model) is an absolute delight. The report and recoil of a 22LR and great for practice and plinking. Suspect it would also be a dynamite round for rabbits and small varmints.

[Uncle Chan]

Tried this using .457 round ball over .5 cc of unique with a heavy crimp. No recoil. But dirty? My gosh is it dirty. Won't try that again with unique.

[flyingmonkey35]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160228/71ee31c0cc3bf4e4fb8243b496032290.jpg

Shot these over 3 grains of unique.

I prefer wax bullets. And snake shot loads.

[Uncle Chan]

I enjoy making snakeshot shells. 150gr #8 over 5gr Unique.

[DanWalker]

I use a 454 rb that has been tumble lubed in JPW and allowed to dry. I use 6.5 grains of red dot and screw the bullet seating stem on my LEE die all the way in. They work great for grouse and bunnies. They hit about 3 inches lower than standard velocity ammo does.

[acsteve]

thanks for this info