45 Colt Pistol Collar Button Load?

[rikkit]

Recently acquired this group buy mould and could only find minimal info in loading books for a sub-200 gr. load for this cal. Has anybody worked up any successful loads for this combination?
Any info would be greatly appreciated.

[45 2.1]

Here ya go:

45 Colt Round Ball/Collar Button Load

Size 45 Colt case normally and prime with large pistol primer. Expand so that a .457” bullet will go into neck about the width of a normal wood pencil lead thickness. Put in 3.9 grains (Little Dandy rotor #5) of WW 231. Measure distance from case mouth to powder. Subtract from that distance 1/8”and the thickness of a foam 45 caliber wad cut from an egg carton. This gives you the distance from the case mouth to the top of the foam wad. Seat that foam wad over the powder to that distance. DO NOT PUT THE WAD ON THE POWDER FOR ANY REASON!!!!!!! The powder needs to make a slope between it and the wad and that distance is 1/8” minimum. VERY IMPORTANT!!!!!! This allows the powder to burn consistently and provide the accuracy wanted. The wad distance is from Charlie Dell’s book and it has worked fine for me for over 800 RB/CB loads. Now that you have it charged, seat a .457” RB to a little over ½ depth or the CB to the top of the top band and crimp. The crimp will bulge slightly and look funny, but should cause no chambering problems. Don’t try a smaller ball because it won’t shoot to sights. This arrangement shoots to my hunting sight zero to at least 75 yards and has killed many squirrels for me. I’m shooting a Browning Low Wall Traditional Hunter with this, though any barrel about 18 ½ to 20” should work. My hunting load is the RCBS 45-270-SAA cast of wheel weights and run thru a .454” die to lube it with soft lube, all over 9.0 grains of Unique.

[Baron von Trollwhack]

Dick Dastardly has the 155 grain EPP-UG bullet for the 45 Colt. It was designed for BP but smokeless works too. It is the equivalent of the round ball.

Perhaps someone can check the Phillip Sharpe handloading book. It has the round ball smokeless load. My book is in storage and I hesitate to name the load.

Bvt

[fortrenokid]

I haven't shot the collar button load but have used many a .451 round ball. The round ball isn't a great deal lighter than the collar button. A mild load would be 4 or 5 grains of Unique or Bullseye (or similar pistol powders). That is inexpensive in terms of casting lead and powder and is a joy to shoot. Very mild recoil and report and is excellent for transitioning new or young shooters from a 22rf to a centerfire. Want a heavier load? Go up to 7 grains of Unique or Bullseye ( or similar equivalents).