I am a bit confused. The Alliant Powder page shows 9.5 grains of Unique as the max charge for both the 200 gr SWC and the 250 gr SWC. Is there an error, here?
Are these max charges considered "standard pressure" for .45 Colt?
Thank you
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I am a bit confused. The Alliant Powder page shows 9.5 grains of Unique as the max charge for both the 200 gr SWC and the 250 gr SWC. Is there an error, here?
Are these max charges considered "standard pressure" for .45 Colt?
Thank you
Last edited by Southern Shooter; 01-07-2017 at 05:01 PM.
No because Unique can become spiky and unpredictable at 10.0gr and above in this caliber. I have not had any issues with Unique but I personally will not load 10.0gr of it behind *any* boolit in 45 Colt.
9.5gr is about max for Colt and Colt clones under a 255gr boolit.
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So, 9.5 gr of Unique under a 250 gr cast boolit is at or below the 14,000 psi mark?
250/255 gr. boolit I use 8.0-8.5 gr. Unique in my Italian Colt clones, and notice the difference between the two. Personally, I never go above 8.5 gr., and would think when you're up in the 9-10 gr. range they are best used in Ruger Blackhawks. Too warm for my taste.
Here is what Lyman #4 has to say on 45 Colt, maximum Unique , standard pressure loads:
Lee 452-200-RF , 200 gr. - 9.4 grains Unique
Lyman 452460 , 200 gr. SWC - 9.6 grains Unique
Lyman # 454190 , 250 gr. SWC - 9.0 grains Unique
Lyman # 452664 , 250 gr. RF - 8.2 grains Unique
Now we are all confused! I would go with Lyman data , it seems to be more complete and tested for a particular boolit design .
Gary
The new ,cleaner burning Unique, seems a little faster burning than the old. I would use the latest data.
The 3 people a man must be able to trust completely are his gunsmith his doctor & his preacher ..,his gunsmith for his short term health ,his doctor for long term health ,and his preacher incase one of the others mess up.
I have Lyman showing a Ruger & TC Only load for the #454190 250gr with 11.5 gr as MAX load with a velocity of 1185 out of 10" TC.
That data is from 2000 ish. Much higher then you see today. I have shot thousands of 250 gr lead .45 Colt with 10 gr Unique in Ruger Blackhawks and Winchester 94 and 92's. Never had a problem.
Who knows, maybe the formula has changed or the lawyers have changed.
Last edited by Greebe; 01-07-2017 at 08:00 PM.
to get it cleaner burning you have to add something, my guess is nitro glycerin.
2% nitro will make a powder burn cleaner but also a bit quicker it would also get a bit spikier at the top end.
9.5 grs is a pretty stout load, I wouldn't want to touch one off in my USFA's.
[not too bad in the lever gun]
8.5 not so bad, but I wouldn't appreciate a steady diet of them either, except in my ruger new model Blackhawk.
once I get much over 9-9.5grs of unique it's time to move along to 2400 or something similar.
I got stuck cases at 10 gr of Unique in my USFA. Backed it down to a lowly 8.5 grains.
8.5 gr of Unique and a 250 gr boolit is no slouch, huh?
My favorite and most accurate load out of my Blackhawk and Henry Steel is 10.5 grs. of Unique behind a 250 gr. Xtp. I don't have a favorite one with lead boolits yet...they all shoot good.
No, it is not! I eventually changed to loading with black powder. I like the boom.Originally Posted by Southern Shooter
it's not as wimpy as you'd think, it's a bit over black powder velocity's.
it's good to see you posting again Dick.
It'll poke holes in things.
It's good to be back. A lot of new faces, and it's good to see a lot of the old members still around.
I avoided any confusion by staying with 6.5 Gr. of Red Dot with a 255 Gr. 50/50 alloy boolet to about equal the old original load velocity of +/- 900 FPS. That is a pleasant load to shoot either at paper or critters. I`ve taken a whitetail at 25 yds with this load so I know it`ll work.Robert
I think the confusion is between pistol/older rifle data and the TC/newer rifles.
My Henry BBS handles 10 grains of Unique and a 255 superbly.
I missed you LL.
762
Hope for the best, plan for the worst.
My amendment can beat up your amendment.
Yes it works fine but I found the .45 only needs 7 gr for fun. Accurate for cans at 50 yards.
I found no advantage to increase except for hunting. But working for velocity with Unique is folly anyway. Better powders for that. Yet 10 gr is still all you need. It takes modern steels and the Colt factory loads are made for the weakest of the weak too. Like the 45-70, guns have limits. Even modern replicas might be only as strong as the first Colts.
They do not use Carpenter steel.
9.3 has always been a sweet spot for 255s in my 45s. Seems to do best in most of them. If I want more power then that I will usually go to 2400.
Dick! Long time no see! How have you been?
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 1:7
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