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Thread: 45 Colt... looking for some load help

  1. #21
    Boolit Bub
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    Really good information in this thread, thank you for the responses and feedback. After looking at the hornady manual and ballistics by the inch, for my 4.75” Blackhawk I am probably looking more for a ~900fps load for the 300gr xtp instead of the 1000-1050fps I had originally stated. As others have pointed out, in such a short barrel I will be climbing pretty high into the +p realm with the heavy bullets at that velocity. Probably not necessary.

    Based on the feedback I think I will try to work up two loads.. a 300 xtp @ 900 and a 265-280 WFN @ 950. I should be able to use 2400 powder with a little room to build up or down if needed.

  2. #22
    Boolit Buddy
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    Pretty good read for info on .45 Colt "Ruger Only" loads:

    John Linebaugh

    https://www.johnlinebaughcustomsixguns.com/writings


    FWIW,

    Paul

  3. #23
    Boolit Bub
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    RCBS Rock Chucker and Lee dies on the way!

    Alliant 2400, starline brass, and cci #300s on the way as well!

    Over-payed for all of it if you even have to ask
    Last edited by TexasAg11; 04-03-2021 at 02:54 PM.

  4. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by TexasAg11 View Post
    As others have pointed out, in such a short barrel I will be climbing pretty high into the +p realm with the heavy bullets at that velocity. Probably not necessary.

    Based on the feedback I think I will try to work up two loads.. a 300 xtp @ 900 and a 265-280 WFN @ 950. I should be able to use 2400 powder with a little room to build up or down if needed.
    ^^^^ This! Yes!!!!

    An anecdote.. One year on my birthday I was in a tree stand 21' up which stood at the center of a bunch of trails coming out of an impenetrable thicket like spokes to the hub of a bicycle wheel and there I was, almost dark, with a 4 5/8" Vaquero with the 300gr XTP over 22.5gr W296 when a line of deer came out of the thicket and came straight toward my tree. I leveled the Ruger at the lead deer, aimed for just behind the head, and fired.

    The big deer I thought was a spike buck, fading light caught it's ears and it looked like antlers, this one went down and was kicking with her back feet violently, whole front half laying on the ground, I though okay, I broke her spine but why are the back legs kicking and not the front? Then I saw a smaller deer laying just off the trail, lifeless and not moving. Anyway I hollered a good whoop and my buddy about 75yds over yelled cause he was getting ready to shoot and I scared the deer off, and I told him "Hey! Anybody that kills TWO with ONE shot on their BIRTHDAY, can holler all they want! Now get on over here and help me drag hide!"

    I get down and now the big deer is kicking her front legs, and is jumping nearly chest high off the ground and I am by this point thoroughly confused, so finally got my boot on it's neck and popped another XTP through it's skull. I went over to the small one and it had blood coming out one ear, just a trickle, and I reached just around the back of it's neck, and there was the XTP bullet, just under the skin, peeled back to the cannelure and flattened out on the nose. I still have it. We peeled the hide back on the big doe completely to it's nose, and NEVER found where the first bullet strike was. She never bled, we never found a bruise, a discolored spot under the skin, nothing. No broken neck, no broken spine, I have NO IDEA where the bullet strike was, but something flattened it to the cannelure and soaked up a LOT of energy for it to barely break the skin on the second deer and stop just behind it's neck.
    Got a .22 .30 .32 .357 .38 .40 .41 .44 .45 .480 or .500 S&W cylinder that needs throats honed? 9mm, 10mm/40S&W, 45 ACP pistol barrel that won't "plunk" your handloads? 480 Ruger or 475 Linebaugh cylinder that needs the "step" reamed to 6° 30min chamfer? Click here to send me a PM You can also find me on Facebook Click Here.

  5. #25
    Boolit Master Drm50's Avatar
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    I’ve killed deer with duplication of original 45Colt with cast RNFP 250gr and also scuffed one with 242gr WC with target load. I don’t know why people get into expensive bullets when it’s not necessary. I’ve only killed one pig with handgun, 240 SWC HP/ GC medium load 18.5gr 2400 in 44 mg Ruger SBH. It’s same with 45/70s. I’ve killed several deer with original Trapdoor and Rem RB with cast at 1200fps. I’m sure that would total a pig. Until they cross breed them with Cape Buffalo a cast bullet at 800 will do fine.

  6. #26
    Boolit Bub
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    Ok great info guys... another question for y’all..

    Hornady reload manual states 300gr xtp min load (ruger,T/C only) of 16.5gr of 2400 produced 1050fps out of the contender 10” barrel. Fair enough.

    I found a similar load published here https://reloadammo.com/45-colt-load-data/ and they are a saying the 300gr xtp with only 16gr produced 1150fps with unknown barrel length.

    These two statements seem at odds with one another. Pretty sure I will trust the hornady source more but I am wondering two questions...

    For those that have used 2400 powder, is there a minimum charge that is a no-no (like with h110)? And second question, what initial powder charge should I start with for my 300 xtp? I was thinking of starting with ~15 gr as long as there is no charge minimum for these loads.

    Thanks for the help!
    Mat

  7. #27
    Boolit Bub
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    Looks like Stephen Ricciardelli gives a range of 13.9 to 19gr for 2400 with jacketed 300gr bullets.

  8. #28
    Boolit Buddy
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    Nope, 2400 can be safely loaded down to about 60% load density, but . . . at low pressure it doesn't burn very good and you get lots of unburnt powder coming out the barrel. The medium slows are a better choice, like Herco, HS6, Longshot, Accurate #7.

  9. #29
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    Quote Originally Posted by TexasAg11 View Post
    Ok great info guys... another question for y’all..

    Hornady reload manual states 300gr xtp min load (ruger,T/C only) of 16.5gr of 2400 produced 1050fps out of the contender 10” barrel. Fair enough.

    I found a similar load published here https://reloadammo.com/45-colt-load-data/ and they are a saying the 300gr xtp with only 16gr produced 1150fps with unknown barrel length.

    These two statements seem at odds with one another. Pretty sure I will trust the hornady source more but I am wondering two questions...
    I would suspect one is using a pressure barrel, and the other is using software to simulate actual loads.
    Got a .22 .30 .32 .357 .38 .40 .41 .44 .45 .480 or .500 S&W cylinder that needs throats honed? 9mm, 10mm/40S&W, 45 ACP pistol barrel that won't "plunk" your handloads? 480 Ruger or 475 Linebaugh cylinder that needs the "step" reamed to 6° 30min chamfer? Click here to send me a PM You can also find me on Facebook Click Here.

  10. #30
    Boolit Master
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    I’m back into .45 Colt after a decade hiatus, my goal this time is to not magnumize it. Using up the old ammo from my previous Ruger Redhawk in a new to me 1981 4 5/8” NMBH I’ve come to the conclusion that 2400 is not as blasty as W296/H110 but still obnoxious. With the MP 270SAA clone over 9.4gr of Unique my chronograph says I’m getting 950 fps, accuracy is good and it’s a pleasure to shoot. Using 10 gr of Unique is enough to get it over 1,000 fps but we’re back to slightly unpleasant, possibly due to being supersonic?

    I recently picked up a 2007 era 5.5” NMBH in .45 Colt which is just as accurate after DougGuy did his magic and it’s just easier and more pleasant all around to shoot than shorty. I’m planning on shooting the same loads over the chronograph from the 5.5” to see if less than an inch of barrel changes things much. No hogs to speak of here, just deer and bear. I hope to make venison this Fall with a bullet I cast in a load that’s actually fun to shoot.

  11. #31
    Boolit Buddy
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    You have some excellent info above. I too think that a 250 gr bullet, cast or jacketed, running at 1000 fps, max, will do anything you want to do. Wallacem in Ga

  12. #32
    Boolit Master bigboredad's Avatar
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    If you haven't picked a bullet and load that works for you do a search for Dan Walker load. I read about it about 10 years ago and that load still amazes me. He uses 6.5 grains of red dot with a bullet from 250-300gr. Out of my Blackhawk with a 4.58 inch brl. and a 300gr cast bullet shooting a 2 inch group was easy. I can't remember my velocity but it easily went thru a 16 inch pine log and buried itself in the form. I also really liked 13gr of hs-6 or blue dot and a 300gr bullet. For me the 300gr bullets have always grouped better than a 250-255gr bullet. Anyway that's been my experience out of my 6 Ruger Blackhawks. Good luck and have fun with your testing. The 45 colt is a amazing caliber and my favorite

    Sent from my SM-T377V using Tapatalk

  13. #33
    Boolit Bub
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    Bigboredad, thank you for the advice! I will look up those loads.

  14. #34
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    I've taken three nice mule deer with 18 grs of AA#9 and a 255 grain in my Blackhawk. One shot for each no tracking. Should work on pigs too.

  15. #35
    Boolit Master



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    Quote Originally Posted by black mamba View Post
    The 280 gr SWCs are great for tier 2 loads, as they keep recoil manageable while still giving great power and penetration.

    I use the 9gr Unique or Universal in my 625 Mountain gun with 250 to 270gr SWC bullets. It is a good load..........
    JMHO-YMMV
    dd884
    gary@2texastrucks.com
    Gary D. Peek

  16. #36
    Boolit Buddy kingrj's Avatar
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    "I would like to send a 300 grain xtp or WFN bullet at 1000-1050fps out of my 4.75” Blackhawk. Should hit hard but still be comfortable to shoot."

    Well...for sure a 300 grain .45 SWC at over 1000 fps will hit hard...But comfortable to shoot? My fav load in my 4/58" BHK is a Keith 255 grain hard cast SWC at a chronographed 1050 fps. It has serious muzzle flip and is not as comfortable as something like the same bullet over light charges of W231. A 300 grain bullet at the same velocity will have much more recoil...The law of conservation of momentum cannot be ignored. And as others have related getting a 300 grain bullet to over 1000 fps in a 4 5/8" barrel is only possible at the upper end of the Ruger Only loads...Keep us posted on the results of your experiments please...

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BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
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