Win 231/HP-38 and Colt .45

[remshooter]

because of way things are ,cant get my usual Unique but have lots of Win 231/HP-38 any down sides to using it in the .45 Colt pushing a 255 grain cast boolits at 850 fps?

[LeonardC]

I have an 8 # keg of 231 that I stashed away many years ago. It seems like a good time to start using it up and replacing with fresher powder. I mostly used it in the past for .45 auto and 9mm loads.

I was looking for some very lite .44 mag. loads for the Wife's gun and came across a VERY lite load for 231 and 240 LSWC from Win. It shoots very well. We have since upped the powder and speed a bit, but it's still a very nice load. I might look at expanding the use of 231 in the .45 LC.

Please let us know how it works out for you.

[Tar Heel]

If there is published load data for it, use it.

[GBertolet]

I use 231 in my 45 Colt, Marlin 1894 rifle.barrel. Works great for me in the rifle for plinking, with the Lyman 255 gr bullet. As with any load data, start low and work up. There is much published load data for 231 out there, for the 45 Colt. 231 is a good choice for traditional 45 Colt loadings.

[littlejack]

I used/use HP-38 for loading 200 grain rfn in my Uberti 45 Colt for plinking. It does the job well. Seems to burn purty clean, and ejects the projectile out the muzzle. it would not be my first choice for the heavier 255 slugs. I use Herco for the heavies. As far as the down side of the faster 231/HP-38, be careful of double charging the voluminous case.

[remshooter]

I used/use HP-38 for loading 200 grain rfn in my Uberti 45 Colt for plinking. It does the job well. Seems to burn purty clean, and ejects the projectile out the muzzle. it would not be my first choice for the heavier 255 slugs. I use Herco for the heavies. As far as the down side of the faster 231/HP-38, be careful of double charging the voluminous case.

thank you on the double charge in voluminous case comment ,this is what i was looking for .I thought i read that somewhere . wanted to know before i tried it ,or keep looking for unique .I dont like potential problems ,you cant double charge Unique without noticing it ,why i like it even if it is dirty

[littlejack]

No problems if you be careful. Stay safe.

[Outpost75]

7 grains of either with 250-265-grain bullet in .45 Colt is standard-pressure, but "full charge" load.

Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook 4th Edition (2010) has ample data on p.285

[pelikan800]

Also a big fan of 231/HP-38 for 45 Colt. I shoot 6.8gr behind a 250 gr. MBC LFN. Also happen to use 231 for all my other handgun loads (9mm, 38, 44 Mag (light loads), and 45 ACP). One powder really does it all (and meters really nicely in a progressive).

[gc45]

My ruger 45 colt shoots very tight groups with 231 and heavy bullets. Not the best choice here but it's a powder I have the most of.

[JoeJames]

I've used it in my 44 Special. Not bad, but I prefer Unique.

[LAH]

Skeeter Skelton wrote of using 231 & the load was from Winchester using their swagged lead 255 (or 250) grain bullet. The load was 7.1 grains to which he replied it was a bit of alright. This was published in Shooting Times, perhaps in the 70s. I have used that load with the Dry Creek Keith & it was a fair tack driver for me.

[Alferd Packer]

Yes to that 7.1 gr.load of 231!

[rintinglen]

+2 to the 7.1 grain load with a 454-424. I'm not a big 45 colt fan, but this load does as well as anything else in my new Vaqueros.