Colt SAA .45 colt load recommendations

[IH460]

If any testing works closer to happening I’d gladly supply the projectiles

[Barry54]

Mr Gibson, I apologize for not expressing concern about your health issues, and focusing on the reloading topic. I felt like the rear-end of a donkey after the others vocalized concern in this thread.

Back to the op. I did however get the nephew to run some numbers in quick load for what that’s worth. He claims that N110 generates the highest velocity staying within standard pressure levels.

That said, the charge it showed was about 33% greater than the N110 charge on the Vihtavuori app where it says Ruger/strong actions at the top of the page.

I’d say it would definitely be one to consider. But from what I’ve seen, the program varies widely from published data when you stray from typical cartridges and standard rifle pressure.

[IH460]

Mr Gibson, I apologize for not expressing concern about your health issues, and focusing on the reloading topic. I felt like the rear-end of a donkey after the others vocalized concern in this thread.

Back to the op. I did however get the nephew to run some numbers in quick load for what that’s worth. He claims that N110 generates the highest velocity staying within standard pressure levels.

That said, the charge it showed was about 33% greater than the N110 charge on the Vihtavuori app where it says Ruger/strong actions at the top of the page.

I’d say it would definitely be one to consider. But from what I’ve seen, the program varies widely from published data when you stray from typical cartridges and standard rifle pressure.

Thanks for this, I’ll add N110 to the list to keep in mind for the future. As for the universal I have on hand it would seem nobody has any verified data with the combination I will be using, I’ll just put together some test rounds and keep loads to below manual maxes given I can’t readily verify pressures or anecdotal experience based information that beyond that would be fine in my pistol.

[Kosh75287]

For factory-level to "slightly warm" loads in .45 Colt, I've been very happy with Unique, BE-86, Herco, and AA#5. The 8.0/Unique/255 gr. RNFP load has been an accurate and reliable performer in my revolver and carbine. BE-86 data with the same components should not vary by more than 0.2 gr. and burns a shade cleaner than Unique. Herco is a bit slower-burning and bumping the charge weight by 5-8% over that for Unique gives very similar results. If your Colt has a 5.5" or longer barrel, you may notice a slight velocity increase over Unique. I'll refer you to published data for loads using AA#5, but it performs as well as the other propellants mentioned, and tends to meter somewhat better.
In my Ruger Redhawk, and my M1892 Rossi, I have gone as high as 10.0/Unique/255 RNFP, but accuracy suffered in both weapons, and the Redhawk had trouble ejecting the cases. I would not use this load in your Colt SAA. If I need more "oomph" than factory .45 Colt, 9.0/Unique/255 gr. RNFP works quite well, and would probably not unduly batter your revolver, if used only occasionally (i.e. in bear-country).
Like many very popular pistol/revolver rounds, it seems that it is more difficult to find a propellant that does NOT work well in .45 Colt, than to find one which DOES work well. Although I have used propellants that are faster-burning/more dense than Unique, I tend to shy away from this practice out of a slight paranoia concerning double-charges. With Unique and similar propellants, a double-charge is next to impossible in cases like .45 Colt, which is a nice addition to (but STILL NOT a substitute for) vigilance of powder levels in charged cases.
I found the recent announcement by Vista Outdoors that production of Alliant powders would cease until nitrocellulose supplies are not as tight quite dismaying. Grab the Alliant powder of interest to you, when you find it. It may be a while before you see it on the shelf, again.

[Larry Gibson]

Hopefully, I should be able to test in September. [apologies to those who have been waiting for some other tests as I will get those done then too]

Powders I have are N32C, N110, 700X, Bullseye, Red Dot, Herco, Green Dot, Unique, Blue Dot, Win 231, AutoComp, TiteGroup, HS6, 2400, LilGun, 4227, H110, H4198 and WCC 820. I do not have Universal.

To conduct comprehensive pressure testing of all those powders would be a daunting bit of work, especially if multiple bullets were to be tested also. The amount of work required, even with the much faster use of piezo-transducer and/or strain gauge equipment is why we see manuals published just every so often. Even then a lot of data is simply carried over from previous manuals.

For me to test, it would be much simpler if anyone has a specific load to test to ship me 15 rounds of that specific load. That's enough for me to pull down one or two to double check the load, a couple foulers and a spare if a shot does not record data during a 10 shot test. Also keep in mind it takes 7000 +/- psi to expand a cartridge case before it presses against the chamber walls. It then takes another few thousand psi above that to stress the barrel steel around the chamber for the strain gauge to record a measurement. The lowest pressure I have measured with my 45 Colt test barrel using full length sized Winchester cases, thus far, has been 11,600 psi.

[IH460]

Hopefully, I should be able to test in September. [apologies to those who have been waiting for some other tests as I will get those done then too]

Powders I have are N32C, N110, 700X, Bullseye, Red Dot, Herco, Green Dot, Unique, Blue Dot, Win 231, AutoComp, TiteGroup, HS6, 2400, LilGun, 4227, H110, H4198 and WCC 820. I do not have Universal.

To conduct comprehensive pressure testing of all those powders would be a daunting bit of work, especially if multiple bullets were to be tested also. The amount of work required, even with the much faster use of piezo-transducer and/or strain gauge equipment is why we see manuals published just every so often. Even then a lot of data is simply carried over from previous manuals.

For me to test, it would be much simpler if anyone has a specific load to test to ship me 15 rounds of that specific load. That's enough for me to pull down one or two to double check the load, a couple foulers and a spare if a shot does not record data during a 10 shot test. Also keep in mind it takes 7000 +/- psi to expand a cartridge case before it presses against the chamber walls. It then takes another few thousand psi above that to stress the barrel steel around the chamber for the strain gauge to record a measurement. The lowest pressure I have measured with my 45 Colt test barrel using full length sized Winchester cases, thus far, has been 11,600 psi.

Larry,
I pray your health improves in the near future for you. Although I’m new to this forum I can readily recognize you are an asset to the community. I will plan to reach out with some perspective loads in the fall after chronographing loads to published maximums for Universal. I’m mostly interested in the load recommended by Pearce since I’ll be using the same powder for now and same bullet recommended, but not interested in moving that far beyond book loads without some pressure data.

[IH460]

So far 7.2g Universal has been fairly accurate, need to get it on chrono to see where it’s at speed wise. I’ve yet to have anybody validate Brian Pearce’s universal load, tossing it out there once more in case any new readers have run it in a Colt and have feedback