[ammodave]

I'm looking for a light, clean burning load for my Uberti Schofield with 200-230gr lead bullets. I've tried 8gr of Unique but it really smokes up the bluing and gets all over your hands after 50+ rounds.

[rich636]

Dave,

I had the same experience. I wanted light loads so I used 200grn semiwadcutters with 7.5grn of Unique and they shot very dirty with the velocity of a pellet gun. I think this was in great part because I did not crimp them well enough. My personal notes from the range show that they began to shoot clean at 9.4 grn of Unique with a published velocity of 1000fps with moderate recoil. A good crimp will gives more complete burning but shortens case life so I guess you try and find a balance. Let us know what you find out.

-Rich

[Johnny Guest]

I've shot a lot of 230 LRN bullets loaded into .45C cases over 8.0 gr. of Win 231. This is what I use on the rare occasion when I shoot my Mountain Gun in IDPA and local "Tactical Handgun" matches.

I'd think you would want at least 8.5 gr. of Unique with a 230 lead bullet - - 8.0 gr is actually a bit below starting load for 230 FMJ in the Speer Loading Manual, and the lead bullets wouldn't develop quite as much pressure. I also believe you need a fairly firm crimp to allow sufficient pressure to build up. You need not strive for a truly heavy roll crimp, only a medium one.

Best,
Johnny

[HSMITH]

Most of what is all over the gun and all over your hands is bullet lube, not due to the powder.

Regular Clays is very nice in Cowboy type loads, look to the Hodgdon cowboy loads for data. It is a little cleaner than Unique, but the bullet lube mess is still there.

[redneck2]

You'll get guys that tell you how great Unique is. IMO, it's uniquely the dirtiest stuff I've burned. Yeah, some of the mess comes from the lube, but if you use Unique at less than full load it's a mess. I wouldn't take it free if I had to use it myself. It's awful.

Universal Clays is almost identical in burn rate and versatility and WAY cleaner.

Also...Titegroup, HP-38, AA2 or 5, WW-231. VV powders are supposed to be super clean.

as above, some of the mess may come from the lube. If your bullets have the blue "crayola" lube, they're gonna be smokey. Add the mess from the Unique and it's awful. I use Laser Cast bullets that have clear hard lube with Universal Clays or AA5 and they're WAY cleaner. I mean WAY cleaner.

HTH

[Master Blaster]

Universal Clays is almost identical in burn rate and versatility and WAY cleaner.

I bought a pound of universal clays and loaded the same 6.5 to 7.0 grains under a 250 gr cast bulletfor a light load as I did for Unique. I shot them at the same range session one after the other. The Universal loads were significantly less accurate out of my vaquero. But they were just as smokey and just as dirty as Unique.

Its the cast bullets and the lube the powder made no difference at all.

[Cherokee]

The light load I have been using for years is the RCBS 230 cast bullet from wheel weights, Thompson Red hard lube, and 5.0 g of Winchester Super Target. Gun ends up with residue after 100-200 rounds but nothing like what you seem to be getting. My alternate load would use the same charge of Winchester 231.

[TAG2501]

If you are talking 45 LC, try 4.5 grains of Trailboss. It makes for a very pleasant load. That's IMR's starting load recommendation.

For the Schofield, I'm not sure what the starting point is.

[Rico567]

I use Universal as a direct substitution (even by weight) for Unique. 8.0 grains, shoots great out of my Vaquero. I'm not looking any further.

[BigJakeJ1s]

For a 200-230 grain cast RNFP, IMR recommends 5.5 - 6.5 grains of Trail Boss for 45 colt (don't take my word for it, check imrpowder.com).

I use 6.0 grains under a 200 gr rnfp, and it is really clean and low recoil.

Really easy to visually verify a single charge (a double charge will not overflow the case, but it would interfere with seating).

Hope this helps,

Andy

[ricehombre]

Assuming we are talking about the .45L Colt, the WST at 6.0-6.4gr gives you a clean, very accurate load. Much tighter groups than Unique, somewhat better than the 231. This is with 7.5" barrel at 25 and 50 yds. Can't check velocity but groups at POA and mild recoil. I weight each load with Unique but use powder measure with 231 and WST. Using 250 LRN with 8.0 Unique and 7.1 231 best for each---in my Rugers--BH & SBH Hunter.

[Cherokee]

I use Winchester Super Target (WST) for all my light loads for 5.0 gr on up. Highly recommend and has more bulk that the other fast powders. Very accurate in all my OM Ruger 45 Colt guns.

[rick_reno]

I use W231 - it's clean in a relative sense.

[larryw]

What Cherokee said: WST. Another nice thing about WST is that it ignites easily, an important factor for consistency when using low bulk powders in big cases for bunny-fart loads.

WST is the modern reformulation of 231.

[rWt]

When you all talk about a "light" load, what does that mean?

Is velocity in the 800fps range?Lower?Higher?

John Linebaugh recommends 24 grains of H110 with a 260 grain keith bullet for around 1,000-1,100 fps depending on barrel length. Would this load be considered a "medium" load?

[bpisler]

My favorite 45 colt load is 6.5gr
titegroup,230gr LFP,win primers
and shooting star cases.They are
great out of my 3" 625-7.

[BigJakeJ1s]

If you are talking 45 LC, try 4.5 grains of Trailboss. It makes for a very pleasant load. That's IMR's starting load recommendation.

For the Schofield, I'm not sure what the starting point is.

The starting loads for Trail Boss with 200 - 230 grain bullets is 5.5 gr in 45 colt, and 4.0 gr in 45 Schofield. Check their loading data online.

I use 6.0 gr with 200 gr laser cast rnfp in 45 colt, and it is both mild and clean.

Andy