[ljnowell]

Well, I did a fair amount of searching and found that absolutely everyone has thier own opinion, and everyone else is wrong. :D

I ordered a Ruger Blackhawk in .45colt with a 7 1/2" barrel. :evil: I plan on using this revolver for some whitetail hunting here in the Poeples Republic of Illinois. I also plan on loading and shooting "ruger only" loads, for fun. I like a big bang and lots of destruction some times. I will also load some plinking rounds for use by my son.

I have been reading about this for awhile, as I have planned this purchase. A lot of people seem to recommend 2400 for a full house load. Seems like Unique comes in for a plinking load. Any opinions on this? I like missouri bullets and will be purchasing bullets from them for plinking and whatnot, probably hunting velocities also. I have seen accounts of people using the sihloutte bullet (brinnel 18) in Ruger only loads. Does anyone have any experience pushing lead without a gas check past 1100fps? I can only imagine a horribly leaded mess.

I can use any advice, as I have only loaded .45acp up until now.

[rcmodel]

See this about that.
http://sixguns.com/tests/tt45lc.htm

I prefer Unique and use 8.5 grains over a Keith 250 SWC for all my Colt SAA needs.
It is a well proven load for nearly a century, and will kill anything that walks in the U.S.A., or at least in this part of it.

What little heavy load playing I did when I owned a Ruger Blackhawk was done with 2400 & standard primers, and it performed very well.
H-110 with Magnum primers will give a little more velocity.

Leading with proper cast bullets, and especially gas-check bullets will not be an issue.

I sold the Ruger because it was too big & heavy, and because I have old Colt SAA's in that caliber. I always worried I would get one of the Ruger loads in a Colt by accident.

rc

[Walkalong]

I used to have a Blackhawk in .45 Colt. I shot Durocast heat treated hard cast bullets in it with healthy does of W-296. It provides all the power you need to hunt with. (Beside, rcmodel is correct. Lesser loads with Unique will kill deer or smaller animals with well placed shots)

I had zero leading in mine shooting very hard cast bullets at high pressures and velocities. I did however check the throats on that gun before I bought it. I asked the guy in the shop if I could come back with some dial calipers and measure the throats. He said sure, although he had never had someone ask that before. I can not find the throat diameters in my notes, but I do remember they were a little over bore diameter, as well as consistent, which is just right for shooting lead.

Shooting lead at high pressure and high velocity without gas checks is completely doable with the right throat to bore relationship, the right size bullet, enough of a good lube, and the proper bullet hardness.

Sometimes I still miss that gun. I really enjoy shooting my 25-5 with light to full regular .45 Colt loads, but with that Ruger I could really make it roar when I wanted to. That was close to 25 years ago. :)

[zxcvbob]

I ordered a Ruger Blackhawk in .45colt with a 7 1/2" barrel.
CAUTION: The following post includes loading data beyond currently published maximums for this cartridge. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The High Road, nor the staff of THR assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information.

I have the same gun, except in a Bisley configuration. My favorite plinking load is 7.5 grains of Red Dot or Promo (I use Promo) with a 230 grain cast bullet cast from whatever scrap lead I can find. Lubed with Lee Liquid Alox. They run just under 1100 fps, and the leading is minimal. This is about a 19000 to 20000 PSI load.

Considerably more powerful is 12.2 grains of Herco with a 250 or 255 grain cast bullet. This is a 27000 PSI load, and delivers about 1300 fps. (I usually limit my loads to 25000 PSI, but I found this Herco load and liked it before I knew it was so high.)

I recently had a quarter pound of Blue Dot to burn up and I loaded some 255's using 16.5 grains of Blue Dot and that was a good one. I haven't chronographed it but it should be just north of 1300 fps, at less pressure than the previously mentioned Herco load.

All of these are plain-based lead bullets (no gas-checks.) They do lead-up the bore a little when I shoot 50 or more shots at a session, but it cleans right out with a bronze brush and a little transmission fluid. I have a .30 caliber Blackhawk that doesn't lead when I push plain based cast bullets at 1700 fps.

[ljnowell]

Beside, rcmodel is correct. Lesser loads with Unique will kill deer or smaller animals with well placed shots

I agree entirely. I am a lifelong hunter and have no intention of using the thermonuclear rounds on a deer. Thats why I sepereated hunting and full house loads, as I need to develop them, and a plinking load, seperately.

zxcvbob, thanks for the info. That kind of gives me some things to think about also. I dont intend on pushing the limits of loads and venturing into the unknown, I like my fingers too much. I was more worried about leading and loss of accuracy than anything.

I am starting to get some ideas on what powders to use now also.

[mgkdrgn]

I have seen accounts of people using the sihloutte bullet (brinnel 18) in Ruger only loads. Does anyone have any experience pushing lead without a gas check past 1100fps? I can only imagine a horribly leaded mess.


I just had this discussion with the folks at Missouri bullets. If you are going to go over 750-800 FPS, you need to stick with the brinnel 18 bullets.

Now, I happen to like the 255 grain Keith style semi-wad cutter, but they only list that in the brinnel 12 lead, which is too soft for those velocities. However, they did say they would make me those same bullets in 18 Brinnel lead if I asked for them that way.

I'm also having good luck with plated bullets from rmr bullets. They make a plated 230 grain 45 in both a round nose and a hollow point. You could likely push them as fast as you care to. (www.rmrbullets.com) I'm in the process of working up a nice "thumper" for my 45 Colt lever gun with those.

[highlander 5]

I have 3 Rugers,2 Blackhawks and a Redhawk and they thrive on the heavier bullets 300+ gr bullets, to be exact 300-320 gr bullets behind a charge of 296 or H110 will give you 1200-1300 fps and will drop most anything on this continent. 8 gr Unique or Universal Clays with a 250 gr SWc will give you in the 900 fps range should drop any deer or black bear and will be a lot more comfortable to shoot to boot. Just make sure that your chamber mouths are .452-.453 and you'll be fine.

[Walkalong]

Those Powerbond bullets are some pretty nice bullets. Too bad they don't make a 250/255 Gr .45 bullet suitable for .45 Colt. How they would work for hunting would have to be tried in the field, but for plinkers at 700 to 900 FPS they should work great. I am sure they could take velocities up to the 1300ish range in my limited testing of the .38./.357 bulles.