I load 90gr cast bullets in 7.62x39 cases using three grains of Bullseye. Some guys fireform rifle cases using three grains of Bullseye and some kleenex stuffed in case. One guy was doing this in his garage he looked up and he was shooting holes in his wood shingle roof. I think two grains will get you started then work up to the results you want.
.45 Long Colt 'Indoor' loads?
- Thread starter Captain*kirk
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Driftwood Johnson
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Howdy Again
I mentioned light loads in my Remington for two reasons.
The cross section of the frame of the 1858 Remington is quite thin where the loading ram pierces the frame. A 45 Colt stuffed full of Black Powder under a 250 grain bullet develops significant recoil, way more than a .451 round ball in front of about 30 grains of powder. I was concerned about how much battering the thin cross section of the frame could put up with in that spot with the amount of recoil generated by a full house 45 Colt load. Even with the Schofield case and its reduced powder capacity (around 28 grains of powder) and a 200 grain bullet, the recoil is still more than a round ball (around 145 grains if i recall correctly) will generate. So I feel more comfortable about the frame not stretching in that area.
The other reason is the grip shape of the Remington revolver is just different enough from a Colt grip, that I find shooting heavy recoiling loads in it uncomfortable. I can shoot my full house (about 35 grains) 45 Colt rounds with a 250 grain bullet all day long in a Colt, but I find those rounds to be distinctly uncomfortable with the Remington grip shape.
I mentioned light loads in my Remington for two reasons.
The cross section of the frame of the 1858 Remington is quite thin where the loading ram pierces the frame. A 45 Colt stuffed full of Black Powder under a 250 grain bullet develops significant recoil, way more than a .451 round ball in front of about 30 grains of powder. I was concerned about how much battering the thin cross section of the frame could put up with in that spot with the amount of recoil generated by a full house 45 Colt load. Even with the Schofield case and its reduced powder capacity (around 28 grains of powder) and a 200 grain bullet, the recoil is still more than a round ball (around 145 grains if i recall correctly) will generate. So I feel more comfortable about the frame not stretching in that area.
The other reason is the grip shape of the Remington revolver is just different enough from a Colt grip, that I find shooting heavy recoiling loads in it uncomfortable. I can shoot my full house (about 35 grains) 45 Colt rounds with a 250 grain bullet all day long in a Colt, but I find those rounds to be distinctly uncomfortable with the Remington grip shape.
Captain*kirk
Member
Interesting and valid points, Driftwood. I'm just beginning to tinker with BP carts so I'm open to any and all suggestions, though I've now got 250 count 250gr .452 bullets to load and use up...one of the reasons I didn't just jump in and buy a mould to cast my own for this cart is that I wanted to see what the guns like. I'm pretty sure the Walker will have no issues with the heavier bullets. Remmies can be a knuckle-buster, as you well know, so I may have to play around with that a bit (or a bunch). I presently loading 200gr bullets for my Winchester '66 (.44-40WCF) using Unique and the jury's still out on those. Haven't put enough rounds through it yet to decide if it's a good load or not...but I digress. Quite frankly, the biggest bullet I've fired through my Remmies is my hand cast Lee 200gr conicals over 30gr of 3F or Pyrodex and the recoil is nothing to worry about. I agree that another 50gr of weight can be a game changer in a handgun, though.
robhof
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I had to go look up my last loading, been playing with the real black for awhile, I've got 2 batches, one with 4 Gr and one with 5 Gr. both were low recoiling and great accuracy with the round ball crimped just above center.
whughett
Member
With the season changing it will soon be time to move into the indoor range at the club No black but that will be another load to keep the single actions going with the conversion cylinders. I use bullseye got a full pound. 
TTv2
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700-X is available right now online and it's a pretty low energy powder. Not quite as low as Trail Boss, but it's not Unique or True Blue.
With Trail Boss unavailable, I would try to get a hold of some .45 Schofield brass because it will be even lighter of a recoiling load, yet it shoots as well as .45 Colt does, if not better. Only issue with .45 Schofield is that you'll have to get a flaring die because the .45 Colt flare dies can't touch the shorter case. I use a Lyman M die, but a .45 ACP flare die can work too.
Oh, you'll also need a larger shellholder too, the .45 S&W has a larger rim.
Good luck finding any rimmed .45 brass right now tho.
With Trail Boss unavailable, I would try to get a hold of some .45 Schofield brass because it will be even lighter of a recoiling load, yet it shoots as well as .45 Colt does, if not better. Only issue with .45 Schofield is that you'll have to get a flaring die because the .45 Colt flare dies can't touch the shorter case. I use a Lyman M die, but a .45 ACP flare die can work too.
Oh, you'll also need a larger shellholder too, the .45 S&W has a larger rim.
Good luck finding any rimmed .45 brass right now tho.
Driftwood Johnson
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???
I keep one set of dies set for 45 Colt, another set for 45 Schofield. I use standard Hornady dies for 45 Schofield. There is plenty of adjustment in the dies to set them for the shorter Schofield brass.
Driftwood Johnson
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To digress a little bit further, my standard Smokeless load for 44-40 is 7.5 grains of Unique under a 200 grain bullet. Have not fired any in quite a while since I always shoot Black Powder in my 44-40 rifles in CAS, but I seem to recall I was pleased with that Smokeless load.
Obturation
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@Captain*kirk ,
I just left a local farm store (stock&field , in mchenry) , they have 2 , 2# jugs of trailboss on the shelf. Reason they're still on the shelf is that they're mispriced for $139.00. I have no doubt if the manager saw keep and what the 2# jug sells for they would correct the price (I would think) , I would have done the dance but I'm well stocked and had a crabby 3 year old with me, if you have time to kill you may want to go over there and see if you can get the price fixed, msrp is like $85 but real price is about $55. Worth a try, either way you can get a big jug but it just depends on how bad you want it.
My offers still good if you want to get a 1# size container from me you can (a 1# size jar of trail boss weighs 9 oz)
I just left a local farm store (stock&field , in mchenry) , they have 2 , 2# jugs of trailboss on the shelf. Reason they're still on the shelf is that they're mispriced for $139.00. I have no doubt if the manager saw keep and what the 2# jug sells for they would correct the price (I would think) , I would have done the dance but I'm well stocked and had a crabby 3 year old with me, if you have time to kill you may want to go over there and see if you can get the price fixed, msrp is like $85 but real price is about $55. Worth a try, either way you can get a big jug but it just depends on how bad you want it.
My offers still good if you want to get a 1# size container from me you can (a 1# size jar of trail boss weighs 9 oz)
TTv2
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The Lee .45 Colt die set isn't able to flare .45 Schofield. Other dies may have the same issue, but the Lyman does not have this issue. Apparently neither does Hornady.
Captain*kirk
Member
Thanks for the offer! I may take you up on it. I did find one online source that claims to have both the 9oz and 5# quantities in stock. The only problem is when you call them, it says they are experiencing heavy volume due to covid and to please email with inquiries...which I did. I've not heard back yet. For all I know they may be out...or stocked. I'll wait and see...but you might be getting a pm!
Captain*kirk
Member
My load is 7.0 of Unique...because the '66 is a brass receiver. Don't wanna get too rambunctious with that.
Captain*kirk
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I bought the RCBS Cowboy dies...they come with an additional longer seater plug for the Schofield.
TTv2
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Good set to buy as those are built specifically for lead bullets and I believe say on the box .45 Schofield.
Captain*kirk
Member
Yes. The box says ".45 Colt/Schofield". IIRC the shellholder said the same.
Driftwood Johnson
Member
I tend to doubt that. 45 Colt has a rim diameter of .512. 45 Schofield has a rim diameter of .520.
Perhaps with some brands, but a 45 Schofield shell absolutely will not fit in the shellplate for my Hornady Lock and Load AP presses. I use the #32 shell plate for 45 Colt, the #41 shell plate for 45 Schofield.
According to the RCBS shell holder/shell plate chart, 45 Colt uses the #20, Schofield use the #35. Incidentally, RCBS shows that 44-40 uses the same shell holder/shell plate as the Schofield does, #35.
https://www.rcbs.com/rcbs-how-to-reload/rcbs-reference-tables.html
DocRock
member
I shoot black powder exclusively in my C&B revolvers, even with conversion cylinders, but understand this is not an option for you. Early days, I did load a smokeless "gallery load" picked up on Cast Boolits. It was a .454 RB over 3 grains Bullseye with a thin cardboard wad to keep powder against primer. Used this in a Remington NMA with conversion cylinder at 7-10 yards. Little powder puff but not terribly inaccurate. Should suit your needs.
Captain*kirk
Member
I stand corrected. While the label on the box says "Use #20 shellholder", the #20 shellholder I purchased is still in the bag. On the bag it says "fits .45 Colt and .454 Casull". I assumed (and we all know where that gets us) that the #20 fit both the .45 LC and Schofield mentioned on the label. Thanks for pointing this out. However, since I already load the .44-40 I should be all set, if I decided to load the Schofield in the future.
Shortgrub
Member
I have been using Green dot for years. 6.5 grains will get ya around 750 fps with a 20 cast
Capt let us know it goes with your Trailboss load development. With all this 45 Colt load discussion I have been looking around online and in my manuals. I have found some loads I want to try. I shoot 45 Colt in a Walker with a conversion cylinder like you Trailboss worked well for me.
misskitty2
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does anyone have trail boss they want to sell
When I shot SASS with a 45 I used Titegroup and it always went off. It was designed to be able to lay anywhere in the case and still ignite. And with today's JMHO powder shortages smokeless powders make more sense than something like TB because it takes so much less powder per shell. JMHO
Captain*kirk
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I ended up loading the .45 Colt with Grafs 3F, which is available in most places. Great for outdoor! I have been on the back order list for Trail Boss for months now.
Jim Watson
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The old timers used Bullseye for light loads.
I found a couple when I got back this afternoon.
Bert Shay did the reloading chapter for Henry Stebbins. He loaded 4 gr Bullseye with a 243 gr .45 LC bullet.
Elmer loaded .44s with as little as 4 gr Bullseye, I don't see where he had a target load for .45.
I found a couple when I got back this afternoon.
Bert Shay did the reloading chapter for Henry Stebbins. He loaded 4 gr Bullseye with a 243 gr .45 LC bullet.
Elmer loaded .44s with as little as 4 gr Bullseye, I don't see where he had a target load for .45.
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Captain*kirk
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It's not that I had any ignition problems, rather, I read some guys posting that their loads showed wider than usual chrono swings depending on where the powder happened to be laying in the case.
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