A few years ago, my father gave me an older Ruger Vaquero chambered in 45 Colt with a 5.5” barrel and a box of factory 255 grain lrnfp. I fell in love with the gun and the caliber. I already loaded for .38/.357 at the time so I bought a set of 45 Colt dies and you know the rest of the story - I was hooked!
I soon bought a companion for that Vaquero - a 20” Henry Big Boy. It’s been fun trying to find the best loads for each of them. My goal has always been to find the one magic combo of components that would make the magic round that is perfect for all situations in both guns. Sadly, I’ve become convinced it doesn’t exist. Still, I’ve developed some great rounds that get pretty close.
* The loads mentioned below are all above SAMMI pressure limits and are not appropriate for Colt SAAs and replicas. They have proven safe in MY GUNS and may cause injury or property damage in yours.
I’ve tested a few powders with .452 250-260 lrnfp, 250 XTP, and some with 225 FTX bullets. 250 grain Noslers are .451 and my Henry doesn’t like them.
• CFE Pistol - needs at least 9.0 grains to burn relatively clean and be accurate. I’ve settled on 9.2 - 9.5. Gives around 900 pistol/1100 rifle.
• W-231 - Around 8.2 grains has proven accurate, clean, and gives better velocity than CFE Pistol.
• VV 3N37 - 12.1-12.3 grains gives 1100 from revolver with 225 FTX. 1000 fps with 250 XTP. Cleanest burning powder. Zero residue on hands. Very accurate at precise charge weight. Disappointing across broader charge spectrum. A typical 5 charge ladder has four giant groups and one that magically tightens to one ragged hole.
• VV 3N38 - just about as clean as 3N37. Same “picky” accuracy. When it’s right though, it’s right. 14.7 w/225 FTX gives 1275/1400. 15.0 with 250 XTP gives 1190 pistol/1300 rifle. 3N38 may be as close to “magic” as I’ve found outside of AA#9.
• 2400 - 18 grains or so with lead and 20 or so with jacketed gives acceptable accuracy. 1200 fps pistol, 1400 rifle.
• VV N110 - Essentially a super clean 2400 with better accuracy in my tests. 21.3 - 22.2 gives 1400-1500 from rifle but less velocity than 2400 out of revolver.
• AA#9 - Best all-around powder for both guns. 21-22 grains gives 1300+ from 5.5” barrel and 1500+ from rifle .
• W-296 - Unpleasant from revolver. Just nope. 26.0 under 250 XTP gives 1663 from my rifle and groups around 1.5” @ 100 yards. Keeps 800 ft. lbs. of energy to 125 yards.
* No, I’ve never owned even a grain of Unique so I can’t possibly know anything about .45 Colt. Just ignore everything I’ve written.
Ultimately, the best of the bunch have been these:
Plinking: 8.2 W-231 under coated MBC 250 grain lrnfp. 9.2 CFE Pistol under 255 Lee mold lrnfp (weighs 260 grains for me).
Tier 2+ : 15.0 grains VV 3N38, 250 XTP. Magic.
Pretty warm: 21.3 grains AA#9, 250 XTP. Best all around.
Kaboom: 26.0 W-296/H110, 250 XTP. Deer/hog slayer.
Honorable mention: Starline “Cowboy Special” brass (.45 Colt rim, .45 ACP length) 230 grain anything, 6.0 CFE Pistol. Soft and fun.
I soon bought a companion for that Vaquero - a 20” Henry Big Boy. It’s been fun trying to find the best loads for each of them. My goal has always been to find the one magic combo of components that would make the magic round that is perfect for all situations in both guns. Sadly, I’ve become convinced it doesn’t exist. Still, I’ve developed some great rounds that get pretty close.
* The loads mentioned below are all above SAMMI pressure limits and are not appropriate for Colt SAAs and replicas. They have proven safe in MY GUNS and may cause injury or property damage in yours.
I’ve tested a few powders with .452 250-260 lrnfp, 250 XTP, and some with 225 FTX bullets. 250 grain Noslers are .451 and my Henry doesn’t like them.
• CFE Pistol - needs at least 9.0 grains to burn relatively clean and be accurate. I’ve settled on 9.2 - 9.5. Gives around 900 pistol/1100 rifle.
• W-231 - Around 8.2 grains has proven accurate, clean, and gives better velocity than CFE Pistol.
• VV 3N37 - 12.1-12.3 grains gives 1100 from revolver with 225 FTX. 1000 fps with 250 XTP. Cleanest burning powder. Zero residue on hands. Very accurate at precise charge weight. Disappointing across broader charge spectrum. A typical 5 charge ladder has four giant groups and one that magically tightens to one ragged hole.
• VV 3N38 - just about as clean as 3N37. Same “picky” accuracy. When it’s right though, it’s right. 14.7 w/225 FTX gives 1275/1400. 15.0 with 250 XTP gives 1190 pistol/1300 rifle. 3N38 may be as close to “magic” as I’ve found outside of AA#9.
• 2400 - 18 grains or so with lead and 20 or so with jacketed gives acceptable accuracy. 1200 fps pistol, 1400 rifle.
• VV N110 - Essentially a super clean 2400 with better accuracy in my tests. 21.3 - 22.2 gives 1400-1500 from rifle but less velocity than 2400 out of revolver.
• AA#9 - Best all-around powder for both guns. 21-22 grains gives 1300+ from 5.5” barrel and 1500+ from rifle .
• W-296 - Unpleasant from revolver. Just nope. 26.0 under 250 XTP gives 1663 from my rifle and groups around 1.5” @ 100 yards. Keeps 800 ft. lbs. of energy to 125 yards.
* No, I’ve never owned even a grain of Unique so I can’t possibly know anything about .45 Colt. Just ignore everything I’ve written.
Ultimately, the best of the bunch have been these:
Plinking: 8.2 W-231 under coated MBC 250 grain lrnfp. 9.2 CFE Pistol under 255 Lee mold lrnfp (weighs 260 grains for me).
Tier 2+ : 15.0 grains VV 3N38, 250 XTP. Magic.
Pretty warm: 21.3 grains AA#9, 250 XTP. Best all around.
Kaboom: 26.0 W-296/H110, 250 XTP. Deer/hog slayer.
Honorable mention: Starline “Cowboy Special” brass (.45 Colt rim, .45 ACP length) 230 grain anything, 6.0 CFE Pistol. Soft and fun.