Need help planning a load for Ruger 45 Colt

I'm having serious load-data confusion here. I want to load a few heavy but safe Ruger-only 45 colt loads for my stainless Bisley Blackhawk. The bullets will be 300 gr. XTPs in new Starline cases, H-110 powder.

Hornady gives a starting load of 17.9 gr., max 21.7 gr. H-110. I note that Hodgdon says not to download H-110 by more than 3%, yet the Hornady starting load is 18% below their max. Hornady also uses Winchester cases and WLP primers. I can't get WLPs, but I can get CCI 350s. (Also, if anyone has a recent Hornady manual, can you check the OAL for me? I'm not sure which cannelure to use.)

I also note that the Hornady load data differs significantly from both the Hodgdon online data (which uses a different jacketed bullet of the same weight) and Linebaugh's data (which I do not take to be authoritative).

Right now, my plan is to work up several loadings at ~ 0.5 gr. increments according to the Hornady charge data. I'll probably have to check after each shot to ensure that I don't leave a bullet lodged in the barrel.

Do any of the wise amongst us have suggestions?

As an aside, I noticed that Linebaugh's 310 data are not self-consistent. His web page gives the following numbers in different tables:

A load in his 7" test barrel:
310 GR LEAD SWC H-l10 23 1330 FPS 30,000 CUP

His suggested data (and he claims these charge weights are good for the 300 XTP at lower velocity):
Starting load: 310 cast H-110 21.5 1109 24,400 CUP
Maximum load: 3190 cast H-110 23.5 1316 32,000 CUP

Personal load that he suggests for big game/ dangerous game:
H-110 24 310/320 cast 1250 fps

His preferred load is over his max, and at lower velocity. I suspect 24 gr. is way too much.

squarles67, thanks. What do you mean by "wild readings?" Do you have high standard deviations even at 21g? The reason you aren't supposed to download H-110 / W-296 is because it requires high pressure for ignition. You can get huge variations in velocity (or even squibs) if the charge is too low.

CraigC, did you see the part where Linebaugh's preferred load is over his maximum load?

CraigC said:

Did you read the part I quoted???

Click to expand...

Yes, but I also read this:

Linebaugh said:

THIS DATA CAN ALSO BE USED WITH 300 GR SIERRA, HORNADY XTP & SPEER BULLETS.
JACKETED BULLETS WILL RUN MUCH SLOWER VELOCITIES DUE TO FRICTION.
DO NOT INCREASE POWDER CHARGES TO GAIN THIS VELOCITY BACK

Click to expand...

So on one hand, he says you should adjust the H110/W296 charge level with cast bullets so long as you keep the velocity within limits. On the other hand, with jacketed bullets you're supposed to use his charge levels and ignore the velocity. My opinion only, but this doesn't seem like a sound approach for jacketed bullets. If the charge level needs to be adjusted for lead bullets, then it would likely need to be adjusted for jacketed as well.

As I don't have a chronograph, it's moot.

Can anyone else chime in on the issue of the starting charge? I don't see how Hornady can get away with recommending an 18% download from max with this powder. squarles67's 20 gr. start is 8% below max which seems more reasonable. Hodgdon recommends no more than 3%. There really isn't any room if you load according to Hodgdon's rules.

I guess I'm anxious because the rule is usually to work up from a starting load, but in this case the starting load should be almost the same as the max load according to Hodgdon. And of course Hornady says otherwise. What do people usually do when manuals disagree like this?

What velocity should I look for? Clearly less than the ~1300 fps quoted by Hornady (for a 10" test barrel) and Linebaugh (for lead bullets in a 7" test barrel). My blackhawk has a 5.5" barrel. Figure about 1150 or 1200 fps?