Need a .45 Colt recipe.

I would discount the H110 right away. That's for stout magnum loads and your Judge and Governor aren't made for that kind of pressure. You can't download it either, as it has a very tight window.

I would go with the Unique, but that's just because it's a powder that I'm very familiar with. Standard loads for a 255 grain bullet is 8.5 grains, so with your 265, I would say, 7.5-8 grains would do the trick just fine.

I don't have much experience with the other powders so maybe someone will chime in who does. But the Unique load will do anything you want it to, I'm thinking.

You shouldn't have much trouble finding published data for that cartridge. I load 45 LC, but I don't load with lead, only jacketed stuff. Although a powder I thought worked pretty good with jacketed, and wouldn't be any where near over the top for a lead bullet, would be HS6. I've loaded a lot of 45LC with HS6, and it was a pleasant target load. Pressure with HS6 would probably range from around the 7,800's cup - 13,000 cup, which is not any where near the range of the Ruger / Contender pressures of 25,000 cup - 29,000 cup.
GS

If you had Red Dot I could help ya. With those powders, Unique would be my first choice and Bullseye would be 2nd, but I don't have load data.

Blue Dot is good for cast bullet "Ruger" loads (that's about all Blue Dot is good for in a handgun) but you can't shoot those in a Judge, and BD doesn't down-load gracefully.

I have worked with that bullet weight before with a few of those powders too.

The following seem to be well within SAAMI specs, but I cannot provide pressures for these loads, so work up to them.

Unique 7.5-8.0gr
Power Pistol 6.8gr(I shot many of those, shot nicely, even though I dont like PP with lead bullets)

Bullseye 6.5gr(a little dirty, but super accurate in my Blackhawk)

AA#5 9.5gr. This is a very accurate load in my blackhawk as well.

H110 and Blue Dot just arent good matches for that load in those guns.

I have AA 5, 7, H110, Bullseye, Unique, Power Pistol, Universal & Blue Dot.

Click to expand...

Of the powders you listed I would say AA#5, Unique, Universal or Bullseye can be used and in a pinch Power Pistol.

I would use Universal first followed by AA#5 and then Unique. BUT, I usually load W231 or HS-6 for my 45 Colt ammo.
http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp
http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/default.aspx
http://www.accuratepowder.com/load-data/

8 gr Unique.

GSPKurt,

I shoot 265gr SWC's in .45LC almost exclusively. For your Governor/Judge, I would recommend 8.0 - 8.5gr of Unique or 6.0 - 6.5gr of Bulleye. While I have some AA#5, I have not used it yet in .45LC. However, I would definitely stay away from H110 with your particular revolvers. Just MHO.

Don

8-9gr Unique.

I use the 8-9gr range of Unique under 255gr hard cast SWC's. They proved to be VERY accurate in my S&W model 25. Killed a deer with it at a full 50 yards and iron sights. Got complete penetration with a good and short blood trail.