45 Colt Loads and Position Sensitivity

[KnightHawk]

There is no denying the .45 is a big hole, so to speak... and has it's problems, or, perhaps challenges... for a handloader. At the end of the day, the .45 may not be the right answer... for a light-recoiling load with good numbers. Trade the .45 in for a .38/.357...

Another thought is using cowboy brass. It’s made for lighter loads and bullets by eliminating minimizing the air space.

45 Cowboy Special Brass - Large Pistol - Brass Cases

And it’s in stock. $85 for 250 hulls and free shipping. It just might be a simple answer to light and midrange loads.

I have been playing with 45ACP and 45 AR pistols with 200 to 304 grain bullets in these fine S&W revolvers.
More work to do.

 

[N555]

Try CBI it's 3x the volume of hp38 an about 2x that of unique and closer to hp38 burn speed for half to 1/4 the price depending on how you buy your power.
That should eliminate most of the position sensitivity.

 

[Rimfire McNutjob]

Try CBI it's 3x the volume of hp38 an about 2x that of unique and closer to hp38 burn speed for half to 1/4 the price depending on how you buy your power.
That should eliminate most of the position sensitivity.

What is CBI? My brain can't seem to decipher that one.

 

[N555]

What is CBI? My brain can't seem to decipher that one.

Military surplus powder that is perfect for 115gr 9mm. It's made by general dynamics for 155mm ignitors, single base very fluffy flake powder that's extremely clean burning.
It makes 45acp loads that are about as accurate as unique.
I don't have a 45colt but it's supposed to work well and better if you hot load them a bit.
It's my go to powder for 115gr 9mm, 45acp and hot 38spl.
The place that sells it is cdvs dot us.

 

[Walkalong]

……..At the end of the day, the .45 may not be the right answer... for a light-recoiling load with good numbers. Trade the .45 in for a .38/.357...

Blasphemy!

Just make sure to have both. .

Standard.45 Colt loads with 250/5s isn’t heavy recoil from an N frame, but it isn’t powder puff either. Another option is have your.45 Colt cut to accept.45 ACP/moonclips.

The correct answer is to have revolvers in multiple calibers to select the proper recoil and/or power for the errand at hand.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

Blasphemy!

Just make sure to have both. .

Standard.45 Colt loads with 250/5s isn’t heavy recoil from an N frame, but it isn’t powder puff either. Another option is have your.45 Colt cut to accept.45 ACP/moonclips.

The correct answer is to have revolvers in multiple calibers to select the proper recoil and/or power for the errand at hand.

Yup. Goes to my basic starting point: What do I want to put a hole in?

7gr of Unique is a good plates load in my birdshead Vaquero. I don’t recall any powder position issues but at 25’ as long as there was a tink after the boom I wouldn’t have cared.

 

[1KPerDay]

Any idea how much more "fluffy" promo is? It's talked about but I've never seen a red dot to promo comparison?

IME they are roughly the same or if there is any variation it’s within about .2 grains for the same powder charging orifice. For the charges I throw I don’t typically bother changing to another orifice. I confirm all thrown charges with a scale of course before loading a bunch. Plus I pretty much only load Promo now as I have a big jug of it and am out of Red Dot

 

[styles]

Black powder must be the answer!

 

[Art30/30]

I have ran 8.5 grains of Unique under 250-255 lead boolits for a long time. Currently I have a Vaquero and a Uberti Cattleman. Both shoot this load very well. I was taught it duplicated the original black powder load. It has to be close to a 50% fill I am guessing.

 

[.45Coltguy]

I have ran 8.5 grains of Unique under 250-255 lead boolits for a long time. Currently I have a Vaquero and a Uberti Cattleman. Both shoot this load very well. I was taught it duplicated the original black powder load. It has to be close to a 50% fill I am guessing.

And you would be correct. My normal .45 Colt load is 8.0-8.2gr Unique/250gr rnfp. Works very well in lever rifle or revolver.

 

[Art30/30]

I used to have a Henry 45 Colt rifle. I miss that rifle. I know Alliant has it all the way up to like 9.8 grains. THAT would be a handful!

 

[Rimfire McNutjob]

Military surplus powder that is perfect for 115gr 9mm. It's made by general dynamics for 155mm ignitors, single base very fluffy flake powder that's extremely clean burning.
It makes 45acp loads that are about as accurate as unique.
I don't have a 45colt but it's supposed to work well and better if you hot load them a bit.
It's my go to powder for 115gr 9mm, 45acp and hot 38spl.
The place that sells it is cdvs dot us.

Ah. The picture makes it look like N320 to me. Though that's a mini-tube.

 

[.45Coltguy]

I used to have a Henry 45 Colt rifle. I miss that rifle. I know Alliant has it all the way up to like 9.8 grains. THAT would be a handful!

Henry is my current .45 Colt rifle. Couldn't ask for a better .45 Colt lever gun. I shoot it more than my Henry .357 lever rifle!

 

[Barmcd]

There is no denying the .45 is a big hole, so to speak... and has it's problems, or, perhaps challenges... for a handloader. At the end of the day, the .45 may not be the right answer... for a light-recoiling load with good numbers. Trade the .45 in for a .38/.357...

I have a Pietta 1873 in 357/38 and it shoots my 38 target loads and light 357 loads very well.

 

[Barmcd]

Another thought is using cowboy brass. It’s made for lighter loads and bullets by eliminating minimizing the air space.

45 Cowboy Special Brass - Large Pistol - Brass Cases

And it’s in stock. $85 for 250 hulls and free shipping. It just might be a simple answer to light and midrange loads.

I have been playing with 45ACP and 45 AR pistols with 200 to 304 grain bullets in these fine S&W revolvers.
More work to do.

Thanks, that might be the ticket!

 

[Barmcd]

Try CBI it's 3x the volume of hp38 an about 2x that of unique and closer to hp38 burn speed for half to 1/4 the price depending on how you buy your power.
That should eliminate most of the position sensitivity.

I've never heard of them. Thanks!

On edit: They are out right now.

 

[Barmcd]

I have ran 8.5 grains of Unique under 250-255 lead boolits for a long time. Currently I have a Vaquero and a Uberti Cattleman. Both shoot this load very well. I was taught it duplicated the original black powder load. It has to be close to a 50% fill I am guessing.

That's a bit heavier than any load data I've seen for Unique. The unique website lists 7.8 grains with a 250 grain bullet. Their data is presented a little differently than most other sites. They list one load, not a starting and maximum load.

 

[Barmcd]

I used to have a Henry 45 Colt rifle. I miss that rifle. I know Alliant has it all the way up to like 9.8 grains. THAT would be a handful!

Hornady lists rifle loads for 45 Colt separate from pistol loads, but rifle loads are just slightly higher using unique. I use 17 grains of 2400 in my Rossi R92 which gives me about 1400 FPS.

 

[AJC1]

That's a bit heavier than any load data I've seen for Unique. The unique website lists 7.8 grains with a 250 grain bullet. Their data is presented a little differently than most other sites. They list one load, not a starting and maximum load.

Alliant just gives max you reduce as you see fit....
Loads are tailored to the age of your gun and strength of your action. 10.0 is about 20kpsi and what I load a 250 for my marlin lever.... those ruger only loads are more spicy than I want in my loads.

 

[Barmcd]

I made several loads to try out next week, all using 250 grain Berry's bullets. .
10.4 gr. Accurate No. 5
11.1 gr. Accurate No. 5
6.0 gr. Tight Group
6.3 gr. Tight Group
6.3 gr. Bullseye
6.7 gr. Bullseye
7.1 gr. Bulls eye

I'll also make a few loads bridging the gap between my max tested load of Unique, which was 7.4 gr., and Art30/30s 8.5 grains of Unique.

 

[Roverguy]

HS-6 and 4227 are my tried and trusted friends for 45 Colt at Sub-Ruger only levels.

 

[Art30/30]

Henry is my current .45 Colt rifle. Couldn't ask for a better .45 Colt lever gun. I shoot it more than my Henry .357 lever rifle!

I shoot the 35 Remington and 30/30

That's a bit heavier than any load data I've seen for Unique. The unique website lists 7.8 grains with a 250 grain bullet. Their data is presented a little differently than most other sites. They list one load, not a starting and maximum load.

here is the information I got right off of Allianz’s web site. Again I am using 250 lead bullets not jacketed. It goes up to 9.8 grains of Unique. 8.5 is not too hot at all in my revolvers.

Alliant Powder - Reloader's Guide

www.alliantpowder.com

 

[Charlie98]

I'll also make a few loads bridging the gap between my max tested load of Unique, which was 7.4 gr., and Art30/30s 8.5 grains of Unique.

Alliant data, as John mentions, is listed at max, you are supposed to reduce by 10% to start. It's in the fine print somewhere.

If all you are looking for is good SD numbers, typically, the more you fill that case up, the better your numbers will get. There are always exceptions and anomalies.

8.5grn Unique under a 255grn cast .45 bullet is a reasonable load, but 8.5grn is already pushing 16K psi. You will need to be aware of your manufacturer's pressure limits in your particular firearm.

 

[Art30/30]

Alliant data, as John mentions, is listed at max, you are supposed to reduce by 10% to start. It's in the fine print somewhere.

If all you are looking for is good SD numbers, typically, the more you fill that case up, the better your numbers will get. There are always exceptions and anomalies.

8.5grn Unique under a 255grn cast .45 bullet is a reasonable load, but 8.5grn is already pushing 16K psi. You will need to be aware of your manufacturer's pressure limits in your particular firearm.

Right, I have a new Uberti Cattleman and a new model Ruger Vaquero. I started at 8.0 and worked to 8.5. I couldn’t tell the difference shooting them but preferred the case fill. They drop out of the cylinders with a little tap. Primers are very rounded with zero signs of flattening.

 

[Barmcd]

Alliant data, as John mentions, is listed at max, you are supposed to reduce by 10% to start. It's in the fine print somewhere.

If all you are looking for is good SD numbers, typically, the more you fill that case up, the better your numbers will get. There are always exceptions and anomalies.

8.5grn Unique under a 255grn cast .45 bullet is a reasonable load, but 8.5grn is already pushing 16K psi. You will need to be aware of your manufacturer's pressure limits in your particular firearm.

Now that you mention that, it sounds familiar.