45 colt loads?

[Trikerider]

Anyone have some good medium loads for 45 colt, using MBC 255 gr SWC and Universal Clays powder? I know its close to Unique, but can't find any loads in any books I have for it with 255 gr. I have a Ruger Lipsey, medium frame and a Bisley Blackhawk, large frame I want to shoot them in. trikerider

 

[squarles67]

Hodgdon has data for 250g lead http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp

 

[Trikerider]

Yes, been there, but only one load. Surely more than that. I have some like that in my loading books, but are slim. Looking for what range others are shooting, although I don't want to get wild with unknown loads. trikerider

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Yes, been there, but only one load. Surely more than that. I have some like that in my loading books, but are slim. Looking for what range others are shooting, although I don't want to get wild with unknown loads. trikerider

How can there be more than 1 load for a powder. Hodgdon lists a charge range on their site with a reported velocity of 742 fps up to 941 fps. The charge range is a full 1.3gr which is actually 13 loads if you use .1gr increments. (which I know most would not do)

While Universal will work well and is a good substitute for Unique I prefer both W231/HP-38 and HS-6 in the .45 Colt with HS-6 being my favorite .45 Colt powder.

 

[BossHogg]

With that bullet, which is what I use, 7.5 to 8 should get you started in the right direction. Universal Clays is a fine powder for the 45 colt. It builds 90% of my reloads for a 7 1/2 in Blackhawk. Works best at mid to max loads leaves some unburnt residue on some of the lighter loads. Good luck.

 

[aladdin]

Question for ArchAngelCD

While Universal will work well and is a good substitute for Unique I prefer both W231/HP-38 and HS-6 in the .45 Colt with HS-6 being my favorite .45 Colt powder.

I have been using HP-38 for my 45 colt loads. but have been thinking about trying Universal.
Can you tell me your reasons for preferring HP-38 over Universal.
Are you using magnum primers with your HS-6 loads.

 

[Trikerider]

ArchAngelCD, what I was trying to say is I don't like to load when the bullet weights don't match. They were using 250 gr and rnfp. Maybe that not a big change for you, but I haven't loaded for 25 years until just the last year or so and not that long for the 45 colt that I feel comfortable using data that is not for weight and shape I am using. I was hoping for data for maybe a 260 gr in there to kinda interpolate what would work for 255 gr. But thanks for your input, just the same. All info helps. trikerider

 

[BossHogg]

I think 250 gr to 255 gr bullet are very,very close to the same. I think lead swc and lead rnfp to be very,very close. Now lead to jacketed is a horse of a different color. I go close on bullet weight and most shapes in the types of bullets. Lead for lead, plated for plated and jacketed for jacketed.

Finding a load for your powder,bullet weight, bullet shape, bullet type, primers used, col,and brass would be next impossible. But you can get very,very close.

 

[Hammerdown77]

250 and 255 are basically the same. You can use their data interchangeably. Some 250 gr. bullets I've weighed are actually closer to 255 gr. anyway. And with standard SAAMI pressure 45 Colt (14k psi) in a Ruger, even the mid-frame, you have a pretty wide range to play in, especially with a medium burn rate powder like Universal.

What's more critical is amount of bullet inside the case, but that's generally not an issue unless you're loading really heavy bullets at max velocities. Or when you're looking at a Hornady XTP, which has more bearing surface and more bullet inside the case than most. In fact, you can usually substitute XTP data for a similar weight bullet, because the XTP presents the worst case scenario of pressure and seating depth.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I have been using HP-38 for my 45 colt loads. but have been thinking about trying Universal.
Can you tell me your reasons for preferring HP-38 over Universal.
Are you using magnum primers with your HS-6 loads.

I find W231/HP38 is as accurate or more accurate than Universal and it's slightly cleaner. The felt recoil is different too. I use a lot of W231 so that's the powder i usually go to when I load, I had to buy a pound of Universal to try in the .45 Colt.

As for Magnum primers with HS-6, yes they will perform better than standard primers but in the .45 colt I'm using a Winchester LPP which is rated for both standard and magnum loads.

Sometimes you will find two or more powders that perform well in a cartridge but you will stick with one powder over the others because you're comfortable with that powder. I'm comfortable with both W231 and HS-6 so I will usually use them over others when they deliver similar results.

 

[Jesse Heywood]

John Taffin shows a load for universal with the 255 LSWC load. It looks pretty warm, so work up to it.
http://www.sixguns.com/tests/tt45lc.htm

 

[joecil]

This comes from The Complete Reloading Manual for the 45 Colt which is somewhat out of date but believe it is very close. For a 255 gr Cast SWC Speer cast, it shows 7.2 gr @ 815 fps - 8.0 @ 883 fps. 1.665 Max OAL which is longer than most rifles can handle.

For a 250 gr LRNFP at 1.600 Max OAL is 6.5 gr @ 705 fps - 7.8 gr @ 941 fps. Which I have shot and found good loads but I prefer the HP-38 also over Universal Clays or Unique with the 45 Colt round.

 

[fatcpa]

With 255 gr LSWC I load 7.4-7.6 grains. Haven't run it past the chrony but others say their getting 825-850 fps.

 

[Trikerider]

Fatcpa, I have a bunch of them loaded just as you have and they have shot pretty good. I have a few at 8.0 I want to try yet. trikerider

 

[Hondo 60]

Alliant & Accurate will both respond if you email them a question.

Unfortunately, in my experience, Hodgdon has not been as willing.

 

[joecil]

I've also had good luck by calling Hodgdon for information but granted the don't respond to email very well.