.45 Colt +P

[Mike Yocum]

Anybody have a +P load for .45LC with Trail Boss Powder? I have both 255gn LSWC and 230gn JHP. I intend on using it in both a New Vaquero and a 16" Puma 92.

Thanks for your time.

 

[Sport45]

First off, welcome to The High Road!

Trail Boss might be a little fast for +P loads with heavy bullets and I don't think it's supposed to be used with jacketed bullets at all. Might I suggest Unique? It's not hard to get over 1000fps with Unique. 2400, Lil'Gun, or H110 are generally recommended for the heavy stuff.

 

[Mike Yocum]

About the only reason I called Trail Boss was the fact that I use it for a plinking load. The other powders in my stable are Solo 1000, H4895, and Varget. All seemed inappropriate.

I'd be happy to hear any recipes. The only ones I could find for +P seemed ludicrous speed and called out that they were for use in the uber guns like T/C and Redhawks. I've confirmed with Ruger that +P factory loads are fine for use in the New Vaquero.

 

[MCgunner]

I push a 300 grain bullet to over 1100 fps from a 4 5/8" barrel in my Blackhawk. But, I've heard the New Vaqs can't handle the Blackhawk style pressures, not recommended at any rate. I shoot 2400 in my loads, slow powder, better for magnum style loads.

I can tell ya this, too, the hot load will shoot a lot higher than the light plinker. I have my Blackhawk's sight marked six clicks down for the hot stuff, six clicks up for my 255 grain plinker load. That's why I don't like Vaqueros since I don't do cowboy shooting and don't care for "authenticity", as if a Ruger was authentic to the Colt in the first place.

 

[Sport45]

It may be time to expand your stable. What other handguns do you reload for? Unique, W231, Universal and Titegroup are just a very few of the versatile powders that can be used in a wide spectrum of cartridges. To kick the .45Colt up a notch requires a little slower powder like 2400, W296, H110, etc. Trail Boss has its niche in the cowboy action market and really isn't made for the heavy thumpers.

 

[scrat]

Agreed you need to look into purchaseing another kind of powder. Trail boss is great stuff for cowboy action shooting. Same time when you load the recomended load its easy on the firearm. As mentioned earlier make sure your firearm is ok to handle the high pressure loads. they will also shoot high. My only question. Why the need for a higher pressure load

 

[Ifishsum]

I also suggest another powder - Alliant's Unique will serve you well here IMO. I'm not aware of any jacketed loads for Trail Boss as the manufacturer states it's only for cast bullet loads.

 

[Walkalong]

Unique, Universal Clays & AA #5 will do very well at .45 Colt standard and +P pressures.

If you want to reallly soup it up, then AA #9 is a very good choice, but we are into Ruger, Contender, etc only territory then.

Welcome to THR

 

[rcmodel]

Do you have a "New" New Vaquero, or an "old" New Vaquero?

The new ones now have a Colt SAA size frame, and will not safely handle many high pressure loads that were in common use with the larger old New Vaquero.

With that said, I also think you should consider Unique powder.
It is the gold standard in the .45 Colt SAA and similar guns.

8.5 grains over a 250 grain LSWC will give you just about exactly the power level of the old black powder load that made the .45 Colts reputation.
(900 - 1,000 FPS depending on barrel length.)

It is all the power most folks will ever need, and is still pleasant to shoot.

2400 & H110 are best reserved for very heavy hunting loads in very strong guns.

As for other powders?
Why re-invent the wheel when the 8.5 Unique load works perfectly!

rcmodel

 

[Mike Yocum]

I currently reload .45acp, .223, .30-06, .45-70, .30-30, and of course .45LC. I have really taken to the Trail Boss specifically for the high volume aspect of it. The insurance value of preventing double charges in the .45LC and .45-70 helps me feel a little better about shooting my Grandfather's Trapdoor.

It seems to me and my feeble mind that in reviewing reloading data for the .45LC, there are basically two categories:

1) Cowboy (250gn, LFP, sub 800fps)
2) Anti-Tank (350gn, JWB*, 1400FPS+)

My intention of finding a .45LC+P load is mostly for my trunk gun (Puma 92 Trapper) and for whitetail hunting. And since I hate to complicate things by having several loads in the same caliber, I wanted a load that will work in my New Vaquero (Yes, it's a new New Vaquero.) I have taken the time to confirm with Ruger that FACTORY +P loads are fine for the New Vaquero.

As an aside, Yes, loading said Vaquero or Puma with the aforementioned Anti-Tank round is not conducive to a healthy lifestyle. And, Yes, I do load some calibers in several different charges and bullet weights for High Power Rifle and Bullseye competition. Frankly, I don't think it helps my scores.

Next time I'm at my local gun shop, I'll pick up some new powder.


*Jacketed Wonder Bullet

 

[MCgunner]

You can push a 255 grain pill to 1000 fps and not be into "ruger only" loads with Unique. AA#9 is a superb powder here for the really hot stuff, someone mentioned it.

My 2400 load is not as hot as I've seen published. Out of a 7" gun it pushes 1200 fps with 300 grain Hornady XTP, a VERY accurate bullet. I've seen published ballistics claiming 1300 fps, but I've also seen manuals claim my load is over the top. So, just go by whatever manuals you read. I ain't gonna look mine up (forget the weight, have to look it up anyway, don't load that many) and tell here cause I don't want someone torching a NEW new model Vaq. LOL! I know my Blackhawk handles it fine, like candy.

 

[dougader]

I'll tell you straight up that you either misunderstood the Ruger rep or s/he misunderstood you. The New Vaquero is NOT suitable for the 25,000 - 30,000 CUP level loads that the old Vaquero, Blackhawks and Redhawks are able to take. You will damage that new Vaquero if you use data marked "Ruger and T/C Only." The Speer #14 reloading manual will tell you the same thing.

The new Vaqeuro is a light gun designed to approximate the weight and handling of the Colt SAA. Firing off a 30,000 CUP load in a new Vaquero is akin to shooting proof loads for a gun of that design... 14,000 CUP is the MAP for the 45 Colt. Stick to it and be safe.

 

[rcmodel]

+1

Consider it a slightly stronger SAA Colt.

rcmodel

 

[zxcvbob]

I like 7.5 grains of Promo (or Red Dot) with a 230 grain cast bullet. That's about a 20000 psi load that is really cheap to load and it shoots good. (I have a Bisley-Blackhawk so I can go a lot higher, but my gun is bigger and heavier)

That 8.5 grain Unique 250 load is a classic, and probably what I'd use if I was shooting a SAA or similar.

If you want to push the envelope just a little, 8.0 grains of Bullseye or 10 grains of Herco will get you over 1000 fps with a 250 or 255 grain bullet, and the pressure is still under 18000 psi.

 

[Walkalong]

+1 for Red Dot and light .45 Colt loads.

 

[Sistema1927]

I toyed around with some hot loads for the Blackhawk class guns prior to coming to the recognition that a 255 grain hardcast bullet traveling ~900 fps was capable of cleanly killing just about anything that I want to shoot.

 

[Shoney]

It really bothers me that since SAAMI has no designation of a 45 Colt (45LC) +P load, what is the standard pressure for the 45 Colt (45LC) +P Load???????

The only +P SAAMI designations are for 9mm Luger +P; 38 Special +P; 38 Super Auto +P; and 45 Auto +P.

 

[scrat]

Well i do believe everyone told you what you did not want to hear. However they told you it for a reason. No one hear is going to recomend that you try to come up with a very hot load for a gun that is not designed to handle the pressure. Its to dangerous, your putting yourself at risk and people that shoot around you. Reconsider what your doing.

 

[dougader]

You're right. There is no SAAMI designation for a 45 Colt +P loading. But most reloading manuals have load data listed for Ruger (except for the new Vaquero) and T/C guns. Sierra also mentions Freedom Arms, Colt Anaconda, and Dan Wesson revolvers. Speer lists their's as high as 25,000 CUP. Hodgdon lists loads to about 30,000 CUP.

There is a lot of good information on John Linebaugh's site: http://www.customsixguns.com/writings/dissolving_the_myth.htm about the 45 Colt and heavy loads.

 

[campbell]

It seems to me and my feeble mind that in reviewing reloading data for the .45LC, there are basically two categories:

1) Cowboy (250gn, LFP, sub 800fps)
2) Anti-Tank (350gn, JWB*, 1400FPS+)

It does get portrayed that way, and it shortchanges guns like the New Vaquero.

The New Vaqs are supposed mimic the feel of a Colt SAA, but are in fact stronger than a 19th Century blackpowder Colt. Now, that's not to say that the New Vaq is a 32,000 psi platform like the large frame Rugers, but it's easily a 20,000 psi platform. A must read if you handload for a New Vaq is Brian Pierce's 2005 article.(he estimates the New Vaq as safe in the 22-24k PSI range)

http://www.riflemagazine.com/magazine/PDF/HL_234_preview.pdf

A convenient reloading guide for this application is Accurate Arms, who's "Ruger only" loads top out at approx. 20,000 PSI.

http://www.accuratepowder.com/data/Accurate v322 web publication.pdf

 

[Shoney]

dougader:
SAAMI does designate
45 Colt- - - - - - 14,000 psi
45 Colt (Ruger) - 25,000 cup
But with the different pressure designations, it is difficult to compare the differences with the New Vaquero at 20,000 psi.