45 Colt Powder options

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huntincowboy

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Hey guys, I'm about to run out HP 38 that I use for reloading my Ruger Blackhawk 45 colt. I am looking to get a different powder that I can push my ww cast bullets from the lee 452-255 mold (`260 gr) at about 1000 fps +/- a little. I load full house rounds with h-110, so I know all about the capabilities of the particular round with the particular firearm. Most of the data in my books is for plated bullets. There is plenty of data out there for full on magnum and cowboy type loads, I'm just looking for something in between. I have the lee 2nd edition and the newest lyman cast bullet and reloading manuals, but I haven't seen anything promising. I don't know if the t/c encore loads are safe for the blackhawk (since it doesn't explicitly say ruger in the lyman manual and no pressures are listed) so I haven't even looked at them. I'm also looking for a powder that is relatively clean, as the hp 38 leaves yellow residue all over my gun with a 7.1 gr charge over the same bullet.

I know that's alot in one post, but I think that covers what I'm looking for haha.
 
Red Dot has worked well for me in mid range loads. 8g of Red Dot under a 255 LSWC gave me 950 fps from a 4 5/8 bbl Blackhawk, very clean and very accurate
 
Haha! I've been thinking about getting some, as I also hear it is a very versatile powder. Since I am reloading 45 acp, 45 colt, and 357 mag, that is something I can appreciate! Can I get a velocity that is near the old black powder loading with Unique? Does it fill the cases well?
 
That red dot loading sounds about like what I want to achieve. I have a 7 1/2" bbl. I'm also looking for something that fills the case nicely. All I have ever used is hp 38 and h110 so I have no feel for how other powders compare
 
With a 250-255 grain cast bullet, 9.0 replicates the orginial BP load pretty close.
I use 8.5 in my Colt SAA and it shoots to the sights perfectly.

Nothing fills a .45 Colt case except 40 grains of BP or whatever the charge is of Trail Boss.
But Unique is fluffy enough you would for sure notice a double-charge if you looked.

rc
 
Red Dot won't "fill the case", but it is fluffy and bulky enough you can eyeball how much is in there -- you're not going to overlook a double charge or a half-charge.

Herco is another good powder -- use about 12 grains with a 250 or 255 cast bullet, but only in a Blackhawk or equivalent.
 
rcmodel that is all I am looking for is to easily notice a double charge. The hp 38 only fills maybe a quarter of the case and I have intentially double charged to look at it and it would be something that you could miss with the hp 38.
 
Unique is an excellent powder in 45 LC and so is that other 45 powder, Unique.


That about sums it up for the 45 LC.
 
I guess maybe I should clarify my definition of clean. I don't want to see the yellow flakes that look like unburned powder. If it is dirty as in sooty and black, that's ok with me so long as it is burning completely. I also feel like I have problems with consistency in the hp 38 due to incomplete burning, but I don't have a chrony yet so I can't say for sure. I've heard that Unique has been improved and is now cleaner, but like I said if it's just sooty that's not really a problem for me
 
yellow flakes that look like unburned powder.
Click to expand...
Those are powder "skeletons" left from burning.

Almost any powder is "dirty" if you are not running enough pressure to get it to burn clean.

If you are shooting grease lubed lead bullets?
What possible difference does it make?

The bullet lube makes 90% of the mess anyway.

rc
 
flhtcuibyhd ... Trail Boss is working well for me. I am only loading up light easy target rounds.
Click to expand...

I'm not reloading yet, but it's looking more and more likely... and relatively light .45 LC is where I'd be starting, if I decide to jump into that pool.

Trail Boss is, from what I've gleaned, a fairly volumous, low energy powder? as in low energy to case volume ratio? is that right? i'm trying to cobble together an idea of burn rates/ powder volumes, etc...
 
I'm using Universal for midrange loads in 45 Colt. 9.0 grains under a 255 grain plated for about 950 fps out of my 5.5 inch Blackhawk. It's probably a little much for an SAA but that's where the SDs tightened up and it sure is accurate and burns clean. Unique is the standard powder for 45 Colt but Universal meters better and is much, much cleaner.
 
Lots of people love trailboss but I haven't had that great of luck with it. I tried a few different loads from 4.9g to 6.0g (6g is a case full) and it was VERY inaccurate for me. Velocity ranged from 613 to 721. I was using a relatively soft bullet at 12 brinell hardness but it just didn't work for me.

I was kidding with the flaming dirt remark. Unique works well, I use it in 357 mag also. As RC mentioned the bullet lube from the lead is the source of most of the crud.
 
I have loaded just about everything in the 45 colt that can be used in the round and IMO nothing beats unique. I started with unique years ago and that's right where i ended up.
 
I love 2400 with lead bullets, but haven't tried any with my cast boolits yet. I use the same Lee 255 grain mold you mentioned. I just loaded some up with 15 grains, so I'll let you know how it goes. I really don't know why I'm doing it, because the 8.5 grain charge of Unique will likely do a fine job on anything that walks or crawls in Arkansas.

I don't know if the t/c encore loads are safe for the blackhawk (since it doesn't explicitly say ruger in the lyman manual and no pressures are listed) so I haven't even looked at them.
Click to expand...

I've shot some downright scary stuff in my Blackhawk for sure. I've shot 26 grains of H110 and a 250 grain Hornady XTP. That load is WAY above SAMMI specs by the way and probably shouldn't be shot even in a Blackhawk. I was picking flakes of rubber out of my palm from the Pachmyer grips. People were turning and looking at me because the sound was so different. It was crazy. I haven't done that in a while. I guess I just decided there was no need to punish my hand or my revolver like that.
 
For loads just above 1,000fps, I am partial to 2400 or 4227. For loads just below 1,000fps, either Unique or HS-6. John Linebaugh's load of 13.0gr of HS-6 is a good one.

Don
 
I've done the 26+ grains h110 and 250 xtps I shot about 200 of them before deciding it wasn't good on the gun so I quit. Never had any pressure signs. Scared me though even though my lee manual had it listed at the safe blackhawk pressures. I can't remember but I think it was around 30000 psi.

Where can I look up the Linebaugh loads at?
 
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