.45 LC load info wanted

[dlj]

I'm new here and new to reloading the .45 LC. I have a new Rossi model 92 and the Uberti sa cattleman with 4 3/4'' barrel. I'm thinking of using dierent loads for each. What weight (jacketed bullet) delivers the most muzzle energy for the model 92 with the 20'' barrel. I am thinking of using Oregon hard cast lead in the Urberti. I have and have used bullseye and 2400 in other loadings, the .45 lc is new to me, any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[daorhgih]

Oooodles of data here on THR.

Just don't be in any big hurry to start dropping powders until you have read at least ½ of the posts here. Just "search" for every item you have mentioned, and in a few years, you'll be a pro (LOL) BTW, the authentic name for your ammo does not call it a "long" anything. Just .45C....or .45Colt. DAO

 

[jmstevens2]

Get at least 2 reloading books and read them first. Do not go outside the recipes, there is a lot of space in that case and not enough volume can cause an over pressure. Too much can too. You need to use the right powders.

http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp

 

[towboat_er]

http://gunloads.com/modules.php?name=Gunloads&cmd=souscat&cid=281

 

[Slamfire]

I'm new here and new to reloading the .45 LC. I have a new Rossi model 92 and the Uberti sa cattleman with 4 3/4'' barrel. I'm thinking of using dierent loads for each. What weight (jacketed bullet) delivers the most muzzle energy for the model 92 with the 20'' barrel. I am thinking of using Oregon hard cast lead in the Urberti. I have and have used bullseye and 2400 in other loadings, the .45 lc is new to me, any help is greatly appreciated!

Your Uberti pistol is built on the Colt SAA frame. As such it is a light framed. Your Rossi lever action will be much stronger and can take loads that are inappropriate for the revolver.

Decades ago I decided that Unique was the best overall powder in the 45 LC and my favorite load is a 250/255 Lead with 8.5 grains Unique. I like my loads to be about 850 fps in a five inch barrel. I consider 850 fps to be close to a maximum load for light framed SAA frames.

I only tested bullseye once, as you can see 6.3 grains with a 255 gave an average of 776 fps. That is a respectable velocity for a 45 LC.


For your rifle, Elmer Keith had a load of 250 grain with 17.5 grains of 2400. I have shot 17.0 and 17.5 grains in my N frame Smiths and I think these are on the hot side for these pistols. It should do very well in your rifle.

Too bad balloon head cases are not around. The original blackpowder load of 40 grains of FFFG in a balloon head case pushed a 255 at 1000 fps in Colt SAA. This according to people who have duplicated the original loads. Pressures had to be very low, as it is a blackpowder load, and at 1000 fps, you had a very powderful load.

[SIZE="3"]5" M25-7 			
					
255 LRN (.452")  8.5 grain Unique thrown R-P cases WLP (nickle) primers
26-May-97	T ≈  75-80 ° F		 		
					
Ave Vel =869			 	
Std Dev =10			 	 
ES  =	31			 	 
Low  =	858			 	  
High  =	889				 
N =	6				
					
					
255 LRN (.452")  6.3 grs Bullseye thrown R-P cases  WLP (nickle) primers
26-May-97	T ≈  75-80 ° F		 		
					
Ave Vel =776			 	
Std Dev =11			 	 
ES  =	28			 	 
Low  =	765			 	  
High  =	793				 
N =	6				
					


250 Hornaday JHP 17.0 grs 2400 little dandy R21 Fed 150 primers
1-Feb-90	T ≈  55 ° F		 	
				
Ave Vel =845		  
Std Dev =42		 	 
ES  =	119		 	 
Low  =	788		  
High  =	907		 	
N =	4
	[/SIZE]

[SIZE="3"]M625-9 Mountain Gun 4" 	
					
255 LSWC (.454") 8.5 grs Unique  thrown, R-P cases, WLP primers	
18-Mar-07	T = 55 °F				
					
Ave Vel =813	 	 	 	
Std Dev =34	 	 		
ES  =	145.4	 	 		
High  =	878.1		 		
Low  =	732.6		 		
Number Shots26				
					
Extremely accurate empties fell out of cylinder		
					
					
250 Nosler JHP 17.5 grs 2400 thrown, Master cases, Fed150 primers	
18-Mar-07	T = 55 °F				
					
Ave Vel =971	 	 	 	
Std Dev =25	 	 		
ES  =	69.47	 	 		
High  =	1003		 		 
Low  =	933.5		 		
Number Shots	11				
					
Very accurate heavy uncomfortable recoil[/SIZE]

 

[sourdough44]

I'd just go modest with a 'medium' speed powder, H Universal, or Unique are fine choices.

 

[rcmodel]

My advice is to find one good standard pressure load and use it in both guns.

As Slamfire1 said, the Uberti revolver is not strong enough to handle the hi-pressure loads the Rossi can handle.

If you load hot for it, it is only a matter of time before some of them get put in the revolver either accidentally or on purpose by you or somebody else!

BTW: At one time I bought a Ruger Blackhawk .45 Colt in order to use "Ruger only" hi-performance loads. But then I kept eye-balling my old Colt SAA's and decided I didn't want to blow one of them up if I or my kids slipped up and loaded the wrong ammo in one of them. I sold the Ruger.
I now only load a 250 grain Keith SWC over 8.5 grains unique.
It is perfectly safe in any .45 Colt gun, and will kill anything that walks or crawls in Kansas.
It is all the power a .45 Colt guy needs.

rc

 

[phunk]

Another vote for unique. My favorite load is a 200gr rfn with 8.3 gr of unique behind it, for shorter barreled guns. I have tried several other powders in the .45c but unique is my choice for this caliber.

 

[1911Tuner]

IF you can't find happiness with a cast 250-grain SWC and 8.5-9.0 grains of Unique, you probably never will. 870-900 fps respectively in my New Vaqueros with 4.625 barrels. Ruger revolvers tend to "shoot fast" so your Cattleman probably won't quite match those figures.

For the carbine, the 2400 "Keith" load with a jacketed 250-grain bullet is about as good as it gets, but as with any firearm...the hotter you shoot, the faster the gun breaks. I've used the above mentioned Unique load in my Winchester Trapper with excellent results, and it doesn't beat the rifle up.Velocities run to 1150+ fps in the 16-inch barrel.

 

[CraigC]

You have to decide what you're going to use them for and load accordingly. As to strength, post-war Colt SAA's, USFA replicas and mid-frame Rugers are good to 21-22,000psi but the Italian replicas should be loaded a little lighter. Your Rossi 92 is good to 45,000psi which is even more pressure than a large frame Ruger can handle. That said, there's a lot of good shooting to be done at a more moderate level. The classic 9.0gr of Unique under a 250-260gr cast bullet is about as good as it gets, which will yield you 900fps in sixguns and 1200fps in rifles.

Forget the jacketed pills.

 

[kludge]

dlj, you didn't mention the intended purpose of the load.

If for hunting then the 250-260gr lead bullet at 900fps, and as RC said, it's all you'll ever need. In your Rossi a RNFP (round nose flat point) might feed better than a SWC (semi-wadcutter) Usually, the bigger the meplat (the flat nose on the bullet) the better for hunting. For plinking I use a 200gr lead bullet.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

My favorite .45 Colt load is 7.2gr W231 under a 250/255gr lead bullet. That load shoots great for me. Nothing wrong with using Unique, Universal, AA#5 or HS-6 either.

 

[gilgsn]

Hello,

I use 8.0 grains of Unique with bullets from 200gr to 280gr. Namely, Lee 200 and 255 RNFP, and the great RCBS 45-270-SAA.
The 260grs come out at 875fps in the Pietta SAA with a 4-3/4'' barrel.

I will stay at 8.0gr of Unique or below to make sure that revolver lasts a long time!

See: http://gilblog.com/archives/1110/
The article will be updated as I try new loads, with the 45-270-SAA, and Alliant 2400.
My plan is to chronograph 15.0, 15.5 and 16gr of 2400 with that bullet.

 

[Trad Archer]

9.8 grains of H-6 and 255 grain SWC works good for me.

 

[Master Blaster]

Give IMR Hodgdon Trailboss a try if you are looking for target velocity loads with cast lead. Excellent accuracy, no smoke or fouling and it fills the case pretty darn good.
If you want higher velocity or are using jacketed bullets Tuner is spot on with unique.

 

[Hondo 60]

I certainly wouldn't create two loads.

I'd be concerned about accidentally using the stronger load in the Uberti.
In fact the reason many cowboys used 45 Colt revolvers & long guns is so they only had to have one cartridge for both.

Please stay safe.

 

[FHBrumb]

Is there a load at about the 19,000 psi mark? Most I find are well below that, or well above. Jacketed bullets preferred.

 

[Clark]

CAUTION: The following post includes loading data beyond currently published maximums for this cartridge. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The High Road, nor the staff of THR assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information.

~ 9 years ago I paid $255 for this early 1970's Iver Johnson imported Uberti Cattleman 45 Colt that is really beat up.
I normally drive harder bargains than that.
It is beat up, but I have really enjoyed it.

Virtually all the rounds I have fired were the same:
250 gr. XTP, 24 gr. H110, 1.603" heavy crimp into canalure:
1215 fps 22,000 psi Quickload prediction that matches chronograph.
That revolver locks up on each chamber as tight as the day it was made.

It kicks really hard, but no pain because of the well designed grip.
It does shoot a foot high, and I TIG welded some more front sight material.

 

[Hondo 60]

My favorite load is a 200 Grain RNFP Cowboy #4 from Missouri Bullet Co.
http://www.missouribullet.com/details.php?prodId=60&category=5&secondary=14&keywords=

Then use 10.5 grains of Accurate Arms #5.

Very soft shooting accurate load.

 

[FROGO207]

Clark I like the front site mod.
Another vote for Trail boss for the pistol. I use the max load in mine. I also Have 2 Ruger Vaqueros and use more stout loads in them but mark the cases with a wide red marker to indicate HOT loads.

 

[cfullgraf]

BTW: At one time I bought a Ruger Blackhawk .45 Colt in order to use "Ruger only" hi-performance loads. But then I kept eye-balling my old Colt SAA's and decided I didn't want to blow one of them up if I or my kids slipped up and loaded the wrong ammo in one of them. I sold the Ruger.
I now only load a 250 grain Keith SWC over 8.5 grains unique.
It is perfectly safe in any .45 Colt gun, and will kill anything that walks or crawls in Kansas.
It is all the power a .45 Colt guy needs.

rc

Excellent advise.

In my opinion, if you want 44 Magnum performance, get a 44 Magnum.

Even though many modern 45 Colt revolvers are strong, I feel it is fool hardy to push the old cartridge on the risk they might end up in an old design revolver.

But, like I said, it is my opinion and along with $5 it will get you a Starbucks coffee.

My 45 Colt loads are similar to those already listed. 225 to 250 grain lead bullets over Unique. They work great in my Smith 25-5.

 

[dlj]

.45 load info wanted

The is dlj (Dennis), I already load .38 special using bullseye and .357 mag using 2400 so that is why I'm looking for reloading specs for these powders. I use starline BRASS in the model 92 and starline NICKEL plated in the cowboy pistol. Bullseye burns very fast and 2400 is slower (it can make use of the much longer barrel. I have a 20 inch barrel. I want to use the model 92 for deer at 100 yards, give or take a little. I'm an older guy (69) and have always hunted over looking deer trails. It works very well for me. I mostly used military surplus rifles like the .303 British but now have less firearms. I do have several manuals but not much info on the .45 colt. I'm also thinking of installing the Marble bulls eye rear sight on the Rossi model 92, anyone here try it yet? Thanks, Dennis

 

[USSR]

Dennis,

I load for the .45 Colt, but use only cast bullets. I can heartily recommend 18gr of 2400 powder with a 250 - 270gr cast bullet for your Model 92 rifle. Also, using different brass and/or bullets in your loads is a good way to immediately identify which cartridges are low pressure loads and which are higher pressure loads.

Don

 

[stevehenry1]

i use a jacketed bullet in the hotter loads and lead in normal loads. and if you also shoot .44 mag, don't mix .44s and .45s. I've seen .45 Colts chamber .44 mag. talk about a ruined day.

 

[FHBrumb]

I'm still looking for a load. I see lots at the safer 14,000 psi, then they jump up pretty fast. I'd like a 230+ grain jacketed bullet at 19,000 to 21,000 psi. Maybe about 1,000 fps.

Any favorites?