45LC loads in 1866 Win. and Handgun

[NHSHTR]

Hi,

There's a similar thread on .357/.38 loads, but this is a bit different.

I load 45LC for my New Vaquero and keep them to a MV under 950 fps, and under 14,000 CUP. The bullet is cast LRNFP.

My questions are, are the above loads safe for the 1866 Uberti Yellowboy rifle with the (weak) Henry linkages? Does the Yellowboy max out at 14,000 CUP for long term usage?

My Lyman manual for 45LC rifle loads give very similar loads for rifle and handgun, but not all the same powders. Nor does it give me any pressure values for the rifle loads. The Hodgdon Table online doesn't show rifle loads for 45 LC, just pistol. Is the pressure developed in a handgun the same as in a rifle? Doesn't seem as though it would be.

Thanks for your comments.

 

[rcmodel]

Is the pressure developed in a handgun the same as in a rifle? Doesn't seem as though it would be.

Yes, it is the same pressure.

All the .45 Colt loading data in manuals is SAAMI spec or less, and is safe in any .45 Colt chambered firearm.
The exception is, some manuals include another .45 Colt chapter with "RUGER ONLY" loads, or some such warning. Those are in fact +P loads, and should not be used in your Yellowboy.

Chamber pressure is chamber pressure, regardless of what the chamber is in.
When the powder charge burns, max chamber pressure is reached almost instantly, the bullet starts moving, and then the pressure gets gradually less & less all the way down the barrel as the "Pressure vessel" or "chamber" becomes progressively larger & larger.

You made no mention of what bullet weight you are loading to 950 FPS?
If it is a 250 grain, your load is right at the very top velocity you can get out of a standard pressure .45 Colt handgun.
Will it wear out your toggles?
Yes, eventually.
And sooner then it would if you were loading to only 750 FPS.

However, the Uberti is proof-tested for standard pressure loads, so excess wear should not be a major concern.

rc

 

[NHSHTR]

rcmodel,

Thanks for the info on the pressure.

I went back to my reloading docs and I overstated my fps. I'm shooting a 250 gr. LRNFP (#452664) with 7 gr. of W231. My Lyman manual doesn't list the pressure for that load, but my guess for fps would be more like 850 rather than 950.

From your last statement, "However, the Uberti is proof-tested for standard pressure loads, so excess wear should not be a major concern." I'm not sure if I should drop Yellowboy loads to 750 fps (and lower pressure) in order to prolong the life of the action, or if Uberti's action will withstand my current load for an equally long life.

 

[rcmodel]

Hodgdon says;
250 LRNFP bullet
W-231 powder
7.5" Colt

5.8 grains = 785 @ 9,100 CUP.
7.1 Grains = 916 @ 13,900 CUP.

Unless you shoot hundreds of rounds a week in Cowboy Action training or something, I wouldn't worry about it.

rc

 

[CraigC]

RC nailed it. Brian Pearce even suggests that the `73's can be safely run up to 20,000psi. The weak link is the toggle action and the bolt thrust it must endure, not the chamber itself. Since the innards are all the same your `66 should be fine at SAAMI-spec pressure standards. It will survive longer than a `73 running full-bore .357's. Just don't go trying to hot rod it with the brass (bronze) frame.

 

[NHSHTR]

Thanks for the replies.

Hot rodding won't be a problem. I paid enough for that gun that I'm not about to do it damage. I expect to pass it down......but not soon!