Cowboy loads with Unique

[Armored farmer]

I just got my first non-Ruger .45colt.
Its an Uberti SAA clone. 4 3/4 bbl, El Patron.

Now for my question:
My regular .45colt handload is 9gr unique under a 255gr cast rnfp tumble lube bullet.
Is that too hot for my new Uberti?
What's your Unique powered cowboy load?
I will be gong-ringing and target shooting/plinking with this gun.

 

[PapaG]

It is a little warm. I'd probably try about 7 to 7.5. I've found that some of the imports shoot high with the standard 255 grain bullet and have often had to go as low as 185 grain to get close to poa. You can go down to 6 grains for a powderpuff plinker. Slower velocity often means higher impact though. Good luck. One of my favorite calibers.
Two Blackhawks, a Smith, two Contender barrels and a ROA with Howell cylinder right now.

 

[the Black Spot]

I've shot 5.5 gr with a 250 gr.
9 gr is a little warm for me.

 

[JohnB-40]

I would be interested in the same information for 357 mag.

 

[RealGun]

I would be interested in the same information for 357 mag.

Do you really mean 357 COWBOY? I run that only in my rifle.

 

[RecoilRob]

For gaming if ringing steel is the only goal then lighter probably would be better but you certainly shouldn't be hurting the new pistol with that level of charge.. The only caveat is you should have enough pressure to obturate the case well enough to seal and depending on the size of the chambers this can vary quite a bit. Just for fun you might try some lighter charges and see where the obturation limit is on your pistol.....then bump up a couple tenths and call it good. My Taurus Thunderbolt rifle needs a full 9 grains of Unique or else you get a puff of gas in the face with every shot and the action will tie up in a couple hundred rounds (or less) from the gas fouling.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Your Uberti will fire any SAAMI compliant 45 Colt load safely. Alliant lists a charge weight of 9.5gr Unique under a 250gr LSWC bullet so I see no reason why you couldn't shoot your standard load with 9.0gr Unique.

Of course if when you shoot them you think they are not "fun" to shoot you can lower the charge weight.

 

[JohnB-40]

RealGun, I have a 357 Vaquero and 357 Win 73. I'm always looking for light loads that will work well in both. It is for just around the ranch plinking/small pests. I like to keep the rifle subsonic,1050-1100 fps,so I guess that would be at about 750-850 in a Vaq 4.6". . Been using HP-38 and Trail Boss,a neighbor gave me a # of Unique.

 

[LiveLife]

Uberti SAA clone. 4 3/4 bbl, El Patron ... 255 gr cast rnfp tumble lube bullet

Cowboy loads with Unique ... I will be gong-ringing and target shooting/plinking

2004 Alliant load data has Cowboy Action loads on page 45 - http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=182147&d=1364769070

• 45 Colt barrel length 5.5" 250 gr RNFP lead OAL 1.58" Unique Start 6.0 gr 650 fps - Max 7.5 gr 750 fps

I would be interested in the same information for 357 mag ... a neighbor gave me a # of Unique.

.357 Mag Cowboy Action loads for Unique.

• .357 Mag barrel length 6.5" 140 gr Hornady lead FP OAL 1.57" Unique Start 3.5 gr 725 fps - Max 4.0 gr 820 fps
• .357 Mag barrel length 6.5" 158 gr RN OAL 1.585" Unique Start 3.8 gr 741 fps - Max 4.5 gr 859 fps

 

[Walkalong]

RealGun, I have a 357 Vaquero and 357 Win 73. I'm always looking for light loads that will work well in both. It is for just around the ranch plinking/small pests.

BE-86 is hard to beat for midrange .357 with 158 Gr bullets. WST is great for powder puff .357 with 158 Gr bullets.

7.3 Grs BE-86
WSP primer
X-Treme 158 Gr SWC (Light taper crimp)
48 Degrees 31% RH

4" 586-3
6 shots Powder Back Powder Forward
HI 1074 1040
LO 1040 975 (5 shots P)
AVG 1057 1001 (3 shots P) Low on rounds.
ES 34 65
SD 11 23

Start low, work up, be careful.

 

[Charlie98]

I've got a 5.5" Ruger Vaquero in .45Colt, I think my standard plinker load was 7.0grn Unique and a ~250'ish bullet... having said that, given your intended 'target,' I would probably start around 6grn and work your way up... finding a charge that agrees with your pistol, and your recoil tolerance.

 

[Armored farmer]

I fiddled with my notes and scale. I found the .7cc dipper holds 6.4 gr Unique.(my .357/Unique dipper)
I will try that in my 50 primed cases asap.

 

[RealGun]

I fiddled with my notes and scale. I found the .7cc dipper holds 6.4 gr Unique.(my .357/Unique dipper)
I will try that in my 50 primed cases asap.

My notes for my 6.5 Unique load indicate "accurate" and "mid level recoil". You will know you aren't shooting 38 Special. I shoot it comfortably in a 4" K-frame 19-4. If I push harder with Unique though, I get leading with hard or soft bullets. Slower powders work better, when serious about magnum level performance. AA#7 works great as well as A2400.

 

[Armored farmer]

My notes for my 6.5 Unique load indicate "accurate" and "mid level recoil". You will know you aren't shooting 38 Special. I shoot it comfortably in a 4" K-frame 19-4. If I push harder with Unique though, I get leading with hard or soft bullets. Slower powders work better, when serious about magnum level performance. AA#7 works great as well as A2400.

Yes that has been my experience as well.
That load has been very accurate in my guns.

 

[wankerjake]

http://www.sixguns.com/tests/tt45lc.htm

9.0gr Unique is fine, it’s a great load. I liked 8.5gr too.

I’ve been shooting 8.3gr and 8.9gr Herco with a 255 LSWC. Similar. In a New Vaquero.

 

[Armored farmer]

Good info from Taffin.
Thanks for the link @wankerjake
I saved it to print off for my notes.

 

[wankerjake]

Yeah I always print off Taffin’s stuff for everything I shoot. Great resource.

 

[Bartojc]

I've been shooting around 7.8 gr in my Blackhawk for a while. Works well. I know it can take more, but why shoot more when what you have works fine ?

-Jeff

 

[RealGun]

I've been shooting around 7.8 gr in my Blackhawk for a while. Works well. I know it can take more, but why shoot more when what you have works fine ?

-Jeff

With the topic being "cowboy load", I think that would be rather strong. Note that you are citing reloading data without explicit references to all the components and velocity rating, which must be no more than 1000 fps for SASS.

 

[Bartojc]

With the topic being "cowboy load", I think that would be rather strong. Note that you are citing reloading data without explicit references to all the components and velocity rating, which must be no more than 1000 fps for SASS.

Most cowboy loads are defined by 250 grain lead, also referenced above. My load of 7.8 is confirmed as under max by my Lyman's book, and should be well under 1000 fps. As always start low and work up.

Jeff

 

[RealGun]

Most cowboy loads are defined by 250 grain lead, also referenced above. My load of 7.8 is confirmed as under max by my Lyman's book, and should be well under 1000 fps. As always start low and work up.

Jeff

Many of the traditional style Uberti guns shoot high, so I have seen a number of references to people using 200 grain bullets. Velocity would be higher with those, so loads would be different. There may be other reasons they use them. Of the two bullet makers in our area that specialize in cowboy reloading, neither offers anything over 200 gr for 45 Colt.