Loads for .45LC?

[Ronniefromalabama]

I started a thread recently on brass vs nickel casings.

During that thread, it was mentioned that nickel is especially good for .45LC. Checking my stocks today, I happily found that I have a bag or two of nickel in that caliber.

So, I'm instantly interested in loading up some rounds for my Vaqueros. What are you favorite bullets? weight? jacketed or non-jacketed? powder? load, etc. in that caliber.

I fun shoot and target plink with the cowboy guns.

 

[ReloaderFred]

For most of my .45 Colt shooting with both handguns and rifles, I shoot a 200 gr. Round Nose Flat Point (RNFP) bullet over TrailBoss. It's a great plinking and SASS load, and I get more bullets per pound of alloy. These are my "fun guns", and aren't used for hunting, so light loads make them more fun to shoot.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[Hondo 60]

200gr RNFP with 11 gr of Accurate #5 OAL 1.600"
Winchester yellow brass - some once-fired, some 20x-fired.

And I said a naughty word when the gun fired on the flyer.
I knew before I looked at the target.

 

[rcmodel]

250-255 grain Keith LSWC over 8.5 grains Unique.

That has been the standard .45 Colt load for longer then I have been alive.

It matches the original black powder load, so fixed sight guns generally shoot to POA.

rc

 

[Don McDowell]

250-260 gr bullet with either 9 grs. of unique or 12 grs of bludot. I shot the unique load on recommendation from Skeeter Skelton for about 40 years, and then one day I tried the bludot, and haven't returned to the unique load since.

 

[BullRunBear]

Like rcmodel wrote, 255 grain LSWC with 8.5 grains of Unique. It is comfortable and accurate in both my Blackhawk and new model Vaquero. I've used it for about thirty years. The only other load I use is the same bullet with black powder.

Jeff

 

[JohnnyFlake]

My favorite handgun loads for my .45 Colt guns are, a 250/255gn Oregon Trail LSWC over either 7.0gns of W231 or the old standard 8.5gns of Unique. They are both very, very good, consistent loads and very accurate. The both generate about 850 fps velocity, out of my 4" & 4 5/8" barrels.

 

[Dframe]

Add me to the chorus for 200 grain RNFPs and Trail Boss. Mild shooting load that you can shoot all day without fatigue.

 

[25-5]

For .44 & .45 Colt I have been using Titegroup with great result. Missouri Bullet 250gr RNFP .45.

 

[1TwistedGimp]

Powders seem to be more available now, I saw about 15 different powders that can be used to reload for.45c today at a couple lgs's including tightgroup, 2400, w231, hs-6, hp-38, unique, universal, 700x, 800x, trailboss, a#5... Etc.

I was looking for unique cause it seems to be highly recommended for.45c and because in most of my manuals I have data for both cast and jacketed. I was also looking for all the "dots" red green and blue but alas none to be found. I bought a lb of unique and will go back after some trailboss next week when funds allow.

I will be test loading with IMR PB, IMR 4756, IMR 7625 and unique for my first test loads. Can't wait to see the results but it'll be a few weeks till I can get to the range. Unique is the word I see most when powder choice comes up so I can't wait to give it a shot.

1TG

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I can't count the number powders I've use to load the 45 Colt and most did just fine. I was using mostly W231 until I tried HS-6 and now I use nothing other than HS-6, especially with lead bullets.

I like a 255gr LSWC bullet over 10.6gr HS-6 for a accurate range load and even woods carry. Brian Pearce listed load data for the 45 Colt in Handloader #291, August 2014 and his data using a 250grq LRN bullet went all the way up to 11.5gr HS-6 so you have plenty of headroom with my load. With W231 I charge 7.2gr under the same bullets.

 

[wiiawiwb]

I've used 700-X, HS-6 and Unique. That is also my order of favorites.

 

[Hondo 60]

Ya know, it's odd, I tried 250 gr bullets & it scattered my shots all over the target.
I guess my gun just likes the 200 grainers.


Oh, and I was at the range this afternoon trying 228gr bullets.
The target looked just as nice!

I was loading 45 Colt the other day & ran out of my usual 200gr RNFP.
I had some 228 gr that I made with a Lee mold for 45acp.
So I checked my data & was still within limits for the 228 gr bullets, so I just substituted the bullet.
The target looked good!

Lee 452-228-1R mold, 11.0gr Accurate #5, Winchester brass, S&B Lg Pistol Primers, OAL 1.620
(did NOT change the crimp, or the seating die adjustment from my standard 200gr RNFP, just changed the bullet)

http://leeprecision.com/6-cavity-452-228-1r.html