Newbie Reloader- wanting 1000fps 45 colt.

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Teach_87

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As the title says I am a newbie reloader. I just got in my lee Classic turret press today.

I am starting my reloading with 45colt. I am wanting to make an all around round that can be used from everything from plinking to whitetails.

I'm thinking I would like to use a 250gr cast bullet. Such as the Oregon Trail Laser Cast moving 100fps would fit the bill. I found a load online from American hand gunner that said 9gr of unique with a 255 cast yields right around 1000fps. http://americanhandgunner.com/everyday-workin-loads/

Does that sound about right? I am shooting a 5.5 barrel Blackhawk so it can handle heavier loads. Also I haven't bought any components so I'm open to all suggestions.

Thanks in advance. (FYI this is my first post. I didn't see an intro forum let me know if there is one please )
 
Welcome to THR. First off get a reloading book or two and read them. I would suggest a lyman loading book for one of the two if your using cast bullets. then you can look at all the component combos. you cannot just get the powder in grains you also need C.O.A.L., primer, case length, and you need to work up regardless of the Ruger BH if you have never loaded before you need to take your time, and a strait wall case that is over sized for smokeless powder like the .45 Colt is a dangerous one to start on even in a Black Hawk. You are also going to have a hard time finding pistol powder right now and you should be aware of a few incase you spot one.

There is a newbie introduction forum here:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=233018
 
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that should get you close , the data I just checked shows 10gr for a 255gr cast 9gr for 250gr LaserCast , both clocking just over what you are going for , I've use 7gr of bullseye and 17gr of 2400 to get there , but my favorite load is a 300gr Speer Jacketed FP going 1650Fps out of my 45LC Classic Carbine , , But I wont list that as I think that would be a real bad idea to shoot out of a handgun :D


Do you have any powder yet ? as Unique is hard to find right now




.
 
Welcome. You're going to be pretty close to that with 9 gr of Unique, assuming you can even find Unique. You might have a better chance finding Big Foot!

The Lee 2nd Edition is also an excellent book with lots of conservative load data in it. I have a lot of manuals, but I still tend to grab that one more than the rest for some reason. Probably, because he has formulas for load development based on lead hardness as it relates to pressure for rifles. I only shoot cast bullets as well.

The latest Lymans reloading manual has some pretty good cast and jacketed info, broken down for rifle and pistol, respectively, so that one is probably a good one for you, too.

In any case, have fun!
 
Thanks for the quick reply. I will look at that link you sent asap. I meant to mention in my initial post my loader came with a manual. I will continue to dig though it as well. I am making a trip this weekend past several shops that carry reloading equipment I'll take my manual and see what I can find powder wise.
 
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9 grs. Of unigue will fall short of 1000 fps. However going with the Bludot recipe found on alliants web data will reach that goal, at least it does in my 5 1/2 barrel 45 colt.
 
are you going to other pistol calipers ? as some powder work in some better than others , and starting out it may help to just have one powder and being a new-be something like 2400 may be a better ticket as you wont have to worry about double charging it and blowing up your gun
 
Don McDowell said:
9 grs. Of unigue will fall short of 1000 fps. However going with the Bludot recipe found on alliants web data will reach that goal, at least it does in my 5 1/2 barrel 45 colt.
Click to expand...

I saw a similar one in my lee manual. I may look into that. Thanks

savanahsdad said:
are you going to other pistol calipers ? as some powder work in some better than others , and starting out it may help to just have one powder and being a new-be something like 2400 may be a better ticket as you wont have to worry about double charging it and blowing up your gun
Click to expand...

As of now I'm only loading 45 colt. In the future I'll do 35mah/38spl. And various rifle calibers .
 
Teach_87 said:
I saw a similar one in my lee manual. I may look into that. Thanks



As of now I'm only loading 45 colt. In the future I'll do 35mah/38spl. And various rifle calibers .
Click to expand...

starting with those I'd go with 2400, and for jacketed bullets I'd look for W296 however W296 is NOT a good pick for the 38spl but I love it in my 357mag , but around here 2400 is as hard to come by as Unique ,
 
Teach_87 said:
I am starting my reloading with 45colt. I am wanting to make an all around round that can be used from everything from plinking to whitetails.
Click to expand...
Welcome to the forum...

May I ask why you want to push a 250/255gr bullet to 1000 fps in a 45 Colt? IMO it's not necessary especially for plinking. All that will do is beat you up and beat the gun up.

As for deer, a 250gr bullet @900 fps will go clear through a deer and keep going. No need for the excessive velocity. I know in today's world all the advertisement and many shooters focus on high velocities but the older cartridges didn't stay around for 100 years because they didn't do the job as they were designed.
 
ArchAngelCD said:
Welcome to the forum...



May I ask why you want to push a 250/255gr bullet to 1000 fps in a 45 Colt? IMO it's not necessary especially for plinking. All that will do is beat you up and beat the gun up.



As for deer, a 250gr bullet @900 fps will go clear through a deer and keep going. No need for the excessive velocity. I know in today's world all the advertisement and many shooters focus on high velocities but the older cartridges didn't stay around for 100 years because they didn't do the job as they were designed.
Click to expand...


The reason I'm looking for this type of load is Right now I'm shooting Hornaday leverevolution rounds and I really enjoy the extra power but relatively low recoil. So I though I could use a more common 250gr bullet with similar velocity and not have to change my poa too much. I'm not stuck on 1000fps but I thought it was a good balance between cowboy loads and ruger only loads
 
Teach_87 said:
The reason I'm looking for this type of load is Right now I'm shooting Hornaday leverevolution rounds and I really enjoy the extra power but relatively low recoil. So I though I could use a more common 250gr bullet with similar velocity and not have to change my poa too much. I'm not stuck on 1000fps but I thought it was a good balance between cowboy loads and ruger only loads
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It's usual in reloading that the velocities will drop as the bullet weights go up. It's a max pressure thing. Don't try to tailor your ammo to the sights unless it's a fixed sight revolver.
 
Since you are using a Blackhawk you are plenty safe using warm loads.

Take this from someone who has loaded lots of hot 45 colt, 2400 is your friend. It works very well in hot 45 colt loads and it has a very wide loading window. Unlike 296/110 it can be downloaded without worries.
 
Manny said:
John Linebaugh has done a lot of work with heavy .45 Colt loads and has developed several that are safe to use in an S&W Model 25-5, a far less stout revolver than the Ruger Blackhawk you're using.



http://www.handloads.com/articles/default.asp?id=12
Click to expand...


Thanks for that link. There is some great info on that page. Thanks to everyone on their replies too.

Someone mentioned a blue dot load. I read somewhere that blue dot is originally a shotgun powder. Is that true?
If so I'm assuming it would be a little easier to find. Also my lee manual has info on loading it which eases my mind a little.

If I happen to fin blue dot, is there any drawbacks to using it?
 
I mentioned the bludot load, and yes I suppose it is a shotgun powder, most powders we use in handgun loading can be and are labeled as a shotgun powder.
I have as of yet found any drawbacks to using bludot, and it has replaced unique as my go to powder in the 45 colt, and the 38-40. Alliants web data places their load squarely in the saami spec pressures for the 45 colt, and it does as advertised give the 1000 fps with a 250 gr bullet, plus it's slow enough burning to give enough velocity from a rifle/carbine barrel to be able to hurl that same 250 gr bullet out of the Winchester to be able to reliably hit the sillouette ram at 250 yds.
 
2400 is a better choice than Blue Dot for this application. It is much less position sensitive. BD will work, just like it will for reduced .44 Mag loads, but it isn't the better choice. Once I tried 2400 in .357, .41 & .44 Mag, it ended my use of BD in those calibers.

When I loaded .45 Colt for use in a Blackhawk I used W-296 and loaded max. For standard .45 Colt I was using Unique.
 
Walkalong said:
2400 is a better choice than Blue Dot for this application. It is much less position sensitive. BD will work, just like it will for reduced .44 Mag loads, but it isn't the better choice. Once I tried 2400 in .357, .41 & .44 Mag, it ended my use of BD in those calibers.

When I loaded .45 Colt for use in a Blackhawk I used W-296 and loaded max. For standard .45 Colt I was using Unique.
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I agree, Blue Dot is a great powder for heavy 12ga loads but with 2400 available there is no reason to use Blue Dot in handguns.

I was loading mostly W231 in the 45 Colt but more recently it's been all HS-6, even for heavy loads.
 
Google BearTooth Bullets. A lot of info on the 45 Colt and getting the most out of it. A lot of good technical information.
 
Blue dot is a great powder but it likes to be up in the pressure range. the SSA loads with bluedot will give you a large deviation of velocity and will be dirty. it levels out and burns clean at high pressures levels though. It is a magnum powder after all. it may be position sensitive but when loading "up there" in the 45 colt it almost fills the case ( around 70-95% filled) same amount of case fill with the 44 mag, 357 mag, 45 acp, and 9mm. And reduced 44 mag loads? I didnt know a 200 grain bullet at 1495fps out of a 7.5" barrel was a reduced load?? what are your not reduced loads running? Again, blue dot does not like light charges with lower pressures and also requires a heavy roll crimp, all magnum revolver cartridges do.


I had some loads tested and put on here in great detail with red dot, blue dot, HS6, AA#2, AA#5, 800X, and Titegroup, with 200 gr, 240, 250, and 265 grain bullets. but they were deleted because of the above sammi specs. even though i had a bold warning and THR liability copied and pasted. were all around 18k-20k psi they would have been perfect for what you are looking for.
 
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Sorry guys but honest to goodness Bludot following the recipe given by Alliant on their web data is fantastic in the 45 colt, and the 38-40. Great accuracy, non of the position sensitive stuff, and the velocity is just what they say it is. It actually makes a better rifle and pistol powder in the 45 colt than does 2400, and it burns cleaner.

It also puts some real pizzazz in the 32 H&R..

I am not totally sold on it for the 44 special or magnum yet. And anybody that's been around very long knows the reputation the stuff had built in the 41 comes from the good things that do happen..
 
Great accuracy,
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I won't disagree.
non of the position sensitive stuff,
Click to expand...
Did you actually test it over a chrono powder forward and powder back?

It also puts some real pizzazz in the 32 H&R..
Click to expand...
That I will have to try, because I have have only decent results with jacketed bullets there. Some good loads, but nothing great.
 
No I have not tested it that way over a chronograph, but I have fired something well north of 500 rounds in various handgun and levergun competitions with targets out to 250 yds, with enough of a score to have a good bit of satisfaction in the stability of it all, and that doesn't count the rounds fired just shooting for the heck of it.
Cans of bludot really don't last long around here anymore..
 
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