The Best Platform for Handloading? 45 Colt?

[NateCowlishaw]

You guys,
I've decided to purchase a Ruger Blackhawk in 45 Colt. I did this with the intention of learning to handload properly and safely. I'm hearing various opinions on whether it is safe or not to experiment with the 45 Colt with different pressures (not to exceed 25,000 C.P.U.) and whether the 45 Colt casings can withstand magnum pressures or not. Also, I am not into magnumizing my Colt 45. I purchased the gun for self defense out in the hills and as a potential survival round. I am confused because there's always the 44 Mag vs the 45 Colt argument, and a lot of folks seem to bash the 45 Colt. Regardless the 45 Colt offers a bigger piece of lead and that is what tipped the scales for me.

As a soon-to-be handload beginner is there any good advice that folks can provide on the 45 Colt? Any interesting facts and info? Also, I am looking to see if there are manufacturers that offer a stronger then normal 45 Colt brass?

Thanks!


Nate

 

[Wil Terry]

YOU WILL NOT NEED ' STRONGER " 45COLT BRASS.

The original 454CASULL [ 60,000 PSI...] was developed with standard W-W 45COLT brass with nary a problem.
You have bought an excellent 45COLT pistol which can duplicate 44MAG energies at 1/3 less pressure. On the other hand a 250GR SWC 45COLT bullet at a pedestrian 900-950fps will shoot through any game animal in North America cutting a 45 caliber hole all the way through.
It is now time for you to start buying the college level textbooks on the subject, the loading manuals from the different bullet companies and the different propellent manufacturers.

 

[Steve C]

...is there any good advice that folks can provide on the 45 Colt?

Read the manuals and if you want high pressure loads for your Ruger .45 Colt then follow the Ruger and TC only load data that have been developed and any comprehensive manual lists. Remember that its only the Black Hawk and early Vaquero's models that can take the extra pressure. The new model Vaquero's are not up to such high pressure load levels. If you want more than what the manuals list get a different gun and caliber. The manuals all list the appropriate components including bullets and brass.

 

[AH-1]

for brass I really like starline.rem,win and fc are also fine.

my all time fav 45 colt load
250 gr lfn (my cast)
8.5 gr's unique
starline brass
win LP primer

while you can hot rod the 45 colt this load is a good one and accurate.
pete

 

[SASS#23149]

Threre is a 'new model' Blackhawk out that only takes standard pressure loads..the 50th anniversary model.
If you buy the standard model 'Hawk,the gun take some pretty stout loads,great for protection in the woods.
Any brass can be used for the loads,I've used 'em all seems like.
for a new reloader may I suggest a jug of trailboss to begin with?You cannot overlaod a case with it..hmmm,never is maybe not the right word....but it does not give magnum loads so that part may disappoint ya.It IS a good powder for a newbie reloader,IMHO.

 

[LAH]

and whether the 45 Colt casings can withstand magnum pressures or not.

The brass isn't normally the weak link, the sixgun is. The brass case is more or less a gasket........Creeker

 

[nelson133]

I've had a Ruger New Model Blackhawk since 1974. I learned to reload for it and loaded it hot and had fun. later on I reduced my loads to 10 grains of Unique and kept on shooting. When I had the farm, I found that the woodchucks would learn to run at the sight of a rifle (or a long stick) but carrying the Ruger in a shoulder holster would let me get pretty close and that 250 grain Keith slug would drop them fast. Now I shoot 6.5 to 7 grains of Universal and just go to the range and have fun. I have many other pistols, but this one is an old friend.
If I didn't hand load, I'd never be able to shoot it as much.

 

[LAH]

If I didn't hand load, I'd never be able to shoot it as much.

Bless your heart Nelson. I started loading the day I bought my first centerfire. Like you, I wouldn't be shooting much if it weren't for the loading equipment.........Creeker

 

[Alvin in AZ]

I suggest for 45 Colt to not-buy an RCBS or Hornady or Lyman shell holder but to instead buy a #11 Lee shell holder.

I'm an RCBS fan but they dropped the ball on the 45 Colt shell holder. :/

The Lee #11 is the only one that takes advantage of the groove just above the rim.

BTDT

Alvin in AZ

 

[TooTaxed]

I used to use 8.5-gr Unique, but now load 6.5-gr #231 behind a 250-gr RNFPL bullet. Very accurate at the range, clean burning, and my ammo costs $2.66/box of 50.

Actually, I've standardized on #231 for all pistol from 9-mm Luger and 9-mm MAK up through the .45 Colt. Buying in bulk saves $$$!

 

[Alvin in AZ]

Yeah, TT and fast powder like W231 is a little cheaper too since you use less of it.

I've got a Little Dandy rotor ground-out and polished-up that does a real good job of dumping 8.3grs of old Hercules Unique and 8.8grs of 800X.

45 Colt and 250gr lead bullets with 5+1/2" barreled SAA...
8.3grs Unique = ~880fps
8.8grs 800X = ~840fps @ 12,700psi(?)

A similar ground out and polished-up Little Dandy rotor dumps both 5.1grs 231 and 7.0grs of W540/HS-6 both good loads for 9mm Luger and 115gr bullets.

http://www.panix.com/~alvinj/file12/unique.jpg

Seems like there's one other guy on THR that messes up his Little Dandy rotors the same way I do.

Try it (somebody) you'll like it.

Alvin in AZ
ps- I blend each powder so that particular whole-lot is the same. YMMV

 

[.38 Special]

You're getting some good advice here, Nate. Never mind whatever naysayers were bashing the Colt. It's done out of ignorance. The .45 is the most versatile handgun round in existence and is perfectly capable of being a super mild plinking round all the way up to a fire-breathing big game cartridge.

25,000 CUP is the moderate range of the "hot" loads for the Colt in a Blackhawk. I personally think the 325 grain lead flat nose or long nose is the best bullet for these loads, and I have found no better powder than Hodgdon H110. The book shows a starting load of 21 grains (18,100 CUP) and a max. of 24 grains (27,400 CUP). My Bisley Blackhawk likes 23 grains.

For "fun" loads I like a 255 LRN or LFN in front of 6 grains of Unique or Winchester 231. (Those powders are practically interchangeable in the Colt; I prefer 231 as it burns very cleanly.)

Cases, for any of these loads, can be anything that holds powder. Starline is great, but whatever the shop has on sale will work fine. Truly hot loads -- loads exceeding the 30,000 CUP level for 5 shot guns -- require stout cases, with Federal being the brand most shooters count on. (You have to buy factory loads and empty 'em yourself.) Frankly, some of the "anti-hot-.45" people almost seem to think that the factories have one plant for "regular" brass and one for "weak" brass. This is moronic, of course. The actual metal is the same regardless of case, and if you section various cases you will find that the webbing and wall thickness of .44 Mag. vs. .45 Colt is the same. There is no difference in strength, yet some folks think the 40,000 CUP .44 is no problem while the 30,000 CUP .45 is going to blow up in their guns.

As I've said a time or two before, millions of hot loaded .45 Colts safely sent down range are a pretty effective rebuttal for the folks who claim that it can't be done.

 

[Slamfire]

Let me add my "ditto" for the load of 255 L(RN or SWC) and 8.5 grains Unique. Any case any primer. Now my old Unique, from the early 90's puts the bullet out around 850 fps out of 5.0" barrel. Just where I want it. I have some "new" 2004ish Unique, and the same charge gave more recoil. Wish I had chronographed it. I think the new Unique might be giving higher pressures at the same powder charge, so if you try new Unique, cut the load to 8.0 and see what happens.

I had a Ruger Vaquero and it shot just great with this load. A good thing for Ruger is that the chamber mouths on their 45LC is cut to about .452". The most commonly found commerical cast bullets are .452" in diameter. Colts and many imported 45LC have chamber mouths about .454 to .455". A standard .452 bullet does not shoot that well in those chamber mouths.

I have used both W231 and Unique in the 45 LC and will say that if you use either powder you will find that each are excellent, and that both can be used with a great deal of satisfaction in most non magnum pistol cartridges. They are very flexible.

This load is plenty accurate, have shot case loads of it. It is good enough that I can stay on a 12" gong target at 50 yards, 5 out of 6 shots standing. The limitation is of course me not the pistol or the load. But if anyone thinks hitting a 12" target at 50 yards is easy, go try it, and don't forget the shooting standing part. Benching is cheating.

 

[bakert]

I too shoot a lot of 250 LRNFP gr or 255 gr SWC cast bullets over 8.5 grs of Unique because I still have a good bit of it, but have found I like 8.5 grs of Universal Clays better. Just a bit cleaner, meters well and seems a bit more accurate in my gun..

 

[highlander 5]

Buy 45 Schofield brass for lighter loads in the Colt Starline makes them. I ran some 230gr RN over a case full of Pyrodex from a Ruger Redhawk 45 Colt 7.5 in barrel chrono read 1000+ fps and this is in a case 1/8' shorter than 45 colt cases. I've pushed a 320 gr LBT WFN bullet at 1200 fps without straining things
and that same bullet at 850-900 fps makes a dandy SD load

 

[cheygriz]

I like 9.0 of Unique with 250 Gr cast Kieth type bullet for a plinking load, and a 325 GR. cast GC bullet with a HEAVY charge or H110 for my serious work.