what constitutes a "cowboy" load in .45 Colt?

[Uniquedot]

What does that actually mean, though?

What I was told by the cylinder manufacturers was that any published CAS data (at that time anyway) was around the 12000 psi rating or less regardless of bullet weight or velocity shown. That was in the 45 colt and I never asked any questions regarding other calibers. What I was told by the gunmakers was the use of the cylinders in their firearms was totally unacceptable for use with any smokeless powder! and they refused to tell me the type of steel used in the guns, but rather said the steel was only rated for blackpowder pressures. If you ever do any modifications to those guns it will quickly become apparent to you how soft the steel is compared to a modern revolver.

 

[buck460XVR]

what constitutes a "cowboy" load in .45 Colt?

....wearin' a cowboy hat while shootin'?

 

[1KPerDay]

What I was told by the cylinder manufacturers was that any published CAS data (at that time anyway) was around the 12000 psi rating or less regardless of bullet weight or velocity shown. That was in the 45 colt and I never asked any questions regarding other calibers. What I was told by the gunmakers was the use of the cylinders in their firearms was totally unacceptable for use with any smokeless powder! and they refused to tell me the type of steel used in the guns, but rather said the steel was only rated for blackpowder pressures. If you ever do any modifications to those guns it will quickly become apparent to you how soft the steel is compared to a modern revolver.

Thanks.

 

[GaryL]

While current Alliant load data has loads for Bullseye powder I have but it does not list Red Dot which I have plenty of. So I am referencing 2004 Alliant load data for Cowboy Action (page 45 on pdf) and Lyman #49 for my work up.

FWIW, an old timer (probably a bit older than rc even) once told me 6gr of Red Dot under a 250gr L bullet was the standard load for 45 colt back when he was big into reloading. That would be over 40 yrs ago.

 

[LiveLife]

Great. Was planning on starting out at 5.5 gr but looks like 6.0 gr is the next step.

Thanks.

 

[1KPerDay]

Got my first hundred rounds loaded up, 5.6 grains of American Select (which according to Hornady should produce around 750 fps), MBC Cowboy #1 250 grainers. Love those big thumb-sized rounds. Now I just need to get a couple of conversion cylinders (or a .45 Colt revolver).

I know... I shouldn't have loaded that many. But I couldn't help myself. There was all this shiny new starline brass sitting there...


BTW are Tula LPP really tight for you guys? I've used their SPP and they seemed the same "tightness" as CCI, but the LPP were REALLY SNUG compared to the CCI LPP I used for the first 50 rounds.

 

[LiveLife]

Yes. While the Tula SP primer cups are comparable in size to CCI/Winchester and require similar effort to hand/bench prime, the LP primer cup diameter is slightly larger and require more effort to seat them fully/slightly below flush.

It's particularly difficult to seat in once-fired S&B and some RWS cases with tighter primer pockets.

 

[1KPerDay]

Thanks. I was priming on the press (LCT) and it still was almost too tight. Didn't crush any, but I wondered a couple of times if my ram or cup was going to break.