why such difference in 45 colt load

[BossHogg]

I was looking to load some 45 colt loads with Universal so I when to Hodgdon website and it has:
250 gr Lrnfp starting load at 6.5 and max load 7.8

Looking at Speer #14 it has:
250 gr Lswc starting load 8.3 gr and max 9.2

Speer's starting load is .5 gr over Hodgdon max load. Both are 250 gr lead bullets so why so much difference?

 

[kennedy]

my lee info says 6.5gr universal as a starting load, so that is what I am using for my colt saa.

 

[Quoheleth]

Lee just takes the data from the manufacturer's website. It's not been personally tested by Lee.

Only answer I have is the differentiation between guns used, bullets used, and even cases. It's not just .45 Colt. Lots of data will vary from source to source using what appears to be same components. Check out the .357 Magnum for another excellent example.

If you're worried, use the lowest pblished data and work up from there. In this case, as it's from a powder manufacturer, I would have a tendency to use theirs.

Q

 

[LensWork]

IIRC, many reloading manuals will state that the hotter loads listed for .45 Colt are "to be used only in modern firearms", i.e. not to be used in original Colt SAA's. The original Colt SAA's were designed for black powder loads and cannot use the same loads as modern reproductions, Ruger Redhawks, S&W Model 25-2, etc. Hence the fact that some data for the .45 Colt is much lower than others as the publisher will err on the side of caution so as to not publish a load that, if used in a black powder era gun, might damage it, or the shooter. Also, I believe that the manuals may also make reference that the listed loads are not to be used in old balloon head cases, only in modern solid web cases.

 

[Walkalong]

Speer has a separate section for Ruger Only .45 Colt loads. I would be comfortable using the Speer standard data in any .45 Colt revolver.

Being two different bullet styles one may seat deeper than the other. Did both sources give the O.A.L.?

 

[BossHogg]

Speer's col is 1.60
Hodgdon col 1.60

 

[evan price]

Different bullet- lswc vs lrnfp- means possibly a softer alloy and lower velocity, also could be different bearing surface area, etc.

LRNFP might have a longer overall bullet length (NOT OAL of the finished round 1.600") than the LSWC and at the same OAL it might occupy more of the case volume.. or vice versa.

 

[Hondo 60]

You also have to keep in mind that each load publisher that does their own testing, is done by different folks.
So what seems safe to one, may seem a bit excessive to another.

Testing equipment will vary, also, the components used vary.

 

[murf]

look at the next page (982) in your speer manual. it shows a 230gn bullet at 7.8 and 8.5gn min/max. lighter bullets usually get more powder. looking at the bullet pics, seems bearing surface has something to do with it. if you have a chronograph, i'd just work up to the listed velocities. oal will be set by the crimp grove in the bullet. fwiw

murf