.45 Colt Handloading Guidance

[Pistolero]

Ladies & Gents,
I recently acquired a very nice Ruger Blackhawk Medium frame .45Colt/.45ACP convertible from a brother forum member and have started reloading for it. I've loaded .45ACP in the past and have several favorite loads in my notebook, but I am a newbie when it comes to loading for the 45Colt. I have a supply of very nice 260 grain Keith style bullets that I acquired from another brother forum member and I am trying to develop some light and medium power loads using the powder that I have on hand for that particular bullet weight. My old and current Lyman manuals don't list data for the 260 grain bullet, only 255 grain and 325 grain so I am looking at the loads for the 255 grain. I figured these loads are only 5 grains lighter and should be safe using 260 grain loads. I know that giving out specific load data is not a good idea, but please let me know if I am headed in the right direction with the below loads. I also have a supply of 700X on hand.

1. Light to Medium Load~260 grain cast, Win. cases, CCI large pistol- 7.8 grains Unique ( My Little Dandy Rotor #15 throws 7.8 grs. of Unique)

2. Light Load-260 grain cast, Win. cases, CCI large pistol-4 grains Trail Boss

Many thanks,

 

[sixshot]

Your mid frame Black Hawk will handle those loads just fine. good luck with your fine Ruger sixgun.

Dick

 

[Jimbo357mag]

I looked at some 45 colt loads (not +p or whatever) and with Unique it looks good for 7.5gr - 9.0gr with a 255-260gr bullet is a good load.

This site has lots of load data but it is from individuals so use caution.

http://www.handloads.com/loaddata/default.asp

 

[Pistolero]

Gents,
Thank you for the feedback!

 

[mhblaw]

I have used 5.0 grs. Trail Boss with a 250 grain bullet and is a good shooter. You might be a little light at 4 grs.

 

[Pistolero]

mhblaw,
Good info. I thought it was a bit light. I loaded 10 rounds with 4grs. I will try 5 grains.
Thank you,

 

[Chuck 100 yd]

My normal CAS load for the .45 Colt is 6.0 gr trail boss under a 230-250 gr. Cast bullet. Even then they are soft loads that don't obturate as good as I would like and soot up the sides of the case. When this 5# jug is gone I will be switching to Red Dot.

 

[greenmtnguy]

8 grains of Unique (or 7.8 ) under that bullet will be perfectly fine and very easy shooting - you may find that bumping it up to 8 - 8.5 grains give you better consistency & accuracy. Even with the mid-frame, I think you're good to go to at least 9 grains with that lead bullet.

I have a regular frame Blackhawk (2 actually) and my everyday target shooting load with unique is 8.5 - 9.0 grains of Unique under a 265-275 grain SAA mold bullet, bought from forum members here who do bullet casting.

I've got trailboss but haven't loaded it up in sometime in the 45 Colt - I was using it for some powderpuff subsonic loads in my 45/70 rifle - those 405 grain lead slugs trickling out of the barrel at 1000 FPS can be fun, but the trajectory is very rainbow like.

 

[Rclark]

Yep, With 250-260g SWC/RNFP style bullets, 7.8g of Unique will be a nice medium load out the flattop (or any .45 Colt revolver). I like 8.5g when using Unique, but nothing wrong with 8.0g. As for Trail Boss, I've settled on a bit higher load under 250g RNFP at 7.5g. Yes, this is not in your manual (YMMV), but works fine in my guns. So lets say, you have lots of 'wiggle room' to find a good accurate light load with TB . No experience with 700x.

Your medium frame is good for Tier 1 (14K SAAMI), and up to Tier 2 loads (23K). Just don't load it with Tier 3 loads (ROLs 30K).

Enjoy. My favorite revolver is the .45 Colt blued medium frame flattop 5 1/2" . My favorite load is 7.0g of Green Dot under 250g RNFP for general use. However, I've got many loads that are just as good, ...

 

[Pistolero]

Gents,
I really appreciate this information.

 

[Bucks Owin]

I will ditto Rclark's load of 7.0 grs Green Dot, it has shot well with several 250ish gr lead bullets for me, noteably the 252 Lee cast.

 

[Pistolero]

Bucks,
Thanks, I will look around for some Green Dot.

 

[nilsjohan]

If you can find it, 5,7 grains of VV N320 under a 250 g lead bullet gives you a mild and accurate load! I use it in both a Colt SAA second generation and a Rossi m92 lever action.

 

[Pistolero]

nilsjohan,
Thank you for the information.

 

[Rick Courtright]

I will look around for some Green Dot.

Hi,

It's been scarce for quite a while, however Ballistic Products and Powder Valley both show they have in it 1lb containers only right now.

http://www.ballisticproducts.com/Shotshell/products/718/

http://powdervalleyinc.com/

Gotta figure what all they have in quantities you can use to break thru that $28.50 hazmat fee...

Rick C

 

[Pistolero]

Rick,
Thank you.

 

[Rclark]

"Green Dot" ... It's been scarce for quite a while,

Yep ... And when I saw 8lb jug sitting on the shelf a month or so ago ... I first checked my glasses and then looked again.... And it was still there so I bought it. Haven't seen a 1lb bottle before or after... Good for awhile!

 

[Pistolero]

Great find!

 

[tinman]

If I may jump in here.....anyone have any loads using Titegroup? :?:

 

[mikewriter]

I just loaded 18 rounds with Titegroup under some 300gr Hard Cast I got from Dave at Montana Bullet Works before he shut down. Just my opinion, not a recommendation, but from my notes and research I'm hoping to get around 850 - 860 fps with 7.5gr in my NM Blackhawk with 7.5" barrel. Just a pleasant shooting' load that might be asked to pop a hog, not a real heavy hitter.

Mike

 

[noahmercy]

If I may jump in here.....anyone have any loads using Titegroup? :?:

I load a 260 grain round nose flat point hand-cast over 6 grains of Titegroup. Really close to the original black powder velocities, very accurate in all my Rugers as well as my Rossi '92, and economical to shoot with that low charge weight. I also load 5 grains under a 200 grain cast RNFP and it is a pleasant and accurate load, but shoots well below the sights on my Vaqueros. My Marlin 1894 Cowboy piles them on top of one another at fifty yards. Both bullets are cast from wheelweights and range scrap, lubed with soft lube (stick alox), and come from Lee moulds. No leading in any firearm from these loads.

 

[mikewriter]

Shot a few - several, actually - rounds of my 300 gr hard cast with 7.5 grains of Titegroup today. Those I chronographed were showing a little above and a little below 900 fps. With that weight bullet, recoil was amazingly similar to a .44 mag with the same weight bullet at the same speed. Interestingly, though, the Blackhawk seemed to "kick" about the same as my .480 Ruger with a 410 grain hard cast at 1000 fps! Of course, the SBH is heavier, ported, and wears Hogue Tamer grips.

 

[Poco Oso]

If I may jump in here.....anyone have any loads using Titegroup? :?:

I use 6.0 gr. of Titegroup with an Oregon Trail 250 gr. RNFP for right around 800 fps. Nice accurate, easy shooting, practice load.

 

[Rodfac]

That 260 gr cast with 7.8 gr of Unique that you mentioned is my go-to load for my two single actions (one Ruger NV and a Colt SAA). Both guns will do 2" or less at 25 yds when I do my part. I find that 0.454" dia. lead alloy bullets work best in my guns...no leading with a WW +2% tin alloy and 50-50 lube. I especially like Lyman's old copy of the 1873 military bullet (454190).

7.2 gr of Winchester 231 does as well with that bullet too, and chrono's at 854 fps.

As always, these are my loads, safe in my guns...you should consult a good manual and consider the pressure implications before attempting to duplicate them.

Best Regards Rod

 

[Pistolero]

7.8 grains of Unique over a .452, 262 grn Keith type cast by Harles Dawson in a WW case and fired with a CCI standard primer has become my favorite load for my 4.62 in .45 Colt Flattop.

 

[Ducky2002]

I have been reloading since 1960 (38 Spl to 44 Mag and 6.5x55 to 30-06) but only recently acquired my first 45 Colt (a S/S Redhawk). Question for the gurus: Will a S/S Redhawk SAFELY handle +P loads of 255 gr cast bullets?

BTW - Unique is as scarce as hen's teeth in my neck of the woods.

 

[Cracker-American]

Ducky, take a look at this. Good reading. I keep a copy on my bench.

http://www.customsixguns.com/writings/dissolving_the_myth.htm

 

[Jimbo357mag]

I have been reloading since 1960 (38 Spl to 44 Mag and 6.5x55 to 30-06) but only recently acquired my first 45 Colt (a S/S Redhawk). Question for the gurus: Will a S/S Redhawk SAFELY handle +P loads of 255 gr cast bullets?

BTW - Unique is as scarce as hen's teeth in my neck of the woods.

The Redhawk is very sturdy and can withstand up to 'Ruger Only' loads and easily does the 45 colt+P commercial loads.

 

[greenmtnguy]

Short of a custom 5- shot revolver, I'd say the RedHawk is the strongest 45 Colt production model made. Now, don't go trying to load 454 Casull level rounds, but any reputable reloading data source with "Ruger Only Load" data is fair game.

 

[Ducky2002]

Penny (And others), thanks for the tip. If you can't trust H.P. White Labs, who can you trust.