I have just purchased a Henry 45 Colt that I plan on hunting whitetails with. Does anyone have suggestions as to a certain grain bullet pushed by a certain powder?
TNX
TNX
45 Colt
- Thread starter Stumps13
- Start date
Mark in GA
Bearcat
The Henry isn't a strong action, so don't plan on any hot-rodding. Stick to Colt level loads. None of the Ruger only level stuff. You will likely need a RNFP bullet to get reliable feeding. The Henry, '66, and '73 Winchesters tend to be really picky about cartridge OAL. You also need a decent sizes meplat on the bullet for safety in the tubular magazine as well as to improve killing effectiveness.
If you cast, I would strongly favor the Lyman 452664 RNFP design at about 255 grs.
What powders do you have?
Mark in GA
If you cast, I would strongly favor the Lyman 452664 RNFP design at about 255 grs.
What powders do you have?
Mark in GA
OP
This is a modern day Henry lever action made in New Jersey so I hope that it would be able to handle modern day loads.
Sagebrush Burns
Single-Sixer
With that bullet (255 RNFP) I'd be inclined to try 8.5 grains of Unique. Should give about 1100 fps in the Henry and do just fine for deer hunting. Even with modern materials, the toggle-link design of the Henry is not very strong. As long as you stay away from the "Ruger only" type of hot loads you should be OK.
sourdough44
Single-Sixer
A reasonable charge of Unique powder should be a great place to start, & maybe stay.
VAdoublegunner
Single-Sixer
If it is not overly long to feed reliably, I would recommend working up a load at standard 45 Colt pressure levels (14Kpsi) using the excellent RCBS 45-270-SAA bullet. That bullet penetrates well and delivers a good wound channel even at moderate velocities. It is easy to achieve decent velocities with a number of powders.
Conventional thought is that most post-WWII Colt SAAs and other similar "modern" steel 45 Colt chambered guns can handle pressures up to 20Kpsi. They are not Rugers (or T/Cs, Marlins or Winchesters) so keeping your loads under that pressure level would be prudent. Even some more modern actions like the 1873 Win repros with their toggle link will loosen more quickly with such load levels. That being the case, it is possible that the Henry can handle the higher levels (I think they are also chambered in 44Mag, so if it is the same receiver and bolt, both pressure and case head thrust shouldn't be a problem), but I believe it was designed more for cowboy and traditional level loads. Even still, at 20Kpsi, some impressive velocities can be obtained in a rifle using powders like Power Pistol, HS-6 and 2400. I would recommend Handloader #246 for Brian Pearce's article on loading that specific bullet. Whether it will feed reliably in the Henry or not is another matter. Perhaps you can find some information on the internet that gives some indication.
BTW, I have loaded all of my modern lever action rifles except for the Uberti 1873s (Marlin 1894, Win 1894, and Win/Miroku 1892) up to "Ruger only" levels and they work great. But, I find that unless there is some specific reason to do so, the RCBS 45-270-SAA bullet pushed at 1100-1150fps out of them fully penetrates any whitetail known end-to-end. All of them feed that bullet just fine. The Win/Miroku 1892 with its crescent steel buttplate is a delight to shoot with those moderate loads, not so much with a "Ruger only" 300gr XTP stuffed to the top with WW296!
Conventional thought is that most post-WWII Colt SAAs and other similar "modern" steel 45 Colt chambered guns can handle pressures up to 20Kpsi. They are not Rugers (or T/Cs, Marlins or Winchesters) so keeping your loads under that pressure level would be prudent. Even some more modern actions like the 1873 Win repros with their toggle link will loosen more quickly with such load levels. That being the case, it is possible that the Henry can handle the higher levels (I think they are also chambered in 44Mag, so if it is the same receiver and bolt, both pressure and case head thrust shouldn't be a problem), but I believe it was designed more for cowboy and traditional level loads. Even still, at 20Kpsi, some impressive velocities can be obtained in a rifle using powders like Power Pistol, HS-6 and 2400. I would recommend Handloader #246 for Brian Pearce's article on loading that specific bullet. Whether it will feed reliably in the Henry or not is another matter. Perhaps you can find some information on the internet that gives some indication.
BTW, I have loaded all of my modern lever action rifles except for the Uberti 1873s (Marlin 1894, Win 1894, and Win/Miroku 1892) up to "Ruger only" levels and they work great. But, I find that unless there is some specific reason to do so, the RCBS 45-270-SAA bullet pushed at 1100-1150fps out of them fully penetrates any whitetail known end-to-end. All of them feed that bullet just fine. The Win/Miroku 1892 with its crescent steel buttplate is a delight to shoot with those moderate loads, not so much with a "Ruger only" 300gr XTP stuffed to the top with WW296!
Jimbo357mag
Hawkeye
I don't shoot 45colt but I do shoot lots of 44 mags in a couple of different rifles. To get the most out of that barrel length I think you should look at some slower powders like Blue Dot, Accurate #9 or 2400. Unique and Universal are also two good powders to start with.
I think a 240 or 250gr XTP could work well.:D :D
I think a 240 or 250gr XTP could work well.:D :D
Sagebrush Burns said:
Not a toggle-link action. About the same as the marlin. That would be a good load. Also workes in my 45 Colt Marlin
Since you are not going to be shooting a lot of stout loads probaly the same load as a 44mag for a Marlin would work even with the brass frame. If in dought ask Henry.
I have a T-L Uberti steel frame 44 WCF Henry. Full case of Triple 7 and 200 gr bullet would work fine for me. Hell I have shot Deer with my 3 screw 357.
Jim
Winny lineage, well might be missing a few :oops: Henry, 66, 73 and 94
Lee Martin
Hunter
7.0 of Green Dot with a 255 grain Keith.
sixshot
Buckeye
Jim, is there any gun you don't have, I doubt it, you're my hero!
Dick
Dick
sixshot said:
Dick,
Just a bunch of ole shooters. Nothing special.
Don't want to hijack this post BUT.
From the left. 1860 44-40 Iron Frame Henry, 1866 45Colt, 1873 357 My winning Winny, :lol: 1894 30-30 1866 1966 Centennial, Marlin 1895 45-70 half round half Octagon Century Limited, Rest are Malins, 95 Cowboy in 45-70, 94 Cowboy in 45 Colt, 357 Cowboy in 357, 94 Carbine in 357 pre safty, 97 in 22.
sixshot
Buckeye
Yup...I'm sure of it, I want you to adopt me someday, I'll make a good Texan!
Dick
Dick
I just did some testing with 250g RNFP and CCI-300 with Green Dot from 7.0g, 7.5g, and 8.0g . Found the 7.0g load to be very good. So good that I just loaded 400 rounds with this combination. Tonight I'll be loading the last empty 100 with the same. Around 900fps which is perfect out of a 5 1/2" barrel. Most of the bullets went into one hole. Was the nicest group I shoot I shot in the session. I had some AA#5, Universal, and Red Dot loads I was testing too. Now to see how it shoots in my other .45s before 'standardizing' on this load!!!
DGW1949
Hawkeye
Stumps13 said:
A 250-ish swaged or soft-cast SWC, Alox lube, 8.5 grns of Unique, and a Winchester LP primer works real good out my old Rossi '92 carbine, and many times will shoot right through the white tails that we have around here.
If your Henry won't feed a SWC, I suspect that a RNFP would do about the same job.
Just as point of interest, I've found it best to stay away from "hard cast" bullets when loading at less than "Ruger only" pressures. Out here in the East Texas woods, those hot-rod loads aint realy needed for the deer we got anyway.
Hope this helps.
DGW
