Most versatile 45 Colt powder

[Acorn]

I am getting back into reloading after a 20 something year hiatus so I haven't kept up with all the new powders available. It was pretty much just Unique, Bullseye, and 2400 powder with me back then. The cartridge I am going start with is the .45 Colt in a 4 5/8" BH. What powder is the most versatile or which is your favorite? Sorry if this has been gone over ad nauseum. I tried the search and keep getting a try back later message.

 

[DGW1949]

Unique for me, but I don't hot-rod my 6-guns. If I did, it'd be 2400.

DGW

 

[RonEgg]

I'm not the expert that others on this site are, but I use Universal for all calibers not pushed to far. From 32 through all the 4's with the exception of 454.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

I alternate between Unique and Green Dot. I load to the older standard .45 Colt levels for most shooting.

I have used 2400 for slightly "warmer" stuff, but not much.

JMHO

:)

 

[6gun]

I would say Winchester296/Hodgdon110 (same powder) would be most versatile.

 

[anachronism]

Unique again. It'll work for lower end loads, and also medium-high range loads.

 

[john guedry]

Unique and Red Dot. I don't load anything "hot".

 

[Jim Puke]

Unique is enough for mine...1000fps is about my max for the .45.

 

[WIL TERRY]

H110/296 IS NOT---NOT!!!---versatile in the least. NO sperical propellent is really " versatile " in any sense of the word due to it's non-progressive burning. WHERE it might fit perfectly it usually fits excellently. The so-called 'heavy loads' in the 45COLT cartridge can usually be obtained with the H110/296 propellents depending on several things.
The medium burning propellents in the 45COLT are for it's bread'n'butter loads and they've been serving excellently since 1898.

 

[pps]

I like HS-6. I use H-110 for pushing things full tilt boogie.

 

[Sagebrush Burns]

Unless you want to load really hot "Ruger only" type loads, the powders you listed are as good as any.

 

[6gun]

H110/296 IS NOT---NOT!!!---versatile in the least. NO sperical propellent is really " versatile " in any sense of the word due to it's non-progressive burning. WHERE it might fit perfectly it usually fits excellently. The so-called 'heavy loads' in the 45COLT cartridge can usually be obtained with the H110/296 propellents depending on several things.
The medium burning propellents in the 45COLT are for it's bread'n'butter loads and they've been serving excellently since 1898.

I find it very versatile cause I can use it for other cals. also such as the 44 mag. and 357 mag. I also find it exellent for the best accuracy, not all of use want medium loads, I didn't buy a big bore gun to shoot wimpy loads, I want a strong stout one without having to do Ruger only or hot loads, were all entitled to our own opinion I'm no expert but know what I like to shoot.

 

[WASATCH CHARLIE]

I shoot 7-7.5 gr. W 231 In my ROA 45COLT CONVERSION. accurate and low recoil like 44specials in my SBH. I keep the H110 for 44 mag loads. that being said,if a trade goes thru and I get a lightly usedBLACKHAWK 45colt I WILL be trying out some hotter loads with h110/296. wc

 

[sixshot]

I've probably burned more Unique in the last 45+ years than all other powders combined. It will work great in any sixgun, there are some newer powders that work great also but I don't know how anyone could get by without Unique.
The "dirty" thing pops up all the time when mentioning Unique, but if your gun shoots great just clean it a couple of times a year & go right on shooting.
Other great powders are Red Dot, HS6, 231, Universal & Green Dot. H110/296 (same powder) is very useful but has a very narrow window pressure wise. We would be hard pressed to find a more knowledgeable handloader than "Will Terry" on any forum.

Dick

 

[Tellico]

I like HS-6 and AA9 as you can go from mild to pretty wild. H110/296 is for wild only as Wil Terry said "not versatile at all". The start to max with these two is sometimes as little as 2-3 grs. NEVER reduce below the start loads with these 2 as there have been cases of detonation. I have said before that I will not use Unique, Bullseye or 2400 just because everyone else does! There have been major strides in powder development and the old standbys have been replaced by cleaner more consistent burning powders. Just MHO. I have only been reloading a few years (54) and surely don't know everything, but I have not blown up a gun yet.
Fred

 

[sourdough44]

I agree, Unique or H Universal for a versatile range from light to upper-mid. I only use H-110/Win-296 when it's called for, which is seldom.

 

[WESHOOT2]

My choices were Universal, Power Pistol, and N350.

 

[greenmtnguy]

I am another advocate of Unique for light-to-medium loads, and 2400 for the medium-to-warm loads. I'm also experimenting with Green Dot, but don't have any load with that yet that I am especially liking - just haven't had much time with it so far.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

Green Dot has worked out for me for "normal" .45 Colt loads.

The thing I like best about it is that my wife buys it in great big "buckets" for her shotshell reloading, and what little I steal for my reloads isn't even missed.

;)

 

[sixshot]

Haven't heard that one before....pilfering your wife's gun powder, now thats funny! So, she's on your "bucket" list!

Dick

 

[Ale-8(1)]

She's a real peach. Besides, she shoots as much of the handgun ammo as I do -- better than I do -- so she gets the goodie out of the deal. She particularly likes the .44 Special stuff.

;)

 

[Ale-8(1)]

Essentially all our shooting these days is relatively-short-range backyard plinkin' stuff, so the Unique or Green Dot loads under 250-grain LSWC or round-nose bullets is quite adequate.

Same for 240-grain .44 Special, but that's another thread.

;)

 

[DGW1949]

Once again, Dixie has nailed it.
Aint no "one size fits all" powder.
In the end, it'll depend on what you're trying to accomplish.

DGW

 

[Rclark]

I really have taken a liking to Green Dot. A bit faster than Unique which means I use a little less per cartridge for the same velocity. And of course I have what I consider an accurate load with it. Unique and Universal also are very versatile and have used a lot too (and still do on the .44Mag/.44Spec side) . I basically have two loads for .45 Colt and that is a general purpose load (with Green Dot), and my woods load. I use 13.0g HS-6 under 255g SWC for my woods load. Don't shoot/load it very often though.

Aint no "one size fits all" powder.

True, yet not so true. Like myself, if I ever had to go to one powder only for .45 Colt, it would probably be Unique (or Universal) as I can load it a bit hotter than Green Dot, yet still load down to plinking loads. Powders Like 296/H110 are for 'specialized' use. 2400 comes closest to a do all as it is safe to download and of course get good velocity at high end too, but I didn't have much luck with it at sub 1000fps velocities.... Really 'two' powders is really what you need for a 'do all combination' :) . Of course IF you stick with SAAMI pressures, Unique, Universal, Green Dot and others will do it 'all' in .45 Colt!

 

[6gun]

Unique is a nasty dirty powder I'll never put in my guns, you guys can keep toying with your mouse fart loads, I'll keep loading my 296. :D

 

[Ale-8(1)]

Why, thank you.

We appreciate your benevolent tolerance.

:mrgreen:

 

[Acorn]

I didn't ask what powder can do it all.
Let me clarify. I am not looking for "Richter Scale" loads. Just low to mid-range loads. I know my Ruger can handle hot stuff but the owner doesn't enjoy it.
I reloaded for about 15 years before I quit. I know there isn't one do-all powder.

 

[6gun]

Let me clarify. I am not looking for "Richter Scale" loads. Just low to mid-range loads. I know a Ruger can handle hot stuff but the owner doesn't enjoy it.

Well Trail Boss donut powder is what you are looking for then, kind of dirty stuff but really good you can crank it down low as you like.

 

[Rclark]

Trail Boss is a good powder for the low side. In my tests I went from 5.5g (702fps) up to 8.5g (912fps) under a RNFP bullet. Thing is, you can do the same thing with Unique/Universal at lower pressures.... So I've kind of stopped using it in general. A good CAS/beginner powder though as it does fill the case nicely even for those light loads they like to use.

BTW, 250-280g bullets traveling 900fps - 1100fps are not "mouse fart loads" as referenced above :) . One doesn't need to waste energy on the hill behind the target/game animal :) just to show how much recoil you can handle ;) .

 

[DGW1949]

I didn't ask what powder can do it all.
Let me clarify. I am not looking for "Richter Scale" loads. Just low to mid-range loads. I know my Ruger can handle hot stuff but the owner doesn't enjoy it.
I reloaded for about 15 years before I quit. I know there isn't one do-all powder.

Well then, here's what I know about that:
"Low range loads" will generaly need a somewhat fast powder, tight case-mouth tension and a healthy crimp....particularly if you're using "light for caliber" bullet weights. Otherwise, ya aint going to create enough pressure inside that big ole Colt case for the powder to burn correctly. My suggestion there would be to use Bullseye powder.
Whatever "medium range loads" you have in mind may not involve light weight bullets but bear in mind that if you're using a medium-fast powder (like Unique) that you'll need to use a bit more powder IF you drop your bullet weight much below 250 Grns. In other words, you got to make a minum amount of pressure one way or the other....use a standard 250-255 grn bullet OR a bit more powder with a 200-225 Grn bullet. Otherwise, your powder aint going to burn right and your case mouth aint going to open enough to seal-off the chamber. You may also note that if you're using a light-weight bullet AND drop the charge below about 7.8 grns that you'll start seeing a lot of burnt smudgy-stuff on the sides of your empty cases because...there aint enough pressure to make 'em seal up right. By 7.5 Grns them smudges will be very pronounced and down at about 7.0 grns, it gets almost intolerable.
You don't mention "full loads" but;
To me, a full load would duplicate the Winchester (Super-X) 255 lead bullet service load...which runs about 850 FPS out of most longer barreled 6-guns. For that you'll need somewhere between 8.0-8.5 grns of Unique. FWIW, my Speer manual say's that 8.5 grns under a 250-ish lead bullet is max for a Colt SAA....and that 10.0 is max for a (big-frame) Ruger.

Hope something here helps.

DGW