jmortimer
Bearcat
Had an "old" Vaquero and normally shot 255 grain SWC with 10 grains of Unique. Traded it for a "new" Vaquero - is that load too "hot" for the new Vaquero? I still have about 100 of these loads left. Thanks in advance.
Unique Load Too "Hot" For NV
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I'll assume this is for a 45 Colt. Did you get the 10gr load from a loading manual?
Welcome to the Forum.
Dennis.
Welcome to the Forum.
Dennis.
jmortimer
Bearcat
Yes .45 Colt. No, the load was less than max listed for Unique for "Ruger Only" from various data sources including bullet manufacturers. Alliant has never listed any "Ruger Only" loads for .45 Colt but the bullet manufacturers have. I just checked the Alliant web site and it lists a max load of Unique of 9.5 grains for a Speer 250 grain lead SWC.
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From what I can see I'm thinking your 10gr load is more that I'd want to use in the new Vaquero. Lets see what others have to say.
Dennis.
Dennis.
I don't think anybody recommends "ruger only" loads in th NV.
Don't sound like a fun day of shooting to me.7.5 to 8.0 gr unique works for me. I've been using universal in place of unique. Cleaner burning.
Check see what M.D. Smith has to say. www.reloadammo.com
Eric
Don't sound like a fun day of shooting to me.7.5 to 8.0 gr unique works for me. I've been using universal in place of unique. Cleaner burning.
Check see what M.D. Smith has to say. www.reloadammo.com
Eric
btrumanj
Single-Sixer
I use 8.5 grs of Unique under either a 255 gr LSWC or 250 gr LRNFP in my New Vaquero which is the usual load I use in my Blackhawks. Sure the NV would probably handle the 10 gr load but why push the limits and beat hell out on this smaller gun.JMO 
Hammerdown77
Blackhawk
I would not shoot 10 grains of Unique in a small frame Vaquero. Someone else can probably verify this with Quickload, but I believe that load is above 20k psi. I've shot it in my Blackhawk, but I wouldn't risk it in the Vaq.
Rick Courtright
Hawkeye
jmortimer":26l6p578 said:
Hi, and welcome!
The weather guessers are still arguing whether we'll get more wet stuff this weekend. If we do, it would be the perfect time to sit and pull down those hundred loads and refill 'em somewhere around the range Eric's mentioned.
My brother in law has a NV in .45 Colt, and it's nowhere near as beefy as a BH. Though he DOES load some slightly hotter .45s for his Marlin, he and I both agree w/ others who suggest sticking w/ "standard" .45 Colt recipes for the NV.
Someone will surely join in and tell us "I've loaded umpteen grains of Blowemup powder in the NV and haven't had any problems." They may be right. I dunno.
The choice is yours... as is any risk.
BTW, how far SW in RivCo are you? I've been looking for a good range close to the Murrieta area to take a friend... any suggestions are welcome! PM me if you wish...
Rick C
Bucks Owin
Hunter
According to .45 Colt guru John Linebaugh, 12.0 grs UNQ will get you 30K pressure wise, so I expect a large frame Vaquero isn't gonna come uncorked with 10 grs. I've used 11.0 UNQ/ .454" 255 gr lead bullet in my NMBH to get 1106 av vel. Shot OK, but UNQ isn't my favorite at this level (actually I use very little UNQ in anything).... FWIW
Hammerdown77
Blackhawk
But he said he was going to shoot these out of New Vaquero, with the smaller frame. In one of the older Vaqs with the large frame, you can shoot the same loads as a Blackhawk. But I would be very cautious about shooting 10 grs of Unique in the smaller frame Vaqs.
jmortimer
Bearcat
I think I'll save them for my new Blackhawk or Marlin/Henry .45 Colt. Thanks for all the input. I definitly subscribe to "BSB" school- Big Slow Bullets - They are "pre-expanded" and work. Looking forward to working up a load for the 270 grain Thunderheads around 900 fps. Thanks for all the input. Better to play it safe.
Bucks Owin
Hunter
OOPS! My bad. Can't keep the Vaqueros straight as to "big and little" I guess...Hammerdown77":2s8yw4q4 said:
Thanks for the heads up. (Although I'm sure even the "lesser Vaquero" could handle 10 grs..)I 'think' it would just fine. I personally would rather be under 9g though. Taffin http://www.sixguns.com/tests/tt45lc.htm has the load with a 260g listed for the Colt SAs and Replicas. So I am confident it would be fine in the New Vaquero too. From the link :
Lyman #454424 260 gr. KT
10.0 gr. Unique 948
See here too though :
http://www.reloadammo.com/45cload.htm
Shows 10g of Unique in the Ruger Only Catagory....
Another reference says
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m ... _75287317/
"Early Smokeless Loads
Even though these sixguns were and are designed to be used with smokeless powders, their cylinder walls are very thin by modern gun standards and should be loaded cautiously. For these sixguns we stay at 900 fps to 1,050 fps with 250 gr. to 260 gr. bullets. Favored loads with a Keith bullet from a 7 1/2" sixgun include 9.0 grs. of Unique for 1,000 fps: 10.0 grs. Unique for 1,090 fps; 20.0 grs. of H4227 for 1,085 fps (a great load); and 16.0 grs. of HS-7 for 1,065 fps. Any of these loads with their game getting Keith bullets are certainly adequate for deer and black bear sized critters at reasonable ranges."
Sooooo..... your call....
Lyman #454424 260 gr. KT
10.0 gr. Unique 948
See here too though :
http://www.reloadammo.com/45cload.htm
Shows 10g of Unique in the Ruger Only Catagory....
Another reference says
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m ... _75287317/
"Early Smokeless Loads
Even though these sixguns were and are designed to be used with smokeless powders, their cylinder walls are very thin by modern gun standards and should be loaded cautiously. For these sixguns we stay at 900 fps to 1,050 fps with 250 gr. to 260 gr. bullets. Favored loads with a Keith bullet from a 7 1/2" sixgun include 9.0 grs. of Unique for 1,000 fps: 10.0 grs. Unique for 1,090 fps; 20.0 grs. of H4227 for 1,085 fps (a great load); and 16.0 grs. of HS-7 for 1,065 fps. Any of these loads with their game getting Keith bullets are certainly adequate for deer and black bear sized critters at reasonable ranges."
Sooooo..... your call....
jmortimer
Bearcat
Thanks for the research. My conclusion is that I could "safely" shoot the 255 grain hard cast SWC with 10 grains of Unique. As discussed above the Alliant reloading data lists a max of 9.5 grains with a 250 Speer SWC. Alliant is definately conservative so a .5 grain difference for the Ruger over the max for the "Colt" should work. Just becasue I can does not mean I will. It appears that 10 grains of Unique would be a max +P load in the "new" Vaquero but why push it. Again, thanks to everyone for all you help. I'm new here and this is a great resource for us Ruger people. Finally, would like to add that the "new" Vaquero fits my chunky hands better and the tolerances are better. With the after-market Eagle grips custom fit and a full work over from a good SASS gunsmith the old/big Vaquero was an awesome gun but I still like the small/new one better with its 3.75" barrel.
COR
Blackhawk
Anything that is hit by a 255gr bullet in front of 10grs of Unique is going to act the same as anything hit by one pushed by 8grs. The .45 colt is a big punch press. Speed isn't going to make it better. Why push it. Why cause excessive wear? Buy a Blackhawk or get a 5 shooter if you want to go warm although I believe this NV will take more than a Colt will over time(my opinion only).
Most cars can go 100mph....How fast do you drive them?
Most cars can go 100mph....How fast do you drive them?
ChuckS1
Bearcat
That's an old Elmer Keith load. That could be good or bad, depending on what you think of EK. He shot his in a Colt SAA.
winchesterbilly
Bearcat
Ok, So I'm hearing alot about the new vaquero and pressures in the 20k range in 45 colt loads. This makes me wonder about the pressure question. The NV is avail. in 44 mag, The pressures for this load are in the 30k range. So I'm wondering why you cant go hotter in the NV 45 colt???? Any thoughts?
winchesterbilly":2wvtug4n said:
the New Vaquero is NOT offerered in 44 mag. It is currently available in 357 and 45 Colt. The New Vaquero is on Ruger's medium frame platform
The Vaquero (which is no longer a catalog item) is chambered in .357, .45Colt, and .44mag. The Vaquero is built on Ruger's new model large frame.
Ruger's large frame is the one that can handle the +30K pressures.
It gets a bit confusing........both the New Vaquero and the Vaquero are New Models. This is where the confusion comes in. However New Vaquero and Vaquero are clearly stamped on the side of the firearms and if we all would just call them by their correct name, it would remove a lot of the confusion.
~c.r.
winchesterbilly
Bearcat
My bad,I was mistaken. I thought the last cowboy out by talo in 44mag was a new vaquero. Now it makes sense. Sorry!! And thank you, I learn alot from this forum. And the answers are given with forethought not sarcasisum. Thanks for the info!!!!
