Lee S. Forsberg
New member
Anyone have loading data for 300 gr cast bullets in a Ruger Blackhawk 45 LC?
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300 gr. Cast Bullet Loads in a Ruger Blackhawk 45 LC?
- Thread starter Lee S. Forsberg
- Start date
7.0/Unique/300 Cast, if you want to stay within sight of factory pressures.
9.0/Herco/300 Cast for something a little more energetic
17.0 - 19.5/2400/300 Cast for the "3H", loading.
As with all reloading work-ups, start 10% below max and work up gradually. With 2400, 12.8 grains SHOULD give you pressures near or slightly above the SAAMI maximum. Your Ruger is very strong and will tolerate higher pressures, but I don't know how powerful you want the load to be.
If you're like me, when you start to increase powder charge in the work-up, your shooting hand will start complaining before the revolver will.
9.0/Herco/300 Cast for something a little more energetic
17.0 - 19.5/2400/300 Cast for the "3H", loading.
As with all reloading work-ups, start 10% below max and work up gradually. With 2400, 12.8 grains SHOULD give you pressures near or slightly above the SAAMI maximum. Your Ruger is very strong and will tolerate higher pressures, but I don't know how powerful you want the load to be.
If you're like me, when you start to increase powder charge in the work-up, your shooting hand will start complaining before the revolver will.
black mamba
New member
Three good 300 grain loads for my 5½" Bisley are:
10.5 grains of LongShot with standard primer (950 fps),
13.0 grains of HS6 with magnum primer (1050 fps), and
21.0 grains of H4227 with standard primer (1100 fps).
10.5 grains of LongShot with standard primer (950 fps),
13.0 grains of HS6 with magnum primer (1050 fps), and
21.0 grains of H4227 with standard primer (1100 fps).
Lee S. Forsberg
New member
Thanks for the information. What diameter do you size cast bullets to for use in a Blackhawk?
Some years ago, there were reported problems of Ruger Blackhawk .45 Colts having undersized throats. If yours has this problem, the only solution is to have the throats reamed. If your throats are .450", that's going to be the diameter of the bullet when it enters the forcing cone.....and the result is leading and poor accuracy.
It's easy to check, place a .452" bullet in the cylinder and push it through and out the front. If there is resistance, use a micrometer and measure the slug. If there is no resistance, you may have oversized throats.
The bottom line is that throat diameter determines correct sizing, not bore diameter.
I own both a 1980's BH .45 Colt convertible and a circa 2006 SBH Hunter, and both have .4525" throats and .4515" bores. I size all my cast boolits .452", and they shoot better than I can hold.
It's easy to check, place a .452" bullet in the cylinder and push it through and out the front. If there is resistance, use a micrometer and measure the slug. If there is no resistance, you may have oversized throats.
The bottom line is that throat diameter determines correct sizing, not bore diameter.
I own both a 1980's BH .45 Colt convertible and a circa 2006 SBH Hunter, and both have .4525" throats and .4515" bores. I size all my cast boolits .452", and they shoot better than I can hold.
Lee S. Forsberg
New member
Some years ago, there were reported problems of Ruger Blackhawk .45 Colts having undersized throats. If yours has this problem, the only solution is to have the throats reamed. If your throats are .450", that's going to be the diameter of the bullet when it enters the forcing cone.....and the result is leading and poor accuracy.
It's easy to check, place a .452" bullet in the cylinder and push it through and out the front. If there is resistance, use a micrometer and measure the slug. If there is no resistance, you may have oversized throats.
The bottom line is that throat diameter determines correct sizing, not bore diameter.
I own both a 1980's BH .45 Colt convertible and a circa 2006 SBH Hunter, and both have .4525" throats and .4515" bores. I size all my cast boolits .452", and they shoot better than I can hold.
You are correct reaming the throats is what needs doing. This is one of those revolvers. The throat diameters on both cylinders are .450". The bore looks to be about .448". Same as yours only smaller. Now to make the bullets small enough to pass through the throats. If the bore is smaller than the throats it may turn out to be accurate.
It's easy to check, place a .452" bullet in the cylinder and push it through and out the front. If there is resistance, use a micrometer and measure the slug. If there is no resistance, you may have oversized throats.
The bottom line is that throat diameter determines correct sizing, not bore diameter.
I own both a 1980's BH .45 Colt convertible and a circa 2006 SBH Hunter, and both have .4525" throats and .4515" bores. I size all my cast boolits .452", and they shoot better than I can hold.
You are correct reaming the throats is what needs doing. This is one of those revolvers. The throat diameters on both cylinders are .450". The bore looks to be about .448". Same as yours only smaller. Now to make the bullets small enough to pass through the throats. If the bore is smaller than the throats it may turn out to be accurate.
A .448" bore is unusual....but if so, you could still get acceptable accuracy by sizing the boolits to .450". That is assuming the cast boolit design allows enough lube groove after sizing, as some (especially Lee) have very shallow lube grooves.
I size a Lee 340 gr. FN designed for 45/70 down from an as cast diameter of .460" to .452" for use in my .454 Casulls, and they shoot well.
I size a Lee 340 gr. FN designed for 45/70 down from an as cast diameter of .460" to .452" for use in my .454 Casulls, and they shoot well.
Lee S. Forsberg
New member
Your right the lube grooves do tend to get shallow when sized from .459" down to .450". I made up for it with powder coat. Between the two I should have enough lube.