45 Colt with BP
- Thread starter EmptyHull
- Start date
The original load was 40 grs. but you can't get that much in a modern solid head case. 35 grs. will work and you can use a thin wad over the powder if you so desire. Don't use smokeless bullet lube tho. You just need enough air space to get the bullet started and have some compression on the powder once it's seated.
BTW, I just pulled out my Lee reloading equipment to take a look at assembling it and noticed in the box there was a Hodgdon reloading manual. This is the data for .45 Colt.
Pyrodex P: 37 grains 250 grain RNFP 955 fps
Pyrodex RS: 37 grains 250 grain RNFP 918 fps
Pyrodex Select: 37 grains 250 grain RNFP 848 fps
Powder measure by volume as are ALL BP loads using BP and substitutes.
Pyrodex P: 37 grains 250 grain RNFP 955 fps
Pyrodex RS: 37 grains 250 grain RNFP 918 fps
Pyrodex Select: 37 grains 250 grain RNFP 848 fps
Powder measure by volume as are ALL BP loads using BP and substitutes.
Okay, you definitely have the right granulation for 777. 
2Fg for .45 Colt and 3Fg for cap-N-ball loading. 777 never likes to be compressed whether it is .45 Colt reloading or cap-N-ball loading. And...you don't want an air gap either. So for your 2Fg 777 you want to fill the case such that the bullet will rest right on top of the 777. If you use a wad card again, the bullet should sit right on top of the wad card. Absolutely no air gap with or without wad card and absolutely no compression with or without wad card.
As you can see, you are going to have to take some measurements on how far the bullet will seat down inside the case to determine how far to fill the case.
2Fg for .45 Colt and 3Fg for cap-N-ball loading. 777 never likes to be compressed whether it is .45 Colt reloading or cap-N-ball loading. And...you don't want an air gap either. So for your 2Fg 777 you want to fill the case such that the bullet will rest right on top of the 777. If you use a wad card again, the bullet should sit right on top of the wad card. Absolutely no air gap with or without wad card and absolutely no compression with or without wad card.As you can see, you are going to have to take some measurements on how far the bullet will seat down inside the case to determine how far to fill the case.
Well, I just broke out the reloading equipment and loaded up 6 rounds with 35 weighed grains of Goex 3Fg, a Walter Wad, and a 250 grain RNFP bullet with hard lube. I used Winchester LP primers. Now I'm gonna do a few smaller loads with a Walter Wad then a lubricated Wonder Wad on top before the bullet. So it seems to me that reloading is just reloading. Use safety precautions as usual.
My only "issue" as seen by some is the hard lube on the bullets. Half the people I've talked to about this say it isn't an issue with revolvers since they have short barrels. We shall see. I'm gonna do some Wonder Wads rounds just to get some lube in there. 777 makes its own lube by product. I think Pyrodex may too. In those cases the hard lube is probably less of an issue.
I don't see a problem with your large pistol primers. If you were using 777 I might think about magnum primers since 777 is harder to ignite but you are using Pyrodex P. I don't know much about Pyrodex but I thought it ignited just fine.
My only "issue" as seen by some is the hard lube on the bullets. Half the people I've talked to about this say it isn't an issue with revolvers since they have short barrels. We shall see. I'm gonna do some Wonder Wads rounds just to get some lube in there. 777 makes its own lube by product. I think Pyrodex may too. In those cases the hard lube is probably less of an issue.
I don't see a problem with your large pistol primers. If you were using 777 I might think about magnum primers since 777 is harder to ignite but you are using Pyrodex P. I don't know much about Pyrodex but I thought it ignited just fine.
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W. C. Quantrill
New member
Next time you and me go shootin, I'm gonna load yer 1911 with black powder loads, an then me'n Hoss gonna stand off to tha side and snicker.....heh heh
[35 weighed grains of Goex 3Fg, a Walter Wad, and a 250 grain RNFP bullet with hard lube. I used Winchester LP primers.]
For the last year, I've been using a commercial Speer/Hornady .454 RB, over an Ox-Yoke Wonder Wad, atop a dipped 35grs FFFg Goex, and a Win LP primer.
I additionally run a small bead of Bore Butter around the juncture of the case wall/RB, prior to applying a mild crimp.
Everything fits the cases snugly, w/o much compression, and no air gaps.
.
For the last year, I've been using a commercial Speer/Hornady .454 RB, over an Ox-Yoke Wonder Wad, atop a dipped 35grs FFFg Goex, and a Win LP primer.
I additionally run a small bead of Bore Butter around the juncture of the case wall/RB, prior to applying a mild crimp.
Everything fits the cases snugly, w/o much compression, and no air gaps.
.
sundance44s
New member
Hawg ...was hopeing you got your guns back ...sorry it hasn`t happened ..
Me too. I figured at least one would have made it's way to a pawn shop by now but it hasn't happened. The people he was staying with all got busted for drugs and the police didn't find any of them there. He was lucky enough to be gone when the raid took place and high tailed it to Montana. I don't know if he stashed them someplace or black marketed them(most likely)to fund his drug dealership. Anyway I doubt I'll ever see any of them again.
W. C. Quantrill
New member
They'll start showin up some day. If they are NCIC, they'll surface. My house got broke into by a crooked cop and he took 2 of my pistols while he was there. He left $2000 in cash laying on my dresser and 6 other pistols in the drawer he took those 2 out of. So, we knew right off it wasnt a regular burglary. A hoodrat would have cleaned everything out, stuffed it in a pillow case, taken the money, and knives and been gone. He would not have gone into my office and gone through my file cabinet. Long story short, it took 2 years but the guns showed up in the posession of the dirty cops confidential informant. He used one to kill 2 competing druggies, and got caught. I finally got it back after they sent him up to the big house.
So it might be a while, but you'll get part of them back. If we get some money rolling up here, a couple of us may just wander over your way and pick that hoodrat up and find out what he did with them. Its gonna cost you a big bunch a tamales though....Limey likes German beer.....
So it might be a while, but you'll get part of them back. If we get some money rolling up here, a couple of us may just wander over your way and pick that hoodrat up and find out what he did with them. Its gonna cost you a big bunch a tamales though....Limey likes German beer.....
45 Colt loads with BP
I read some of the going on's about how to load BP rounds. First if you use the hard lube bullets with BP in a revolver you might get some nasty fouling. Depends on bullet size, hardness, lube, length of bbl. It's real easy to load bp loads for revolvers and lever guns. First you should use the 454190, 452664,or the RCBS 45-230-cm to make it easy. You don't need to drop tube your loads for the 45 Colt rds. You don't need to use any wads or lube cookies. You don't need to use any fancy measurements. You do need a BP lube in your lube grooves. Lay the bullet that you want to load on it's side. With a 1/4 in dowel rod measure from the base to the crimp groove, mark the crimp groove line in red. Fill your cases with 2F( burns cooler and less recoil for cowboy shooting) until you can insert the rod into the case and see the red line above the rim of case. Seat bullet and crimp. Shoot and have fun and don't make simple things hard. Remember the KISS rule.
I read some of the going on's about how to load BP rounds. First if you use the hard lube bullets with BP in a revolver you might get some nasty fouling. Depends on bullet size, hardness, lube, length of bbl. It's real easy to load bp loads for revolvers and lever guns. First you should use the 454190, 452664,or the RCBS 45-230-cm to make it easy. You don't need to drop tube your loads for the 45 Colt rds. You don't need to use any wads or lube cookies. You don't need to use any fancy measurements. You do need a BP lube in your lube grooves. Lay the bullet that you want to load on it's side. With a 1/4 in dowel rod measure from the base to the crimp groove, mark the crimp groove line in red. Fill your cases with 2F( burns cooler and less recoil for cowboy shooting) until you can insert the rod into the case and see the red line above the rim of case. Seat bullet and crimp. Shoot and have fun and don't make simple things hard. Remember the KISS rule.
Giving it about 1/8 inch compression is a very good idea, especially if not using a drop tube. Otherwise, an air gap could form if the powder settles. Not good. Besides, a compressed load burns more cleanly.
One more tip. You might think about making the seating and crimping separate operations. What I found is that since you are using nearly pure lead (you are, right?!) that the crimp squishes the lead up if the bullet is still moving while seating and crimping. Crimping separately makes it all beautiful. Besides, tightly crimped load burns more cleanly.
Also, the cowboys rarely resized their brass. Just take a gander at the Ideal tong tools. That's what I often use (though you cannot seat and crimp separately with it), and there's no case sizer on it. The powder keeps the bullet from seating deeper, and the crimp keeps it in. No need for cannelured cases either. For some reason, black powder loads don't seem to expand the brass much anyhow that I can tell.
One more tip. You might think about making the seating and crimping separate operations. What I found is that since you are using nearly pure lead (you are, right?!) that the crimp squishes the lead up if the bullet is still moving while seating and crimping. Crimping separately makes it all beautiful. Besides, tightly crimped load burns more cleanly.
Also, the cowboys rarely resized their brass. Just take a gander at the Ideal tong tools. That's what I often use (though you cannot seat and crimp separately with it), and there's no case sizer on it. The powder keeps the bullet from seating deeper, and the crimp keeps it in. No need for cannelured cases either. For some reason, black powder loads don't seem to expand the brass much anyhow that I can tell.
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