kimbers rule
New member
Your right. He was. Just keep an eye on your brass. If your loading it hot, you might only get one or two loadings out of it.
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Hard hitting .45 Colt Loads
- Thread starter mtrvl
- Start date
The safety margin is about gun it's being launched from rather than the cartridge itself. The .45 Colt is still evolving from its blackpowder roots and the weaker SAA and the like revolvers it was originally chambered in.
With the strong revolvers such as the Ruger, Freedom Arms and such, loads for it can and have been developed to its potential.
They Ruger Only loads you find in the load manuals are set for the strength parameters of the Blackhawk. The Redhawk and Super Redhawk are even much stronger.
wyobohunter
New member
Might is the operative word. With my favorite load I get at least 5. I do start inspecting cases more closely after 2 or 3 (I always inspect closely... Just more so).
Why? I've had case head separations in .357 Magnum when I was loading over 40Kpsi, but in a revolver they are more of a nuisance than anything else. I inspect my revolver brass for cracks at the case mouth, but that's about it. I keep reloading it until it fails.
OTOH, I wouldn't want a head to blow off in a rifle or a semiauto. I'm rather attached to my eyes and fingers.
OTOH, I wouldn't want a head to blow off in a rifle or a semiauto. I'm rather attached to my eyes and fingers.
riddleofsteel
New member
The great thing about the 45 Colt is that you do not have to hot rod it to the point of failure to get great performance. This article opened my eyes many years ago and my loading and hunting with the Blackhawk and the 45 Colt has demonstrated that Mr. Linebaugh knew what he was talking about.
http://www.customsixguns.com/writings/dissolving_the_myth.htm
I hunt with .45 slugs and jacketed bullets from 270 to 300 grains from my .45 Colt and my muzzleloader with sabots. The damage such bullets can do simply has to be experienced to be believed. Medium range velocities leave big holes that bleed freely. Higher velocities create an effect that Henry Ball coined as "Slammification." It describes the effect of a 300 grain XTP hollow point hitting a whitetail at 2300 to 2400 FPS. Suffice it to say that I often see deer flip and often see the bottom of their feet as the go over not to get back up.
The difference between 1100 fps and 2300 fps is just a matter of distance. As you lose velocity you just decrease your maximum distance. The effect of slamification remains pretty much the same.
http://www.customsixguns.com/writings/dissolving_the_myth.htm
I hunt with .45 slugs and jacketed bullets from 270 to 300 grains from my .45 Colt and my muzzleloader with sabots. The damage such bullets can do simply has to be experienced to be believed. Medium range velocities leave big holes that bleed freely. Higher velocities create an effect that Henry Ball coined as "Slammification." It describes the effect of a 300 grain XTP hollow point hitting a whitetail at 2300 to 2400 FPS. Suffice it to say that I often see deer flip and often see the bottom of their feet as the go over not to get back up.
The difference between 1100 fps and 2300 fps is just a matter of distance. As you lose velocity you just decrease your maximum distance. The effect of slamification remains pretty much the same.
My favorite .45 Colt load is a 230 grain cast bullet at just under 1100 fps. I shoot 255's at 1300+ every once in a while just for fun, but the fun wears off after about a dozen shots. Maybe I'm a wimp. Or maybe I just need to take the purdy checkered grips off my gun and put the original smooth walnut grips back.
A 250-ish grain cast bullet atop a full case of blackpowder is no slouch either.
A 250-ish grain cast bullet atop a full case of blackpowder is no slouch either.
QuarterHorse
New member
I'm finding the 45 Colt to have the potential for a lot of fun to reload for. It has also pushed my upcoming firearm purchases around and made the next one for sure if not next two purchases chambered in 45 Colt.
Absolutely.... The myth that the 'case' can't handle hot loads is just that ... a myth. The case is as strong as the .44Mag or .357 case.... And the .45 Colt doesn't even come close to 36,000psi.... ROL are in the 30,000 range. And my 'hot' loads are in the 20,000 range. The 13.0g of HS-6 load mentioned in the Linebaugh article above is all I need in .45 Colt. And it can be launched from my medium frame .45 Colt Ruger Flattops.... Wonderful versatile cartridge that meets all my expectations. And a lot of other folks since 1873.
All you hunters (and anyone else that enjoys shooting big bore) should grab a copy of Max Prasac's book 'Big-Bore Revolvers'.
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So, I have one word of advice...Heavy loads at max velocity kick on both ends.
A 250-265 gr bullet at 1100-1200 fps might be a bit better of a choice for hunting. I have worked up and enjoyed Linebaugh's loads, but now consider them a bit much.
Whitetail deer just aren't that dangerous!
A 250-265 gr bullet at 1100-1200 fps might be a bit better of a choice for hunting. I have worked up and enjoyed Linebaugh's loads, but now consider them a bit much.
Whitetail deer just aren't that dangerous!
wyobohunter
New member
Yeah, they exert power in two directions. But it is much less painful for me. The BHawk kind of rolls back in the hand and isn't so snappy. My SRH really hurts my wrist and the palm of my hand.
QuarterHorse
New member
I've had my eyes out for a Bisley Hunter for a bit now in 45 Colt.
Pathfinder45
New member
Who here has not tried this:
Every 45 Colt enthusiast ought to try a box of real black powder ammo in their 45's at least once in their life. They are a lot more powerful than all those so called, "Cowboy", loads....... I don't much care for W-296/H-110 for the 45 Colt. It's true that those two powders will take you to the maximum performance you can expect from the cartridge. But it's like all or nothing, go large or go home. You can't back off from the maximum charge much at all before ignition can be inconsistent. I much prefer AA-9 for upper level loads; it takes me as far as I want to go. It would probably be the best high performance powder within the limitations of Colt SAA too. IMR-4227 is also more flexible than H-110. I have also tried Hercules 2400 but in my limited experience with it, it had terrific muzzle flash when I used it with Hornady 240 grain JHP bullets. In these days of shortages we might have to make substitutions in powders if we run out of our favorites.
Yep. Good article! And notice ... not jacketed bullets either nor ultra hand hurting zippy
. Just heavy and slow (relatively) ....Absolutely! I always have a box of BP loads ready to roll for my original Vaquero when I get the whim.... Smokey fun and pack a punch! Triple-7 load zips the 250s out at around 900fps and BlackHorn 209 around 800fps. Haven't got a hold of any 'real' BP yet!
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Pathfinder45
New member
fffG
A well packed, compressed load of fffG black powder will launch a 255 grain cast bullet at around 950-1,000 fps, depending on barrel length. It's similar in power to 9.5 grains of Unique but the blast, smoke and smell will put a wider grin on your face. I acquired a vintage WRA & Co. 45 Colt black powder round. It was very old. I didn't know it was a black powder round until I disassembled it. I carefully scraped out the powder and weighed it, finding 38 grains of densely compacted powder. The bullet was flat based, not hollow based and the base was engraved by the compressed powder. The powder was compressed to a solid hard mass into the brass, "balloon-head", case. The powder and primer were still good after more that a century. So of course I had to load some of my own to see what I missed out on. It was a very interesting experiment. I even got some old balloon head cases in order to pack as much powder in as possible.
A well packed, compressed load of fffG black powder will launch a 255 grain cast bullet at around 950-1,000 fps, depending on barrel length. It's similar in power to 9.5 grains of Unique but the blast, smoke and smell will put a wider grin on your face. I acquired a vintage WRA & Co. 45 Colt black powder round. It was very old. I didn't know it was a black powder round until I disassembled it. I carefully scraped out the powder and weighed it, finding 38 grains of densely compacted powder. The bullet was flat based, not hollow based and the base was engraved by the compressed powder. The powder was compressed to a solid hard mass into the brass, "balloon-head", case. The powder and primer were still good after more that a century. So of course I had to load some of my own to see what I missed out on. It was a very interesting experiment. I even got some old balloon head cases in order to pack as much powder in as possible.
Anybody tried Hodgdon's 777? I know it's expensive, but I picked up a pound at Walmart in the clearance aisle for $7 a couple of years ago.
Haven't gotten around to using it because I've mostly been focusing on .38 and .223 lately. I figure a slightly-compressed load under a 250-ish grain cast bullet? Also might try it in .357 Magnum (because it'll hold more than a .38), similarly loaded with a soft lead bullet.
Do you need to use special lube with that stuff, like real BP; beeswax mixed with Crisco or animal fat?
zxcvbob, if you had read my post above ... I do use 777 ... or triple-7 .
I found 23g (by weight) of 777 under the 250g RNFP is a good load.
23.0g 777 FFFg (or FFg), 250g RNFP, CCI-300, 919 fps, 10 SD, 35 ES, 18 shots.
I tried 22 and 24g, but 23g shot the best.
One thing nice about 777 and Blackhorn 209 is you can use the same powder measure as for smokeless powder. Also load by weight instead of volume. By volume is how you would normally load BP.... Of course in a cartridge as long as there is no air space you are good to go with a little compression. Also no special lube needed. Just use the same lead bullets that you use for smokeless!
.I found 23g (by weight) of 777 under the 250g RNFP is a good load.
23.0g 777 FFFg (or FFg), 250g RNFP, CCI-300, 919 fps, 10 SD, 35 ES, 18 shots.
I tried 22 and 24g, but 23g shot the best.
One thing nice about 777 and Blackhorn 209 is you can use the same powder measure as for smokeless powder. Also load by weight instead of volume. By volume is how you would normally load BP.... Of course in a cartridge as long as there is no air space you are good to go with a little compression. Also no special lube needed. Just use the same lead bullets that you use for smokeless!
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Maybe that's what gave me the idea, who knows. (notice what time I posted that; I hadn't have any coffee yet)