Help with .45 Colt Load

A

a1parrothead

New member
Hey all,
I have some cast Lead RN bullets. They have gas checks on them and weigh 252 grains, .452 dia., WITHOUT the gas check they weigh 244 grains. I need some load data that will suit my purposes.

I want to load them up for both my Ruger Super Blackhawk AND my Ruger New Vaquero, so not so hot my Vaquero can't handle them.

I have a ton of Unique and Bullseye, so would appreciate data using those powders, but any data would help. Any favorite loads for these plain old round nose bullets?

These are just going to be for general plinking.

Thanks, Jeff
 
Last edited:
welcome to TFL

First step, buy a reloading manual or three. Lyman for one, the 1970 edition that i've been using since it was current uses a Colt SAA for their test gun. Everything in it will be fine in your New Vaquero, and your Blackhawk will handle even more if you want it to.

I've been loading 10.0gr Unique under 250gr lead since '83, its a few tenths under the listed max for a COLT in the Lyman book and gives you about 1,000fpr +/- depending on your barrel length. Standard primers and a decent roll crimp.

8gr gets you in the 800fps range, some folks like 9 for about 100fps more, again it varies with the gun and barrel length.

Your bullets are 250gr cast, use that data, your gun won't care about minor differences or the gas checks at regular .45 Colt level loads.

use proper loading practices, start low work up in small stages until you get where you want, or reach listed maximums.

Bullesye works fine but reaches max pressure with loads in the 800fps range, with a max charge in the 6gr range. I prefer Unique it also fills the case better.

And, on that point, PAY ATTENTION to case fill. The .45 Colt case can hold a double charge of Unique or even a triple charge of Bullseye without overflowing!!! CHECK EACH CASE to make sure only the proper amount of powder goes in each one. Ruger are hell for stout, but a double charge will destroy the gun!!!

Welcome to TFL, lots of folks here been doing this a long time and know a thing or two. Do beware of information overload, some of us get chatty, :D

Lyman's old "accuracy load" with a 250gr cast bullet was 8gr Unique. That might do all you want for "plinkers".

I've got a couple .45 Blackhawks and several .45 Vaqueros, had a New Vaquero for a while, till I passed it on to someone who wanted it more than I did. Any questions you've got, odds are someone here knows an answer. Good Luck, be safe and come back and let us know how it goes!
 
44 Amp
Thank you for the detailed reply. I have 12 manuals, some I have had for over 40 years. I just was very curious about others favorite loads and since I have never used or felt I needed gas checks I wanted to be sure of data.
All the lead I load is hand cast by me and shot around 800 to 1000 fps, so never even explored using gas checks.
I am just wanting to use these so they don't go to waste!
Thanks again for the reply! I have a ton of Unique, so that's the ticket. Now if I can just source more primers!
Jeff
 
Ditto 44 AMP. With Unique I'd stick with 8.0g or 8.5g of Unique under those bullets. They are lead bullets, so treat as such. Any any primer will do (regular or magnum). I prefer regular, but in these times....
 
You are most welcome. Glad you have some manuals, and experience. Some of the folks looking for load data here are "internet data only" reloaders and I don't think that's a good idea.

Gas checks don't hurt anything at speeds below where they have a useful effect. Its a small waste of money but unless they fall off when you're seating the bullet, they don't cause any trouble.

I had my days of experimenting with the .45 Colt and a bit over 30 years ago settled on one load for my Blackhawk, and have run nothing else in that gun ever since. I have other guns if I want something different. One thing this has done for me (along with a lot of practice) is that I know where that gun is going to hit at every distance out to 200yds. And its going to hit it with a 250gr slug moving at very respectable speed.

I would load your 250gr gas checks with my usual load of Unique. you should probably start a bit lighter. I'd say load some at 8.5gr and go from there. You AREN't going to stress either Ruger at that load level. Might be all you want to handle in the New Vaquero, might shoot to the sights, you've got room to play around. It will be a mild load in the Blackhawk, which is a bigger heavier gun.

Be safe, have FUN!!
 
I have used a lot of Bullseye and Unique in 45 Colt with 8.5 grains of Unique with a 250 to 260 grain SWC the best out of my revolvers especially a 7-1/2” Bisley. Can shoot that load all day long.
You can’t go wrong with the Unique charges as others mentioned. Can’t help you with the gas check ones though as I don’t use them.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top