Hornady Method: Revolver 45 Colt

[44 AMP]

If you are just punching holes in paper, try reducing your load to 7.5 to 8.0 grains of Unique.

OR, you take the other approach and don't adjust loads lighter for "punchin paper".

Somewhere over 30 years ago, after several years of different loads and bullets, I settled on one load and one bullet for all my .45 Colt shooting.

Yes, it is "excessive" for target shooting, on the other hand, EVERY ROUND I shoot is the SAME. No "adjusting" for different bullet weights and speeds. By using only "one load to rule them all" I've learned exactly how and where to hold to hit at any range from 0 to 200yds.

So, balance all the concern with shot to shot variations and data points against the "uniformity" one gets using only one bullet and load constantly.

Maybe I don't get the tiniest groups possible, but that's not what I'm after.

 

[Unclenick]

..Or, maybe you do get the tiniest groups possible. Target loads are mainly about reducing recoil. There are three reasons to do that. One is to prevent recoil fatigue during the course of a 2700 point Bull's-eye match. Another is to limit startle response and the flinching it engenders. Another is so you don't shoot your expensively accurized target pistol loose any sooner than you have to. But whether such loads maximize gun precision or not depends on the gun. I always found the most comfortable shooting target loads were actually lower power and less accurate than the best precision loads in my gun, shooting off sandbags.

The late George Nonte suggested accurizing be separated into the categories of mechanical accuracy and practical accuracy. The former was mechanical fitting up and, later, finding the best load. The latter were things that made it easier for the shooter to operate the gun, like better sites, trigger work, or better grip panels. Enough of that latter work, IME, makes it easy to shoot warmer loads than traditional target loads are and still do just fine and enjoy better mechanical precision at the same time.

 

[rclark]

So, balance all the concern with shot to shot variations and data points against the "uniformity" one gets using only one bullet and load constantly.

I too shoot one bullet and load for 'general' purpose shooting. Another for the woods. Since one is a 250gr RNFP at ~850fps and the other a 255gr SWC at ~1100fps, the point of impact isn't that much different. FWIW, it has been a long time since I shot any of the woods load in .45 Colt I like to enjoy my range shooting sessions .

 

[44 AMP]

What I shoot is a 250SWC over 10gr Unique and out of my 7.5" Blackhawk it clocks just a hair under 1100fps (+/- a bit).

Mine wears Pachmayr grips, and I don't find it uncomfortable at all. There's a decent amount of "thwop" at both ends and I enjoy it. Up the speed and it gets uncomfortable quickly, and on those rare occasions when I do shoot something at 850-ish, I'm left wondering, where's the recoil? did the bullet even go downrange???

If I want things that just go "pop" when shot, I use the .45ACP cylinder!

Now, if I had a smaller, lighter gun, with the teeny factory grips, I might have a different opinion...