loading heavy for a 45 long colt

4

458winshooter

New member
I bought a Ruger. Blackhawk 45 recently and thought about giving it a try on hogs.I have a Lee 340 gr mold and have seen an article about using a 340 by dry creek that looks the exact same.Does anyone load heavy for the 45 and if so what do you go with thanks Russ.
 
I've got a load that is a 357 grain cast lead bullet from Hunter Bullets using H110 and Winchester primers that I shoot in my Ruger Blackhawk .45 Colt. As I recall it is traveling at around 1100 FPS. It will penetrate 3 1/2" in a green oak log. I would imagine it would shoot completely through a hog. Recoil is stout but very manageable. I also have a 325 grain cast lead load with H110 and winchester primers that would probably be effective on anything from Black Bear down. I haven't tried either load on anything more that wood and paper but would like to some day.
 
I have one of Ruger's original Vaqueros, circa 1993. It is a large frame and stout.

For giggles I once tried Linebaugh's load of 20 gr of 2400 under a 255 gr RFN lead bullet.

It shoots through anything and has a very stout recoil. I made it through 18 rounds then let my hulk of a son shoot the rest.

I now load those same bullets over 18gr of 2400. I have a lot of confidence in this load.
 
John Linebaugh at customsixguns has a few 310 and 350 grain loads listed in his writings on his website. You might have a look at those.
 
Hodgdon shows a load for 360 Cast Performance, maximum H110 21 gr. I load that bullet with 19.5 H110, CCI 350, COL 1.68. It goes 1,172 avg/19.1 Std out of my 7 1/2" Blackhawk, and it's a knuckle buster. One thing on Blackhawks: some cylinders are too tight for long bullets. I got mine honed.
 
I shoot a 340 gr GC from Gardner's Cache that is nicely accurate. I use the second crimp groove to get more powder space, with COAL @ 1.66".

Gardner340GC_zpsaprmxl4h.jpg~original


Since powder has been scarce, I worked up loads with three different propellants, all giving between 1100 and 1200 fps in my 5 in. Bisley with good accuracy.

16.0 gr Accurate #9 with WLPs
17.5 gr Accurate 4100 with WLPs
22.0 gr W296 with CCI 350s.

A lighter load that still hits hard is the same 340 gr over 10.0 gr of LongShot with CCI 300s. Very accurate, mild recoil and around 850 fps.
 
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