Reloading for winchester model 94 45 colt

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candlejackstraw

New member
Hello all! I just recently picked up a beautiful used winchester model 94 in 45 colt. It has a tang sight as well as a full buckhorn rear sight. I would like to shoot it at 15 to 25 yards (buckhorn sighted) and at 100 yards. (Tang sighted) I'm looking to reload for it, at the moment I have xtreme 255 grain plated and looking to order either cowboy or hard cast projectiles at 255 grains

My question is this. Anyone have experience reloading for this rifle or lead 45 colt projectiles at 100 yards? I currently have unique, bullseye, longshot and titegroup on hand. Anyone have any experiences with those for 45 colt? What powder would you suggest focusing on?
 
No personal experience with that, but those guns were originally designed to use pistol cartridges, so I don't think you need to load it any differently than for a pistol. Alliant thinks Blue Dot would give you the most velocity. They list Unique loaded to 9.5 grains maximum with a 250 grain lead bullet. QuickLOAD thinks that's a bit warm and that 8.5 is more reasonable. I would work up from 7.7 grains. What is best will depend on your chamber and bullet.

Any pistol load you push down the longer tube will be going faster at the muzzle than from a pistol. It seems to me I always held .45 Auto about a foot high at 100 yards for my target loads. A fast 200 grain bullet needs about a third less than that. You will be in adjustment range.
 
8.5gr unique is a good load in my marlin 94, as is I believe 10gr unique.

I thought the Win 94 action could tolerate higher pressures and I believe they are included in the levergun load data. Double check that though.
 
If you have other firearms in that caliber, it's a good idea to develop a load for the weakest gun that also shoots well in the strongest one. Your model 94 will take hotter loads than a Colt or 1873 Winchester, while the model 92 is stronger yet. If you will only be using a rifle, I would recommend some slower burning powders to get the highest velocity, perhaps AA-9 or IMR-4227. Still, for sheer accuracy with decent power, it's hard to go wrong with Unique in the 45 Colt. 255 grain bullets are excellent.
 
I have a 94 trapper in 45 Colt. It is a pleasure to shoot. Most of my loads are mild to mid-level. Best for me @ 100 yd is a 255 cast SWC with 7.0 gr 231.
 
I shot 10gr of Unique in my 94AE under 275 LFN. I had Ghost Ring F/R sights installed and I could keep all shots in an 8" pie plate at 100 yards, offhand. Remember, the 94 shoots the 30-30 at 40k psi, so the Unique load at around 20k is a peach.
 
GeauxTide said:
I shot 10gr of Unique in my 94AE under 275 LFN. I had Ghost Ring F/R sights installed and I could keep all shots in an 8" pie plate at 100 yards, offhand. Remember, the 94 shoots the 30-30 at 40k psi, so the Unique load at around 20k is a peach.
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Right now I have the tang sight and a marbles rear full buckhorn, I shot it at 15 or so yards using the buckhorn kinda like a ghost ring, I haven't used the tang yet. Really excited about the tang though, it's my first.

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Pathfinder45 said:
If you have other firearms in that caliber, it's a good idea to develop a load for the weakest gun that also shoots well in the strongest one. Your model 94 will take hotter loads than a Colt or 1873 Winchester, while the model 92 is stronger yet. If you will only be using a rifle, I would recommend some slower burning powders to get the highest velocity, perhaps AA-9 or IMR-4227. Still, for sheer accuracy with decent power, it's hard to go wrong with Unique in the 45 Colt. 255 grain bullets are excellent.
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I haven't really found a revolver in 45 colt I enjoy. I have a rossi circuit judge in 45 colt, but I'm thinking I'll get rid of it to pay off this new one (plus I'll enjoy the lever action much more and expect better accuracy)

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huntinaz said:
8.5gr unique is a good load in my marlin 94, as is I believe 10gr unique.

I thought the Win 94 action could tolerate higher pressures and I believe they are included in the levergun load data. Double check that though.
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I'm looking through the lymann 49th, it seems like 9 grains is the max. So I'll work my way up to that. I'll have to see the overall length that the m94 will feed as well

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huntinaz said:
8.5gr unique is a good load in my marlin 94, as is I believe 10gr unique.

I thought the Win 94 action could tolerate higher pressures and I believe they are included in the levergun load data. Double check that though.
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The lee reloading book goes up to 9.5 grains for unique though

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Shooting a rifle as close as 15 yards is new one on me, unless hunting in the brush or tactical use.

I use the bullets, powder, and loads for Leverevolution. I will have to master use of lead in my handguns before entertaining the prospect of frustration with my rifles. Velocity is a problem for lead in a rifle, and load data reflects that.
 
Real Gun said:
Shooting a rifle as close as 15 yards is new one on me, unless hunting in the brush or tactical use.

I use the bullets, powder, and loads for Leverevolution. I will have to master use of lead in my handguns before entertaining the prospect of frustration with my rifles. Velocity is a problem for lead in a rifle, and load data reflects that.
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The local rifle range only allows 15 and 100 yards shooting lol

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Hello candlejackstraw,

I have a long barreled version of your rifle and usually load it with 255gr hard cast bullets pushed with 8.5gr of Unique. I haven't tried to load it hot but I'm sure that you can safely go at least another grain upward. My geezing eyes won't let me focus on the sights and target at 100yds so I limit my shots to 50yds. At that range I don't need to push the velocity any higher.

I load it down to almost rimfire recoil by pushing a 225gr hard cast bullet with only 7gr of Unique. Everyone loves to shoot this rifle using these low recoil and accurate loads.:) Have fun with whatever loads you choose.
 
jumpingeezer said:
Hello candlejackstraw,

I have a long barreled version of your rifle and usually load it with 255gr hard cast bullets pushed with 8.5gr of Unique. I haven't tried to load it hot but I'm sure that you can safely go at least another grain upward. My geezing eyes won't let me focus on the sights and target at 100yds so I limit my shots to 50yds. At that range I don't need to push the velocity any higher.

I load it down to almost rimfire recoil by pushing a 225gr hard cast bullet with only 7gr of Unique. Everyone loves to shoot this rifle using these low recoil and accurate loads.:) Have fun with whatever loads you choose.
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I loaded a ladder test of 15 rounds each with 255 copper plated in increments of 0.5 from 6.5 grain unique to 9.0 grain unique.

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The lee reloading book goes up to 9.5 grains for unique though
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Yeah I'm sure the 10gr is not standard 45 colt data, it's from either levergun or light Ruger-only data. I don't shoot it in my new model Vaquero, that one gets 8.5gr Unique (or 8.3gr Herco). It may be a hair under 10gr, will check tonight to see if I can remember where I got it.
 
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