Too light of a load?

D

DesertRatR

New member
I am just learning to load 45 colt. I loaded up a bunch with Unique (intentional light load I shoot in my SA revolver) and shot them out of my Henry Bigboy. Bullet was 250 gr 0.452" dia, OAL was 1.600", which is right at the upper spec limit. They chronographed at 935 ft/sec with SD of 34. I shoot left handed, and occasionally felt a little gas out of the ejection port. The cases were pretty scorched. Will increasing the load take care of the gas leakage? What is a good target MV to aim for? I was futzing with Miller's stability formula, and the Sg is about 2, at MV-934 ft/sec and the Henry's slow twist of 38".

Thanks for helping a rank amateur.
 
That muzzle velocity is near perfect for Unique in a revolver, but you should be getting a little more in a rifle. What's the charge weight and primer?
 
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935 ft/sec sounds like about an 8.5 to 9 grain load out of a 5.5" barrel. 9.5 being max for a cast 250 with Unique, according to Alliant. So you really don't have a lot of wiggle room. You work up to whatever it actually is, or just pick it?
Like Pathfinder45 says, you should be getting more velocity out of the longer barrel. Barrel length has more to do with it than the twist. However, the chances of finding a load both your rifle and revolver will shoot well and not be too heavy are really kind of slim.
And forget formulas. They don't work.
 
If there's a lot of soot on the cases, that is an indication the loads need to be hotter to make the cases seal the chamber
 
Some place I read not to post powder weight used. Thoughts?
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It's done all the time. Any charge weights outside the normal load data range (hot loads) are supposed to be prefaced with a stern and specific warning though.
 
It's don't use somebody else's load without checking it in a manual.
Posting the actual load you're using provides a lot of info. Like if the load is safe. Too low can be as dangerous as too high.
Any charge weights outside the normal load data range (hot loads) are usually unsafe.
 
I am just learning to load 45 colt. I loaded up a bunch with Unique (intentional light load I shoot in my SA revolver) and shot them out of my Henry Bigboy. Bullet was 250 gr 0.452" dia, OAL was 1.600", which is right at the upper spec limit. They chronographed at 935 ft/sec with SD of 34. I shoot left handed, and occasionally felt a little gas out of the ejection port. The cases were pretty scorched. Will increasing the load take care of the gas leakage? What is a good target MV to aim for? I was futzing with Miller's stability formula, and the Sg is about 2, at MV-934 ft/sec and the Henry's slow twist of 38".
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Just how much Unique were you using?
 
Those of us that use Unique in 45 Colt can pretty much guess that it's a light load. But we would like to hear from DesertRatR himself before we recommend more fuel.
 
The load I was shooting was 7.2 gr Unique. In my SA with 7" barrel (Blackhawk) I get about 850 fps or so. I like light loads so as to not beat up my gun. A buddy who does cowboy action shooting loads his with 7.0 gr Unique.

I wanted to see how the light load would do in the rifle, since I'd been shooting factory ammo in that. I think I got my answer. I have loaded up some 8.0 gr and 8.2 gr Unique (manual has 8.5 as max) and will chronograph those today. I'll report back.

BTW, the factory ammo I have is 250 gr jacketed. No powder data available for that. My handloads are 250 gr lead RNFP.
 
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I chronographed three loads today (Chrony Beta set up 10 feet in front of bench)
1) 30 rounds 250 gr LRNFP (HSM) with 8.0 gr Unique. OAL 1.58"
2) 30 rounds 250 gr LRNFP (HSM) with 8.2 gr Unique. OAL 1.58"
3) 30 rounds 250 gr factory ammo TMJ (HPR), unknown powder (Mfr did tell me they load to 12-13k psi).

My manual lists 8.5 gr Unique as upper limit for rifle loads.

Results:
1) 8.0 gr Unique; average speed 1046.3 fps stdev 46.9 fps. Cases still badly scorched.
2) 8.2 gr Unique; average speed 1085.3 fps stdev 45.8 fps. Cases still badly scorched.
3) Factory ammo; average speed 933.4 fps stdev=27.7 fps. Cases badly scorched.

My powder throw came with my RCBS Rockchucker. When I have checked it the dispensed weight is extremely accurate, within 0.1 grain, which is scale resolution. So why the big sigma? And why are the cases still scorched? I also felt the occasional gas out of the ejection port on my right arm (I shoot left handed). So the increased load doesn't seem to be doing what I expected.

The factory ammo produced scorched cases, and I felt a little gas also. Thoughts there?

Some rifle defect? I've only shot maybe 500 rounds thru it, most of it factory ammo.
 
You might have a slightly over sized chamber, but if your cases are not splitting, and you accuracy is good then carry on.
You can always have the chamber measured by gun smith or do a chamber casting ( google it) yourself and mic the casting.
I have same case blackening on a couple of pistols and has not caused case cracking and the carbon cleans off in the tumbler.

If you want to call Henry and express your concern of hot gas on your arm, just don't mention the cuss word RELOAD ! I've never delt with their cust service but you might be without your rifle a while.

Good luck n be safe

Mike
 
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