I didnt realize how many different powders from Hodgdon I use in loading the 45 Colt until I began putting this article together. Pennsylvania Game Commission, State Agency: The revolver and ammunition were officially adopted for service in 1873. Keiths #454424 was an excellent bullet, but it has been improved by Dave Scovill and is offered by RCBS as #45-270SAA. in pistol calibers than the old. Want to practice more with that big-bore hunting rifle or enjoy that magnum pistol more at the range? I usually select an expander ball that is at least .003 to .004 inch smaller than bullet diameter, which helps prevent bullets from jumping crimp and aids in achieving consistent powder ignition. To protect the privacy and security of winners, names will not be made public. My powders of choice are Clays, HP-38, HS-6, Universal, Trail Boss, H110, IMR 4227, W296, and W231. It is becoming more popular with the Cowboy Action Shooting since it is a mild load and can be shot in the guns chambered for the .45 Colt. Quality 300-grain jacketed bullets are also offered by all three of these manufacturers. No purchase necessary. Cast bullets in both plain-based and gas check versions are available from 260 grains to 325 grains. To protect the privacy and security of winners, names will not be made public. No purchase necessary. After all the work and expense, it turned out to be a somewhat mediocre performer. No purchase necessary. The weight would more properly be closer to 32 grains. Sam Colt became a millionaire producing percussion revolvers. Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife, State Agency: John with the Winchester Trapper in .45 Colt; the neckerchief is A check of Hodgdons loading manuals shows these two powders using the same charge weight produce the same velocities and pressures. They often equal or surpass the accuracy from my carefully tailored hand-cast bullets. In actual weight, Pyrodex is lighter than black powder, being about 80 percent of the weight of black powder. This is a plain base bullet and I found out very quickly it was not very accurate in either rifle. For the .45 Colt my standard load is 5.5 grains of Clays, which gives from 780 fps to 840 fps depending upon the sixgun used. Hodgdon's Clays And Your .45 - GUNS Magazine Cartridge Filter By Bullet Weight Powder Type Recipes Contest open to U.S. residents only. Smith & Wesson revolver throats have varied significantly. The key for best shooting is to size cast bullets accordingly and open the throats if necessary. It didnt take long for manufacturers to offer heavier bullets, and two of the best came from NEI. top notch work!! Unique is better. Winners will be notified by certified mail on official letterhead. However, in those long-gone days I was able to find two Winchester Trappers both in .45 Colt and the Marlin versions in both calibers mentioned. I normally stay under 900 fps with a 250-grain bullet in Colt Single Action Army revolvers and its replicas. 310 Tong Tool. To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine. The .44 Magnum is a great cartridge that offers a flatter trajectory and helps to make hits easier at longer distances; however, this added performance comes at the cost of greater pressures, heavier guns, increased recoil and muzzle report. Energy in foot-pounds (ft-lbs) is not a good method to measure a straight-walled cartridges effectiveness, particularly when using nonexpanding bullets. (II) Limit one (1) entry per household; multiple entries will disqualify entrants. For something with more thump, it would be wise to find some published load data and buy some bullets that match that data. I can not find any reliable load data for Blue Dot with cast bullets. Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries, State Agency: * Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife, State Agency: Gun Digest Reloading Data Center - Gun Digest My powders of choice are Clays, HP-38, HS-6, Universal, Trail Boss, H110, IMR 4227, W296, and W231. Associated taxes and fees are the responsibility of winners. Reloader 7 for 45-70? | Glock Talk For the 45 Colt this is the Single Action Army revolver. It is clear why the .45 Colt had such a stellar reputation as a man stopper and for its effectiveness on game. The Colt Single Action Army, Colt New Frontier, Ruger New Model Flat-Top, Ruger New Vaquero, and Smith & Wesson Model 25/625 are all very close strength-wise. Keith bullet, the Lee 452-255-rf 250gr bullet and the RCBS 45-270-SAA for .45 Colt. Employees and agents of Publishers Development Corp. are not eligible. It would also be excellent for a defense load. Over the past 35 years all four of these leverguns have shot extensively with both jacketed and cast bullets. Today the throats of most Colt revolvers measure .457 to .458 inch, which is the same dimension used by Smith & Wesson during the late 1970s, Uberti and others. Employees and agents of Publishers Development Corp. are not eligible. In 1898, Colt made the necessary changes to permit its guns to be used with smokeless powders; however, it wasnt until 1900 (revolvers with serial number 192,000 or higher) that Colt began to officially warrant its guns for such. Below you'll find some basic data for each cartridge to help get you started. That is, if the loading table calls for 40 grains of black powder, then one uses a 40-grain volume powder measure for the same amount by volume of Pyrodex. Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife, State Agency: North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, State Agency: However, there are two problems associated with it: case capacity and cylinder throat diameters. Winners will be notified by certified mail on official letterhead. Western Powders (Accurate and Ramshot) are about the only ones publishing higher pressure 45 Colt cast bullet data. I found both of these on the shelf of a little gun store, actually a small gun department, in a local grocery store. I have measured Colt revolvers with throats that run from. Checked and verified, page 285, 4th Ed.Lyman cast bullet handbook. Custom five-shooters built on the Ruger Blackhawk, the Ruger Redhawk, and the Freedom Arms Model 83 top the list. sets maximum standards for cartridges; this standard must be set at a level safely usable in the weakest common denominator. I prefer to use 250-grain jacketed bullets in conjunction with +P loads, which is a subject for another day. For handloaders shooting modern Colt SAAs that feature oversized throats and want to use modern cast and jacketed bullets, the best option is to change cylinders with one that is chambered correctly. Purchase A PDF Download Of The GUNS Magazine February 2021 Issue Now! Both of these are plainbased Keith-style bullets, and their numbers are #310.451 and #325.454, with the first three digits giving the approximate bullet weight. Giveaway prizes may have evidence of being test fired or exhibit minor handling marks. Due to their reduced velocity combined with greater resistance in the bore, I dont recommend loads that produce less than 750 fps because there is a significant chance of sticking a bullet in the bore. My brass of choice is Starlines excellent 45 Colt brass with CCI 300 Large Pistol primers for all powders, except I switch to CCI 350 Magnum Pistol primers with IMR 4227, H110, W296, and all black powder and black powder substitutes. Not only do the Hodgdon folks offer excellent powders, but also they are simply some of the nicest folks in the industry. It is an excellent compromise between the 250- and 300-grain cast bullets. Winners must respond within 30 days of receiving notification or an alternate winner will be selected. It didnt take long for manufacturers to offer heavier bullets, and two of the best came from NEI. It follows Keiths original idea of three equally sized driving bands, one forming the base, the middle one serving as the top of the grease groove, and the front driving band helping true up the bullet in the cylinder and is located above a generous crimping groove. Treat it like one. Beginning in the early 1980s both Winchester and Marlin began offering .45 Colt leverguns. so when i find my gun,,i can get busy asap with this . i even just recieved an awsome holster rig new,lined,scroll work, you name it , looks fantastic quality for only 40.00,,,got hooked up with this awsome lady on ebay,whos selling them for a friend who makes them. No data for RX7 and this bullet in the 1886 Winchester & 1895 Marlin section. Lyman has a 255 grain .45 Colt gas-checked bullet, #454490GC, that was designed by Ray Thompson who also brought forth the .357 Magnum #358156GC and the .44 Magnum #431244GC. The availability of all of these bullets is dependent on how much time I have to cast my own. They do provide identical results of muzzle velocities and pressures using the same charge weights, and I use them interchangeably. Generally, when revolvers with such grossly oversized throats are fired with modern cast and jacketed bullets accuracy is poor. The top of the can says NOT FOR HANDGUN LOADS. The smaller case-capacity means better performance with light loads, which is why I am interested in it. It has many additional virtues, primarily its big-bore performance and reliability. Improving the Keith Bullet Keith's #454424 was an excellent bullet, however it has been improved by Dave Scovill and is offered by RCBS as #45-270SAA. now im looking for top performance load data to ass to my load data book for this caliber. Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection, Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks & Tourism, Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife, Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Rhode Island Department of Fish & Wildlife, North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, New York Department of Environmental Conservation, Mississippi Deptartment of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks, Minnesota Deptartment of Natural Resources, Michigan Deptartment of Natural Resources, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife, Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries, Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources, Hawaii Department of Land & Natural Resources, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, Alabama Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. It is also noteworthy that many dies manufactured prior to around 1980 fail to size cases adequately to correctly hold .451/.452-inch bullets. http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/ad.php?t=78528, http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pi&id=1465047205, Vintage Boxes - Gear, Shell, Case, Primer, Group Buys Design, Active , Waiting and Archives, Closed Buys/Waiting for delivery/in shipment, If this is your first visit, be sure to The (top) Model 25-5 has .458-inch throats while the (bottom) Model 25-5 has .451-inch throats and is far more accurate. With the coming of Rugers Blackhawk chambered in 45 Colt in the early 1970s, we finally had a sixgun that could tap the tremendous potential of the 45 Colt cartridge. Prizes will not be awarded if illegal in jurisdiction of winners. Two other powders for standard loads include W231 and HP-38. The final level includes custom five-shot Rugers and the Freedom Arms Model 83. The 45 Colt brass could handle the pressures, but standard sixguns could not. The company also distributes IMR and Winchester powders as well as Goex black powder. For testing I go with three shots at 45 yards. This load will certainly handle deer-sized game. The 45 Colt also predates the 38 Special, the 44 Special, and the 45 ACP, and not only is it more than 80 years older than the 44 Magnum, but it also has more case capacity and in the proper sixguns can outrank the 44 Magnum. Employees and agents of Publishers Development Corp. are not eligible. Nebraska Game & Parks Commission, State Agency: For several years Smith & Wesson cut throats at 0.455 inch or even larger, but now they seem to be running at a more proper 0.451 to 0.452 inch. Nitro 100, No.2, No. Contest void where prohibited by law. : .451" Be Alert: Publisher cannot be responsible for errors in published load data. I'll be a nice to you as you'll let me be, or as mean as you make me be. 9, #5744, #2230, and #2460 are products of Accurate Arms Company. The 45 Colt brass was up to the task. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, State Agency: I clocked 9.2, 9.5 and 10 grains. All right are Reserved Reload Ammo, Reloading The .45 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol), Hi=670, Lo=521, ES=148 (too slow, wide spread), Hi=677, Lo=594, ES=8.3 (too slow, but good spread), Hi=673, Lo=594, ES=80 (too slow)(old formulation), 833 Hi=873, Lo=783, ES=90 (old formulation), 866 Hi= 890 Lo=855 ES=35 (good Cowboy load), 836 fps (powder pointing UP) (Hi=877.7 Lo=803.0 Spread=74.7 fps), 771 fps (powder pointing DOWN) (Hi=783.1 Lo=760.3 Spread=22.8 fps), Hi=622, Lo=491, ES=131 (WAY too slow-stuck bullet possible)(old formulation), Hi=750, Lo=735, ES=15 (good spread, should have used more powder), use 6.1 to 6.8 for normal Colt 45 loads (old formulation, use 7.7 to 8.6* for +P Ruger and T/C Only (old formulation, 871 Hi=938 Lo=797 ES=141 (Colt Anaconda 6), 1024 MAX+ (Actual in 7 1/2 bbl 250 gr. A huge hit among hunters, it remained popular in deer camps long after the .30-30 Win. Winners must respond within 30 days of receiving notification or an alternate winner will be selected. SAAMI pressures for STANDARD .45 Colt is 14,000 PSI MAXIMUM, but For loading black powder 45 Colt loads, I use Goex as well as Pyrodex and Triple Seven. rifling. ok 45 long colt lovers,,ring out ,lets hear from you,,the more the merry. They are my choice for the heaviest loads especially with cast bullets weighing 300 grains and heavier. The Freedom Arms Model 97 also is in this group. Bullseye, Unique and 2400 are products of Alliant (formerly Hercules) Powders. (I) Giveaway ends May 31, 2023. His 45 Colt bullet was #454424 and was available for decades from Lyman. Shooter's Reference Load Data for .45 Colt Joe Kurtenbach, Executive Editor of Gun & Ammo, and John Myles from Smith & Wesson discuss features of the Equalizer 9mm micro-compact pistol and new-for-2023 M&P 5.7. These Smith & Wesson .45 Colts include a (1) Model 25-5 with 838-inch barrel, (2) Model 25-5 with 6-inch barrel, (3) Model 25-5 with 4-inch barrel and a (4) Model 625-6 Mountain Gun with a tapered 4-inch barrel. Their 10mm Devastator (Lyman #401638 HP) has a listed weight of 155 grains, and is a HP version of their very accurate 175 grain TC design. Moving up to the second level, loads at around 1,000 fps with the same-weight bullet are used in the Colt New Frontier, Smith & Wesson Model 25/625, Ruger Flat-Top New Model, and the Ruger New Vaquero. Share to Reddit. This is a great all purpose load for the .45 Colt. Missouri Deptartment of Conservation, State Agency: There are many good jacketed bullets for the .45 Colt. In the large .45 case, a large difference has been noted in speeds. His 45 Colt bullet was #454424 and was available for decades from Lyman. | Blue dot and 45 colt | Graybeard Outdoors of blackpowder, the .44-40 . (IV) Winners must undergo a background check (when required) and comply with all other federal, state and local laws. The 45 Colt also predates the 38 Special, the 44 Special, and the 45 ACP, and not only is it more than 80 years older than the 44 Magnum, but it also has more case capacity and in the proper sixguns can outrank the 44 Magnum. Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, State Agency: Clays, Universal, HP38, HS6, HS7 and H4895 are products of Hodgdon Powders. It is impossible to go wrong with the 45 Colt. The original loading was a bullet of approximately 255 grains with a muzzle velocity of somewhere around 850 to 900 fps. I didnt think I could shoot this well! When he died in 1862, the company was dedicated to producing the same percussion revolvers. The original conical bullet found in black powder 45 Colt loads from the 1870s is very close to the Lyman #454190 and the RCBS #45-255 FN. (II) Limit one (1) entry per household; multiple entries will disqualify entrants. But keep in mind, both Lyman and Alliant publish only standard pressure loads for the 45 Colt. There are some excellent jacketed bullets available for use in the 45 Colt, including the Sierra 240-grain JHP, Hornady 250-grain XTP-JHP, and the Speer 260-grain JHP, all of which I prefer for deer-sized game. So if one used 40 grains by weight of Pyrodex when the chart called for 40 grains of black powder, the result would be an overloaded charge. Handgun Data - Speer I use my Winchester and Marlin Trappers for relatively close-range shooting. The powder is Herco. Recommendations for 45lc 250 gr bullet using Unique Powder? They are my choice for everyday use and also for hunting larger, tougher game. No purchase necessary. My most used powders for these loads are #2400, #9, #4227 and H110. Unique Max Loads for .45 Colt? - Gunloads.com We are currently populating the cartridge drop-down menu with updated cartridge renderings, new propellants and bullets, and links to complimentary product pages. moderate recoil and substantially less muzzle report. However, this approach causes some bullet deformation by being shortened, then sized down in the barrel, which still leaves accuracy potential on the table. take the .45 Colt as my game and defense cartridge. It is noteworthy that this statement was made 20 years after the development of the .357 Magnum, a cartridge Keith also tested and used in the field. Taffin Test the .45 Colt Arizona Game & Fish Department, State Agency: With the Winchesters, equipped with receiver sights, most of my shooting is done around 30 to 35 yards with relatively mild loads. Associated taxes and fees are the responsibility of winners. The Colt fanciers had .45's, usually in the New Service model, unless they were cowboy fans who had SAA's. The guys that worked in the paper mills and machine shops had 1917's. If you want-ed a handgun with power, the GI surplus .45 ACP in the 1917 was the only thing you could afford to shoot as reloading "ca'tridges" was unknown. Unique and Universal still dont fill the case up as much as a yet slower powder (like No.9, AA5724, H-110/W296, AA5744, and Alliant 2400). No substitutions or transfers to third parties allowed. When tactical lights first came out, we all thought the 50 lumens they offered was astounding and could never get better. The .45 Colts origins started in 1871 when Colt began designing a new sixgun specifically to house metallic cartridges. HS7 is slowest of the group (Similar to 2400) Velocities in a test Here you will find load data for some of the most recent cartridges on the market, with more being added each week. about 175 fps and from 7 1/2 by 50 fps. USE THIS DATA WITH ALLIANT BRAND POWDERS ONLY. The larger diameter ring that sizes the lower half of the case provides longer case life and eliminates the typical swaged bulge just ahead of the solid head. Most are either .451 (jacketed) or .452 (lead) and Sierra even makes jacketed bullets for the Colt SAA that are .4515 splitting the difference. Indiana Department of Natural Resources, State Agency: John makes up dummy loads using available cast bullets to make I have been surprised by the fact the Marlin feeds Keith-style bullets perfectly. The minimum load for a 200 gr cast SWC in 45 Colt is listed as 8.6 gr Unique for 918 fps. It basically started in the early 1870s as a round-nosed bullet given a slight flattened nose. Because case capacity is large, trying to produce lighter loads with slow-burning powders can give very poor results. Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, State Agency: .45 Colt Handgun Data (Lyman Reloading Handbook 49th Edition) Warning! We were soon shooting 300-grain bullets at 1,200 fps from a 7.5-inch-barreled Ruger revolver. His #452490GC was originally made for the 45 Auto Rim cartridge for use in the Smith & Wesson 1950 Target revolver, but I also use the Thompson design, which weighs around 255 grains, for heavy-duty loads approaching the energy of the 44 Magnum in the Ruger Blackhawk. While only sporadically available as a component, the Remington .456-inch 250-grain lead hollowbase bullet will obturate to minimize bullet tilting. Cast RCBS 45-270-SAA bullets are generally loaded to an overall length of 1.650 inches to not over 1.655 inches, utilizing the full length of the Colt cylinder. (III) Giveaway winner(s) chosen by random drawing. Mississippi Deptartment of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks, State Agency: A pair of Old Model Blackhawks with 4-5/8 and 4-3/4 barrels put five rounds in 1 at 20 yards while traveling at about 800 fps. For example, Lyman mould No. Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, State Agency: In ranking the various 45 Colt sixguns now in production from the least strongest to that capable of a handling the heaviest loads, I would set the following order. SWC), 853 (Powder UP see note) (Hi=872.5 Lo=827.5 Spread=45 fps)(some unburned powder), 802 (Powder DOWN see note) (Hi=809.2 Lo=792.6 Spread=16.6 fps). However, it cannot be approached the same as smokeless. 45 LC load with Titegroup? | Ruger Forum Contest open to U.S. residents only. Factory warranties may apply in some cases. Exactly when the .45 Colt factory load containing 250-grain bullets propelled by 40 grains of black powder was first offered is unknown, but it was probably assembled at the Colt factory. It has never failed me.
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