Loading the .45 Colt It's vital to understand today's loading manuals typically include .45 Colt loads at two different power levels: under 14,000 CUP and under 29,000 PSI. for Ruger Blackhawk and T/C, levels in the 20,000 to 25,000 range are The accompanying standard- pressure handloads are within SAAMI guidelines of 14,000 psi, making them suitable for modern Colt SAA revolvers and all guns chambered in .45 Colt that are designed to fire smokeless powder ammunition. Copyright. 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. We are currently populating the cartridge drop-down menu with updated cartridge renderings, new propellants and bullets, and links to complimentary product pages. (I) Giveaway ends February 28, 2023. Cartridge Type: Pistol/Revolver. The smaller case-capacity means better performance with light loads, which is why I am interested in it. Winners will be notified by certified mail on official letterhead. www.hodgdonreloading.com Broc NES Member Rating - 100% 15 0 0 Joined Sep 18, 2010 Cast bullet loads in the Marlin .45 Colt all the power and accuracy We are blessed to have many excellent cartridges and sixguns available to us, but it would be hard to find any cartridge that is as versatile as the old 45 Colt. Indiana Department of Natural Resources, State Agency: There simply is not much that cannot be accomplished with the 45 Colt. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets. Most are either .451 (jacketed) or .452 (lead) and Sierra even makes jacketed bullets for the Colt SAA that are .4515 splitting the difference. Load up some Low Recoil handloads. I custom tailor my loads for the Trapper to match with the sixgun I am using alongside. It is my most used powder both in cap-and-ball and cartridge-firing sixguns when black powder loads are desired. The Complete Reloading Manual For The 45 Colt Item Preview remove-circle Share or Embed This Item. During my early teenage years I acquired a beautiful pre-World War II Colt SAA .45 that was customized by one of the masters during the 1920s. 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. 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. Universal is an excellent powder for the 45 Colt with 8.0 grains under a 250-grain bullet duplicating the old black powder load. Need load data for 185 gr LSWC (.45acp) | 1911Forum If I had to shoot only one factory ammunition the rest of my life, I would. Box 488, Escondido, CA 92033. About 1200+ fps in the 7.5 SBH, 1150fps out of the 4" Redhawk. My maine load is the Lyman 454190 cast of ww + 2% tin. Quality 300-grain jacketed bullets are also offered by all three of these manufacturers. Factory warranties may apply in some cases. The TaurusTX 22 Compact delivers class-leading reliability, capacity, and shootability in a 22 LR platform, and it's cut for a slide-mounted mini red dot. My loading dies are from Lee, Lyman, and RCBS, and all of them give excellent service. The 9.2 got the best SD and EP, if that means much to you. The performance level is pretty close to the original Black Powder load but far more effective due to the bullet I use. There were no 45 Colt heavyweight bullets available at the time, so we sized down 300-grain 45-70 bullets in several stages, going from around 0.460 inch to 0.452 inch. 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. These two examples were produced in 1875 (left) and 1887 (below). It is an excellent compromise between the 250- and 300-grain cast bullets. 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. Others are the New Model Blackhawks, the Bisley Model, the Redhawk, and the Super Redhawk. Associated taxes and fees are the responsibility of winners. (IV) Winners must undergo a background check (if required) and comply with all other federal, state and local laws. Over the nearly 15 decades since its arrival, there have been many attempts to pronounce it dead. 5, No.7, No. This one is from Lyman 48th addition Reloading book. My loading dies are from Lee, Lyman, and RCBS, and all of them give excellent service. Arkansas Game & Fish Commission, State Agency: .45 Colt Load, Red Dot or Clays? - SASS Wire Forum I shoot the .44 and .45 in rifles and pistolas, but I have only a rifle in .38-40. Alabama Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. .45 Colt Rifle Data (Lyman Reloading Handbook 49th Edition) One problem inherent with the original #454424 was the fact that when sized to 0.451 to 0.452 inch, the crimping groove almost disappears. They do provide identical results of muzzle velocities and pressures using the same charge weights, and I use them interchangeably. However, Dick Casull started with the 45 Colt single action and the weak 45 Colt case to come up with his cartridge, which eventually became the 454 Casull. For developing the accompanying data, a 1970 vintage (second generation) Colt New Frontier SAA with 5.5-inch barrel was. Elmer Keith was way ahead of his time in developing everyday working and hunting loads. For example, Lyman mould No. 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. 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 is loaded not by weight, but by volume. The top of the can says NOT FOR HANDGUN LOADS. They do provide identical results of muzzle velocities and pressures using the same charge weights, and I use them interchangeably. The .45 Colt is rapidly approaching 150 years in existence, and it remains one of our finest, most useful, versatile and handloaded sixgun cartridges. Factory warranties may apply in some cases. The powder that has the lowest velocities are produced by Trailboss which also has the advantage of filling up the 45LC case. Bullets from RCBS mould 45-270-SAA, which usually weigh around 280 to 285 grains, are designed to maximize powder capacity, are accurate and an excellent choice for hunting big game. models. On paper, the 357 Magnum was the first cartridge to exceed the 45 Colts muzzle energy, but many knowledgeable sixgunners, Elmer Keith included, believed the 45 Colt actually offered more practical power than the First Magnum. Today, it remains one of our most popular sixgun cartridges. Although far from perfect, the old Taylor Knock Out (TKO) formula, which is caliber x bullet weight x velocity 7,000, is far more accurate. This lets it feed in many cowboy-action guns and use common 45 ACP load data. Nebraska Game & Parks Commission, State Agency: Contest open to U.S. residents only. Contest void where prohibited by law. Employees and agents of Publishers Development Corp. are not eligible. His 45 Colt bullet was #454424 and was available for decades from Lyman. You can certainly use the Jacketed bullets fine, but dont look for incredible speeds. 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. All entries must be received by giveaway end date. Load data for the 45 colt rifle | The Firearms Forum I can not find any reliable load data for Blue Dot with cast bullets. Caliber .45 Colt| Reloading Data It didnt take long for manufacturers to offer heavier bullets, and two of the best came from NEI. No purchase necessary. We are currently populating the cartridge drop-down menu with updated cartridge renderings, new propellants and bullets, and links to complimentary product pages. What the John Wick is 9mm Major, Anyway. 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. Mail-in entries accepted; send postcards (no envelopes) to: GUNS Magazine, GOM March 2022, P.O. For many decades reloaders have been arguing over whether or not H110 and W296 were identical. When the new 454 Magnum revolvers (as they were first called) arrived, however, the brass was lengthened so it could not be used in standard 45 Colt sixguns. I found both of these on the shelf of a little gun store, actually a small gun department, in a local grocery store. Those first Winchesters were 16 Trapper Models, with mine being purchased in 1985. In actual weight, Pyrodex is lighter than black powder, being about 80 percent of the weight of black powder. All Rights Reserved. (II) Limit one (1) entry per household; multiple entries will disqualify entrants. By this time Winchester had changed its name to USRAC (United States Repeating Arms Co.) and the Trappers were offered in two versions, a blued receiver or a case-colored receiver. One problem inherent with the original #454424 was the fact that when sized to 0.451 to 0.452 inch, the crimping groove almost disappears. These Lyman loads are conservative made for older guns. Exactly the same grain size as with powder N320, N330 and N350 - only the porosity of the powder changes.The burning rate of the N340 is at the medium scale of Vihtavuori handgun powders - and as with powder N320, with N340 extremely clean burning and . Caleb Giddings, Marketing Manager at Taurus, introduces the all-new TaurusTX 22 Compact. This was achieved with 40 grains of black powder. The final level includes custom five-shot Rugers and the Freedom Arms Model 83. In preparation for this article, I pulled from my personal collection a Colt SAA with serial number 16xxx (1875) that slugged an average groove diameter of .450 inch. Reloader 7 - 37.0 grains start, 39.0 grains max. Wyoming Game & Fish Department, State Agency: Most of these are custom, tuned and have accounted for several head of big game. Michigan Deptartment of Natural Resources, State Agency: If cast soft enough they can also slug up to create a gas seal, which helps reduce fusion and barrel leading. Instead of being overly large, Rugers have been way too tight, with some measuring around 0.449 inch, but now Ruger is cutting all cylinder throats at 0.451 to 0.452 inch. Nevada Department of Wildlife, State Agency: The .45 Colt is a grand cartridge that has survived because it is so good. Joe Kurtenbach and Caleb Giddings also look at the first-ever optics-ready carry revolvers with the new Taurus 605 and 856 T.O.R.O. This revolver is fitted with a new line-bored cylinder that is tightly chambered with .452-inch throats, a .003-inch barrel/cylinder gap and the forcing cone cut to 11 degrees. Also slugged were guns 121xxx (1887) and number 134xxx (1890) that measured .4515 inch and .451 inch, respectively. Colt191145. The Colt SAA .45 Colt with a 4.75-inch barrel ranks as one of Brians favorite handgun configurations. Arizona Game & Fish Department, State Agency: Contest void where prohibited by law. IMR Trail Boss, 4227, IMR 3031 and IMR 4895 are products of IMR (formerly DuPont) Powder Company. Clays, Universal, HP38, HS6, HS7 and H4895 are products of Hodgdon Powders. Meet the all-new Taurus Judge Executive Grade, a revolver featuring a hand-polished satin finish, presentation-grade wood grips, a brass rod front sight and an exceptional hand-tuned trigger. For example with the 4-5/8" Ruger Blackhawk, I use the NEI 310-grain Keith bullet over 21.0 grains of WW296 or H110 for 1,125 fps in the sixgun and 1,445 fps from the Trapper Barrel. The company also distributes IMR and Winchester powders as well as Goex black powder. Taurus Marketing Manager Caleb Giddings highlights the features of the new Taurus Raging Hunter 460 Magnum, a purpose-built revolver with a 10.5-inch barrel and an effective recoil-taming brake, with Guns & Ammo Executive Editor Joe Kurtenbach. When Ray Thompson was designing his line of bullets, he did not neglect the 45. However, there are two problems associated with it: case capacity and cylinder throat diameters. A roll crimp is generally preferred and should be applied as heavily as the bullets crimp groove or cannelure will permit. Dropping down to 30 grains results in an easier-shooting 835 fps and a group of 1.13 inches. The minimum load for a 200 gr cast SWC in 45 Colt is listed as 8.6 gr Unique for 918 fps. After all the work and expense, it turned out to be a somewhat mediocre performer. (I) Giveaway ends March 31, 2023. They are my choice for the heaviest loads especially with cast bullets weighing 300 grains and heavier. Space constraints keep me from looking at all of these powders in depth, but I can cover a few. We switch now from the use of PC (Powder Coated) bullets to cast bullets. PDF The Future of Reloading Some of my most accurate loads are as follows: The Lyman/Thompson #454490 GC over 20.0 grains of #42274 gives a group at 1,275 fps or 20.0 grains of #2400 for 150 fps more velocity and a group just over 1. bullet type,style,powder ,amount,col.,primeres,and if possable fps. rifling. When using bullets designed for the .45 ACP that dont have a crimp cannelure, a taper crimp applied after bullets are seated to the correct overall length is the best option. I'll be a nice to you as you'll let me be, or as mean as you make me be. However, this approach causes some bullet deformation by being shortened, then sized down in the barrel, which still leaves accuracy potential on the table. Pennsylvania Game Commission, State Agency: Winners must respond within 30 days of receiving notification or an alternate winner will be selected. Mail-in entries accepted; send postcards (no envelopes) to: GUNS Magazine, GOM Old West 2023, PO Box 488, Escondido, CA 92033. Levergun Loads: .45 Colt Part II Cast Bullets - GUNS Magazine .45 LC loads for rifles | Ruger Forum I have found HS-6, Universal, and W231 powders work very well for standard loads, while IMR 4227 bulks up nicely in 45 Colt brass. There are some excellent jacketed bullets available for use in the 45 Colt, including the Sierra 240-grain JHP,Hornady250-grain XTP-JHP, and the Speer 260-grain JHP, all of which I prefer for deer-sized game. 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. 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. Cast bullets can be sized to .455 inch (assuming the mould casts bullets large enough), which again helps to reduce bullet tilting in the throat. The new rifle is built on an aluminum billet chassis with carbon-fiber forend and cheek riser featuring V-block bedding. Associated taxes and fees are the responsibility of winners. Marlins from the era have Micro-Groove rifling which may or may not work with cast bullets. Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, State Agency: They are my choice for everyday use and also for hunting larger, tougher game. [See page on powder location in case affecting FPS elsewhere on pages] Knowing this measurement for a given revolver is critical to select the correct components to achieve accuracy. within an inch or 2 of each other at 50 yards. Before I discuss handloads for the 45 Colt, we have to acknowledge there exists such a wide range of revolvers accepting the 45 Colt that great care must be used in assembling loads and choosing which guns will safely accept them. Employees and agents of Publishers Development Corp. are not eligible. Ruger's multi-role small frame autoloading rifle - Sear - combines AR-10 power with AR-15 Portability. In the event that a bullet walks out of the case slightly from recoil, Brian suggests an overall cartridge length that is at least .010 to .015 inch below flush with the end of the cylinder. Share to Twitter. so when i find my gun,,i can get busy asap with this . Associated taxes and fees are the responsibility of winners. 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. One problem inherent with the original #454424 was the fact that when sized to 0.451 to 0.452 inch, the crimping groove almost disappears. Everyone who has a Ruger Blackhawk or Freedom Arms single-action revolver realizes the roots of these modern guns go back to the Colt Single Action Army. To protect the privacy and security of winners, names will not be made public. California Department of Fish & Wildlife, State Agency: VihtaVuori Oy Company, reloading booklet (1995) Numerous magazine articles on reloading special calibers and personal loads where noted. It is my most used powder both in cap-and-ball and cartridge-firing sixguns when black powder loads are desired. Unique is better. Give a Gift I cast the Lyman 452-424 250gr. Bullseye is a bit fast for this big cartridge and I dont especially recommend it, but it will work. 11; firearms used: Universal Receiver & Ruger Blackhawk; barrel length: 7 1/2"; twist: 1-16"; groove dia. 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. No substitutions or transfers to third parties allowed. New York Department of Environmental Conservation, State Agency: Recommendations for 45lc 250 gr bullet using Unique Powder? New Mexico Department of Game & Fish, State Agency: This was achieved with 40 grains of black powder. Nonetheless, the 30-grain charge with a 250-grain bullet reached around 850 fps from a 7.5-inch barrel.
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