not new to reloading, but am just starting to load 45 colt. i have 250 gn rnfp lead slugs and am intersested in what powder i should use. this will be for informal target shooting. i am thinking probably a cowboy shooting load.

I use 7.5 grains of Unique with a 255 grain semi wadcutter.

It's a light, easy recoiling target load that's extremely accurate
in my Ruger Blackhawks.

Get a copy of Hodgdon's newest free loading book or get on their web site and look up some loads. I personally like Trail Boss powder with the 250 RNFP. Mild load and more accurate than I am.

IMHO Unique was made for the 45 Colt. IT is a really big case and I have tried several powders, but keep coming back to Unique. 7 or 8 grains should work fine with that bullet.

+1 on the Unique, it'll do everything standard Long Colt loads were made for....

You can't go wrong with Unique. It is sort of the standard in .45 Colt that everything else is compared to, in my neck of the woods anyway. My only complaint about it is that I always get a little more extreme spread in my loads at around 800 FPS than I want. Lately, I have been experimenting with Universal Clays and have had pretty good luck with it. You might want to try it. I think it is both a little more uniform in my .45 Colt loads, and maybe a little cleaner burning.

You can dump about any fast burning powder in it including black, first thing would be checking throat sizes, S&W and colts can run big while rugers tend to run small.

I used to use a lot of w231 in the .45 Colt but lately I use nothing but HS-6. I really like the results with HS-6.

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Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

I like Tite-group.....designed espicially for target loads in large capacity cases. Very consistent and clean, as is Clays and American Select. these are for CAS type shooting.

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carolina's longarm
SASS 4146

Been loading since 1973, & the older I get the less complicated it is the better I like it. I've come to the conclusion everything I load (9 MM thru 454 Casull) for can be handled with either Unique or 2400. As a matter of fact, I have settled on the same charge of Unique for 9 MM, 38 Spl, & 45 ACP. I don't even have to change my powder drop. Oh, BTW, I really like the 45 Colt ctg, it will do most anything that needs doin' in the lower 48.

You might look to Trail Boss for some lighter Cowboy loads.

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NRA Pistol/Rifle Inst. RSO

My favorite powder for the 45 long Colt and the various 260 grain lead bullets is black powder. Except when shooting my S&W, then I load Unique. 9 grains gives me about 1000 fps. I use the Lyman 454424 or 454190 for bullets.

I use Universal clays, great accuracy and burns clean.

I have started using H110 but I am shooting out of a 45 colt leveraction, and am way surpassing listed velocities because of my 24" barrel.

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Grover Oathkeeper

I'll go along with others with a recommendation for Unique for .45 Colt. It'll make great full power loads for a Ruger Blackhawk and accurate mid range loads for my Mountain Gun. You won't go wrong with Unique.

I use the starting load form the Lyman #48 book of 6.5gr of 231 with the 250 rnfp.I get about 720fps out of my Uberti Cattleman with a 5.5" barrel and 970fps with my Marlin 1894CB 24" barrel.
Both guns are very accurate with this load and I haven't found any positional problems that some report.
I use 231 for a lot of my standard pressure training/practice ammo,it just simplifies things for me.
Still want to try some Trail Boss.

If you load 12 gauge, or even if you don't, you can try 6 grains of Red Dot. It's a fairly bulky powder which is good in the 45. Some folks also report good results with slightly more Green Dot. I haven't tried it but will since I bought some on close out a few years ago. Have fun.

For Cowboy loads you can not beat Trail Boss.

Model of pistol and componet avlability dictate alot of what you get to do. For light loads you might wish to look at WW231,Trail Boss, and Clays. Clays is not sensitive to being against the primer, and the charge size vs. results is smaller, is reasonably clean. Trail Boss is hard to overload and clear. 231 is a common powder that has lots of uses, but can be dirty in light loads. (I use 6.7 for 185gr. on up to 250 gr. soft! lead, dirt and all, loaded in batches of around 1200-fill up a 50 cal ammo can). Hodgen has light load data on all of these and more online. If you take up Cowboy Action shooting, you'll want to load in 1000+ batches or load very often due to match and practice usage, so a good load cost is worth exploring. Perhaps the most important rule when shooting any big bore target load is have about 2 to 3 times the ammo you plan on needing, they are too much fun to run out of ammo!
Ivan

I loaded a bunch of leverevolution bullets 225gr for my Rossi 92 in 45 colt, sighting in my rifle, I started out with Freedom Munitions 250gr RNFP bullets shot 2 and then adjusted.


I then moved back to 100 yards using the 225 leverrev's over 23gr H110. No overpressure signs, no primer leakage, not even a lot of recoil and shot this group, both were with the rifle rested on a leather shooting bag.


It is a great round in a pistol, it is even better round in a 24" barreled rifle.

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Grover Oathkeeper

When loading 250 gr. RNFP's in .45 LC I use Unique or W231. For hotter "Ruger Only" loads I use a 45-270-SAA and 2400.

I have been using 7.5 grs. of Unique with 250 gr. cast bullets for well over 30 years. Very accurate in my guns.

7.5 - 7.8 grains of Unique under a 250 -255 grain RNFP bullet have been my standard Cowboy Load for 25 years. Accurate, mild recoil, consistent, and reasonably priced.

Chief38

kinda neat, and easy to remember:

7.5 grs Unique=750 fps with a 250 gr. lead bullet
8.0 grs Unique=800 fps
8.5 grs.Unique=850 fps
9.0 grs.Unique=900 fps

The last load, is as high as I go for Colt SA, or reproductions, i.e. Uberti, etc

Ruger large frame SA can go higher

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NRA Instructor

Anybody running Bullseye for 45 Colt? I'm using it in 9 and 45 ACP but haven't gotten my dies yet to load Colt stuff.

Luck in using the plated .452 projetiles in Colt brass?

6.0 Bullseye under a 200 gr lswc is very nice.
5.0-5.5 Clays 200 gr lswc
5.6 Trail Boss 200 gr lswc
6.0 Red Dot 200 gr lswc

I've run a lot of 250 and 255 gr but come back to lighter faster.