What's the general consensus using Unique with a 250 gr lead rnfp bullet?
Is 8 gr the ticket? Ive been using BP loads in my colt and want to duplicate that without the BP mess.

I have loaded a lot with 7.0 of Unique, but 8.0 might be a better choice.

For .45 Colt I like 16 grains of 2400 with standard primer and a 255 grain Keith myself. I do load 7 grains of Unique behind a 250 grain hard cast for my .41 magnum though (3" barrel).

For me 8.0 gains Unique under a 250 grain bullet works well in .45 Colt. Likewise, the same charge works well with a 200 grain bullets in .44 WCF or 180 grain slugs in .38-40.

I've used 8.0 and 8.5 behind a 255-grain hardcast (and I have no idea whether those are within today's SAAMI specs - approach with caution and verify that it's safe with a good modern manual) in SAA clones and was happier with the heavier loading, which I think more closely duplicates the performance of the heavy BP loading. Velocity was not a whole lot more, but accuracy was better for me. 15 grains of 2400 gave me clumps of unburnt powder all over everything, decent groups but larger spreads than I like. A whole lot of powder for not a whole lot of results.

For warm, I like max charges of HS-6 - which have also proven remarkably accurate for me; more accurate than anything else in this caliber.

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I've loaded a lot of .45 Colt 250 grain cast RNFP and used 7.5 grains of Unique. With the powder shortage going on I have cut that back to 7 grains so I can get a thousand rounds out of a pound of powder.

I can't tell any difference in accuracy and the 7 grain load will do anything I want or need done with a .45 Colt.

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SWCA #2421

I load 9.2 grains of Unique behind a 250-255 grain swc or rnfp. I load 9.2 grains because that's what the Lee dipper I use throws. It isn't hot at all, just on the high side of mild. It is a good all-round load, in handguns from 3" barrels up to 7.5", and in my trapper rifles. It will shoot clean through a 150 lb whitetail at 50 yards. I have been hoarding Unique powder since 1973, so I don't worry about running out. Lead for bullets is a different story, though.

I believe the old Speer #9 manual I have, with the first ever data "for Ruger and Contender only," lists loads for the old Peacemakers at 10 grains Unique max with a 250 grain bullet.

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Georgia On My Mind

My standard load is 7.5 grains of Unique and a 250 grain RNFP cast bullet. Very good and accurate load and will produce about 750 fps out of a 4 3/4" Colt SAA.

I've been using a conservative 7.2 grains behind a 250 grain RNFP hard cast from Oregon Trails. It burns clean, but the case shows signs of incomplete obduration. The maximum SAA load in my Lyman manual is 8.5 grains, so I plan to bump it up for the next batch.

2400 needs to run hot to get complete burning. I have a recipe for up to 19.5 grains, but for a lever gun. I'd like to do that, but I need something to distinguish them at a glance from rounds compatible with a New Vaquero (or SAA), like nickel cases or a truncated cone bullet. I try to avoid unnecessary excitement.

arjay,

years ago I was loading 8.0 unique and then dropped to 7.8, but found that the 7.5 was just about perfect and even though it was only .5 grians less, the recoil seemed a lot less. At the time I was shooting SASS matches and it really made a difference in my recovery time between shots. Been doing the 7.5 now for many many years.

Regards,
Chief38

I've standardized on 8.5 grains of Unique under a 250 RNFP. Gives me 945fps out of my Mountain Gun.
Keith

Years ago, I used to load 8.0 to 9.0 gr Unique behind a 2555 gr hardcast SWC for my S&W 25-5 & my Ruger Blackhawk. Potent but not excessive. Speer #10 book shows 8.5 max in the regular 45 Colt section, and 10.5 gr max in the Ruger or Contender only section.

Holy cow! THAT is a heavy bullet! I'll just bet it was potent, like shooting a .452" diameter lead tent pole at someone!

The classic load has always been 8.0 to 9.0 grs of Unique with a a 250/255 gr lead bullet. I loaded 8.5 grs for many years. However, with the last batch I dropped to 8.0grs to stretch the powder a little further. I've seen no difference at all in performance and may very well stick to that load.

Thanks all.I've loaded up 60 ( the rest of my brass is loaded with .452s or BP) with 8 gr and we'll see how they do.

Just reading a good article about loading .45 Colt , but using the shorter .45 Schofield brass , available from Starline. As y'all may know , not too many powders fill that case while staying within pressure limits for SAA's and S&W's. Sounds good to me.

For a lot of years my standard load for the .45 Colt was 8.0gr of Unique under a 250- 255gr SWC and was so pleased with it I had thought that it would not ever change. However, along came Brian Pearce in Handloader with very good articles on the .45 Colt with Alliant Power Pistol powder. Well I gave Power Pistol a try and now my standard load is 8.0-8.5gr Power Pistol for a 250-255gr SWC and 8.0gr under a 270gr SWC, these loads fall under the SAMMI spec pressure for the .45 Colt. Why did I change? Well for starters it meters through my powder measure a lot better than Unique and when firing it seems that the slightly slower burn rate of Power Pistol makes for a more gentle initial recoil impulse and it is very accurate out of all my revolvers. If you get a chance give it a try, I think you'll like it.

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Do you know about .45 Cowboy Special? Same length/volume as .45 ACP, but with the rim size of the .45 Colt (which the Schofield and Auto-Rim don't have). There's no .45 Schofield in this picture, but it'll give you an idea . . .

.45 Colt, .45 CS, .45 AR, .45 ACP

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Erich,
I've got a new bag of that brass that I've never opened. It's a 100 round bag from Adirondack Jack's Trading Post (www.cowboy45special.com). If you want them let me know.
Keith

Been loading it with Unique for 50 years now, 7.0 grains to 8.5 under a Keith 250 grained sized to .454. The latter has a lot of thump, excellent accuracy, and shoots cleanly.

It's probably a sign of a depraved nature but my .44 Specials and Magnums mostly gather dust.

Keith, you're very kind, but I'm set. You should consider pricing those at about $45+. Thanks again!

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk

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Makes sense for cowboy action shooting, less of a stroke required to punch out the empties. I've heard of the same sort of thing being done with shortened 38 spl cases for easier ejection with the short extractor rod on the snubbies.
Do you use 45acp dies to reload the cases? And do you have to cut down 45 Colt brass, or does someone sell it ready-made.

There was a long period where it was off the market, but it's for sale again: Cowboy 45 Special Brass

I do kind of a hybrid thing, using the .45 Colt sizing/depriming die, and then .45 ACP dies for everything else. I've been thinking about getting a .45 ACP roll crimp die (which I'd use with my .45 ARs, too), but haven't made the jump from the taper die yet. I do use the .45 ACP FCD with it.

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For those who haven't seen it, here is John Linebaugh's favorite .45 Colt loads for a Model 25-5: Gunnotes - Smith & Wesson Mod 25-5.

The loads listed here seem kinda hefty!

A slightly different question....

I am just starting to load 45 Colt but have been loading 45 ACP for years. As a result I have accumulated a bunch of 230 grain LRN bullets. I'd like to use them up in the 45 Colt rather than letting them sit on the shelf and buying some 200 grain bullets.

Any suggestions as to a good mid-range target and plinking load? Preferred powder is Unique.

Thanks.

I use a Sharpie and color the primers when I am doing different loads. Red, Black and Green all show up well and when you are done they come off in the tumbler or you can give them a quick wipe with a rag and some solvent.

I've used a Lyman 452400, which is a 230 grain LRN design. In my USFA Pre-War SAA clone, I used 7.0 through 8.0 grains of Unique, increasing .2 grains at a time. My best groups at 25 yards were with the lower end loads, 7.0 and 7.2 grains.

Bought a new ruger 45colt/45acp this summer and started at 7.8 unique under that bullet was ok 8.1 grs better and now using 8.8 last trip shot my best 59 out of 60 possible at 50 feet all in black with 4 x's for being 63 and shoting standing this was sweet load for me yada yada every gun is different this load is not bad in my 45 it dont like 2400 or i dont like the smoke unburnt powder

That is one heck of a sentence there!

I find a really stout crimp helps burn the 2400 cleanly.

I did some research a while back and found Unique in a 45 Colt with 255g cast gives the following velocities.

7g = 700fps
8g = 800fps
9g = 900fps.

Notice a pattern?

The original BP load is 900fps, so that's why I settled on 9g Unique.