I have been reloading 38special with wadcutters for target use with autocomp powder. I recently purchased a Henry 45 colt , 26 inch barrel, and was trying to find out the recommended powder for such a load. I am seeing that "Unique" may be it. Any ideas?

I use Unique.

I have used Unique to load .45 Colt since 1973. I don't know how well the Henry will feed Keith style wadcutters, but I have shot lots and lots of ammo in a Ruger Blackhawk that consisted of a cast Keith semi wadcutter over 7.5 grains to 10 grains of Unique.

Whatever bullet you chose, make dadgum sure it has a flat point. You don't want a pointy bullet resting against a primer in a tube magazine.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Good suggestion Gil. Thanks all for the info. I guess Unique it is.

I don't think you can go wrong using Unique.

Gee, wonder why they used the name Unique?
Maybe because it is?

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Only difference Fool/Mule-ears

Depends on the bullet, but there are several good choices.
Unique is certainly one of them.
Take a look here....
45 Colt Load Data - Handloads.Com
Under a 230gr cast LRN I've loaded some American Select and liked it.

Whatever you end up using, the old .45 Colt's is a sure stopper with good placement. What a round!!

I've heard that Clays burns cleaner than Unique, but has otherwise similar properties.

I've used Unique in 45 LC for nigh on fifty years.

It's good stuff.



.

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"IN GOD WE TRUST"

I've used Unique for years. Trail Boss may also be an option. It was designed to use in the old blackpowder calibers so that the case would be well filled up and avoid an accidental overload.

Another vote for Unique. 8-9 grs with a 250-255 gr lead bullet has been the standard load for many, many years. It still works just fine.

Another vote for Unique with a heavy crimp, if you find cases to be sooty after firing. I like AA#5, too, since it meters more consistently than Unique. But Unique is my sentimental favorite with cast bullets.

Unique is THE one.

And the powder loads suggested are
the ones also.

I've used for bullets any flat nose versions
from 230 grain on up to 250 if intended for
a carbine/rifle.

In case nobody mentioned it... Unique.

In the SAA Cimarrons I have I like the 7.5grn for a light plinking load with a 250 grain bullet.

I have found a powder that I prefer over Unique , WSF ( Winchester Super Field ) . It is a bit slower in burn than unique so I use 9.0-10.0 grs , It burns very clean , give the 45 Colt all the power I need and phenomenal accuracy . I also found that 8.0 grs of HP-38 , Ramshot Zip worked very well . Alliant lists 12.9 ( call it 13.0 ) grs of Blue dot is very nice as well . Added velocity and still a lower pressure round , about 14K psi . The Blue Dot load would work very well in that longer barrel of your rifle . You might really like 6.5 grs of Red Dot . All above loads use a 255 gr RNFP bullet , cast . Unique is always one of the first powders to disappear when a shortage happens , that's why I found other powders , that I actually liked better . Regards, Paul

I have a Navy Arms replica Henry in 45 Colt. I look at that very old style toggle action designed for the 44 Henry rimfire and am afraid to fire full house 45 Colt loads from it. I'm guessing you have the more modern version made in New Jersey, but if you have the older type, consider being careful.

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Foster Positivity.

I like this recipe as well, but I was advised by the owner of a bullet manufacturer that barrel length can increase FPS as much as 40%. He had a Winchester 94 like mine that he shot his own hard cast lead bullets out of-a 357-and he cautioned that the speed was something to watch with lead bullets. JSYK.

I have been using BE-86, with good results.

8.3 grains of Unique under a 250-255 grain bullet is all I've ever used for the .45 Colt for the last thirty years. Never felt the need to change.

I have probably tried a dozen different powders in the .45 Colt from Clays and Bullseye to 2400. All did well depending on what you want to load for.

I used a lot of W231 in the 45 Colt over the years until I tried HS-6/W540. Now that's my go to powder. That might change when I get around to trying W572 and W244 but for now it's HS-6 with a Winchester LPP which is approved for standard and magnum use.

__________________
Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

While Unique is our primary powder for 45LC.....
there is H110 in the cabinet and others might advise you if they’ve used it in Lever guns.
A Lever gun is on my list but caliber would be 460 S&W Mag.... or by another name 45VLC..... V for very.

If the guys at my favorite LGS were super smart salesman ... there would be a new 460 S&W Snub in the showcase later this morning as the last three trips there were fun but not the
45LC/454Casull/460S&W Magnum “FUN”
I’ve been saving since 1980 when I bought a 45ACP bullet pulling Blackhawk 45 Convertible over the M25s...... prayers work!!!

Enjoy that Henry!!!

Picked up my new Uburti 1866 150th anniversary model late last week. (Well the box is labeled 150th Anniversary but there is no engraving and the barrel is round, even though it measures the 20" "short rifle" not the 19" carbine length). I also picked up 200 new Winchester 45 Colt brass cases, and therein lies a problem.

Selecting a powder and charge was easy for me. I do not want anything above minimum power to avoid stretching the brass frame, so minimum charges developing around 750 fps from a 7 1/2" barrel revolver with a 230 gn lead bullet are what I am looking for.

5.8 gn Tightgroup gives this velocity nicely according to the online Hodgdon reloading manual. And as it happens I use 5.7 gn of Tightgroup in my .45 acp 200 gn loads. (Yes, the online manual list 5.2 gn as maximum in .45 app for this bullet weight, but in my pistol this was below the required 160 PF on a hot summer day. I worked up to 5.7 gn in .1 gn increments until I reached the required PF).

So my choice of powder and charge was decided on.

I spent a few hours this afternoon getting my press set up and loading 50 rounds.

First up I grabbed 10 cases out of the bag and tried to put a bullet (230 gn LRN sized .4515) into the case mouth. 6 out of the 10 the bullet dropped far enough into the case to need an inertia puller to get it out!

So all 100 cases go through the sizing die and all were quite tight.

Next up I grab 5 cases and start to load up some dummy drill rounds. I flared the cases using the powder drop die and gradually set the bullet seating die to 1.580" as per my loading table. Then I used a factory crimp die to put a slight but visible roll crimp on the case mouth.

The first round fed into the magazine and then into the chamber of my "Yellowboy" so I made up four more. Loading the magazine with the five dummy rounds the last would not feed up inside the carrier and into the chamber. Put another dummy round into the mag behind it and it feeds, but again the last round will not come up the riser to the chamber mouth. I ended up having to unscrew the magazine endcap and tip the bullet out the end of the tube.

Mix the dummy rounds up, place them in the magazine and once more the last round just will not feed up far enough to go into the chamber.

I pulled the bullets, resized the cases and reloaded the bullets (still no powder or primers) but this time with the bullets a little deeper so that the crimp rolls over the front of the first driving band (OAL 1.565"). This time they all fed reliably but one bullet moved back slightly. Again the inertial puller came into play. Reseating the bullet I gradually tightened the crimp knob half a turn.

With all the dummy rounds feeding well I loaded up five live rounds. Going outside to a safe area in a paddock across the road, (I live right not the edge of town and I have the owners permission), I loaded the five rounds into the magazine then fed them all into the chamber. With the muzzle down just off the grass they just fell into the chamber.

Returning home I finished loading 50 rounds. But while handling each round five out of the 50 pushed back into the case under moderate finger pressure.

Out with the inertial bullet puller again, resize the brass, reload the case, add a little more extra crimp and once more take a trip across the road to check they will feed in my rifle. Everything checks out so I then run the remaining 45 rounds, plus my five drill/dummy rounds, through the crimp die again for uniform crimping.

I know that brass has a "memory" and can spring back slightly after sizing. I also know that many brands of brass cases come unsized from the factory, but it seems to me that this batch of Winchester brass is an usually oversized and springs back significantly.

I don't have a Henry but I do have a Rossi lever gun in 45 colt . I size my cast bullets to fit the throat size of the barrel . Mine will accept .454 , just barely so that is what I size my bullets to . I just used " trial and error " to find that size .
The only problem I have encountered is some brands of brass has a slightly smaller diameter case rim . I had problems ejecting them . I switched to Winchester / Star Line brass and the problem disappeared .
I would try larger sized cast bullets that just barely fit the throat of that Henry , that will just chamber without forcing them in . Good Luck , Paul

I have run into a few .45 Colt cases over the years that didn't get sized enough to hold the bullets, so I use my .45 ACP carbide sizing die. I have also run loaded completed rounds through the sizer to get a tighter fit. Some of my .45 Colt brass has been loaded over 20 times without splitting.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

I just started into single actions; 1873s, Schofields, Remington cartridge conversions and Winchesters. Guess I kinda reverted to my childhood and have this urge to play cowboy. I'm using Unique and Universal primarily, with the idea of keeping my handgun loads in the 850 to 1000 fps range. I've been very happy with these rounds, 200 and 230 grain so far, and still want to try W231 and some lads in Clays. Still waiting on my 1873 Winchester, so I'm anxious to see what kind of results in can expect from the carbine.

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Dave Frost

That's been my experience.

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I need ammo, not a ride.

Another fan of Unique!
9 grains under a 250 grain cast flat nose.

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Elmer Keith,Skeeter Skelton and many other big names thrusted Unique.I ain't looking any further...they knew a lot more than I ever will!

Check Hogdon’s web site for load info using CFE-Pistol powder in the 45 Colt. Your long barrel should extract more velocity from this mid-range powder than what you wouldd get with a fast burning powder like TiteGroup.
I’ve been using it in my Ruger New Vaqueros 45LC with great results.

Mom. Didn’t think of that. Will definately give it a try.

You mean Universal Clays, correct? Clays is much faster than Unique.

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Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437