I am getting ready to make up a batch of 45LC.

I shoot these in an M-25 with an 8 3/8" barrel.

My normal load is 5.0-grain Trailboss with a 255g LSW. It is a light load shoots fine, almost like a 22.

I am low on Trailboss but have many pounds of Red Dot, 231 and a few pounds of Unique.

My friend loads 6g or Red Dot and it is a fine load, might go with that. Shot a few cylinder fulls through this gun nicely over the years. Has a little more umpf than my Trail Boss load. I'm leaning toward this load.

So what's your favorite 45 Colt load?

8-9 gr Unique (only thing is use it for)
240-250 LSWC


Win 231/HP38 works well also

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Still Running Against the Wind

250 Gr. LFP - 8 grains BE-86 - 852 FPS

250 Gr. JHP - 8.6 grains Unique - 789 FPS

200 Gr. LFP - 9.3 grains BE-86 - 890 FPS

These should be near the max of what is considered normal pressure for the .45 Colt. I rarely venture into the "Ruger/TC"
arena. As always, use caution. This is my data, not yours. You may have different results.

Factory Equivalent Load - 45 Colt
250 - 255 grain cast lead SWC , RF or RN
8.5 grains Unique = 900 fps.

My favorite "pet load " is the above bullet over 7.5 grains Unique @ 800 fps .
Still plenty powerful .

6.0 grains Red Dot should be about 800 fps also .
Red dot is a good powder in this application .

Gary

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Certified Cajun
NRA Member

I used the standard pressure, popular Unique loads and the Lyman #454424 255 gr. SWC for about forty years then tried HS-6 loaded to about the same velocity. I get somewhat better accuracy with HS-6 in a 25-5, 6".

Lightest to Ruger only
7.2gr RD/Promo w/200-260gr SWC
9gr Unique w/260gr RF
13gr. HS-6/W540 w/260-320gr. RF Ruger
14gr. BD w/250-260gr SWC Ruger
18gr 2400 w/250-320gr RF Ruger
23gr H110 w/320gr RF Ruger Only

I bought a Colt Model 1909 U.S.Army and decided I wanted to shoot it with original power loads. I did some research and found the military wanted a loading that drove a 250 grain lead bullet at 750 FPS. I use 5.6 grains of Bullseye to duplicate that loading. It shoots great in my 1909 and also in my Model 25, both are 6 inch barreled revolvers.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

My mild Cowboy Action load is 6.7 grains of WW231/HP38 with any lead bullet. I started with 185 gr SWC/HP from Starr of Indianapolis and had fantastic results! When the quit manufacturing bullets I went with Patriot Bullets of Columbus, Ohio 220gr. RNFP, and again very good results. Have also loaded 250 grain RNFP with very good results. These are a lower velocity/low recoil load, but on par with 45 ACP, maybe just below Ball Ammo power factor.

Shot from my Vaquero 4", & 5.5" revolvers and 1894 CB Marlin 24" & Rossi 92 20" barrels. This type of shooting is a hit or miss type of competition, but have kept 5/5 on a 6" square plate from the Vaquero at 30 yards as fast as I could acquire the target.

Ivan

35 grains of 3FG Olde Eynsford black powder under a 250 grain Big Lube bullet. AVE 1027fps in 5.5in Bbl Cimarron SAA copy.

Smokeless: 7.5 grns Unique under 250 cast bullet. 820 FPS AVE

5.5 gr trail boss + 250 gr lead round nose at about 750 fps in my Colt SSA. I dont want to stress them out too much, they are Colts!

My load is 7.4 grains of WW231/HP38 with a 200 grain LRNFP projectile. Shoots well out of my 25-5.

I like 6 grains of Red Dot.

ETA: 250 grain cast bullet.

Either 8.9 grs VV N 340 under a 255 LFP or 35 grs FFg same bullet.

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Expect the unexpected

I went back and checked a chart that I had made up for the 1909. The program that I used is QUICKLOAD. For the powders he had listed to get to 750 FPS with a 250 grain cast slug the loadings will go as follows:

Red Dot 4.8 Grains

W231 5.9 Grains

Unique 6.4 Grains

Trail Boss 6.8 Grains

Hope this helps.
AJ

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

230g plated (or jacketed) HP over 8.0g of Unique.

Attached Images

Uberti #3.jpg (68.5 KB, 83 views)

What barrel length?

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

It says on the target. 5 1/2 inch.

Sorry, did not enlarge it. How heavy is your recoil? I ran the numbers through Quickload and the pressures that load develops are in the red (upper max-dangerous) Velocity is 1119 FPS and Chamber Pressure is 31245 PSI. Probably safe in a strong gun.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

Sir, I suggest that you consult some load books in addition to your software.
The Alliant website states 9.0g as the recommended limit for the 230g JHP bullet. Recoil with 8.0g is pretty mild.

Alliant Powder - Reloader's Guide

Believe what you want and load what you want. That is why we do this. Manuals change all the time as do computer programs. I tend to try to stay safe......have not blown up a gun and still have all my fingers and both eyes after 45 years of reloading. Good luck, Sir.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

Green Dot does a beautiful job in .45 Colt;not the max you can coax out of the caliber but hot enough and very accurate.I've quitted using Tb in it since I discovered it.

Here are some Ruger-only loads. Do not try them in a S&W or a SAA type gun. I shoot them in silhouette matches. They are only for the heavily built Rugers and similar guns, not the newer Vaquero with the light weight frame.

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	7.5%22 Bisley #1.jpg (69.8 KB, 61 views)
	7.5%22 Bisley #8.jpg (67.0 KB, 54 views)
	7.5%22 Bisley #9.jpg (65.0 KB, 55 views)

Well, if you are advising me to ignore manufacturers' recommendations then I have no response to that.
I am the one who should be wishing good luck to you.

6.5 gr of Red Dot and a 250 swc are a joy to shoot. I get about 975 fps out of a 4 5/8" ruger.

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Front sight and squeeze

Refer to this guide : Max Chamber Pressure - SAAMI Specs Note the chamber pressure that the program gave me.

You can email through the board directly if you want to discuss this as I am done posting on this thread. This has gotten way off the OP's original post.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

You cannot put too much FFFg blackpowder in a 45 Colt casing.......

Sure makes a lot of smoke and noise which is about 100% of the fun!!

Randy

And the performance is great too. SD is very low, they are very accurate and velocities are higher than any commercial smokeless load.

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Expect the unexpected

7.0/7.2gr W231 under a 250gr LRN bullet.

I also like HS-6 over the last few years. (9.7gr)

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Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

For my Circa '90s Smith &Wesson Model 625-6
45Colt Mountain Gun.

45 Colt. My current go to and plinking Reload is;
.453 dia. 250gr Lead SWC Semi Wad Cutter or
RNFP round nose flat point.
6.0grs Alliant Red Dot, CCI LP #300 primer.
Brass is Winchester, Star Line, or R-P.
Crimp is what I call medium roll crimp.
816 FPS approximately.
Bullets tumble lubed with Ben's Liquid Lube,
for Lead free barrel performance.
Primers no where near flat.

The thing about Red Dot is it has enough bulk, that it is easy
to visually see a double charge. Also if you were to over charge
it fills the case. I'm a single stage, small batch reloader anyway.

Other powders I've used and like are; Bullseye,
Unique, American Select, and Long Shot (not much
info out there on this one), and Trail Boss.

Be safe, the Best to you and your Endeavors.

Attached Images

	S&W 625-6 45Colt MG.jpg (84.7 KB, 22 views)
	WIN_20180924_11_49_27_Pro.jpg (102.6 KB, 26 views)

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SD social distanc'n since 1889

8.5 grs of Unique behind my cast 250 gr. SWC..........My standard for many years.

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S&W Accumulator

9 grains of Unique under a 255 LWC

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213th FBINA

Let me preface this. I shoot my loads out of Old model Ruger
Vaqueros and S&W 25-7's.

10gr Unique 255gr LSWC (runs about 1000fps)
10gr Herco 255gr LSWC (runs about 900fps)

6gr Herco 230gr RNL (Same load for 45ACP) about 800fps

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never get out of the boat

Thanks for a great thread!

I looked into my powder and I have an abundance of Red Dot. I don't really load shotshells anymore. I am sitting on over ten pounds of it and may as well use it up. I have been using it in 45acp with success.

So for this little run 6.0 Red Dot it will be

Next load, 44 mag, maybe a new thread for that once I figure out what I have on hand to use.

All of the loads listed in Alliants data does not exceed 14Kpsi . I contacted them in reference to the Blue Dot load listed , 12.9 grs = over 1000psi and still under SAAMI spec's . There is a fellow on another forum that for yrs his hunting load using a 255 -300gr cast bullet is 6.5grs of Red Dot . He hunts antelope in Wyo. The 300 gr loads are shot out of a rifle . The 255 gr loads , out of a pistol . The colt clone I think . You will find great load data on the Accurate powder site . I have found great favor using Acc #2 and True Blue using a 255 gr cast bullet and the 14Kpsi load data . It's an easy cartridge to load and achieve great performance . Regards Paul

The classic .45 Colt load has always been 8.0-9.0 grs of Unique with a 250/255 gr lead bullet.
I used 8.5 grs for many years with excellent results. But back during the ammo shortage, I cut back to 8.0 to try to squeeze a few more rounds out of a pound of powder. It works just as well and the recoil is a little lighter. So I've stuck with that load.

Lucky you for having all that Red Dot!

Red Dot and 700-X are the two powders I use in my 45 Colt's for "original load" duplication. I use 6.5 grs. of either with 250-265 gr. bullets and velocities are around 850 fps depending on the revolver. As long as one uses a quality bullet, accuracy is wonderful-






Manuals vary as to this charge, some showing 6.5 as maximum, others show 6.0. Backing down to 6.0 would have velocities about 800 fps or a bit less.

For hunting loads I really like Power Pistol. I use 9.5 grs. and a 288 gr. cast SWC. Velocity is just under 1,000 fps and accuracy is extremely consistent-



This is a Tier 2 load in the 20,000 psi range, so one must be careful in which revolvers he uses it.

His load, 8.0 grs. of Unique with a 230 gr. plated bullet, is below the maximum charge of 9.0 grs. Alliant in fact lists a maximum load of 9.5 grs. of Unique with a 250 gr. lead SWC.

I always appreciate the perspective one brings with handloading computer programs, but they simply cannot accurately predict pressures in all firearms.

308S

Anyone tried Bullseye in the 45 Long Colt. I have 250 gr Lead.

I use 5.6 Grains of Bullseye with the 250 grain cast bullet. This load was from a War Department paper when they put out the requirements (a .45 Colt with a 250 grain bullet at 750 FPS) for a revolver in 1909. Colt won the contract and made the Colt Model 1909 U.S. Army in .45 Colt. I have one and it shoots this load great. It is not a real hot load and in my revolver it shoots to point of aim. The gun is 112 years old, so I don't beat it up.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

Great thread . Keep it coming.