.45 Colt loads with Unique [posted pics]

M

Model25Man

US Veteran
Joined
Mar 31, 2009
Messages
271
Reaction score
129
Location
Missouri
I loaded some .45 Colt the other day. My load was 8gr of Unique behind a 200gr round flat nose bullet, using new cases. I used CCI 300 primers. Long story short I was happy with the results at the target but I noticed not all the powder was burning. I had flakes left in the barrels and the cartridges. Anyone else had this experience with Unique? I'm a newbie to reloading, and I'm loading for my 1860 Henry .45 as well as my revolvers. Is there a better choice of powders/primers that will serve both purposes, and will burn cleaner? Thanks, Steve
 

Attachments

  • DSCN0244_0001.jpg
    DSCN0244_0001.jpg
    45.9 KB · Views: 450
  • DSCN0245_0002.jpg
    DSCN0245_0002.jpg
    37.9 KB · Views: 508
Last edited:
I used 9 gr of Unique with a Win LP primer and no complaints. Not sure why you're getting unburned powder, might want to try a tighter crimp.
 
Unique is an excellent and classic powder for the 45 Colt cartridge. As Joed49 suggested, a bit more crimp may help. I've never had any problem with Unique in the 45 Colt. The CCI 300 primer is also an excellent "fit" with the combination you listed.
 
Thanks for the response. I put a factory crimp on them as they will not feed in my lever rifle without a good crimp. Although it's only a month old, could I have a bad batch of powder?
 
I had the same issue with Unique in 9mm. The powder used was some what old, but had no odor out of the ordinary.

Tried a little tighter crimp, not much luck. Tried a newer keg of powder, bingo, most of the unburnt powder was eliminated.

Perhaps my older powder had been moist at one time causing the issue?
 
I also had a squib yesterday. I pulled the cylinder [Ruger Bisley] to make sure the barrel was clear and there was probably 4 grains of unburnt powder in the barrel?????
 
Good morning. Was the squib the first round you fired or the last?
That much unburned powder would indicate a bullet which jumped its crimp. Have you checked your bullet diameter? It should be .452"
Then there is the possibility you are crimping too much. If there is too much crimp applied the case will expand causing the bullet to be loose in the case despite the nice roll crimp you have applied.

Also consider only belling the case enough to insert the bullet.
I suggest you check the outter diameter of the loaded rounds and give us a measurement and I will check some of my own.

This is an unusual problem for the .45 Colt so more info would be helpful.

Bruce

FWIW I find better shot to shot consistency when I tip the gun back after loading. This places the powder back against the primer. Unique in that big case is somewhat position sensitive.
 
Last edited:
My experience with Unique is that it burns dirty with light loads and upping the charge will generally make it burn cleaner. According to the Lyman manual(the only one I took the time to look at) you are below their minimum start load which may be what has contributed to the amount of unburned powder in your loads and your squib.


EDIt....according to your photos, IMHO, your crimp looks fine for the type of load you are using.
 
Hi Bruce. The squib was the 5th round. The bullet diameter is right on at .452. I micro'ed the loaded case starting right below the crimp, and took readings all the way down to the rim. It reads .474 all the way down to the rim.
 
Last edited:
Buck, I started with the load mentioned because one of the guns I shoot is a Uberti Schofield. I hadn't located a chart for chamber pressures for specific loads so I was being [probably overly] cautious. I was told last week, by a man that has reloaded for 40 years, that I should have no chamber pressure issues with the Schofield loading up to 9.5 grains of Unique behind my 200 grain bullet. On the other hand though, I'm a firm believer in second and/or third opinions.
 
Your case measurements are good as mine measure .473.5" in Winchester cases with a similar bullet. Still that 5th round squib indicates a problem. Next time your at the range load six and shoot four. Then check the last two for crimp movement. Eight grains of Unique is my minimun charge for a 250 grain lead bullet.
All cases are not equal and some are definitely thinner than others.
What cases are you using? I would check to see if it happens in just one brand or check to see if you have some really thin brass. The last thing maybe your cases need to be trimmed to square up the case mouths and length so the roll crimp is even for all loads. So many possibilities you just have to keep eliminating them.

Bruce
 
Model25Man said:
I loaded some .45 Colt the other day. My load was 8gr of Unique behind a 200gr round flat nose bullet, using new cases. I used CCI 300 primers. Long story short I was happy with the results at the target but I noticed not all the powder was burning. I had flakes left in the barrels and the cartridges. Anyone else had this experience with Unique? I'm a newbie to reloading, and I'm loading for my 1860 Henry .45 as well as my revolvers. Is there a better choice of powders/primers that will serve both purposes, and will burn cleaner? Thanks, Steve
Click to expand...

Sir, I've had squibs with essentially the same load--.45 Colt, 200-grain cast RNFP, 8.0 grains of Unique, but WLP primers. The easiest solution is to increase the powder charge--Unique burns better toward the top of the data than the bottom. Another option is a heavier bullet, such as a 250; an added benefit of the 250 is that it'll probably print closer to the sights than the 200.

Hope this helps, and Semper Fi.

Ron H.
 
That's interesting Ron. I really wonder what's going on with the loads?
A while back I had some 200 grain Plated SWC Rainier bullets. I found a cowboy load of 7.5 grains of Unique from the Alliant website.
I loaded a box of 50 and fired them without a problem. Later I loaded 50 more and never had a squib even though the load was very light. I used a good roll crimp over the shoulder.
Now this load is no longer listed by Alliant. Speer #14 has Cowboy loads starting at 7.8 grains of Unique with a 225 grain lead bullet.
The regular 200 grain LSWC has a start load of 8 grains of Unique. That bullet would be deeper into the case if crimped over the shoulder than the bullet being used by model25man.

Bruce
 
Bruce Lee M said:
That's interesting Ron. I really wonder what's going on with the loads?
A while back I had some 200 grain Plated SWC Rainier bullets. I found a cowboy load of 7.5 grains of Unique from the Alliant website.
I loaded a box of 50 and fired them without a problem. Later I loaded 50 more and never had a squib even though the load was very light. I used a good roll crimp over the shoulder.
Now this load is no longer listed by Alliant. Speer #14 has Cowboy loads starting at 7.8 grains of Unique with a 225 grain lead bullet.
The regular 200 grain LSWC has a start load of 8 grains of Unique. That bullet would be deeper into the case if crimped over the shoulder than the bullet being used by model25man.

Bruce
Click to expand...

Sir, I wish I knew. A couple things come to mind as possibilities.

Lead has a lower coefficient of friction than gilding metal, so presumably lead bullets "get started" sooner and/or faster than jacketed or plated bullets.

A heavy bullet has more inertia to overcome, so presumably would start moving later or slower than a light one.

Unique definitely burns cleaner in heavy loads than light ones. Maybe in a light load, there isn't enough pressure to "keep it lit." Or maybe Unique requires a certain density of powder to burn well. Either would be aggravated in a big case with a light (short) bullet.

Maybe what's happening is that the light lead bullet gets moving too soon or too fast, creating more space in the case while the charge is still burning, and the powder density or pressure drops below the threshold it needs to burn completely.

Or perhaps the gun has big chamber throats and the light load isn't enough to obturate the bullet's base, and propellant gas is whizzing past the bullet instead of staying behind it, dropping pressures below what's needed to drive the bullet up the bore.

Or maybe the .45 elves just don't like light loads. I just don't know. [shrug]

I do know that heavier bullets and heavier powder charges work better in my guns.

Hope this helps, and Semper Fi.

Ron H.
 
"Or perhaps the gun has big chamber throats and the light load isn't enough to obturate the bullet's base, and propellant gas is whizzing past the bullet instead of staying behind it, dropping pressures below what's needed to drive the bullet up the bore."

That's a good point your making there Ron. I was wondering the exact same thing myself.

I find it interesting as the only gun that I have that has ever left unburned Unique in a case or chamber is in a .32 SWL.
Even my .45 light load left no apparent residue as unburned powder is always noticed right away.

I guess our poster will have to work through the problem.
I agree a higher load level should be tried to get a cleaner burn.

Bruce
 
Over time, I've found that lighter loads burn less efficiently. Unburned powder, soot, etc.

For lighter loads, talking velocity, I use faster powders like W231.

7.5g Unique with a heavier bullet, say a 255g Keith, would burn better - not great, but better. Using a light bullet over a light load of medium speed powder like Unique isn't something I'd do.

The gold standard for .45 Colt is 8 ~ 9 grains Unique under a 255g bullet.

I've used 7 ~ 7.5g W231 under a 255g cast SWC to great effect, but I prefer 9g Unique for the original 900fps of the BP loads it was designed to shoot.
 
["Or perhaps the gun has big chamber throats and the light load isn't enough to obturate the bullet's base, and propellant gas is whizzing past the bullet instead of staying behind it, dropping pressures below what's needed to drive the bullet up the bore."]

The cases I use are new Magtech. I measured a few of them and they are right on spec. I'm having the same problem using four different revolvers, two Rugers[Vaquero and Bisley], an Uberti Cattleman, and an Uberti Schofield.
 
My only other suggestion would be to use a different powder.
I have loaded 5 grains of Bullseye behind a 250LSWC with good results. Bullseye doesn't fill a case very well so be careful. For a 200 grain bullet a start load would be 6.5 grains but check your load data.
Bullseye is not position sensitive and ignites easily. I'm sure there are others using 231 and Trailboss with good results.

Bruce
 
Thanks Bruce for your help. I think I'm going to try some heavier loads. If that doesn't work I'm going to change powders.-Steve
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top