I am shooting Unique powder under 250 cast bullets. In loading manuals the min/max charge are all over the board.

What would you consider a safe load with this powder/bullet combination, in my Smith 625?

Thanks

Depending on barrel length and other usual factors, ten (10) grains should get you fairly close to 1000 fps. I wouldn't want to push for much more than that but it's a useful load for anything in North America except the largest bears.

As always, back off 10 percent to start and work your way up.

with that bullet i would use 8.0 grs. works well in my 25-5. hth.

Standard loads for the .45 Colt have been 8.0-9.0 grs., with a 250 gr. bullet. Easy to remember too , 8.0 grs gives appx 800 fps, 9.0 gives 900 fps, etc.

I've loaded 10.0, but only for a Ruger Single Action.

You will NOT get expansion with that bullet, so high velocity in not my goal with this cartridge.

With 8.5 grs., I've had complete penetration thru an obliquely hit deer, perhaps 16 inches. DRT.......

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NRA Instructor

I have been loading 8.5g of Unique with 250g lead bullets of .452" diameter. I would not advise going much higher than this in a S&W.
If you wish to magnum-ize the 45 Colt, do it in a Ruger.

I like 7.0.

I have loaded many 45 Colt cartridges through the years for a Ruger Old Model and have learned that 9.0 grains of Unique is my go-to load. It groups better than 8.5 grain powder charge. In anticipation of a possible wild hog hunt a few years ago I loaded 10 grains of Unique behind a 255 cast gas check bullet. It was stout in a short barrel revolver but grouped well. That is as high a charge as I would recommend for Unique powder. Gary

7.5 to 9 is good. Alliant lists 9.5 max with a 250 lead in their on line listing.

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dd884
JMHO-YMMV

To directly answer your question, even though the published loads might be "all over the board", they are all SAFE. The posts above direct you to loads that might be both safe AND useful for different tasks, in different guns.

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USAF, 69-92
Vietnam, 72-73

All good advise so far. May I suggest Power Pistol as well. It meters very smoothly and 8 to 8.5 grains under your bullet should work quite well. I've been a Unique fanatic for a lot of years but Power Pistol is worming its way onto my bench.

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Stay safe people!