load for the 45 lc

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Trail Boss is a very mild shooting powder to use for 45 Colt. From Hodgdon's website 5.8gr with 250gr bullet puts you around 727 fps. That is listed as MAX load so work your way put to it if you desire. Starting point 4.5gr @ 606fps listed by them.
Karl
 
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I believe that about 6.5 grs of HP-38 would be a good starting point . A chrono will tell you if more or less for your particular gun .
 
My standard light load for the .45 Colt (NOT LC) is the 200 grain flat point cowboy bullet over 6.5 grains of Bullseye. Should get you a MV of around 900 ft/sec.
 
My light lead load is a 230-240 LFN over 6.7 of WW231 or 4.4 Clays. Same volume of powder and same velocity, about 700-750. Hodgdon Clays (not universal clays or clay dot, just CLAYS) is a powder that is not position sensitive, meters well, and burns fairly clean. WW231 is about as good. Brand of brass or primer don't seem to matter!

I shot about 12,000 of the WW231 load and about 4,000 of the Clays load in cowboy action shooting with not one problem.

Ivan
 
I always wondered if the LC nomenclature came from the Movie "the Quick and the Dead" when Crowe asked the blind boy to throw him a 45 Long Colt. Or was it around before that?
 
Go to reload for my 45 Colt

My current 45 Colt reload for Plinking and
Indoor Range (S&W 625 Mountain Gun 45
Colt).

Oregon Trail Laser Cast 250gr Lead RNFP Round
Nose Flat Point, Diameter .452 Bullet
Tumbled lubed with Ben's LL formula,
6.0grs of Alliant Red Dot powder,
Primer: CCI LP #300 or S&B LP primer
Crimp: Medium?
Brass; Starline, Win, Rem, CB,
FPS: 850?

I used Handloader Magazine Article by Brian Pearce.

Other Powders I use sometimes are; Unique, Bullseye,
American Select, and Long Shot.

Long Shot is for low pressure, high velocity,
FPS: 1000?, Black Bear load.
Hard Lead Bullet (RCBS SAA-270) by Montana Bullet Works.

Also from a Handloader Article.
 

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Jack222 said:
I always wondered if the LC nomenclature came from the Movie "the Quick and the Dead" when Crowe asked the blind boy to throw him a 45 Long Colt. Or was it around before that?
Click to expand...

There was an informative article in Handloader magazine about 5 years back that explained the history of the US Army's adoption of handgun ammo between 1865 and 1875. If I recall correctly the original ".45 Colt" is the case that was developed for the 1873 SAA and which is available commercially today as either the .45 Colt or sometimes called the "long Colt". When the US Army adopted the S&W Scholfield top break in 1875, the standard .45 Colt case was too long to chamber and a shorter case was adopted as the standard for both the Scholfield and the SAA. The shorter Scholfield chambers in the SAA. So, in reality there is a .45 Colt round, the 1873 original case length available today, and a .45 Scholfield or "Short Colt" round, but not a "Long Colt".

My 25-5 is technically chambered in .45 Colt.
 
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If you have a revolver chambered for 45 Colt (weather you call it "Long" or not), and it has a recessed chamber; it will not chamber a 45 Schofield. The rim is too big in diameter. If your revolver isn't recessed, it will chamber 45 Colt, 45 Schofield, & 45 U.S. (the 45 U.S. is a Colt case the length of a Schofield.) The bullets are: 45 Colt 255grain, 45 Schofield 200 grain, and 45 U.S. 230 grain @ 810fps (It is what Col. Thompson patterned the 45 ACP after) I have F.A. examples of both lead and jacketed ammo, the jacketed is for the M1909 Colt revolver, even though the chamber is 45 Colt.

Ivan
 
My standard "Cowboy Load" for my Colt SAA's are 7.8 grains of Unique capped with a 250 grain RNFP Dardas cast bullet. Accurate and easy to shoot. Won't wear my Colts prematurely and that's a good thing! :)
 
Ivan the Butcher said:
If you have a revolver chambered for 45 Colt (weather you call it "Long" or not), and it has a recessed chamber; it will not chamber a 45 Schofield. The rim is too big in diameter. If your revolver isn't recessed, it will chamber 45 Colt, 45 Schofield, & 45 U.S. (the 45 U.S. is a Colt case the length of a Schofield.) The bullets are: 45 Colt 255grain, 45 Schofield 200 grain, and 45 U.S. 230 grain @ 810fps (It is what Col. Thompson patterned the 45 ACP after) I have F.A. examples of both lead and jacketed ammo, the jacketed is for the M1909 Colt revolver, even though the chamber is 45 Colt.

Ivan
Click to expand...


Good information, thanks. I was working off of memory.
 
I truly like the 45 Long Colt cartridge.......
Have been loading it for nigh on a half century.

With the hard cast Keith SWC over an avg. dose of Unique or 700X.
Also, I like the Speer 250gr lead SWC for general knockin around load with the same powders.

I use these in revolvers as well as a carbine...

.
* I always heard it called the Long Colt by ol timers that actually used the cartridge.

My old Sierra & Hornady manuals lists it as the 45 Long Colt as well.


.
 
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Cabela's has an inexpensive series of books named "The Complete Reloading Manual for the "Caliber Name" I picked one up for the 45 Colt to get a handle on what I might use as a load for myself. Hogdgon and other manufacturers have reloading data on line. You might find that a particular favorite for a reloader is based on available powders and not any other "science" or preference. I have been using W231. It's cheap and a great general powder for a number of calibers in the velocities and pressures I like to shoot. It also tends to be in stock when I need it (critical factor because the local Cabela's tends to be powder "limited" in selection and availability.) The advice given in a previous post to get a manual if you do not have one is the best place to start.

Also, for lower velocity "cowboy" loads, a lower BHN hardness for the bullets is appropriate. As an example Missouri Bullets provides many of their lead bullets in a 12 BHN or an 18 BHN. I have not researched Laser Cast or other manufacturers bullet hardness. The hardness requirement is related to pressure and controlling barrel leading.

Link to general explanation: Missouri Bullet Company

Note: I have no relationship to MB, other than being a satisfied customer.
 
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Just got through reloading some Missouri Bullets 250grain RNFPs. I use 6.8grains of Green Dot, a mid-burn rate propellant, and chrono @ 790ft/sec out of a 4 5/8" Blackhawk. Same round chronos @ 950ft/sec out of a 20" Marlin 1894. OAL is approx. 1.550.
 
Laser-Cast, IIRC, is pretty damn hard. They describe it as "hard cast", and tout their use of silver and "7 other virgin elements".

Well hell, good thing I wear gloves when I reload! Probly the only reason why my MBC bullets haven't given me the clap! :rolleyes:

I don't think hardness is crazy-important in terms of leading--size is. But when you get down to minute degrees of accuracy, then yes--I want a very soft bullet for light loads.
 
hi folks,
just want to say thanks for all the replies, yes you are right about what loads that are found on the net. you can never be to careful. thanks....dan
 
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