45 Colt / 45 Auto Rim

[tennexplorer]

"Does the longer jump to the rifling cause velocity loss, accuracy loss, cruded up cylinders throats?.......I will just continue on like I have for the last forty years."

Not of any significance with the Schofield case in my experience. In fact I have found that the 250 grain Lyman 452424 over a .44 Special equivalent load of Unique to be extremely accurate.

 

[Model19man]

Unique is OK for 45 Colt. W231 / HP38 (same stuff) is better. 45 AR won't work at all.

 

[BB57]

The older I get, the less interested in forcing something to fit, I am.

The 45 Colt was designed with and for black powder. Unless you’re using BP, what you’re trying to do is outside of the cartridge’s design parameters. And Yes, I know it’s been done for years. A lot of bad ideas persist.

A long time ago, a gentleman named Elmer Kieth switched from 45 Colt to 44 Special. That was a good idea then. It’s a good idea now. You Officially have an excuse to buy another gun. Get going.

There are still a number of cartridges out there in common use that were designed for black powder that have transitioned very well to the smokeless era.

The .38-55 started out as a 1200-1300 fps black powder cartridge and transitioned to a 1600-1700 fps smokeless cartridge and in its modern form launches a 255 gr bullet at 1950

The .45-70 is a much more common example of a black powder round that is better than ever.

The .44-40, .38-40, .32-20 and .25-20 were all black powder rounds that have made a recent comeback and work well as smokeless rounds.

The .38 Special was designed in 1898 as an improved (longer) .38 Long Colt designed to hold a minimum of 21 grains of black powder. Yet is still a very common revolver cartridge 126 years later.

The .45 Colt has also proven to be a very flexible smokeless cartridge with 17,000, 21,000 and 32,000 psi load levels intended for stronger, modern firearm designs. Its major weakness is a black powder era tapered chamber that limits case life in the higher pressure loads. However it’s un matched for its ability to manage very light to very stout loads.

 

[pantannojack]

Thanks, Guys for the discussion. I had use of .45 colt in the nineties with a Ruger Blackhawk 4.6". I actually won the time, against some 9mm auto shooters, of a metal target shoot of 8 targets including a 2 round reload. I traded it off for a 686 RB snub. I used 250g lead and 8.5 Unique. My can of Unique today must have gone soft, though it does not smell nor show reddish dust. I had never known of .45 Schofield or .45 Cowboy.

 

[bobbyd]

Really?

Your lone opinion............Against 10's of thousands of others.....Do you even own a 45LC?..........GEEZ!

One opinion against “tens of thousands” ???
Sure set off my BS meter!
GEEZ!

 

[BLUEDOT37]

45WSM

If you make a .45 Colt work in a .45 ACP revolver, please post pictures...

How about my 45WSM, a Schofield length rimless case, in a 45ACP revolver & still be able to shoot 45ACP?

When .45ACP In Your S&W 625 Isn’t Quite Enough… Step Up to the 45 WSM

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[6string]

Here’s a “Two Thumbs Up” Shout-Out for Unique.
It is one of the GREATEST smokeless propellants of all time.

Perfect for ALL straight wall, rimmed revolver cartridges of normal pressure levels.
Also, it works GREAT as a reduced load powder for bottleneck cast bullet loads. A light charge takes up little space in a 30-06 case, but still performs admirably. (If you’re having erratic performance, there’s other factors at play. It’s not the powder, unless it’s spoiled somehow.)

If I ever see it again, at reasonable prices, I’m buying a big keg and going home!

 

[pantannojack]

Hoping I got it figured out. I have tight chamber throats, and bore in the Taylor smokewagon. My historic loads of 250g LSWC and 8.5g Unique as well as book and internet starting charges of 7g 231 are too strong for my 255g hard lead bullet. I backed off to 7.5g Unique, 5.5g Red Dot, and will never load 231 in .45 Colt again. Everyone knows to start low and slowly work up. In this case I must start below starting and stay there.

 

[DWalt]

been using Unique in 45LC for over 40 years.........8.5 gr behind my cast 250 gr bullet........NEVER a problem..........Your powder is deteriated.(sp)

For many, many years, Unique has been the go-to propellant for multitudes of shooters. Including me. So now it is garbage? No one told me about that.

 

[.38SuperMan]

I also have used Win 231 for “cowboy loads” in .45 Colt with 250 grain lead FN bullets. Works fine. I tested Win 231 for velocity variances depending on position in .38 Special long ago and it doesn’t change. I pointed the gun up before 1 shot then down before the next, etc. Another reason I use W-231 for lots of cartridges and might have more than 1 pound…

Interesting you say that. I’m not arguing your findings but I’ve found just the opposite. Following Hogdons loading data for minimum loads for HP38/231 I’ve had extreme variations in velocity in 38 special. Velocities varied 400+fps depending on position of the charge. In addition I had 2 bullets not make it out of the barrel, one in a Colt Cobra 2” and the other a Smith model 10. I’ve had similar results with 45acp. Mind you i’m talking minimum recommended loads. When you go above minimum loads it performs much better.

What I discovered was, not all of the powder is burning or failed to ignite in the 2 instances I had a bullet lodged in the barrel. I know there was powder in the case because when opening the cylinder burned powder poured out of the barrel.

What I wound up doing was going to Accurate #2 and Nitro100NF in 38 special. I experience very consistent results with both and lower recoil with #2. In addition both powders burn more completely and much cleaner in minimum loads.

In 45 Colt, HS6 and CFE pistol are worth trying. I’ve had excellent results with both.

 

[pantannojack]

In 38 spcl and .45ACP I use exclusively 231. I never had an issue. It throws precise charges from my red Pacific since 1980. 231 is the only powder I throw in 38spcl 4g. in 45 ACP 5.3g under 200g LSWC. In 41 Mag 7g under 215g Cast lead. I weigh individually all others powders in pistol and rifle. Then check with a light looking for an empty case or a double charge in the 45 Colt. In my latest test I thought I had a squib, or an over charge. It was WW case, CCI300, 255g Lee LFN sized under .452, 50-50 lube, 7g 231. first few felt just a little snappy, then one went light boom, - KA WHAMM. Pound out extraction. I don't want to do that again.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

One opinion against “tens of thousands” ???
Sure set off my BS meter!
GEEZ!

You still don't know what you're talking about in relation to powders used in 45LC..........See post 23.