.45 Colt loads

[ArchAngelCD]

Fred,
Hey, like anything else in reloading, nothing is set in stone. I guess that's why we continue to discuss calibers that are 100 years old. You would think all the answers have been found but they aren't!! LOL

Good link BTW, thanks for posting it...

 

[Wayne Dobbs]

You don't need lots of velocity with those big, wide bullets to get the job done on animals of the two or four legged variety in need of shooting. Take a very careful look at this classic article and see what you think:

Linebaugh's Custom Sixguns - The .45 Colt - Dissolving the Myth, Discovering the Legend

 

[VAdoublegunner]

Even better than Linebaugh's article on Dissolving the Myth, excellent though it is, are articles published by Brian Pearce in Handloader on the 45 Colt and different power levels for different guns. The modern S&W N-frame is capable of loads equivalent to 45ACP+P, which puts them in the 23K psi class, well above the SAAMI spec loads you will find in most manuals that are limited to 14K psi. "Ruger Only" loads are a bit too hot.

The RCBS 45-270SAA is a great bullet in my 25-13, very accurate and penetrates quite well. Driving it with 20.0gr of 4227 will get you where you want to go, and is well within pressure limits for the N-frame. Lil'Gun is another good powder to maximize velocities with lower pressure, but it strongly favors heavy-for-caliber-bullets and longer barrels. There are several good powder choices out there to get you what you want, but neither Unique nor Bullseye is a first choice for any of them.

 

[Gun 4 Fun]

+1 on the above mentioned article from Pearce. I have written him about some of the things he wrote in that article, and he actually hand wrote me back a letter with some really good info. He has even used some of my questions in a couple of his columns since, in Handloader.

The article above from Linebaugh's site is a good one, and here is an even better one by him-

Gunnotes...Smith & Wesson Mod 25-5

I use 18.5 grains of 2400 (the old Keith load) under a 265 gr. cast SWC regularly with no trouble what so ever. I use standard primers as per Alliants suggestion, and I get 1,050 FPS out of my 25-5 with a 4" barrel. I haven't had a chance to chrono that load out of my 25-7, but I'm betting on even higher speed due to the much more closely matching throats and bore, as well as an extra inch of barrel. I got 1180 FPS with that load out of my 5.5" Ruger Blackhawk. I get 850-900 FPS out of that same 25-5 with 9 grains of Unique and a 255-265 cast SWC.

 

[Wayne Dobbs]

Gun 4 fun,

I have that Linebaugh article saved on a flashdrive, but didn't have a link or I'd have posted it instead as it's a great article on the practical loading of the .45 Colt revolver. Thanks for the link!

 

[Gun 4 Fun]

Wayne,

Glad to help! Anyone, anywhere, anytime.