45colt Reloading questions

[454PB]

Just so you know......

Hodgdon HP-38 is the same powder as WW-231.

While Unique is a wonderful powder in .45 Colt, it doesn't meter well.

I prefer Bluedot, which meters well and is slower burning than Unique, so requires a slightly heavier charge for the same velocity.

 

[cp1969]

When you say Unique doesn't meter well, what kind of variation are you getting? If you're trying to throw, say, an 8.5 gr load, you get 8.5 plus or minus what?

Back when I single-stage reloaded the .45 Colt, I'd take an Unique filled RCBS powder measure out of it's stand and position and cycle it over each case in a loading block full of primed cases. When I was done, the amount of powder in each case looked awfully consistent and although I didn't have access to a chronograph, it produced some very accurate ammunition.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

If you want a better metering Unique give Universal a try. It's very close to Unique and it's cleaner too.

I use both W231/HP-38 and HS-6 for most of my .45 Colt ammo using a 250/255gr hard cast bullet.

 

[hastings]

I have loaded a couple hundred 45colt and 45acp rounds over the past two weeks, using 2400 (45colt) and Unique (both). I have noticed the poor metering charachteristic. I get about a .15 grain variation at most, so I am not pushing the charges to close to the max. to ensure I don't get a max or higher load. All of the advice and anecdotes have been very helpful. I'll have to pick up some W231 to try. The Unique is very sooty and produces a lot of smoke.

I found that 6.9gr of Unique behind a 255gr LRNFP .452 bullet in my 22-4 45acp gives me around 925fps with no signs of pressure and is still well below the 7.5gr load Elmer Keith used. Because I favor fixed sights, I am now leaning more toward the 22-4 than my 45colt 25-13 MG (especially since I get the same performance for roughly 2 grains less powder). With the load I mentioned, poi is at poa. I'll pick up some Blue Dot and W231 this weekend and give them a try thru the chrono when I get a chance.

By the way, I loaded some Ranger Rick 700gr bullets for my brother's 500s&w mag BFR, last weekend. At 1250 fps, they went thru just about anything we shot them at, and were accurate. The recoil was absolutely brutal. My brother loved them, but I'll stick with 45colt/45acp and some occasional 454casull. Just thought I'd mention the 700gr stuff as an example of extreme heavy weight bullets. Good for nothing unless you're hunting Grizzly or dangerous African game, neither of which seem to abound in Vermont. My brother is a recoil junky, while I like moderate, traditional cartridges that don't rely on high pressure/velocity.

 

[454PB]

When I use Unique, I use the "double tap" method, meaning the charge handle is raised briskly, then that "tap" at the end of the travel repeated. By using that method, I can keep an 8.5 gr. charge between 8.4 and 8.6 grs.

I'm a fan of ball powders generally.....better metering and long (infinite for me) shelf life. I'm still using HS-5 that I bought back in 1976, and it produces the same results it did when new.

However, the Hercules and Alliant flake powders sometimes do a better job, and aren't as hard to ignite as some of the slower ball powders.

Bluedot is probably my favorite, producing 90% of full velocity loads in everything from 9mm to .454 Casull.

One thing I've learned is that Bluedot does not like load pressures below about 14K psi, so it needs to be kept in the upper pressures for complete burning.

It also has a reputation of erratic pressure spikes in extreme cold weather. I have not seen that in using it for 35 years, but then again, I seldom shoot at temperatures below -15 degrees.

I even use Bluedot in my reduced cast bullet loads for rifles.....it really shines in .35 Remington.

 

[gwalchmai]

Unique meters fine in my Dillon powder measure.

 

[ChuckS1]

I always keep my RCBS measure at least 2/3 full when I measure Unique. That and the double tap with the handle seems to have solved the metering inconsistency issue for me.

 

[hastings]

I've been using the tap method with my RCBS dispenser, and it definitely reduces the discrepancy load to load. I still have some variation, but I've simply reduced the load I normally use by the amount of the discrepancy so I shouldn't get anything higher than what I want.

I reamed the chambers on my Ruger Vaquero 45colt and 45acp cylinders to .4525, yesterday. It greatly improved the grouping with both rounds. My normal 45acp load pushing a 255gr .452 RNFP at 950fps is more accurate in the Vaquero than the same bullet at 908fps in a 45colt case. Now I'll need to work up a heavy 45colt load for the Vaquero. With the 45acp loads, it's hard to miss what you're shooting at. Ya gotta love that.

I'm amazed at the potential of the 45acp. It seems much more efficient than the 45colt cartridge provided your velocity envelope goes no higher than 1000fps and your bullet weight stays below 300gr. Powder charges seem to burn cleaner, velocity is more consistent, and powder charges are lower for the same bullet at the same velocity.

Now I need to have Dave Clay convert a 45colt Marlin 1894 Cowboy to 45acp. I've seen one of his conversions on another forum, and it looks great. The only problem is the barrel was cut to 16.5 inches with an abreviated tube, so the tube only held 10 rounds. With a Cowboy model with the 20 inch barrel, I would think you could hold at least 3 to 4 more rounds. A 14 round 45cal. levergun would be a great companion to a Thunder Ranch 22-4, or 45acp Vaquero.

 

[Dale53]

Brian Pearce has an excellent article on reloading the .45 Auto Rim with heavy bullets in Handloader #254 (August-September 2008).

Wolfe Publishing sells back issues either by the year or single issues on CD.

He has a number of loads for the RCBS 45-270-SAA bullet in the Auto Rim.

For the .45 Colt fan, his article on the RCBS 45-270-SAA bullet in the Handloader #246 (April-May 2007) covers different revolver strength levels with loads for each. This may well be the best all 'round bullet for the .45 Colt, ever.

I am waiting on my MiHec clone of the .45-270-SAA Cramer style two cavity hollow point mould (should be shipped in a week or so) and I can't wait to try it in my Rugers and also will run a few in my 625 .45 ACP's.

Dale53

 

[sonny]

These loads worked fine in my Colt New Frontier .45Colt.
All are hardcast lead bullets.
I only listed the milder loads.
Colt New Frontier .45C. 7 1/2" barrel

Rounds Notes Cast bullet powder grains fps (low to high fps (avg) M.A.D. % Dev. Recoil Bullets Case
(from mean)

5 rds 272 gr Alliant 2400 17 977-1015 997 16 fps 1.6 mild (pleasant) Leadhead

5 rds 272 gr Alliant 2400 17.7 1100-1140 1123 11.8 fps 1.05 medium Leadhead

5 rds 255 gr Alliant 2400 17 908-976 964 22 2.3 medium Moyers Starline

5 rds 255 gr Alliant 2400 17 989-1059 1020 15.8 1.5 medium Moyers Federal

Weight of one primed Federal case = 128.9 gr Weight of one primed Starline case = 114.5 gr

Powder charges within +/- 0.1 grains. Checked with RCBS digital scale and OHAUS balance scale.

One gram (metric) = 15.432 grains (U.S.)
7000 grains in one avoirdupois pound



The "Mean absolute deviation" is a measure of the consistency of velocity from one shot to another. A lower "MAD" is likelyto result in smaller target groups than a larger "MAD."

 

[bgrafsr]

I load 255 grain SWC's in front of 7.5 grains of Unique and really like it. I shoot them in my 2nd generation Colt SAA with 4 3/4 inch barrel.