Warmer .45 Colt with BE-86
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imakmst
Member
venomballistics
Member
after some cursory research, you will get nowhere near your objectives safely.
there is a blue dot load making 940 FPS from a 5.5". Yours should be slightly better, but still well short of your objectives.
This is the sort of thing that Elmer Keith dealt with back in the day, blowing up guns trying to get a 250 grain pill to around 1200 - 1300.
This lead to some colorful con artistry on his part between S&W and Remington to develop the 44 magnum, which would not be subject to the mixed standards and antiquated materials of the 45 Colt. Factory ammo and load data reflect these issues even to this day, anticipating that these loads could find their way into the chambers of great grandpappy Felix's beloved SAA.
Now, a black hawk .... yeah, that can take some heat. but I doubt you'll get there with BE 86.
Hodgdon has next level loads that will get you there, but they will exceed the standards of the SAA
there is a blue dot load making 940 FPS from a 5.5". Yours should be slightly better, but still well short of your objectives.
This is the sort of thing that Elmer Keith dealt with back in the day, blowing up guns trying to get a 250 grain pill to around 1200 - 1300.
This lead to some colorful con artistry on his part between S&W and Remington to develop the 44 magnum, which would not be subject to the mixed standards and antiquated materials of the 45 Colt. Factory ammo and load data reflect these issues even to this day, anticipating that these loads could find their way into the chambers of great grandpappy Felix's beloved SAA.
Now, a black hawk .... yeah, that can take some heat. but I doubt you'll get there with BE 86.
Hodgdon has next level loads that will get you there, but they will exceed the standards of the SAA
Photog
Member
I have a bunch of BE-86, but load data is very scarce. Went to the Alliant Powder load data page and this is what I found for the calibers I want to use it for;
45 Colt, 250 gr cast bullet...No data
44 Mag. 255 gr cast bullet...No data
44 Special 255 gr cast bullet...One load for BE-86
They listl loads using 2400 and Unique, which I have/do use, but try finding either of those powders now.
I had great hopes for BE-86 being a great pistol powder for the calibers I load, but not very impressed now. Also, very few of the other manuals, Hornady, Speer, Nosler, Lyman and Lee have any data for it.
Alliant online data shows for .45 Colt, 250 Cast and BE-86 8.3grs. I use 7.8.
Hope that helps.
Per their online data No Tier II loads given regardless of powder.
I got my Tier II objective met and very safely with BE-86 for my Ruger Blackhawk .45 Colt.
My goal was 1000 , 1100 tops FPS not 1200-1300. Keith blew up a .45 Colt SAA ( 14,000 PSI revolver ) and with weaker balloon head cases. I use modern, once fired cases and a revolver known to be safe even with Tier III loads.
As 470Evans correctly pointed out 23K loads with BE-86 in .45 Colt are out there. A poster on another forum concurred.
Have a great day.
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Thank You.
Why did you delete your post here and the other forum???
I had the info I needed and saw no reason to make others waste their time reading a long post that was now moot.
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Did Alliant ever reply with useful info?
They haven't yet but it's unnecessary now.
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