[Stranger]

I'm loading for my new Bird's Head Vaquero and looking for a medium power load (somewhere between brutal and wimpy) to drive a 265 gr WFNGC bullet. I've got a supply of H110 (my favorite in 44 mag), Solo 1000 (fast, single base and VERY clean) and Clays. Others? I've looked at the load swap data and can't seem to find the right recipe.

Thoughts?

 

[MikeG]

Blue Dot has worked well for many 'medium' loads for me. How fast do you want to go?

I've read good things about 800x but it does not meter well at all.

 

[Bill Lester]

For standard loads around 850-900 fps with 250 to 260-grain lead bullets, I found Unique to be a good choice. Haven't used any of the newer, clean-burning stuff but from what I understand it should be even better now.

 

[DOK]

Stranger,

Last year I looked around the web and various loading manuals for the answer to the same question you asked, and logged all the recommendations for some testing. I found HS6 to be a commonly recommended powder for the 45LC and my 4 5/8" Blackhawk liked 13.0 grains the best. The subject of recoil and definition of "medium" is certainly subjective, but for this short barreled revolver, 13.0 gr. maybe on the high side of medium.

Dan

 

[loader]

Hodgdon has some very nice loads posted for the 45 LC using Lil'Gun, but they are very fast generating 25,000 to 29,000 CUP. However, it is a great powder for reduced loads and has the same burn rate as H110 and W296, both of which have ignition problems with reduced loads.

The start load for this powder with 260 gr Nosler partitions is 19.0 grs for 1196 fps and 24,500 CUP, so i figure you could drop to 16.0 grs and see if you get 900 to 950 fps.

Working with reduced loads in the 454 Casull, I found Hodgdon's Longshot to be very good - slower than Blue dot and 800X, but faster than 2400.

With the 4.625 inch bbl, don't overlook Bullseye, either. Only 5.4 grs will drive a 250 gr lead bullet 805 fps at 11,800 CUP, so there is room to work up from there in the strong Ruger. This powder is 40% nitro and loves big, empty cases giving very uniform velocities. You should be able to make 950 fps with a 255 gr LGC with very little recoil and a high accuracy potential. Nothing wrong with 1000 rounds per pound either.

 

[Bill Lester]

I'll second Bullseye for standard-type loads. It doesn't get the respect it should anymore but for 1000 fps or so it's great.

 

[magyars4]

45 colt powders

I have had good luck with AA#5, 2400, and of course the old standby unique....mostly w/ 255 SWC and Hoenady 250 XTP bullets.

 

[T.A.P.]

Powder For 45 Colt

You can`t go wrong with Unique, I have been using it for years and have no complaints.

 

[m141a]

H110 works well for the brutal (ha ha) end of the spectrum. I've had great sucess with Hodgdon's universal clays and Marshall's bullets

BTB 265keith over 8.0gr of Universal clays 815fps
BTB 285 lead GC over 7.5gr Universal clays 750fps.
Both are tackdrivers from my Smith Mountain gun and the Blackhawk.

BTB 265 over 20.2 gr of H110 about 1000fps
BTB 285 over 22.5 gr of H110 about 1200fps
BTB 300 over 22.0 gr of H110 about 1195fps. Also worked well from Winnie Trapper.

 

[Stranger]

Thanks to all for your insights.

I noticed one of the other bullet manufacturers listing a load of 24g of H110 under a 265g WFNGC. Seems a little stout. Is it still within the envelope for a Vaquero?

 

[MikeG]

Jack, in my experience 24 gr. of H110 and a 265gr. bullet in a Ruger .45 Colt would be at the low end for the 30,000CUP loads that the Rugers will handle. I've shot 255's with more powder than that, and all I got for my trouble was a big fireball out the front of the barrel. Impressive in an indoor range. Groups were terrible. Just not enough pressure for the stuff to burn well.

If it's under a 300gr. bullet it seems that there are powders that do the job with a lot less hassle in the .45 colt. Of course there are lot to lot variations so it might work well for some folks. From what I can tell in several different guns, my can of WW296 is at the slow end of what you can expect from those two powders.

 

[Coldfingers]

Stranger.

I have had good luck with both Blue and Red Dot powders in my Smith. I have not tried Bullseye but suspect similar performance to RedDot.

Unique is good but dirty (and it could be my batch is "historic" to say the least)

Also, please note the Universal Clays and Clays are two different animals. I learned that one the hard way.

The beinfit to RedDot as I see it is the volume it takes up and it does not seem to be position sensitive. I use it for reduced loads in my 45-70 and .357Mag. It realy shines in my snub nosed 357 since the burn rate keeps the flash down a tad and the impulse does not seem to generate alot of felt recoil. It acts the same in my 4"Smith .45Colt.

There were quite a bit of loads on the FAQ section of Sixgunner but I do not know if they survived the board changes going on. They may be still accessable through Taffins site.

Scotty

 

[loader]

Universal and Unique are nearly interchangable, but Universal is very clean.

Blue Dot shows up quite a bit in the various manuals for max velocity for the 45 Colt (Ruger and Contender)in the shorter barrels, and treads quite close on the heels of H110 and 296 in the longer bbls.

 

[Gunnut45/454]

I have used Greendot/Red dot/W231/Bullseye for these types of loads with Green/Red Dot 7 grs seemed to be the sweet spot for those powders 800-1000-fps-Green dot was cleaner burning than Red dot. For W231/Bullseye 9.4 to 9.7 grs was the ticket -255 gr SWC! These powders worry very clean and consistant. My Win 94 just loves Bullseye loads.

 

[Old Jim]

Bought a pound of the "New" Unique. It is cleaner but whether you could call it "clean" is doubtful.
Shoots good tho.

 

[Stranger]

Has anyone tried Solo 1000 in the 45LC? It's a fast powder like Bullseye. I've used it quite successfully in .38 Spl but I wonder how it will do with the huge case capacity of the Colt? I guess I gotta wait for the bullets to show up and see.

 

[loader]

Stranger -

Accurate Arms actually recomments N100 for the 45 Colt, rather than Solo 1000.

They both have the same burn rates, and bulk density, but Solo is single base and N100 is 20% nitroglycerin. This makes N100 much better in a big case like the Colt, because it is very easy to ignite AND has a low bulk density.

I am certain the Solo would work, but they don't list loads for it in the 45 Colt. It appears only under shotgun loads.

However, AA lists Solo 1000 as one notch slower than N100, and this appears to be confirmed by the shotshell loads that include both of them. For reference, 6.2 grs N100 gives 886 fps for a 255 gr LSWC at 13,400 CUP for the 45 Colt.

Hope this helps.

 

[longhunter]

I really like H110, win. 296, and Lil'Gun for top end loads in my Ruger Bisley. For mid-range loads, consider H4227, 2400, or 800X.

 

[Zeppelin!]

Believe it or not my best luck with 45's has been with HS6

 

[alamogunr]

Stranger.



There were quite a bit of loads on the FAQ section of Sixgunner but I do not know if they survived the board changes going on. They may be still accessable through Taffins site.

Scotty

The FAQ section is still on Sixgunner.com. I hadn't looked at it for some time so it was refreshing to go back and see what the regulars consider the best loads.