45long colt

[wgr]

any of you load for the 45 colt handi rifle?  i want to load a 250 grain bullet. not sure what to expect from this round. will load both cast and jacked bullets. any help on what powder and  how fast i can push it  thinks bill

[quickdtoo]

Using Hodgdon data Ruger data for the 250gr XTP and Lil'gun, I get over 1900fps with the 250gr Speer GDHP and the Hornady SST muzzleloader bullet. 

Tim

[dpe.ahoy]

Tim beat me to it and then when I went to post, it got lost in the wires.   Anyway, have to second Tim's post.  Get Hodgdon's annual manual, well worth the few $ they want for it.  Try to find some articals written by Brian Pierce, Handloader Magazine, Ross Sefried who used to write for them, also John Taffin with GUNS Mag, or Paco Kelly who can be found from this site.  The 45 colt can be a pussycat or a mini 45-70 in the right firearm.  Don't be afraid to try heavier bullets as well, up to 360 grain in the books.  I use this round more than any other pistol round for most everything from bumming around to hunting.  If I could only have one caliber, this would be it.  Enjoy and let us know what you think.  DP.

[wgr]

thinks guys. have you used 2400 are 110 powder for this round? that's what i have on hand.

[dpe.ahoy]

I have used H-110 alot in the 45.  Does very good if you want full power.  I'm starting to switch to LilGun more and more.  Not quite as fine as H110 so it doesn't try to get in all the cracks of the powder measures.  My Lyman DPS almost quit because it was getting in around the feeder tube.  Have never used 2400 but have read good things about it.  I've run as much as 24.0 gr H110 behind 315 gr Mt Baldy Keith bullets with good accuracy and ALL the recoil you need to know that is some power!    Only use that in a strong gun!!!!  For lighter loads, try W231, Hodgdon Titegroup or Trailboss.  Enjoy!    DP.

[navylawdog]

thinks guys. have you used 2400 are 110 powder for this round? that's what i have on hand.

2400 is the only thing that I use for the .45 colt and .357. I start with 18 grains of 2400 and a 300 grain bullet in the .45 colt. Shooting out of either my Winchester 94 or the Puma .454. I am not too sure what the velocity is for sure since I don't have a chrony but it is moving pretty good I can tell you that.

Navylawdog

[towpro]

I use Clays behind my 250 and 255 grain cast bullets.  I don't shoot it in a H&R, but I do use it in wheel guns and an 1892 copy.  in fact I have hit the last 20 pigs in a row with the 1892 shooting cast at lever gun silhouette matches 
I have also used Trail boss, but the clays just seems to be lasting  forever so I just keep using it.

Now I have not shot a jacked bullet in years (besides a 17HMR) so I can't help you there.

[WILD_WEASEL]

Hello,

I do most of my shooting indoors on a 15 yard range.  My standard loads for the 45 Colt are 8gr of Unique with a 200gr or 250gr lead round nose flat point (LRNFP) and a Winchester Large Pistol Primer (WLP). These loads shoot great in all my 45 Colts to include a Ruger Old Army with R&D Conversion Cylinder and H&R Carbine.  For serious work I shoot a 300gr Speer JSP over 18.8gr of 2400, when properly seated this load is too long to chamber in my R&D conversion so there is no chance of a mishap.  I worked this load up prior to getting my Buffalo Carbine, otherwise I’d have worked up a load with H110 which would have given better performance in the 18” carbine barrel, for the shorter 5 ½ inch pistol barrel 2400 is probably the better choice, however.

NOTE:  The improved formulation of Unique does not seam to burn well with charges below 8gr in the 45 Colt, so I stick to this as my minimum load. 

More recently I’ve been experimenting with 165gr LRNFPs from Western Bullet Co.  Again over 8gr of Unique these shoot great in any of my 45 Colts.

As an added note the 200gr LRNFPs also shoot great in my Springfield 1911A1 (Military Version) 45 ACP.  With these I use 4.5gr of Bullseye and a WLP primer.  Since these bullets are sized to .453 they will not chamber in my Blackhawk Conversion who’s throats are bored to .452.

All the above loads shoot clean and I’ve experience no leading in any of my 45s.