your comments are very greatful. That is, if the loading table calls for 40 grains of black powder, then one uses a 40-grain volume powder measure for the same amount by volume of Pyrodex. My powders of choice are Clays, HP-38, HS-6, Universal, Trail Boss, H110, IMR 4227, W296, and W231. In actual weight, Pyrodex is lighter than black powder, being about 80 percent of the weight of black powder. Copyright. Associated taxes and fees are the responsibility of winners. Giveaway prizes may have evidence of being test fired or exhibit minor handling marks. Marlin and Winchester 1894s will both handle heavier-than-standard .45 Colt loads but 1860, 1866 and 1873 replicas are for standard loads only! My gun was a new model Bisely blackhawk long barrel. But the 45 Colt is a survivor. A favorite pastime of many dedicated sixgunners is sitting around a campfire arguing the merits of their particular choice of caliber. It shoots VERY well, the recoil is tolerable, and it cuts a clean hole in both targets and small game. When using bullets designed for the .45 ACP that dont have a crimp cannelure, a taper crimp applied after bullets are seated to the correct overall length is the best option. Keith bullet, the Lee 452-255-rf 250gr bullet and the RCBS 45-270-SAA for .45 Colt. South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, State Agency: By this time Winchester had changed its name to USRAC (United States Repeating Arms Co.) and the Trappers were offered in two versions, a blued receiver or a case-colored receiver. No substitutions or transfers to third parties allowed. It was submitted to the U.S. Army in 1872 and would become known as the Colt Single Action Army, Model of 1873, Peacemaker, Model P, Thumb Buster and a host of other affectionate names. We are blessed to have many excellent cartridges and sixguns available to us, but it would be hard to find any cartridge that is as versatile as the old 45 Colt. Contest void where prohibited by law. The Complete Reloading Manual For The 45 Colt Item Preview remove-circle Share or Embed This Item. As I have gotten older and my hands have become more tender, I find myself moderating my everyday shooting loads. Giveaway prizes may have evidence of being test fired or exhibit minor handling marks. All entries must be received by giveaway end date. for Ruger Blackhawk and T/C, levels in the 20,000 to 25,000 range are No data for RX7 and this bullet in the 1886 Winchester & 1895 Marlin section. Ben Voss FN Product Manager talks about the new FN SCAR 15P ultra-compact rifle-caliber pistol at SHOT Show 2023. You find load data for cartridges in caliber .45 Colt with all common powders and bullets by clicking the "Loads in this caliber" button above. ok 45 long colt lovers,,ring out ,lets hear from you,,the more the merry. The day of the percussion revolver would soon be over, and even Colt could see the future and began converting 1860 cap-and-ball sixguns to fire cartridges. No substitutions or transfers to third parties allowed. The individual accessing this site assumes the risk of safe loading practices. 2021. Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources, State Agency: Join over1 million subscribers and get the latest deals from HunterHub, Winchester USA Ready Large Pistol Primers Box of 1000 (10 Trays of 100), Remington Small Pistol Primers #1-1/2 Box of 1000 (10 Trays of 100), Federal Premium Gold Medal AR Match Grade Small Rifle Primers #GM205MAR Box of 1000 (10 Trays of 100), Winchester Small Rifle Primers #6-1/2 Box of 1000 (10 Trays of 100), Federal Premium Gold Medal Small Rifle Match Primers #205M Box of 1000 (10 Trays of 100), CCI Primers #209M Shotshell Magnum Box of 1000 (10 Trays of 100), Federal Premium Terminal Ascent Great Accuracy and Performance, Large Pistol Primers Or Small Pistol Primers- Things To Know Before You Buy, Enlighten yourself with Vital Information about the top tactical medicine in USA. Prizes will not be awarded if illegal in jurisdiction of winners. They include a (1) restored 1900 revolver with carved grips, (2) 1903 custom engraved, (3) 1901 with carved pearl grips, (4) 1899 with carved grips, (5) 1957-era custom, (6) custom 1901 with stag grips, (7) 1903 with custom carved grips and a (8) Colt New Frontier SAA with custom carved grips. that charge was increased to 38 grains by 1898. The .45 Colts origins started in 1871 when Colt began designing a new sixgun specifically to house metallic cartridges. . For something with more thump, it would be wise to find some published load data and buy some bullets that match that data. Winners will be notified by certified mail on official letterhead. All entries must be received by giveaway end date. Any time I have a 45 Colt that doesnt shoot the way I think it should, I dont give up until I try this load of IMR 4227 with Keiths bullet. You may even have bullets stopping partway in the barrel with that light of a charge. Bullet is .452 diameter. About 1200+ fps in the 7.5 SBH, 1150fps out of the 4" Redhawk. .45 Colt Rifle Data (Lyman Reloading Handbook 49th Edition) reloading data with 0 loads. Levergun Loads: .45 Colt Part II Cast Bullets - GUNS Magazine This brings us to powders, and I use a lot of Hodgdon powders. Here is what Lyman #4 has to say on 45 Colt, maximum Unique , standard pressure loads: Lee 452-200-RF , 200 gr. Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, State Agency: With the 45 Colt, IMR 4227 is almost magical in being able to provide excellent accuracy when other powders will not. When he died in 1862, the company was dedicated to producing the same percussion revolvers. It's like shooting a .38 special in a gun chambered for .357 magnum. 45 Colt Load Data - HunterHub In contrast, Ruger only revolver data uses slower powders like IMR 4227, Win 296 and 2400, and 250 gr velocities in the 1350-1450 fps range. * which is just a little over maximum Colt loads (but mild for Ruger) shot an average of 880.2 fps pointing up and 708.0 fps pointing down, but the spread between shots was 146 fps and 235 fps respectively. RCBS also offers an excellent bullet of standard weight with the #45-255KT that has a better crimping groove than the Keith bullet. Colt191145. Contest void where prohibited by law. Use a COL at 1.572". SCCY DVG-1 Sub-Compact Striker-Fired Pistol: Full Review, Buyer Beware: Buying 'Bargain' Guns Can Be Risky. I usually select an expander ball that is at least .003 to .004 inch smaller than bullet diameter, which helps prevent bullets from jumping crimp and aids in achieving consistent powder ignition. Lyman: Meeting the needs of shooters and reloaders Prizes will not be awarded if illegal in jurisdiction of winners. All right are Reserved Reload Ammo, Reloading The .45 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol), Hi=670, Lo=521, ES=148 (too slow, wide spread), Hi=677, Lo=594, ES=8.3 (too slow, but good spread), Hi=673, Lo=594, ES=80 (too slow)(old formulation), 833 Hi=873, Lo=783, ES=90 (old formulation), 866 Hi= 890 Lo=855 ES=35 (good Cowboy load), 836 fps (powder pointing UP) (Hi=877.7 Lo=803.0 Spread=74.7 fps), 771 fps (powder pointing DOWN) (Hi=783.1 Lo=760.3 Spread=22.8 fps), Hi=622, Lo=491, ES=131 (WAY too slow-stuck bullet possible)(old formulation), Hi=750, Lo=735, ES=15 (good spread, should have used more powder), use 6.1 to 6.8 for normal Colt 45 loads (old formulation, use 7.7 to 8.6* for +P Ruger and T/C Only (old formulation, 871 Hi=938 Lo=797 ES=141 (Colt Anaconda 6), 1024 MAX+ (Actual in 7 1/2 bbl 250 gr. Share to Reddit. It would also be excellent for a defense load. Published .45 Colt rifle data tends to use the same medium burning powders as non Ruger .45 Colt revolver data, with 255 gr bullet velocities around 1100 fps - about 200 fps faster than in a revolver. Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife, State Agency: These can be safely driven to 1,200 fps in the Ruger Blackhawk. check out the. About the same time the Winchester Trappers arrived, Marlin had a very limited run of 500 each of .44 Magnum and .45 Colt Trappers. To protect the privacy and security of winners, names will not be made public. Custom five-shooters built on the Ruger Blackhawk, the Ruger Redhawk, and the Freedom Arms Model 83 top the list. The accompanying data was developed using Starline cases that are strong, offer long life and are available factory direct. sets maximum standards for cartridges; this standard must be set at a level safely usable in the weakest common denominator. The Hornady 225-grain FTX bullet should be loaded in cases trimmed shorter than the industry standard of 1.215 inches. The Lyman family of brands including Pachmayr, Mark 7 Reloading, TacStar, A-Zoom, Trius, Butch's, and Targ-Dots offers products to meet the needs of shooters and reloaders. For the 45 Colt this is the Single Action Army revolver. One problem inherent with the original #454424 was the fact that when sized to 0.451 to 0.452 inch, the crimping groove almost disappears. On paper, the 357 Magnum was the first cartridge to exceed the 45 Colts muzzle energy, but many knowledgeable sixgunners, Elmer Keith included, believed the 45 Colt actually offered more practical power than the First Magnum. Today, it remains one of our most popular sixgun cartridges. Bullets from RCBS mould 45-270-SAA, which usually weigh around 280 to 285 grains, are designed to maximize powder capacity, are accurate and an excellent choice for hunting big game. RCBS also offers an excellent bullet of standard weight with the #45-255KT that has a better crimping groove than the Keith bullet. Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, State Agency: Winners will be notified by certified mail on official letterhead. Clays, Universal, HP38, HS6, HS7 and H4895 are products of Hodgdon Powders. 2020, Lyman Products Corporation, printed in U.S.A. All other trademarks in this catalog are the property of their respective owners. Over the nearly 15 decades since its arrival, there have been many attempts to pronounce it dead. The Colt factory has told me these large throats are intended to keep chamber pressures low, which is nonsense. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, State Agency: I have found HS-6, Universal, and W231 powders work very well for standard loads, while IMR 4227 bulks up nicely in 45 Colt brass. rifling. There were no 45 Colt heavyweight bullets available at the time, so we sized down 300-grain 45-70 bullets in several stages, going from around 0.460 inch to 0.452 inch. Contest open to U.S. residents only. Universal is an excellent powder for the 45 Colt with 8.0 grains under a 250-grain bullet duplicating the old black powder load. There are some excellent jacketed bullets available for use in the 45 Colt, including the Sierra 240-grain JHP, Hornady 250-grain XTP-JHP, and the Speer 260-grain JHP, all of which I prefer for deer-sized game. A check of Hodgdons loading manuals shows these two powders using the same charge weight produce the same velocities and pressures. However, I crimp the #45-270 over the front band to ensure trouble-free feeding. Some of my most accurate loads are as follows: The Lyman/Thompson #454490 GC over 20.0 grains of #42274 gives a group at 1,275 fps or 20.0 grains of #2400 for 150 fps more velocity and a group just over 1. Knowing this measurement for a given revolver is critical to select the correct components to achieve accuracy. Yes, these loads in this rifle could be stretched farther, however for feral pigs or white tail deer from a stand one would rarely have to shoot any farther than this. youd need for most critters in the lower 48. It served me well while riding the ranch on horseback, running a trap-line, hunting big game, varmints and pests, etc., and it even saved my skin a time or two. For example, the .45 Colt with a 255-grain bullet at 860 fps (Winchester) generates 419 ft-lbs, while the .44 Magnum with a 240-grain bullet at 1,180 fps (Remington) generates 741 ft-lbs. These figures correspond with the many other pre-World War II guns that I have slugged. This Colt SAA .45 was manufactured in 1893 and saw extensive use on the frontier prior to being professionally restored. Do Pistols Benefit From Popular Aftermarket Modifications? hi guy, for awhile now i have slowly been adding to my collection,,i just got 2 molds, a rcbs 255 grain ,,and a lyman 325 grain gc,,,i got the dies, the powder, had dale put my name on miha list for his 45 long colt hollow point mold, ,i have some brass, i got the dies,, but still looking for that one 45 long colt gun. Their 10mm Devastator (Lyman #401638 HP) has a listed weight of 155 grains, and is a HP version of their very accurate 175 grain TC design. Illinois Department of Natural Resources, State Agency: California Department of Fish & Wildlife, State Agency: The Oregon Trail 250-grain RNFP bullet should be seated with an overall cartridge length of 1.570 to 1.580 inches, depending on case length. Arkansas Game & Fish Commission, State Agency: The other problem, that of cylinder throat diameters, centers around the fact that they vary considerably. The key for best shooting is to size cast bullets accordingly and open the throats if necessary. They do provide identical results of muzzle velocities and pressures using the same charge weights, and I use them interchangeably. No purchase necessary. The original conical bullet found in black powder 45 Colt loads from the 1870s is very close to the Lyman #454190 and the RCBS #45-255 FN. Sam Colt became a millionaire producing percussion revolvers. New Mexico Department of Game & Fish, State Agency: now im looking for top performance load data to ass to my load data book for this caliber. Idaho Department of Fish & Game, State Agency: It didnt take long for manufacturers to offer heavier bullets, and two of the best came from NEI. I have used them to take big game, including mule deer and bears. Reloader 7 - 37.0 grains start, 39.0 grains max. 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Mail-in entries accepted; send postcards (no envelopes) to: GUNS Magazine, Altor Pistols, P.O. I chose the Herco powder to utilize as much case capacity as possible. The Colt Single Action Army, Colt New Frontier, Ruger New Model Flat-Top, Ruger New Vaquero, and Smith & Wesson Model 25/625 are all very close strength-wise. The original loading was a bullet of approximately 255 grains with a muzzle velocity of somewhere around 850 to 900 fps. To protect the privacy and security of winners, names will not be made public. Deployed military should use stateside address. (II) Limit one (1) entry per household; multiple entries will disqualify entrants. This was achieved with 40 grains of black powder. Give a Gift You can certainly use the Jacketed bullets fine, but dont look for incredible speeds. This same bullet can be loaded to much higher velocity in Rugers large-frame single- and double-action sixguns. The availability of all of these bullets is dependent on how much time I have to cast my own. The 45 Colt brass could handle the pressures, but standard sixguns could not. Box 502795, San Diego, CA 92150-1377. Due to their reduced velocity combined with greater resistance in the bore, I dont recommend loads that produce less than 750 fps because there is a significant chance of sticking a bullet in the bore. In his classic 1955 book Sixguns by Keith, Elmer Keith stated, As one grows older and his hair starts to turn grey, his respect for this grand old load increases. To protect the privacy and security of winners, names will not be made public. The Colt Single Action Army, Colt New Frontier, Ruger New Model Flat-Top, Ruger New Vaquero, and Smith & Wesson Model 25/625 are all very close strength-wise. The 45 Colt also predates the 38 Special, the 44 Special, and the 45 ACP, and not only is it more than 80 years older than the 44 Magnum, but it also has more case capacity and in the proper sixguns can outrank the 44 Magnum. (II) Limit one (1) entry per household; multiple entries will disqualify entrants. It follows Keiths original idea of three equally sized driving bands, one forming the base, the middle one serving as the top of the grease groove, and the front driving band helping true up the bullet in the cylinder and is located above a generous crimping groove. Maryland Department of Natural Resources, State Agency: The Freedom Arms Model 97 also is in this group. For several reasons they should not be used. Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife, State Agency: But in guns with large throats, dont expect top accuracy from any bevel-base bullet. When the new 454 Magnum revolvers (as they were first called) arrived, however, the brass was lengthened so it could not be used in standard 45 Colt sixguns. The minimum load for a 200 gr cast SWC in 45 Colt is listed as 8.6 gr Unique for 918 fps. The smaller case-capacity means better performance with light loads, which is why I am interested in it. Moving up to the second level, loads at around 1,000 fps with the same-weight bullet are used in the Colt New Frontier, Smith & Wesson Model 25/625, Ruger Flat-Top New Model, and the Ruger New Vaquero. The .45 Colt is rapidly approaching 150 years in existence, and it remains one of our finest, most useful, versatile and handloaded sixgun cartridges. It takes at least two rounds to be able to see if the rounds are too long to accomplish both operations. For testing I go with three shots at 45 yards. Many early black-powder-era Colt revolvers (1873-1898) feature .449- to .452-inch throats that corresponded reasonably with .450- to .452-inch barrel groove diameters. After a long days work on our remote cattle ranch, I would cast bullets and handload ammunition in the evening so that I could continue shooting the next day. Velocities in a test It has never failed me. Due to different barrel lengths, type of bullet, seating depth, primer type and other factors, you may not get near the FPS charted. (III) Giveaway winner(s) chosen by random drawing. sure they will feed and chamber through levergun actions. They often equal or surpass the accuracy from my carefully tailored hand-cast bullets. I found the following heavyweight bullets all would work through both the Winchester and Marlin actions: NEI 310 Keith, NEI 325 Keith, Lyman #454629GC 300-grain FN, RCBS #45-270 SAA weighing around 284 grains with my alloy, and I also checked the #454490GC design by Ray Thompson, which is a 255-grain Keith-style gas-checked bullet. We are currently populating the cartridge drop-down menu with updated cartridge renderings, new propellants and bullets, and links to complimentary product pages. Reloading The .45 Schofield Pistol - Reload Ammo Data can be searched by cartridge name, powder name, and bullet weight. For developing the accompanying data, a 1970 vintage (second generation) Colt New Frontier SAA with 5.5-inch barrel was. I use WLP primers. Normal powders vary quite a bit and also have a larger spread between shots. There simply is not much that cannot be accomplished with the 45 Colt. They are my choice for the heaviest loads especially with cast bullets weighing 300 grains and heavier. It is superbly accurate and will often shoot well in sixguns that are cranky about shooting plain-based bullets. For example, Lyman mould No. 45 long colt favorite load data - Gunloads.com Load Data - Castpics like original Colts. HS7 is slowest of the group (Similar to 2400) Ruger's multi-role small frame autoloading rifle - Sear - combines AR-10 power with AR-15 Portability. Mail-in entries accepted; send postcards (no envelopes) to: GUNS Magazine, GOM April 2023, P.O. Factory warranties may apply in some cases. A quote from Lyman Reloading Handbook, 49th Edition states, The grooves of pre-World War II revolvers normally measure .454 in diameter. Stocky's Owner Don Bitz walks David Faubion through the company's new rifle stocks for 2023. In guns with .452-inch throats, the Magma designed 250-grain RNFP offered by most commercial cast bullet companies (Oregon Trail used here) can be surprisingly accurate. I found both of these on the shelf of a little gun store, actually a small gun department, in a local grocery store. For the 45 Colt, I especially prefer the 250-grain RNFP and the 255-grain SWC. New Hampshire Fish & Game Department, State Agency: 454190 (255 grains) shares a similar profile as the original Government bullet but is a plainbase design that is generally very accurate and can be sized to around .454 to .455 inch for guns with larger throats. Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, State Agency: Lyman now offers it as #452424, and it is a 255-grain bulletor thereabouts, depending upon the alloy used. Before I discuss handloads for the 45 Colt, we have to acknowledge there exists such a wide range of revolvers accepting the 45 Colt that great care must be used in assembling loads and choosing which guns will safely accept them. - 9.4 grains Unique Lyman 452460 , 200 gr. top notch work!! Mail-in entries accepted; send postcards (no envelopes) to: GUNS Magazine, GOM May 2023, P.O. Low Recoil Loads | Hodgdon Reloading Handloading allows the flexibility to adjust load ballistics for a particular purpose. Winners must respond within 30 days of receiving notification or an alternate winner will be selected. Alabama Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. SWC), 853 (Powder UP see note) (Hi=872.5 Lo=827.5 Spread=45 fps)(some unburned powder), 802 (Powder DOWN see note) (Hi=809.2 Lo=792.6 Spread=16.6 fps). Reloader 7 for 45-70? | Glock Talk I shot all kinds of bullets and powders from my 45 colt from 200gr to 350 gr trying to find something that was better than the other. However, it cannot be approached the same as smokeless. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Giveaway prizes may have evidence of being test fired or exhibit minor handling marks. Handgun Reloading Data .45 Colt 9mm Luger .32 Smith & Wesson Long .32 ACP .357 Magnum .44 Magnum .41 Remington Magnum .460 S&W Magnum .38 Special .327 Federal Magnum .357 SIG .25 Automatic 10mm Auto .500 Linebaugh Powder Data Accurate 5744 Hodgdon Extreme Powder Alliant Reloder 15 Norma Powder Ramshot Powder Accurate Powder Vihtavouri Powder