sets maximum standards for cartridges; this standard must be set at a level safely usable in the weakest common denominator. In actual weight, Pyrodex is lighter than black powder, being about 80 percent of the weight of black powder. 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. 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. I have tested vintage loads that produced an honest 1,000 fps. now im looking for top performance load data to ass to my load data book for this caliber. 2021. In ranking the various 45 Colt sixguns now in production from the least strongest to that capable of a handling the heaviest loads, I would set the following order. For comparison the above .44 Magnum factory loads (which are admittedly conservative) have a TKO factor only slightly higher at 17.35. With the 45 Colt, IMR 4227 is almost magical in being able to provide excellent accuracy when other powders will not. It is my most used powder both in cap-and-ball and cartridge-firing sixguns when black powder loads are desired. The Colt SAA .45 Colt with a 4.75-inch barrel ranks as one of Brians favorite handgun configurations. 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. More than 45 years of shooting and slugging the barrels of hundreds of Colt SAAs suggests differently. Meet the all-new Taurus Judge Executive Grade, a revolver featuring a hand-polished satin finish, presentation-grade wood grips, a brass rod front sight and an exceptional hand-tuned trigger. RCBS also offers an excellent bullet of standard weight with the #45-255KT that has a better crimping groove than the Keith bullet. Instead of being overly large, Rugers have been way too tight, with some measuring around 0.449 inch, but now Ruger is cutting all cylinder throats at 0.451 to 0.452 inch. Checked and verified, page 285, 4th Ed.Lyman cast bullet handbook. They are my choice for everyday use and also for hunting larger, tougher game. That is, until I tried IMR 4227 with Lymans #452424 and a 20.0-grain load, and that combination produced one-hole groups. After all the work and expense, it turned out to be a somewhat mediocre performer. There simply is not much that cannot be accomplished with the 45 Colt. Weights in parenthesis are as-cast from wheelweights. Contest void where prohibited by law. Using bullets from . The other problem, that of cylinder throat diameters, centers around the fact that they vary considerably. 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. Notes: cases: Winchester; trim-to length: 1.275"; primers: Winchester WLP; primer size: Large Pistol; Lyman shell holder: No. Later production revolvers and lever action rifles are built with .451 diameter grooves., This statement has been repeated many times but holds very little truth. Note that the "Ruger New Vaquero" uses a smaller frame and cylinder like original Colts. within an inch or 2 of each other at 50 yards. Keiths #454424 was an excellent bullet, but it has been improved by Dave Scovill and is offered by RCBS as #45-270SAA. The 1894 Winchester Trappers have a long, strong action and even though the chambers are somewhat over-size, they will handle any load you can normally load in a .45 Colt case for use in sixguns with six-shot cylinders. Both of these are plainbased Keith-style bullets, and their numbers are #310.451 and #325.454, with the first three digits giving the approximate bullet weight. Contest void where prohibited by law. With my alloys this bullet runs around 280 to 285 grains while at the same time having a slightly shorter nose than the original Keith design so it fits in all Colt cylinders. (III) Giveaway winner(s) chosen by random drawing. 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. Then something dramatic happened in 1869: Smith & Wesson brought forth the 44 American sixgun that used fixed ammunition. im leaning towards the ruger blackhawk bisley 45 long cot 5.5 barrel. This same bullet can be loaded to much higher velocity in Rugers large-frame single- and double-action sixguns. (III) Giveaway winner(s) chosen by random drawing. The availability of all of these bullets is dependent on how much time I have to cast my own. Both of these are plainbased Keith-style bullets, and their numbers are #310.451 and #325.454, with the first three digits giving the approximate bullet weight. 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. (IV) Winners must undergo a background check (when required) and comply with all other federal, state and local laws. The .45 Colt operates at notably less pressure, produces a slower, more. Most of the accompanying handloads are within industry overall length guidelines at 1.600 inches or less; however, a few loads exceed that length (including Hornadys FTX factory load). Nonetheless, the 30-grain charge with a 250-grain bullet reached around 850 fps from a 7.5-inch barrel. (III) Giveaway winner(s) chosen by random drawing. Again using 255-grain factory loads at 860 fps, the .45 Colt reaches a factor of 14.09, while select standard-pressure handloads containing 280-grain bullets pushed to 950 fps factor at 17.17. The 45 Colt brass was up to the task. By the standards of the day when it arrived in 1873, and even to this day, the 45 Colt was and is a powerful cartridge. selected. If your Hornady book says 45 Colts use a 458 bullet, they are wrong. It has never failed me. The weight would more properly be closer to 32 grains. They do provide identical results of muzzle velocities and pressures using the same charge weights, and I use them interchangeably. 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. The weight would more properly be closer to 32 grains. The .45 Colts origins started in 1871 when Colt began designing a new sixgun specifically to house metallic cartridges. Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection, Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks & Tourism, Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife, Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Rhode Island Department of Fish & Wildlife, North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, New York Department of Environmental Conservation, Mississippi Deptartment of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks, Minnesota Deptartment of Natural Resources, Michigan Deptartment of Natural Resources, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife, Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries, Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources, Hawaii Department of Land & Natural Resources, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, Alabama Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. However, my first test with OLD Nitro 100 were very light, too light. Deployed military should use stateside address. Rifle Data Here you will find load data for some of the most recent cartridges on the market, with more being added each week. Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife, State Agency: Due to different barrel lengths, type of bullet, seating depth, primer type and other factors, you may not . Heavy loads that are safe for use in the Ruger Redhawk would destroy a fine Colt SAA. No purchase necessary. Reference to Powder UP and Powder DOWN is to actually shake the gun in an up or down position before firing each round and gently bring the gun to the horizontal and shooting. The original loading was a bullet of approximately 255 grains with a muzzle velocity of somewhere around 850 to 900 fps. These figures correspond with the many other pre-World War II guns that I have slugged. I can not find any reliable load data for Blue Dot with cast bullets. Winners must respond within 30 days of receiving notification or an alternate winner will be selected. S.A.A.M.I. Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department, State Agency: 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. Everyone who has a Ruger Blackhawk or Freedom Arms single-action revolver realizes the roots of these modern guns go back to the Colt Single Action Army. For the 45 Colt, I especially prefer the 250-grain RNFP and the 255-grain SWC. Incidentally, many jacketed bullet loads will produce higher velocities in revolvers with shorter barrels. 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. Note that the Ruger New Vaquero uses a smaller frame and cylinder This lets it feed in many cowboy-action guns and use common 45 ACP load data. Chris Johnson, FN Senior Product Manager, walks us through two new FN striker-fired pistols at SHOT Show 2023: the FN 510 Tactical, chambered in 10mm Auto, and the FN 545 Tactical, chambered in .45 ACP. This is probably when it became so common to use cast bullets sized to .454 inch with pre-World War II guns but was largely confused with groove diameter. Oregon Trails 250-grain RNFP over 8.0 grains of W231 clocks out just under 1,100 fps with three-shot groups of 1" or less. 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. About 1200+ fps in the 7.5 SBH, 1150fps out of the 4" Redhawk. They often equal or surpass the accuracy from my carefully tailored hand-cast bullets. Elmer Keith was way ahead of his time in developing everyday working and hunting loads. Contest void where prohibited by law. Elmer Keith was way ahead of his time in developing everyday working and hunting loads. 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. Deployed military should use stateside address. Unique is better. Cartridge Filter By Bullet Weight Powder Type Recipes I use WLP primers. The smaller case-capacity means better performance with light loads, which is why I am interested in it. However, the first known commercial listing is found in the 1880 UMC catalog. Some people have tried to load the .45 Colt to levels of the .44 Magnum. 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. Mail-in entries accepted; send postcards (no envelopes) to: GUNS Magazine, GOM April 2023, P.O. This load will certainly handle deer-sized game. These can be safely driven to 1,200 fps in the Ruger Blackhawk. Heavy loads that are safe for use in the Ruger Redhawk would destroy a fine Colt SAA. Prizes will not be awarded if illegal in jurisdiction of winners. (III) Giveaway winner(s) chosen by random drawing. Stocky's Owner Don Bitz walks David Faubion through the company's new rifle stocks for 2023. A gun with these internal dimensions offers a much fairer assessment of the accuracy potential of all data. Then comes the Freedom Arms Model 97, the original Ruger Vaquero, Ruger Blackhawk, Ruger Redhawk, and the Ruger Super Redhawk. Marlin and Winchester 1894s will both handle heavier-than-standard .45 Colt loads but 1860, 1866 and 1873 replicas are for standard loads only! With multiple powder charge weights there has been considerable confusion on this subject. I also have been having good luck lately with 10.0 grains of HS-6 and 250- to 260-grain bullets, which duplicates the performance of the early black powder loads. flatpoint Keith-style bullets. (IV) Winners must undergo a background check (if required) and comply with all other federal, state and local laws. The accompanying data was developed using Starline cases that are strong, offer long life and are available factory direct. Universal is an excellent powder for the 45 Colt with 8.0 grains under a 250-grain bullet duplicating the old black powder load. Jacketed bullets are also more difficult to push down the bore and therefore produce less velocity than a cast bullet of equal weight. (I) Giveaway ends September 30, 2021. The on-line Hogdon load data shows the following for TiteGroup and a 255 gr LSWC: Starting load of 5.0 gr for an approx 716 feet per second and a pressure of 7.6K cup. Everything really starts with our Vision, which is:To be the best-run business in America, and the most successful, most respected business in our industry, for the benefit of our Customers. This is a pretty bold Vision, but its absolutely real. Low Recoil Loads | Hodgdon Reloading Handloading allows the flexibility to adjust load ballistics for a particular purpose. (In fairness, many historians maintain that original loads contained 40 grains of black powder with 255-grain bullets, including noted Colt authority John Kopec.) Colt single actions are right around 0.454 inch. Winners must respond within 30 days of receiving notification or an alternate winner will be selected. This one is from Lyman 48th addition Reloading book. ew eginnings - Mark 7 is now part of the Lyman family! of blackpowder, the .44-40 . (See note on Powders below or read all about various Powders.) What has varied significantly is the throat diameter (ball end, chamber mouth, etc.) The 9mm/.38 Lyman #356637 HP is nominally a 124 grain HP version of their excellent 147 grain RNFP for the 9mm Parabellum. They are my choice for the heaviest loads especially with cast bullets weighing 300 grains and heavier. It is clear why the .45 Colt had such a stellar reputation as a man stopper and for its effectiveness on game. SWC - 9.6 grains Unique Lyman # 454190 , 250 gr. The minimum load for a 200 gr cast SWC in 45 Colt is listed as 8.6 gr Unique for 918 fps. S.A.A.M.I. In preparation for this article, I pulled from my personal collection a Colt SAA with serial number 16xxx (1875) that slugged an average groove diameter of .450 inch. FWIW Dale53 #Permalink 1 0 Actually, we can divide 45 Colt sixguns into several reloading levels, and I have moderated these somewhat over the past several years, with the first two levels being very close together. Originally loaded with 40 grs. All entries must be received by giveaway end date. Unique and Universal still dont fill the case up as much as a yet slower powder (like No.9, AA5724, H-110/W296, AA5744, and Alliant 2400). Addeddate 2019-02-26 16:21:01 Identifier Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, State Agency: 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. For the 45 Colt this is the Single Action Army revolver. For testing I go with three shots at 45 yards. No substitutions or transfers to third parties allowed. 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. 458 is a rifle bullet. Giveaway prizes may have evidence of being test fired or exhibit minor handling marks. Most of these are custom, tuned and have accounted for several head of big game. When using a revolver with large throats, there are solutions to improve accuracy. The Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute (SAAMI) has established the maximum average pressure for .45 Colt at 14,000 psi (commonly referred to as standard pressure), which should only be used in guns originally designed for smokeless powder ammunition. What the John Wick is 9mm Major, Anyway. For example, No. All Rights Reserved. Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks & Tourism, State Agency: Basic Load Data Hornady Manufacturing Company develops and publishes reloading data for the Handbook of Cartridge Reloading. The .44 Magnum is a great cartridge that offers a flatter trajectory and helps to make hits easier at longer distances; however, this added performance comes at the cost of greater pressures, heavier guns, increased recoil and muzzle report. The powder is Herco. In 1898, Colt made the necessary changes to permit its guns to be used with smokeless powders; however, it wasnt until 1900 (revolvers with serial number 192,000 or higher) that Colt began to officially warrant its guns for such. Winners will be notified by certified mail on official letterhead. A bullet with a copper gas check or copper plating is best for INDOOR ranges to keep lead vapors out of the air. Jeff Bradley shows off the Modern Hunting Rifle (MHR) from Christensen Arms at SHOT Show 2023. 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. For something with more thump, it would be wise to find some published load data and buy some bullets that match that data. Starting load is 12.4 grains and top load is 15.4 grains of Blue Dot. I shoot the .44 and .45 in rifles and pistolas, but I have only a rifle in .38-40. No purchase necessary. When time is a problem, actually when sometimes my own energy is the problem, I look to Oregon Trail Bullets. No purchase necessary. Lyman has a 255 grain .45 Colt gas-checked bullet, #454490GC, that was designed by Ray Thompson who also brought forth the .357 Magnum #358156GC and the .44 Magnum #431244GC. LYMAN Reloading Products A trusted Brand since the 1800?s. They are my choice for the heaviest loads especially with cast bullets weighing 300 grains and heavier. With the coming of Rugers Blackhawk chambered in 45 Colt in the early 1970s, we finally had a sixgun that could tap the tremendous potential of the 45 Colt cartridge. After all the work and expense, it turned out to be a somewhat mediocre performer. [See page on powder location in case affecting FPS elsewhere on pages] Rim Rocks 255-grain SWC with gas check is accurate and alleviates leading issues with revolvers (or barrels) that are prone to that. Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, State Agency: Wolfe Publishing Company | 2180 Gulfstream Suite A | Prescott, AZ 86301. With my alloys this bullet runs around 280 to 285 grains while at the same time having a slightly shorter nose than the original Keith design so it fits in all Colt cylinders. There are some excellent jacketed bullets available for use in the 45 Colt, including the Sierra 240-grain JHP,Hornady250-grain XTP-JHP, and the Speer 260-grain JHP, all of which I prefer for deer-sized game. But in guns with large throats, dont expect top accuracy from any bevel-base bullet. (I) Giveaway ends May 31, 2023. I have been pleasantly surprised by the Marlin Trapper. In slugging the barrels of later pre-World War II guns with wider flat lands, serial numbers 347xxx (1924) and 355xxx (1936), along with two factory. This Colt SAA .45 was manufactured in 1893 and saw extensive use on the frontier prior to being professionally restored. When tactical lights first came out, we all thought the 50 lumens they offered was astounding and could never get better. Contest open to U.S. residents only. REDUCE RIFLE AND HANDGUN CHARGE WEIGHTS BY 10% TO ESTABLISH A STARTING LOAD. No substitutions or transfers to third parties allowed. Energy in foot-pounds (ft-lbs) is not a good method to measure a straight-walled cartridges effectiveness, particularly when using nonexpanding bullets. Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, State Agency: Subscriber Services. 1,578 fps from a 24" universal receiver (all use rem brass and rem 9-1/2 primer). It is loaded not by weight, but by volume. It basically started in the early 1870s as a round-nosed bullet given a slight flattened nose. This Colt SAA .45 was manufactured in 1893 and saw extensive use on the frontier prior to being professionally restored. All Guns and Ammo subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. Most manufacturers have recognized the need to offer revolvers with correct throat dimensions including Smith & Wesson, Ruger, Uberti, USFA and others, but not Colt. Make sure your gun can handle it before you use any of these loads listed below with STARS (*). 53 pg. (II) Limit one (1) entry per household; multiple entries will disqualify entrants. Prizes will not be awarded if illegal in jurisdiction of winners. Generally, when revolvers with such grossly oversized throats are fired with modern cast and jacketed bullets accuracy is poor. 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. Share to Twitter. sure they will feed and chamber through levergun actions. The .45 Colt is rapidly approaching 150 years in existence, and it remains one of our finest, most useful, versatile and handloaded sixgun cartridges. Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, State Agency: Here you will find load data for some of the most recent cartridges on the market, with more being added each week. El Hombre Sin Nombre Members 6.3k Gender:Male Location:Oakland, CA SASS# 101096 Richmond Roughriders, Coyote Valley Cowboys, Faultine Shootist Society,Two Rivers Posse, River City Regulators Posted February 18, 2017 Exactly when the .45 Colt factory load containing 250-grain bullets propelled by 40 grains of black powder was first offered is unknown, but it was probably assembled at the Colt factory. Again, a groove diameter of .451 to .452 inch remains standard by all manufacturers. 11; firearms used: Universal Receiver & Ruger Blackhawk; barrel length: 7 1/2"; twist: 1-16"; groove dia. I have been surprised by the fact the Marlin feeds Keith-style bullets perfectly. Factory warranties may apply in some cases. A check of Hodgdons loading manuals shows these two powders using the same charge weight produce the same velocities and pressures.