Blackpowder

[buzz43t]

Does anyone have a good load suggestion for using blackpowder in a 45 Colt? I know its very messy and corrosive but it is sure fun to have the smoke. Has anyone used ffg or do I need to use a finer powder?

Thanks

 

[trevj]

Lots of guys over on the Blackpowder and Antiques forum using black in pistols.

I have not shot any in a pistol. I grabbed FFg for a 50 cal rifle. Should work fine. May get higher velocities from FFFg. Gotta try it.

Cheers
Trev

 

[Papaclaude]

I've never used the 45 Colt, but I did have a 44 cal. cap and ball, and both ffG and fffG worked quite well. I did not chrony those loads at the time, but accuracy was OK with both.

 

[ben hunchak]

A .45 Colt's can deliver 1000fps with a 250 gr. cast bullet and a full case of settled FFFG Swiss or any other REAL black powder, my cases used 37 grs. settled to the bottom of the bullet, velocity will be down a bit if you don't use Swiss but either way it is an unforgettable sound, and pyro show!!!

 

[leadslinger]

24 grains of FF then a card wad, then corn meal filler so that when bullet is seated
you get aprox 1/8" compression.
I use the .7cc Lee scoop for the corn meal.
I make my own card wads from cereal box type cardboard with a hollow punch.
Seat wad firmly with a piece of wooden dowl.
This makes a nice cowboy action or playing around load.
The Lee yellow 1.6cc scoop lightly tapped level will drop the 24 grains.
I use a home casted 200 grain bullet.
If you don't want reduced loads then just fill cases to the point where you get 1/16" to 1/8" compression.
Black powder loads must have light compression with NO air gaps.

 

[buzz43t]

Thanks everyone...I will let you know how it turns out later this spring when the weather warms a bit (away from this -20).

 

[leadslinger]

This Spring?? I couldn't wait that long.
Currently loading this years loads now for Cowboy match's.
Also only use card or fibre wads in straight wall case's.
If you use .44-40 just pack the less than max charge of BP (or pyrodex)
with the dowel before adding cornmeal.
A fellow shooter does this with great results for tamed downed loads.

 

[mbogo3]

Remember BP is measured by VOLUME NOT WEIGHT.................Harold

 

[Goldenlakepete]

In Sam Fadala's "Black Powder Loading Manual" he tested a Colt Single Action Army .45 Colt with a 7 1/2" barrel. With a .451 diam 255 gr lead bullet he used 37 grs. FFg to get a muzzle velocity of 773 fps.

 

[leadslinger]

I first use my black powder measuring tool to set the volume i wish to try,
then I try different Lee scoops till I find the correct one to contain the
required volume of BP.
The use of the scoops speeds up the loading process.