Heavy .45 Colt Load

.45colt

.45colt

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I am reloading for the .45 Colt which is no doubt not a surprize considering my name. Anyone here play around with the higher pressure loads? I have an older Vaquero so it is able to handle such loading.

I am planning on HS6 (15gr) under a 250gr bullet. Any comments or thoughts?
 
I've done a fair bit of work with heavy .45 Colt loads in Ruger Blackhawks. I really question useing HS6 though. I've got awesome results with 270 and 300gr lead bullets. I use H110 and Win 296 for these loads. With the 300 gr gas checked bullets I have achieved 1350 fps in a 5.5 barrel and about30 fps faster in my 7 1/2. You will not find these loads (powder charge) in any manual, and I will not divulge my charge on-line because what's safe in my gun may not be safe in another. A good starting point is to look at ww.leverguns.com and check out heavy .45 Colt loads for lever guns, these is some good info relating to Ruger revolvers.
 
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.45colt said:
I am reloading for the .45 Colt which is no doubt not a surprize considering my name. Anyone here play around with the higher pressure loads? I have an older Vaquero so it is able to handle such loading.

I am planning on HS6 (15gr) under a 250gr bullet. Any comments or thoughts?
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Hodgdon manual lists a maximum load of 12.5 grains of HS6. Your Ruger will handle heavier loads but I'd work up gradually, very gradually. Not familiar with HS6 so I wouldn't comment on wether you can get to 15 grains safely, but with a lot of pistol powders pressures can spike very quickly.

Shoot safe, shoot often!
 
Used to own a Blackhawk in .45 Colt and a T/C Contender. Tried some heavy loads. The recoil was pretty nasty to say the least from the 8" barrel of the T/C. Was pushing 260gr cast at 1200+ with 2400. Made shooting my SBH a pleasure :)
 
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If you are going to play with heavy loads in the .45 stick to slower burning powders, some have been mentioned above....2400, H-110/WW296,4227.
 
Toller said:
Hodgdon manual lists a maximum load of 12.5 grains of HS6. Your Ruger will handle heavier loads but I'd work up gradually, very gradually. Not familiar with HS6 so I wouldn't comment on wether you can get to 15 grains safely, but with a lot of pistol powders pressures can spike very quickly.

Shoot safe, shoot often!
Click to expand...

The hotest I ever loaded it was 13.8grs of HS6 with no problem so another 1.2 isn't a major jump. The max. load listed in the Hodgdon for heavy loads is 16gr but I want to stay way from that.
 
8 1/2 grains of Unique under my 250 grainers is plenty heavy and one I don't shoot a lot of out of my Beretta Stampede. Great bear defensive load but not what I would want to shoot as a daily diet. Recoil is as stiff as I need experience.

Take Care

Bob
 
.45 Colt

25grs H110 with Lyman or RCBS 250-255 cast sized properly at .452 or .454 depending on gun will give you all the attention you might need.
Better yet is to upgrade to 300-315 cast over 21.5 grs H 110.

These loads are coming from John Linebaugh himself. I had the opportunity several years back to get personal advice from this nice gentleman.

could also swage down Hornady 350 grainers to .452 over 20.0 grs H110.

All depends on recoil tolerance and purpose.
 
I don't shoor/relaod .45colt but I know that H110 is the powder to use for heavy .44mag loads. It should work fine in .45colt
 
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What equip. would you recommend for swaging jacketed bullets down from .458 to .452 and what is the benefit of this as opposed to a heavy hard cast bullet?
 
Jacketed bullets swage down a few thou pretty easily in the Lee sizer dies. I often size 32ACP bullets (.312) to .308 for varmint loads. Accurate enough to 200 yards, explosive as hell and much cheaper than proper .308 dia varmint bullets.

Bebefits over cast? Cast are notoriously picky to load for - especially if you're trying to load hot. It CAN be done, to be sure, but jacketed are easier. Plus, the core can be left dead soft for deadly mushrooming capabilities with no fouling
 
Seems to me that whenever heavy loads are discussed in regards to the .44 or .45 most experts prefer hard cast bullets, better penetration, better wound channel, lower cost, lower pressure, ability to try diff. dias., easier on barrels, etc.
 
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