What's your powder to reload 45 Colt?

Nevada Smith

Nevada Smith

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Candiac, QC
Hi guys

I'm actually using Bullseye to reload 45 ACP, Trailboss for CAS 45 Colt, Unique for 45 Colt and 38 special.

I'd like to change from Unique to another powder, I find that Unique is too dirty after shooting.
I've heard about Hogdon Tite Group and Universal Clays, but I didn't make my choice yet.

What' your powder for 45 Colt?

Thanks for your feedback.
Nevada.
 
All of my 45 Colt is Trailboss. 45 ACP is Titegroup. 38 Special I use Trailboss for PPC. 357 Mag I like Universal.

Tried others in the past - might switch later, but Trailboss is, to me, great for the cartridges with lots of empty space. I tried Bullseye in 45 Colt. Not much powder for a massive volume!
 
If you want horsepower, use lil'gun.

I use it in my Ranch hand and my Mdl 94 Trapper. Used to use it for fun rounds in the Bisley Ruger, too, but we can't hunt or carry handguns in the bush in Canada so, mostly just for some 44 mag+ power fun shooting.

In a rifle for hunting, it will kill the hell out of stuff. :)

I just use Trailboss for light loads. It's probably more economical to use another powder if you are shooting volume, but TB is easy to work with.

I use CFE Pistol for 45 ACp
 
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I use Tite group fore all my CAS loadings now as I find it the cleanest of residue after many rounds in the pistols (sometimes 1500 or more between cleanings and the slicked up actions still not being hindered in any ways...at least the wife hasn't complained and if her guns got the slightest bit sticky, believe me I would be informed... ).

I did use 20 lbs. of Trail Boss in my .45 colt rounds and found it to be very "position sensitive". If the scenario called for shooting down at a steep angle from a Palisade or something similar I could get a lot of "ploop instead of bang" shots. The un-burnt powder from the ploop rounds have actually fouled the gun up so bad that it couldn't be rotated. These were very light loads for CAS in the 700 fps range so even with T B there was some unfilled case space and if you want more powerful loads with no empty case space I don't think position sensitivity will be a problem
 
I use 5 grs. of red dot for cowboy. I found trailboss to be incredibly dirty. I had to run the gun dry. If there was any oil present, it would form a paste and gum up the rifle.
 
I find Red Dot is a nice powder for the .45 Colt. I am not trying to break Elmer Keith speed records with it, but I do get close to 800+ fps with a 250 grain bullet.
 
Medium power loads Brian Pearce who writes in a particular. Handloading magazine had excellent results with Power Pistol with cast boolits and jacketed. I followed his recommendation, for max power and accuracy l use 800X on the advice of a past acquaintance who wrote a book or 2 on pet loads. When I load down I use Red Dot in what is called the Dan Walker load.

Hardin
 
I haven't done much shooting the last couple year because of health issues. Just put together 50- 45 colt with 6.5 grs 231 and 250 gr cast bullets. Meeting a couple buddies at the range tomorrow. Looking forward to it! Almost forgot my gun. Rossi M92 carbine. One of the older ones- no "funky" safety on mine. Great plinking rifle with cast.
 
When the powder shortage was happening a while ago and I was needing to load for CAS, I tried a few different ones that I had on hand.
I’d read of some folks liking 231 in 45 Colt so I loaded some and ran them over the chronograph. Tested for position sensitivity (muzzle up for a cylinders worth and muzzle down for another prior to the shot) and the difference was huge!
Just my personal experience but I’ve ruled out 231/HP38 as a useful powder in 45 Colt.

Another recommendation I run across on loading forums for light loadings in 45 Colt is Unique.
I’ve used lots of Unique in 45 Colt, 45 auto, 44mag and 357 and it works great for me when loaded heavy enough to create sufficient pressure to burn.
But, when we first started into CAS, I tried to build lighter loads using Unique (tried Universal too) and there was snow on the ground when I tested them. It looked like someone tossed a handful of black pepper out on the snow in front of me.
Not enough pressure to get a good burn at lighter loadings was what I gathered from that.
 
Another Trail Boss fan for .45 Colt and CAS here.
I've also found TB to be a good powder in my .45-70's shooting at 100 and 200 yards.
No idea how good it is beyond that, as my range current max. is 200 yd.
 
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