Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Loading for the 45LC

I just picked up a Stainless Blackhawk Bisley and am wondering what brass and powders are appropriate for making Blackhawk pressure level loads?
I would like one load using a light Barnes X and another using a heavy wide meplate hard cast bullet.

I have never reloaded for pistol rounds so bare with me.

Any brass.
I use a 335 gr LBT and a Lyman 325 gr with 21.5 gr of 296 and a Fed 150 primer.
I can't help with light bullets.

bfrsshooter,
I just posted a comment about the .44 mag LBT bullet called .44 mag self defense?wilderness load. Could you read it and comment on it?
Thanks,
Montana2008

Unique.

A 270 WFN backed by 10.0 grains of Unique kicks out around 1000, doesn't kick much (easy to shoot), is very accurate, and won't bounce off much...

Wouldn't even bother with a "light bullet" load; no need.

I have been shooting 24 gr H110 250gr XTP, 1.6" heavy roll crimp, in my Uberti Cattleman 45LC for a long time. It is 1215 fps with a 4.25" barrel and ~ 22kpsi.

I bought a Blackhawk 5 years ago and fired one of those rounds in it, and the sharp corner of the hammer bit into my the web of my hand. I resolved never to shoot it again until I took it apart and broke the edge on the hammer. I have not got around to that yet.

"I have never reloaded for pistol rounds so bare with me."

I refuse to "bare" with you! Sorry, I'll shoot with you...but not if you're naked!

Dan

I will go look.

I'm not an enthusiast for the heavy bullet craze. Nor of wrist-breaker loads.

I load 255-260 grain cast bullets almost exclusively in my 45 Colt. Most of the time, 850-900 fps is my goal and I can get that with any number of medium-burn-rate powders. 7.0 W231, 7.5 Universal or 8.0 Unique will all do it but are not the only powders that will.

For the very rare occasion when that load isn't enough, 21.0 4227 will get me just over 1000 fps from a 4 5/8" barrel.

Heavier loads don't punish the target any more, only you.

+1 for 4227. I read that 4227 was one of Hank Williams, Jr.'s favorites for the .45 LC. This powder must have a forgiving pressure peak, as it reportedly can be used even in the older guns. It's good with the heavy bullets, like the 300 gr. (don't try those in the older guns) with around 19.5 gr. making a great load.

I have a Marlin Cowboy with 26" bbl. in .45 LC. In Cowboy Action Shooting, it always blew powder in my face with low powered loads. .45 LC, IMHO, isn't a good low powered round for rifles, because the stiff .45 LC case won't seal against the chamber, causing blowback. Well, I converted that CAS rifle into a 'Diller killing machine. I shoot 300 gr. cast and jacketed bullets with max doses of 4227 out of the 26" bbl. at close to 1,600 fps. Now, that will smack about anything, amazingly close to the 45-70. And, with that much pressure, not a bit of blowback!

BTW, I put blanks in the sight slots, mounted a Bushnell Holosight, and a Brownell's glue on cheek piece. The gun already had a Wild West trigger and was super slick. A great rig and a hoot to shoot. Even at low light, when the "Dillers are out, just put the Holosight on the target and let fly. Fast and deadly.

DF

I like Starline Brass over any other brands.

Powders that work well for me include Blue Dot, 2400, Unique and H110.

Some of the bullets I use are various brands of hard cast LSWC, and Hornady JHPs.

I do not load a lot of 'hot' .45 colt rounds. If I need a magnum, most of the time I'll go with a .44 Rem Mag.

I've been reloading for the Blackhawk .45 Colt since 1979. Today, I am very fond of the 265 grains LBT gas checked bullets from Beartooth Bullets. I get good accuracy and good performance using 8.5 grains of Unique, standard LP primers, and Starline cases. It'll do anything I require of a handgun, out in the boonies.

http://www.shootersforum.com/

L.W.

I like Starline brass, 255 gr Laser-cast bullets, Unique and Winchester primers. 9.0 gr of Unique gives me about 1000 fps from my 5.5" stainless Blackhawk Bisley. Accurate, plenty of power, and easy to shoot.

I have had good success with winchester brass.My loads have been mild to wild and the brass has held up nicely.I prefer the 300gr pills,and 13gr of HS-6 for about 1100fps.

I've used both Winchester and Starline brass in my 45's, and have no problems with either. I've had Federal cases crack with hot loads.

I have some heavy loads that I use from time to time, but the 45 Colt is really a joy to shoot with moderate loads (250-265 grain bullets @ 1000 fps or less), and it's about as easy and forgiving a cartridge to load as you'll find. I've used Unique, Universal Clays, TiteGroup, PowerPistol, and WW231 in smokeless loads, and BP/BP substitutes. It's not hard to find a load that will perform well in almost any decent gun. You can cleanly kill just about anything you want to kill with them. Why magnum up when the big 45 will do it without all the fuss and bother?

You have inspired my next email to my wife.

I like 14grs of BlueDot, a home-cast 300gr. LBT-WFN plainbase, Starline cases and a Fed 150 cap. for 1,100or so fps..

My most used load is 10gr unique and a cast 250gr SWC. My big game load is 22gr H110 and heat treated 335gr LBT-WFN bullets.