Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Load for the .45 Colt?

Well I swapped a Ruger .22 MKII for a Ruger BH .45 Colt w 4 5/8" barrel. Now I need to load up some ammo. In my old .44mag 8gr of Unique with a 240gr lead bullet was a great plinker. I'd like to find something similar for the .45. I'm thinking 8 to 9 grs of Uninque and a Hornady 200 or 230gr lead bullet. Anyone have a similar semi-mild round for the .45? Thanks.

I have shot a passel of rounds downrange for plinking and for cowboy shoots of 7 grains of unique and a 250 grain cast bullet. These are light recoil, cheap and fun to shoot. Ryan

.45 Colt
� 200 RNFP
� Unique


7.5 of Unique under a 200 RNFP will give about 780 FPS
9.0 of Unique should give you about 900-925 FPS
I use Winchester WLP primers with these loads.
7.5 under a 250 RNFP will give you about 780 FPS.

The 230 RNL meant for the 45 ACP is great in the Colt round, also. Seat to just past the bearing surface and crimp lightly onto the ogive.

You can use 6.0 of any fast pistol powder. Some but not all possibilities would include Clays, Bullseye, 700X, Nitro 100, AA#2, AA#5, Red or Green Dot, American Select, W231, PB, WST and Titegroup.

You're right where you need to be. If you want to hunt big stuff, go to 10 grains of Unique and a 250-grain bullet. You'll be fine.


Okie John

Ouch.

Okie's experience may be different than mine, but I often found 10.0 of Unique in the 45 Colt to be a VERY squirrelly performer. It often gave me very high pressure signs, erratic velocities and blown groups. Kicked like bloody hell, too.

If you truly need upper-end performance from the 45 Colt, there are better powder choices than Unique, from W296/H110 to 2400 to 4227 to LilGun - or several others. I lean to the Hank Williams Jr load: CCI 350 primer, 21.0 H4227 and a 260 SWCL, hard crimp. It gives moderate pressures and 1100 to 1200 fps. That's plenty for anything I ever faced.

I agree with Rocky. If I want higher performance I have a stout load of H-110 behind the 260 Gr Jacketed Hollow point. It gives me 1180 FPS from my 7 1/2 inch Blackhawk. Groups are really good and recoil while stout is not uncomfortable. Ryan

I like Okie's load with the 454424 Keith bullet, it runs about 950fps or so, and shoots really well in my 4 5/8" Blackhawk, on the order of 1.5" groups at 25 yards. Plenty for deer, and it shoots lights out.

For years, my "kinda plinking" load for my Blackhawk .45 Colt has been a 255 grains Keith style SWC in front of 8.5 grains of Unique, from a 4 5/8" bbl. Very accurate in my Blackhawk.

I say "kinda plinking," because not only is it a mild shooting load for practice and plinking, it is plenty stout enough to use in the field for medium sized deer, within 50/75 yards, or self defense, if need be.

As with others here, if I want a "rompin' stompin'" load for my .45 Colt, I use WW296, or H110, behind a Beartooth Bullets gas check 265 grains LBT bullet. A real whacker!

Have fun.

L.W.

I just took a look at what I've got on standby and it's 250 LRN over 8.5 Unique. Those are filed under "FUN", as in fun to shoot.

I've used 10gr Unique pretty exclusively for my Bisley Blackhawk under 255 grains hard cast. They chrono right under 1100fps. Recoil is moderate and accuracy seems pretty decent. I haven't seen any pressure signs. This is not my plinking load, though I don't find anything about it objectionable.

I use 9gr Unique for my plinking loads.

Dan

It just goes to show how different guns can be, doesn't it? The 7 1/2" Blackhawk I used to own displayed very erratic results with that 10.0 load. It gave wide velocity spreads with poor groups; n the same cylinderful, some cases would fall out, some had to be pounded out; some primers looked normal, some had extruded into the firing pin hole/recoil shield and tied the gun up. All of which is why I said that my experiences were bad with that load.

I don't dispute anybody else's results at all - and I have to admit that I haven't tried that load in any subsequent Blackhawk or other 45 Colt that I've owned. Your mileage may very much vary.

9 Grains is where I normally load the S&W Mountain Gun, though I've fired a few of the 10 grain loads through that as well. Have you tried Unique since its reformulation? It hasn't been all that long ago. I thought 10 Grains of Unique was old Elmer's favorite Colt load. 9 Grains in my Colt SAA was my distance load. I had my SAA hitting a 6" metal plate nearly every shot from 80 yards (didn't have 100 yards to shoot from at the time) if I held right at the top right edge, about 2 O'Clock on the plate.

My BlackHawk Bisley is the SS 5.5" Accusport model. My 2nd Favorite single action. I use Unique for my .44 Mag loads too. My 1958 Ruger Flattop .44 eats it up. I used to use 296 for the .44 Mag, but found Unique did it all for me.

Regards

Dan

p.s. Finally got my dies for the .375 Win Contender. You used Reloader 7 for that, if I recall.

Dan

Violator22 has a few loads; when he gets back into town early next week, get him to comment.

Using a lead RNFP either 5.5 or 6.0 of TiteGroup will shoot real well in most Ruger's (this is a CAS type load). 7.0 of Win 231 is another mild load in the upper range of CAS loads.

For heavier loads I like 18.5 grains of 2400 and a 255 lead SWC - provides plenty of power. All of my loads use WIN WLP primers.
Odessa

Hello Centershot
This Ought to get ya started. I hope this Helps, Thegeneral.









SAAMI pressures for STANDARD .45 Colt is 14,000 PSI MAXIMUM, but
for Ruger and T/C levels in the 20,000 to 25,000 range are
considered more the norm. Make sure your gun can handle it before
you use any of these loads listed below with STARS (*).
Note: Powder Mfgs. Velocities in a test
barrel differ from a 4 4/5" revolver by
about 175 fps and from 7 1/2" by 50 fps.

----------------------------------------
160 grain LRNFP (Lead Round Nose, flat point)
Trail Boss 7.0 gr. 903 (IMR minimum load)
Trail Boss 8.5 gr. 1,018 (IMR Max load)
Universal 6.5 gr. 798 FPS minimum
Universal 9.5 gr. 1197 FPS MAXIMUM
HP38 6.5 gr. 917 minimum
HP38 9.0 gr. 1177 Maximum
Titegroup 6.0 gr. 932 minimum
Titegroup 7.0 gr. 1051 Maximum
Clays 5.0 gr. 907 minimum
Clays 6.4 gr. 1083 Maximum
----------------------------------------
180 grain LRNFP (Lead Round Nose, flat point)
Trail Boss 6.0 gr. 818 (IMR minimum load)
Trail Boss 7.3 gr. 935 (IMR Max load)
Universal 6.5 gr. 791 FPS minimum
Universal 9.2 gr. 1161 FPS MAXIMUM
HP38 6.0 gr. 838 minimum
HP38 8.2 gr. 1087 Maximum
Titegroup 5.0 gr. 759 minimum
Titegroup 6.9 gr. 1020 Maximum
Clays 4.8 gr. 840 minimum
Clays 6.0 gr. 1016 Maximum
----------------------------------------
200 grain LRN or SWC (Lead Round Nose)
Bullseye 6.0 gr. 870 FPS
Bullseye 7.0 gr. 920 MAX. LOAD
Unique 9.0 gr. 895
HS6 13.5 gr. 870
HP38 9.0 gr. 884
No. 2 6.4 gr. 952 (Cowboy load)
No. 5 12.1 gr. 1,035
231 8.3 gr. 998 MAX. LOAD
231 6.8 gr. 775 Approx. (Cowboy Load)(RNFP)
all cowboy loads below:
Trail Boss 5.5 gr. 706 (IMR minimum load)
Trail Boss 6.5 gr. 855 (IMR Max load)
Universal 6.4 gr. 749 FPS minimum
Universal 8.8 gr. 1067 FPS MAXIMUM
HP38 5.9 gr. 761 minimum
HP38 8.0 gr. 1002 Maximum
Titegroup 5.0 gr. 731 minimum
Titegroup 7.7 gr. 1050 Maximum
Clays 4.6 gr. 777 minimum
Clays 5.9 gr. 931 Maximum
-----------------------------------------
225 grain LRN, FP or SWC (Lead Round Nose)
Universal 9.0 gr. 995 FPS
Bullseye 5.0 gr. 744
Bullseye 6.0 gr. 824 MAX. LOAD
Unique 7.5 gr. 760 (mild)
Unique 8.0 gr. 805
HP38 8.5 gr. 830
HS6 13.5 gr. 860
AA N100 6.0 gr. 839 (mild)
AA N100 6.2 gr. 846 (mild)
AA N100 6.9 gr. 933 MAX
AA No. 2 6.1 gr. 766 ( mild cowboy)
AA No. 5 8.5 gr. 773 (very mild)Hi=830 Lo=718 ES=112
AA No. 5 9.1 gr. 838 (mild) Hi=883 Lo=784 ES=99
AA No. 5 10.0 gr. 928 Hi=958 Lo=902 ES=56
AA No. 5 10.7 gr. 971 Hi=1,013 Lo=924 ES=89
AA No. 5 10.9 gr. 909 FACTORY SPECS
AA No. 5 12.1 gr. 1,033 MAX FACTORY SPECS
231 7.2 gr. 719 (very mild)
(Note: No. 5 makes a nice cowboy load around 9 grains)

-----------------------------------------
225 grain JHP (Jacketed Hollow Point)
(THESE ARE MAXIMUM LOADS- HUNTING)
Unique 10.8 gr. 926 FPS
HS6 13.6 gr. 914
Blue Dot 15.4 gr. 947
IMR-4227 21.0 gr. 914
(back off 15% to start these loads)
-----------------------------------------
230 grain Round Nose LEAD (also see 225 gr. lead loads)
(Experiment with A5744 powder)
AA5744 17.0 gr. 836 fps (powder pointing UP)
(Hi=877.7 Lo=803.0 Spread=74.7 fps)

AA5744 17.0 gr. 771 fps (powder pointing DOWN)
(Hi=783.1 Lo=760.3 Spread=22.8 fps)
Bullseye 5.0 gr. 744
Bullseye 6.0 gr. 824 MAX. LOAD
Cowboy loads below:
Trail Boss 5.5 gr. 685 (IMR start load)
Trail Boss 6.5 gr. 802 (IMR max load)
Universal 6.5 gr. 761 FPS minimum
Universal 8.1 gr. 975 FPS MAXIMUM
HP38 5.8 gr. 738 minimum
HP38 7.3 gr. 941 Maximum
Titegroup 5.0 gr. 762 minimum
Titegroup 6.5 gr. 934 Maximum
Clays 4.4 gr. 734 minimum
Clays 5.4 gr. 865 Maximum
-----------------------------------------
230 grain RN Plated lead (full copper plating)
and FMJ-RN bullet.
Universal 9.3 gr. 1,000 FPS
Bullseye 6.0 gr. 825
Unique 8.3 gr. 725#
Unique 7.5 gr. 708##(lo-649/hi-762)
Unique 8.5 gr. 1,180###
AA No. 5 11.1 gr. 871 Hi=938 Lo=797 ES=141 (Colt Anaconda 6")
AA No. 5 11.5 gr. 936 Hi=963 Lo=897 ES=66 (med. hot)
HP38 8.5 gr. 830
HS6 13.5 gr. 860
2400 13.2 gr. 800
2400 14.9 gr. 1,050 (MAXIMUM)
IMR4227 16.5 gr. 800
IMR4227 18.7 gr. 1,000 (Maximum)
# my actual in 4 5/8" bbl revolver
## my actual in 7 1/2" bbl revolver
### my actual in 20" rifle barrel
-----------------------------------------
250 grain lead RNFP Cowboy loads
Trail Boss 4.5 gr. 606 FPS minimum
Trail Boss 5.8 gr. 727 FPS MAXIMUM
Universal 6.5 gr. 742 FPS minimum
Universal 7.8 gr. 941 FPS MAXIMUM
HP38 5.8 gr. 785 minimum
HP38 7.1 gr. 916 Maximum
Titegroup 5.0 gr. 716 minimum
Titegroup 6.2 gr. 881 Maximum
Clays 4.2 gr. 713 minimum
Clays 5.1 gr. 817 Maximum
-----------------------------------------
250-255 grain LRNFP (Lead Round Nose, flat point)
Bullseye 6.3 gr. 810
Unique 6.4 gr. 716 (very mild, caution, some bullets
can stick in barrel- this is below MINIMUM.)
Unique 7.0 gr. 722 (mild in 4 5/8" bbl)
Unique 8.6 gr. 891 MAX in one manual
Unique 8.5 gr. 734 (Actual in 7 1/2" bbl revolver)
Unique 8.5 gr. 963 (Actual in Rossi 45 Carbine)
Unique 9.0 gr. 905 MAX LOAD (I got 932.2 in revolver)
Unique 9.5 gr.*** 992 MAX+ (Actual in 7 1/2" bbl revolver)
Unique 10.0 gr.*** 1024 MAX+ (Actual in 7 1/2" bbl 250 gr. RNFP)
Unique 10.0 gr.*** 1007 MAX+ (Actual in 7 1/2" bbl 255 gr. SWC)
(I do not recommend over 8.5 gr of Unique; tough on guns)
Universal 6.5 gr. 742 Cowboy mild
Universal 7.8 gr. 941 Cowboy MAX
Universal 7.2 gr. 804
HP38 5.8 gr. 785 cowboy mild
HP38 7.1 gr. 916
HS6 9.0 gr. 787 Cowboy mild
HS6## 10.5 gr. 946 Cowboy Max load ##
Clays 4.2 gr. 713 cowboy mild
Clays 5.1 gr. 817 cowboy MAX
AA5744 16.0 gr. 773 (in 5 1/2" bbl revolver)
AA5744 16.0 gr. 872 (in 7 1/2" bbl revolver)(ES=38 fps)
AA5744 17.8 gr. 860 (-MAXIMUM LOAD Nitro)
AA5744 17.0 gr. 853 (Powder UP - see note)
(Hi=872.5 Lo=827.5 Spread=45 fps)(some unburned powder)
AA5744 17.0 gr. 802 (Powder DOWN - see note)
(Hi=809.2 Lo=792.6 Spread=16.6 fps)
AA N100 5.5 gr. 780 (mild)
AA N100 6.2 gr. 886 MAX
AA No. 2 5.9 gr. 730 (mild)(AA now says 813 fps)
AA No. 5 9.4 gr. 846 (mild)
AA No. 5 10.4 gr. 961 MAX
AA No. 5 11.0 gr.* 969 MAX +
AA No. 9 13.6 gr. 800 Hi=910 Lo=813 ES 190
AA No. 9 14.0 gr. 867 Hi=909 Lo=842 ES=67
AA No. 9 14.6 gr. 905 Hi=1002 Lo=840 ES=162
AA No. 9 15.0 gr. 880=Powder Up (708=Powder Down)5" bbl.
AA No. 9 15.5 gr. 982 Hi=1016 Lo=900 ES=116
AA No. 9 14.3 gr. 850 (Factory specs)
AA No. 9 16.3 gr. 1,050 (MAXIMUM)
Nitro 100 5.5 gr. 868 (cowboy load)
Solo 1000 5.8 gr. 807 (cowboy load)
231 7.0 gr. 704 (mild)
231 7.5 gr. 843 (Actual in 7 1/2" bbl revolver)
WAP 8.6 gr. 776
IMR4227 17.0 gr. 830
IMR4227 19.0 gr. 904 Maximum for regular Colt. 45
IMR800-X 8.0 gr. 769 (mild)
IMR PB 6.5 gr. 630 (very mild)
IMR PB 7.0 gr. 700 (MAX)
VV N320 5.9 gr. 805
VV N340 6.6 gr. 641 (mild)
Trail Boss 4.5 gr. 606 (IMR start load)
Trail Boss 5.8 gr. 727 (IMR max load)
-------------------Ruger, T/C only---------------------
(No. 5 11.8 gr.***1,080)* (10.6 to 11.8 MAX/MAX is good range)
(No. 7 14.6 gr.***1,023)* (13.6 to 15.1 MAX is good range)
(No. 9 17.6 gr.***1,180)* (15.8 to 17.6 MAX is good range)
* For Ruger and T/C ONLY !
*** ONLY USE in Ruger, T/C and modern guns. This EXCEEDS MAX LOAD Use at your OWN RISK)
## new Cowboy load from Hodgdon
AA5744 is most consistent powder I have found, point up or down in case before firing. Less "position sensitive"
New (2005) Trail Boss is very bulky and very consistent.
-----------------------------------------
250 grain Rainier Flat Point, Copper Plated
Unique 8.5 gr. 727 (Actual in 7 1/2" bbl revolver)
Unique 8.5 gr. 730 (Actual in 4 5/8" bbl revolver)
Unique 8.5 gr. 946 (Actual in Rossi 45 Carbine)
Unique 10.0 gr.*** 981 (in 4 5/8" bbl EXCEEDS MAX)
No. 5 10.4 gr. 870 FPS
============Ruger and T/C ONLY below==========
(No. 5 11.8 gr.***1,080)* (10.6 to 11.8 MAX is good range)
(No. 7 14.6 gr.***1,023)* (13.6 to 15.1 MAX is good range)
(No. 9 17.6 gr.***1,180)* (15.8 to 17.6 MAX is good range)
* For Ruger and T/C ONLY !
*** ONLY USE in Ruger and T/C. This EXCEEDS MAX LOAD, Use at OWN RISK)
-----------------------------------------
260 grain FMJ or JHP
HP38 7.5 gr. 797 FPS
HS6 12.0 gr. 804
HS7 13.5 gr. 871
No. 5 10.5 gr. 762
Unique 7.8 gr. ---
231 7.0 gr. 725
==========-[only RUGER and T/C below]=========
No. 5* 11.5 gr.* 1,000*
No. 7* 14.5 gr.* 1,000*
Unique* 10.5 gr.* 1,079*
2400* 16.2 gr.* 1,130*
2400* 18.0 gr.* 1,180* MAX/MAX load (use mag primers)
IMR 4227* 20.0 gr.* 1,250*
* ONLY for Ruger and T/C guns. CAUTION!! over normal MAXIMUM
Use at your OWN RISK
-----------------------------------------
300 grain JHP or Hornady XTP
Bullseye 5.0 gr. 605 FPS
Unique 6.8 gr. 690
Universal 7.3 gr. 700
HS6 10.5 gr. 712
HS7 12.0 gr. 771
231 6.0 gr. 640
2400 12.5 gr. 735
==========-[only RUGER and T/C below]=========
Unique* 10.0 gr.* 970*
2400* 16.0 gr.* 1,150*
IMR 4227* 18.0 gr.* 1,150*
AA No.7* 13.0 gr.* 788*
AA No.9* 15.2 gr.* 1,100*
* ONLY for Ruger and T/C guns. CAUTION!! MAXIMUM+ Use at YOUR OWN
RISK
-----------------------------------------
350 grain JSP (Jacketed Soft Point)only RUGER and T/C
2400* 16.0 gr.* 888* FPS
H110* 20.0 gr.* 990*
H4227* 20.0 gr.* 995*
* ONLY for Ruger and T/C guns. CAUTION!! MAXIMUM+ Use at YOUR OWN
RISK

Thanks guys, excellent data. Any preference as bullet weight and style - Semi-Wadcutters or Round Nose Flat Point Bullets? I may use this setup to take a deer if an opportunity presents itself. Most shooting will be of the plinking and varmint varities though. Cast bullets are going for nearly $60 for 500 and smaller than 500 lots can not be had, so I need to guess good as possible on the first buy. Thanks.

If the RNFP has a fairly wide flat point (compared to a SWC) then it won't matter much. The flat should be at least half the bullet diameter. For general plinking/varmint/fun a 230-250 grainer will be fine. For deliberate big-game use, a 255+ would be better. In a pinch, the lighter ones will still drop a deer just fine. A 250 at 900 fps is all the handgun oomph almost anybody really needs.

I have a S&W 25-2 6" 45LC lately I've been shooting 23.5grs of H110 behind a 270 gr Kieth style cast bullet . That load produced no extraction problems. But dang it kicks way to hard. So I dropped the charge by 2grs and its kicks just a little bit less. Why did I ever want to load that hot stuff? Any how I think I'll go back to 14 grs of Blue dot.