I prefer to use 250-grain jacketed bullets in conjunction with +P loads, which is a subject for another day. This Colt SAA .45 was manufactured in 1893 and saw extensive use on the frontier prior to being professionally restored. ew eginnings - Mark 7 is now part of the Lyman family! from virtually all manufacturers including Colt, Smith & Wesson, Ruger, Great Western, USFA and Uberti. None of these loads will work through the action of my Rossi .45 Colt Model 92. The Colt Single Action Army, Colt New Frontier, Ruger New Model Flat-Top, Ruger New Vaquero, and Smith & Wesson Model 25/625 are all very close strength-wise. For example, Lyman mould No. I soon developed an appreciation for reliable performance on game using. In addition to outstanding terminal performance and accuracy in guns with correct internal dimensions, it offers low pressures, mild muzzle report and controllable recoil, all of which make it especially practical for an outdoorsman who uses a sixgun daily. The TaurusTX 22 Compact delivers class-leading reliability, capacity, and shootability in a 22 LR platform, and it's cut for a slide-mounted mini red dot. With the coming of Rugers Blackhawk chambered in 45 Colt in the early 1970s, we finally had a sixgun that could tap the tremendous potential of the 45 Colt cartridge. Employees and agents of Publishers Development Corp. are not eligible. These will still work in the vast majority of sixguns with the exception of the old short cylinder Smith & Wesson N-frames produced prior to 1978 and a couple of others not commonly encountered. Improving the Keith Bullet Keith's #454424 was an excellent bullet, however it has been improved by Dave Scovill and is offered by RCBS as #45-270SAA. H110 works well for heavy bullet loads in the .45 Colt levergun. These can be safely driven to 1,200 fps in the Ruger Blackhawk. Handgun Reloading Data .45 Colt 9mm Luger .32 Smith & Wesson Long .32 ACP .357 Magnum .44 Magnum .41 Remington Magnum .460 S&W Magnum .38 Special .327 Federal Magnum .357 SIG .25 Automatic 10mm Auto .500 Linebaugh Powder Data Accurate 5744 Hodgdon Extreme Powder Alliant Reloder 15 Norma Powder Ramshot Powder Accurate Powder Vihtavouri Powder I would conclude this powder is much more consistent in speeds than others that I have tried in the .45 Colt. We are blessed to have many excellent cartridges and sixguns available to us, but it would be hard to find any cartridge that is as versatile as the old 45 Colt. Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, State Agency: The 45 Colt rim is smaller than the rim on a 45 Auto Rim. Eric Poole and Tom Beckstrand test the Aimpoint Acro P-2 against one of red dot sights' biggest myths: distance. My maine load is the Lyman 454190 cast of ww + 2% tin. It is my most used powder both in cap-and-ball and cartridge-firing sixguns when black powder loads are desired. Minnesota Deptartment of Natural Resources, State Agency: So both the up and down positions were closer in speeds and the spreads were noticeably closer. All of the Keith-style bullets mentioned feed and chamber even though they have shoulders in front of the case. Notes: cases: Winchester; trim-to length: 1.275"; primers: Winchester WLP; primer size: Large Pistol; Lyman shell holder: No. However, none of these loads should be taken for granted and should be worked up very carefully. Just about all loads shot the same . USE THIS DATA WITH ALLIANT BRAND POWDERS ONLY. I have dozens of references from credible sources that state pre-World War II Colt revolvers feature a barrel groove diameter of .454 inch while postwar guns measure .451 to .452 inch. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, State Agency: For many decades reloaders have been arguing over whether or not H110 and W296 were identical. Alabama Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. Winners will be notified by certified mail on official letterhead. Colt191145. 2023 Outdoor Sportsman Group. Before I discuss handloads for the 45 Colt, we have to acknowledge there exists such a wide range of revolvers accepting the 45 Colt that great care must be used in assembling loads and choosing which guns will safely accept them. That is, until I tried IMR 4227 with Lymans #452424 and a 20.0-grain load, and that combination produced one-hole groups. The key for best shooting is to size cast bullets accordingly and open the throats if necessary. Lyman Reloading Handbook 49th edition. The availability of all of these bullets is dependent on how much time I have to cast my own. I have measured Colt revolvers with throats that run from. The availability of all of these bullets is dependent on how much time I have to cast my own. Associated taxes and fees are the responsibility of winners. For something with more thump, it would be wise to find some published load data and buy some bullets that match that data. moderate recoil and substantially less muzzle report. In actual weight, Pyrodex is lighter than black powder, being about 80 percent of the weight of black powder. The other problem, that of cylinder throat diameters, centers around the fact that they vary considerably. The 45 Colt brass was up to the task. 458 is a rifle bullet. It has never failed me. Sam Colt became a millionaire producing percussion revolvers. now im looking for top performance load data to ass to my load data book for this caliber. This brings us to powders, and I use a lot of Hodgdon powders. There are some excellent jacketed bullets available for use in the 45 Colt, including the Sierra 240-grain JHP,Hornady250-grain XTP-JHP, and the Speer 260-grain JHP, all of which I prefer for deer-sized game. I'll be a nice to you as you'll let me be, or as mean as you make me be. His 45 Colt bullet was #454424 and was available for decades from Lyman. and how they grouped at ther yrds. Addeddate 2019-02-26 16:21:01 Identifier All entries must be received by giveaway end date. There were no 45 Colt heavyweight bullets available at the time, so we sized down 300-grain 45-70 bullets in several stages, going from around 0.460 inch to 0.452 inch. This was achieved with 40 grains of black powder. I have yet to find any levergun or sixgun that does not shoot this Dick Casull-designed bullet exceptionally well. Due to their reduced velocity combined with greater resistance in the bore, I dont recommend loads that produce less than 750 fps because there is a significant chance of sticking a bullet in the bore. Pet Loads and Handloader are registered trademarks of Wolfe Publishing Company. Employees and agents of Publishers Development Corp. are not eligible. There simply is not much that cannot be accomplished with the 45 Colt. * However, there are two problems associated with it: case capacity and cylinder throat diameters. So if one used 40 grains by weight of Pyrodex when the chart called for 40 grains of black powder, the result would be an overloaded charge. Soon after smokeless powder came into use, throats were increased to .4555 inch (according to Colt specifications), which worked fine with .456-inch lead hollowbase bullets contained in Remington and Winchester ammunition. Share to Twitter. take the .45 Colt as my game and defense cartridge. It is noteworthy that this statement was made 20 years after the development of the .357 Magnum, a cartridge Keith also tested and used in the field. The company also distributes IMR and Winchester powders as well as Goex black powder. However, Dick Casull started with the 45 Colt single action and the weak 45 Colt case to come up with his cartridge, which eventually became the 454 Casull. (II) Limit one (1) entry per household; multiple entries will disqualify entrants. The older was slower Fast-burning in pistol calibers. Elmer Keith was way ahead of his time in developing everyday working and hunting loads. With multiple powder charge weights there has been considerable confusion on this subject. There were no 45 Colt heavyweight bullets available at the time, so we sized down 300-grain 45-70 bullets in several stages, going from around 0.460 inch to 0.452 inch. (I) Giveaway ends February 28, 2023. The 1894 Winchester Trappers have a long, strong action and even though the chambers are somewhat over-size, they will handle any load you can normally load in a .45 Colt case for use in sixguns with six-shot cylinders. Deployed military should use stateside address. The other problem, that of cylinder throat diameters, centers around the fact that they vary considerably. Dropping down to 30 grains results in an easier-shooting 835 fps and a group of 1.13 inches. Deployed military should use stateside address. No substitutions or transfers to third parties allowed. Stocky's Owner Don Bitz walks David Faubion through the company's new rifle stocks for 2023. These black-powder guns should not be fired with smokeless powder loads. Moving up to the second level, loads at around 1,000 fps with the same-weight bullet are used in the Colt New Frontier, Smith & Wesson Model 25/625, Ruger Flat-Top New Model, and the Ruger New Vaquero. Data can be searched by cartridge name, powder name, and bullet weight. Employees and agents of Publishers Development Corp. are not eligible. Ben Voss FN Product Manager talks about the new FN SCAR 15P ultra-compact rifle-caliber pistol at SHOT Show 2023. (III) Giveaway winner(s) chosen by random drawing. Failure to do so could result in severe personal injury (or death) and/or property damage. For the 45 Colt this is the Single Action Army revolver. They are my choice for everyday use and also for hunting larger, tougher game. I use my Winchester and Marlin Trappers for relatively close-range shooting. Nonetheless, the 30-grain charge with a 250-grain bullet reached around 850 fps from a 7.5-inch barrel. 2021. A favorite pastime of many dedicated sixgunners is sitting around a campfire arguing the merits of their particular choice of caliber. Loading the .45 Colt It's vital to understand today's loading manuals typically include .45 Colt loads at two different power levels: under 14,000 CUP and under 29,000 PSI. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, State Agency: The 9.2 got the best SD and EP, if that means much to you. Arizona Game & Fish Department, State Agency: Be very careful using the loads for Ruger and T/C (Thompson Contender) as these are maximum loads, even for these strong guns. With Accurates 5744 the speeds with 17.0 were 853 fps UP and 802 DOWN, but spreads were much better at 45 fps and 16.6 fps respectively. Nitro 100, No.2, No. Actually, we can divide 45 Colt sixguns into several reloading levels, and I have moderated these somewhat over the past several years, with the first two levels being very close together. 310 Tong Tool. SAAMI pressures for STANDARD .45 Colt is 14,000 PSI MAXIMUM, but In preparation for this article, I pulled from my personal collection a Colt SAA with serial number 16xxx (1875) that slugged an average groove diameter of .450 inch. Published .45 Colt rifle data tends to use the same medium burning powders as non Ruger .45 Colt revolver data, with 255 gr bullet velocities around 1100 fps - about 200 fps faster than in a revolver. Exactly when the .45 Colt factory load containing 250-grain bullets propelled by 40 grains of black powder was first offered is unknown, but it was probably assembled at the Colt factory. In ranking the various 45 Colt sixguns now in production from the least strongest to that capable of a handling the heaviest loads, I would set the following order. I custom tailor my loads for the Trapper to match with the sixgun I am using alongside. The original conical bullet found in black powder 45 Colt loads from the 1870s is very close to the Lyman #454190 and the RCBS #45-255 FN. The .44 Magnum is a great cartridge that offers a flatter trajectory and helps to make hits easier at longer distances; however, this added performance comes at the cost of greater pressures, heavier guns, increased recoil and muzzle report. Purchase A PDF Download Of The GUNS Magazine February 2021 Issue Now! References: Accurate Arms Co. 1996 Reloading booklet Alliant Powder Co. Reloaders Guide (1995) Hodgdons Basic Reloaders Manual (1996) Speer Reloading Manual, #12 Winchester Reloading Components Manual, 14th edition Lyman Piston & Revolver Reloading Handbook, 2nd edition. Michigan Deptartment of Natural Resources, State Agency: There are many outstanding cast bullets for the .45 Colt. These figures correspond with the many other pre-World War II guns that I have slugged. His #452490GC was originally made for the 45 Auto Rim cartridge for use in the Smith & Wesson 1950 Target revolver, but I also use the Thompson design, which weighs around 255 grains, for heavy-duty loads approaching the energy of the 44 Magnum in the Ruger Blackhawk. John makes up dummy loads using available cast bullets to make Winners must respond within 30 days of receiving notification or an alternate winner will be selected. Deployed military should use stateside address. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. I didnt realize how many different powders from Hodgdon I use in loading the 45 Colt until I began putting this article together. Prizes will not be awarded if illegal in jurisdiction of winners. The .45 Colt is rapidly approaching 150 years in existence, and it remains one of our finest, most useful, versatile and handloaded sixgun cartridges. Arkansas Game & Fish Commission, State Agency: A roll crimp is generally preferred and should be applied as heavily as the bullets crimp groove or cannelure will permit. The new-for-2023 lineup includes ultralight hunting stocks and a VGA 2-pound adjustable vertical-grip stock. Box 488, Escondido, CA 92033. I can not find any reliable load data for Blue Dot with cast bullets. Any time I have a 45 Colt that doesnt shoot the way I think it should, I dont give up until I try this load of IMR 4227 with Keiths bullet. I have found HS-6, Universal, and W231 powders work very well for standard loads, while IMR 4227 bulks up nicely in 45 Colt brass. .45 Colt Rifle Data (Lyman Reloading Handbook 49th Edition) reloading data with 0 loads. and other smokeless cartridges were introduced. In 1898, Colt made the necessary changes to permit its guns to be used with smokeless powders; however, it wasnt until 1900 (revolvers with serial number 192,000 or higher) that Colt began to officially warrant its guns for such. They often equal or surpass the accuracy from my carefully tailored hand-cast bullets. Prizes will not be awarded if illegal in jurisdiction of winners. The 45 Colt also predates the 38 Special, the 44 Special, and the 45 ACP, and not only is it more than 80 years older than the 44 Magnum, but it also has more case capacity and in the proper sixguns can outrank the 44 Magnum. Elmer Keith was way ahead of his time in developing everyday working and hunting loads. It is also noteworthy that many dies manufactured prior to around 1980 fail to size cases adequately to correctly hold .451/.452-inch bullets. Powders include Next we will look at jacketed bullets in .45 Colt leverguns. My connection with Lyman goes back more than 50 years when I loaded my first ammunition using the No. The Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute (SAAMI) has established the maximum average pressure for .45 Colt at 14,000 psi (commonly referred to as standard pressure), which should only be used in guns originally designed for smokeless powder ammunition. Federal Ammunition History: 14 Things You Didn't Know, SIG Sauer Custom Works P320 Spectre Comp Pistol: First Look, .224 Valkyrie Small Precision Rifle Cartridge: Everything You Need to Know, How to Choose the Best Scope Reticle for Your Application, SIG Sauer Announces New P320-XTEN 10mm Pistol, SIG Sauer P322 .22 Rimfire Pistol: Full Review, Non-Lethal Personal & Home Defense with Byrna, Range Tested: EAA Girsan Pistols & Shotguns, New for 2023: Christensen Arms Modern Hunting Rifle (MHR), New for 2023: All-American RIA 5.0 Sporting Pistol, New for 2023: FN Rush 9Ti Pistol Suppressor, New Big Bore Pistols for 2023: FN 510 Tactical and FN 545 Tactical, New for 2023: FN SCAR 15P Rifle Caliber Pistol, First Look: Taurus Raging Hunter 460 Magnum Revolver With 10.5-Inch Barrel, New-for-2023 Taurus Judge Executive Grade 410/.45 Colt Revolver, Smith & Wesson Equalizer and the Brand New M&P 5.7 Pistol. Over the nearly 15 decades since its arrival, there have been many attempts to pronounce it dead. I have been pleasantly surprised by the Marlin Trapper. Others are the New Model Blackhawks, the Bisley Model, the Redhawk, and the Super Redhawk. selected. I didnt realize how many different powders from Hodgdon I use in loading the 45 Colt until I began putting this article together. Mail-in entries accepted; send postcards (no envelopes) to: GUNS Magazine, GOM May 2023, P.O. New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife, State Agency: Its also a good choice for hunting. For loading black powder 45 Colt loads, I use Goex as well as Pyrodex and Triple Seven. The original loading was a bullet of approximately 255 grains with a muzzle velocity of somewhere around 850 to 900 fps. But in guns with large throats, dont expect top accuracy from any bevel-base bullet. The original Winchesters, whether chambered in .44 Rimfire or .44-40, all used cast bullets as jacketed bullets did not start appearing until the early part of the 20th century. Because case capacity is large, trying to produce lighter loads with slow-burning powders can give very poor results. On paper, the 357 Magnum was the first cartridge to exceed the 45 Colts muzzle energy, but many knowledgeable sixgunners, Elmer Keith included, believed the 45 Colt actually offered more practical power than the First Magnum. Today, it remains one of our most popular sixgun cartridges. for Ruger Blackhawk and T/C, levels in the 20,000 to 25,000 range are Box 488, Escondido, CA 92033. Bullseye is a bit fast for this big cartridge and I dont especially recommend it, but it will work. With the 45 Colt, IMR 4227 is almost magical in being able to provide excellent accuracy when other powders will not. http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/ad.php?t=78528, http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pi&id=1465047205, Vintage Boxes - Gear, Shell, Case, Primer, Group Buys Design, Active , Waiting and Archives, Closed Buys/Waiting for delivery/in shipment, If this is your first visit, be sure to Mississippi Deptartment of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks, State Agency: In 1935 we entered the Magnum Sixgun Era with the arrival of the 357 Magnum; however, long before that we had the 45 Colt. Later production revolvers and lever action rifles are built with .451 diameter grooves., This statement has been repeated many times but holds very little truth. (See note on Powders below or read all about various Powders.) It is becoming more popular with the Cowboy Action Shooting since it is a mild load and can be shot in the guns chambered for the .45 Colt. rifling. The 45 Colt brass was up to the task. Reference to Powder UP and Powder DOWN is to actually shake the gun in an up or down position before firing each round and gently bring the gun to the horizontal and shooting. Employees and agents of Publishers Development Corp. are not eligible. Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection, Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks & Tourism, Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife, Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Rhode Island Department of Fish & Wildlife, North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, New York Department of Environmental Conservation, Mississippi Deptartment of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks, Minnesota Deptartment of Natural Resources, Michigan Deptartment of Natural Resources, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife, Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries, Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources, Hawaii Department of Land & Natural Resources, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, Alabama Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. With the 45 Colt, IMR 4227 is almost magical in being able to provide excellent accuracy when other powders will not. you use any of these loads listed below with STARS (*). The .45 Colt is rapidly approaching 150 years in existence, and it remains one of our finest, most useful, versatile and handloaded sixgun cartridges. Winners will be notified by certified mail on official letterhead. New York Department of Environmental Conservation, State Agency: Taurus Marketing Manager Caleb Giddings highlights the features of the new Taurus Raging Hunter 460 Magnum, a purpose-built revolver with a 10.5-inch barrel and an effective recoil-taming brake, with Guns & Ammo Executive Editor Joe Kurtenbach. When he died in 1862, the company was dedicated to producing the same percussion revolvers. Oregon Trails 250-grain RNFP over 8.0 grains of W231 clocks out just under 1,100 fps with three-shot groups of 1" or less. It is just a guide and the reason you should start under these charges and work up. These Lyman loads are conservative made for older guns. There simply is not much that cannot be accomplished with the 45 Colt. Everyone who has a Ruger Blackhawk or Freedom Arms single-action revolver realizes the roots of these modern guns go back to the Colt Single Action Army. When Ray Thompson was designing his line of bullets, he did not neglect the 45. It's always had a great reputation as a man stopper. I have been pleasantly surprised by the Marlin Trapper. The new 9mm suppressor can mount easily to any pistol barrel threaded x28 inches and doesn't compromise on sound suppression, gas blowback or recoil. Their max load is 6.2 grains for an approx 881 feet per second and a pressure of 13K cup. Winners must respond within 30 days of receiving notification or an alternate winner will be selected. No purchase necessary. SWC - 9.6 grains Unique Lyman # 454190 , 250 gr. This is a great all purpose load for the .45 Colt. (I) Giveaway ends September 30, 2021. Lyman has been an important name for shooters for well over 100 years. I chose the Herco powder to utilize as much case capacity as possible. No purchase necessary. Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, State Agency: I cast the Lyman 452-424 250gr. Wyoming Game & Fish Department, State Agency: sets maximum standards for cartridges; this standard must be set at a level safely usable in the weakest common denominator. My most used powders for these loads are #2400, #9, #4227 and H110. No purchase necessary. I soon added single-cavity molds for the .45 Colt and .38 Special. For several years Smith & Wesson cut throats at 0.455 inch or even larger, but now they seem to be running at a more proper 0.451 to 0.452 inch.