I'm trying to figure out the best powder for Ruger only loads for a black hawk .45 colt. 250gn hi tec coated bullets. IMR 4227 looks good. There should be enough fill to not be able to double charge. What do y'all think?
Powder for. 45 colt.
- Thread starter Jscb1b
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9.0 grn. H-Universal runs about 1,000fps. It’s possible to double load it, but you’d have to really not be paying attention. Makes a nice “Plinker”. I like the same under a 286 Keith.
20.0grn. 2400 will give around 1200fps. Be sure which model Blackhawk (or any other .45 Colt) you’re running with that one.
20.0grn. 2400 will give around 1200fps. Be sure which model Blackhawk (or any other .45 Colt) you’re running with that one.
I just recently started to relaod for the 45 colt. I dont use it for hunting and I really just wanted to duplicate some factory 250 coated lead and plated stuff. I found 8 and 8.5 grains of universal worked great. That seemed a tad stouter than the factory stuff but had the same POI, I didnt bring the chrono on that day wish I would have. I think 8-8.5 load is on the "cowboy action" low end of the spectrum.
- Nov 3, 2010
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Don’t forget Unique. Quite bulky and is good for light to medium loads. Accurate And fun to shoot. As always a little goes a long way.
Unique is what I use for all around plinking, fun shooting. My hunting load are a max load of H110 under a 345g hard cast bullet, roughly 1200fps out of my 7 1/2 inch barreled Blackhawk. That heavy load will split a bowling ball in half. My buddy said I couldn't hurt it and got quiet a shock when I broke it in half.
It took me a long time to figure it out, buuut......
Heavy loads in a .45 Colt can be impressive, and I still load them. But a .45ACP will hurling 230’s at 850 is considered a “stopping”round.
250’s with a good flat nose, cast out of the appropriate alloy, at just past idling speed (say, 20,000cup or 900-1000fps out of a 5.5” barrel) will hurt things and break stuff, without having to grit your teeth before pulling the trigger. To me, that is where the true beauty of the round lies.
25.0grns of 296 under a heat treated 270-SAA is only fun for a cylinder full.
Heavy loads in a .45 Colt can be impressive, and I still load them. But a .45ACP will hurling 230’s at 850 is considered a “stopping”round.
250’s with a good flat nose, cast out of the appropriate alloy, at just past idling speed (say, 20,000cup or 900-1000fps out of a 5.5” barrel) will hurt things and break stuff, without having to grit your teeth before pulling the trigger. To me, that is where the true beauty of the round lies.
25.0grns of 296 under a heat treated 270-SAA is only fun for a cylinder full.
20.0 grains of IMR 4227 and 255 gr. plainbased Keith-style bullet gives me just under 1000 fps from a 4⅝ New Model Flattop. That's about perfect, in my opinion. But there are so many powders that work great for .45 Colt, it's really hard to go wrong. Unique, Universal, W231, the list is pretty long. Google John Tafin and 45 Colt, you'll have plenty to read.
You can easily double charge Unique; probably triple charge it. I've used a lot of Unique in everything from 9mm to 45/70, but that is a risk.
I also like H110 for 45 Colt (appropriate guns only). But for powder puff loads that can't be double charged, Trailboss is the king.
I also like H110 for 45 Colt (appropriate guns only). But for powder puff loads that can't be double charged, Trailboss is the king.
