Reloading .45 Colt

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  • MattTheGunslinger

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 26, 2010
    1,373
    Baltimore county
    I am getting back into reloading .45 Colt for my soon to be acquired Uberti 1873 rifle. I have everything I need but for the life of me I can not find my reloading book. Is there anyone out there willing to take a photo of the page that has load data for 255gr lead projectiles for me? I would greatly appreciate it.
     

    j8064

    Garrett Co Hooligan #1
    Feb 23, 2008
    11,635
    Deep Creek
    Here you go. From Lyman's 47th edition.
     

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    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    Lyman 50th and lee 2nd edition
     

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    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    PS those are for pistol. I can go back and look later if there is separate rifle reloading data for 45 colt, but I don't think they have it for LEAD 255gr. Pretty sure Lee has it for rifles separate from pistols, but I don't think Lee has lead projectile data for them. That is another way of saying, that velocity data isn't going to be remotely close out of your rifle, but should be good safe loads (and a different powder might be more efficient out of a rifle).
     

    MattTheGunslinger

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 26, 2010
    1,373
    Baltimore county
    You are awesome as well! Thank you. Ill be using these cartridges in both my Ruger New Vaqueros and my 1873 rifle but I figured on loading them the same. That way I wont run a chance of mixing them up.
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    I am still pretty new to loading, so I do have one question though. Is there any significant reason the load data is different for the accurate #5 powder in those two books? I only have the Lymans book so never noticed a difference.

    Often you'll find wildly different numbers. That being one example. I've got Lyman, Lee, Hornady, Speer, Alliant and Hogdon guide.

    Across all of them I generally see at least slightly different max and min loads for the same powder, same bullet and roughly the same COAL. That's largely why every reloading manual says to "start low and work your way up".

    Though what can make it really challenging is, what if one manual gives you a DNR (do not reduce) minimum starting load, that happens to be the same as someone else's max load?!?

    The wonders of reloading (and I haven't been doing it long, but been spending a ton of time talking to a buddy who has been for decades).

    What is going to mess with you more is what happens when someone lists the DNR (do not reduce) minimum starting load for a cartridge the same as someone else's max load? That's why I try to find 3 sources for the same load if I can and see if two agree or come close to agreeing. I tend to ignore the outlier and stick to the other two.

    Or failing that, I'll use google and poke around to see if some guys out there are using something that seems to agree with one of the loading manuals.

    If all else fails, then I'll try to stick with a load that falls in the agreement zone between the two manuals and then when I get it to the range, make sure its making a velocity that makes sense. At least so far I am not loading anything where I need to juice things to the max. Once I am working on hunting loads or in general rifle loads I might be starting to get in to that territory more.

    For instance I've got 5.3-5.7gr bullseye under a 230gr RN for .45acp depending on the source. I tried 4.7 and 5gr. I think I am going to stick with 5gr. Not the stoutest, but not pussyfooting around either. Getting 786fps with an SD of 15.5fps for a 10 shot group out of my Glock 21. I got 748fps with an SD of 14.5fps with the 4.7gr. That's with small pistol primer cases though. Large pistol primers might get me a few more fps (the little data I can find seems to show a general gain of around 10-20fps depending on the powder used for small vs large pistol primers and .45acp. One or two loads, the small primers were a couple of FPS faster, one load was like 40fps faster with the large. Most were only slightly faster with the large primers).

    *edit* One other thought is what gun were they using (especially in regards to velocities generated). Good reloading books are going to tell you things with legacy cartridges like "NOT SAFE FOR OLDER .45-70" for example. Or you could be getting in to +p loadings with the appropriate brass and gun (since there are +p and +p+ with some cartridge's).
     

    MattTheGunslinger

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 26, 2010
    1,373
    Baltimore county
    Thanks again for the excellent response. Right now, I only load for plinking. I have been using the Acc #5 load from lymans for a while and its been fine for shooting paper. I would eventually like to work up a load for my 7.5" New Vaquero that could be a nice defensive round and could double as a nice hunting round out of the '73, if there is such a load. I suppose I need to invest in a chronograph soon. Everything I own and plan on getting in the future will be modern reproduction guns by Uberti and Ruger. I dont want to worry about blowing up an old collectable.
     

    vipor5

    Member
    Jul 9, 2020
    15
    Maryland, Cheltenham
    I see someone gave you some data that includes "trail boss" powder. That works great if you ar only going to shoot the rounds through your rifle. a little disappointing in a revolver but great in the long barrels.
     

    Biggfoot44

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 2, 2009
    32,884
    NEW ( aka small frame) Vaquero are a known -ish thing , and in the right places have their own data .

    Conservatively , they will handle . 45acp pressures . And quite a few loaders will go another thousand or two ( more or less .45 acp +P level )

    OR find data for " Ruger & Contender Only " that has pressures listed for both Start and max loads . The start loads will often be around 20K , and could be considered Max loads for downsized Rugers ( reduce to start, etc)


    Should have no trouble approaching 1100fps with right powder .

    Using 20-22K loads in 1873 Win replicas , I offer no comment .

    With the right powders
     

    MattTheGunslinger

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 26, 2010
    1,373
    Baltimore county
    Thanks for the posts y’all.

    Biggfoot, I thought it was the old Vaqueros built on the heavier frame that had “ruger only” listings in old books? Is the New Vaquero still that sturdy to take the “ruger only” loads?
     

    Biggfoot44

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 2, 2009
    32,884
    That was the STARTING loads from the Ruger Only data , IF the Start loads have a suitable pressure listed .

    If so , treat the Start load as your Maximum , drop down usual 10% and work up . I'll come back here in a few minutes to give some examples .

    Added : ( with 250gr XTP because Hodgon "magazine" manual doesn't list a 250 cast for Ruger only . Subsisting most cast bullets of same weight will * usually * be somewhat to significantly lower pressures with same charge .

    Titegroup. 8.0 @ 21,100 ( regular .45C. Max 6.3gr @ 12,700 )

    Longshot 12.0gr @ 22,100 .

    Older Accurate Arms manuals ( from before merged with Western Powders ) had their " Ruger Only " loads topping out at only 20K , kind of attenuated for the then intended ( big) Blackhawks , but right up your current alley .

    And of course Brian Pearce writing in Handloader has broken down. .45 Colt loads to at least 4 different pressure catagories .

    And off the top of my head , Alliant Herco and Ramshot Zip give particularly high velocities within the SAAMI 14K .
     

    Bolts Rock

    Living in Free America!
    Apr 8, 2012
    6,123
    Northern Alabama
    I see someone gave you some data that includes "trail boss" powder. That works great if you ar only going to shoot the rounds through your rifle. a little disappointing in a revolver but great in the long barrels.

    Trail Boss works just fine in 5-1/2" SAA clones and 7" Schofields. I use the same load for rifles and pistols and can hit a full IPSC silhouette 7 out of 10 times at 200 yards with the Schofields. Out of 18" and 20" 1873 rifles no problem hitting at 100 and 200 yards unless it's really windy. The 30" High Wall is even better....yes I have a .45 Colt High Wall I got for stupid cheap. My loads aren't even close to hot, they're moderate cowboy loads. If I wanted to take them to the maximum for the guns I'd use Titegroup.
     

    Donald1818

    Active Member
    Aug 22, 2013
    351
    Baltimore
    I am getting back into reloading .45 Colt for my soon to be acquired Uberti 1873 rifle. I have everything I need but for the life of me I can not find my reloading book. Is there anyone out there willing to take a photo of the page that has load data for 255gr lead projectiles for me? I would greatly appreciate it.

    i have been shooting mine for years, and love it.

    D
     

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