I took three different loads for my 3 1/2" Bird's Head Vaquero to the range today and shot'm over my chronograph (also shot away part of the chrono, but that's a different story!). The bullet in all three loads was a 240 gr. LSWC. The first load was with 11.8 gr. of AA5 and produced an average velocity (6 shots) of 923 fps. Load #2 was 12.3 gr. of AA5 and that gave me 942 fps. That load was the maximum recommended in my Hornady reloading manual. The third load used 12.5 gr. of AA5 and launched that bullet at 958 fps. The 12.3 grain load was the most accurate. Now, the upshot of the whole thing is that when I got home the latest issue of American Handgunner landed in my mailbox and in an article entitled "The .45 Colt Sucks!" Mike Venturino tells me that the maximun velocity he can get with a 250 gr. bullet from a 7 1/2" barrel is 848 fps!! I'm thinking that 958 fps from a 3 1/2" barrel translates into about 1,000 fps from a 7 1/2" barrel. Mike needs to get his chrono checked!
