.45 colt loads

[hunter]

Hi guys
Any good load data for the .45 colt would help. I'm using a Ruger Blackhawk and soon to own Handi in .45colt.

Thank You
Hunter A.K.A. Darrel

[Evil Dog]

First off would have to know which bullet.

[hunter]

250gr cast plain base and 250gr hornady xtp

[Lone Star]

I really like BlueDot in all my .45LC handguns.  It gives plenty of velocity and bulks up better than Unique or some of the ball propellants.  Some of my most accurate .45LC loads are with BlueDot and the 250XTP.  In your strong-action pistols, start at 14 grains and work up carefully.  Standard primers, moderate crimp.  Speer lists a max load of 16 grains with their 225-grain bullet, but Sierra lists up to a maximum of 16.4 grains with their 300-grain bullet!! 

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[Lloyd Smale]

need to know a few things first. What ruger is it? is it the old large framed ruger or the newer small framed guns and what kind of speed are you wanting to achieve. I wont post loads here but if you figure out what you want pm me and ill give you some advise. Personaly i quit using bluedot altogether. Ive alllways found powders that gave better accuracy and i dont like the fact then when you push it to top end loads it goes from mild to wild in the pressure dept. with just a small increase in charge weight. Ive seen loads go from looking and extracting normaly to flatened primers and pound up cases with just a half grain increase in charge weight. Theres better powders in that burn rate like hs6,hs7,2400, ect. For mid range load probably my favorite is hs6

[Tom W.]

Green dot does well in revolver with 250 gr. cast bullets.

[PaulS]

45 Colt and a 255 grain cast bullet just begs for Unique powder. It is probably the oldest standard powder for the gun since black powder. It works well and can give you some serious loads. If you are after all out brutal performance then your Ruger is capable of using H110 just as well. Depending on your bullet alloy you may need gas-checks on the bullet at higher velocities.

[FourBee]

Hunter:
      I'm searching for more info on .45 loads myself.    Besides the couple of Reloading Manuals, I've found some Data on the Internet.    Most interesting to me is that of the new 'IMR' Trail Boss smokeless powder for Cowboy Action Shooting.   From what I've read IMR has been bought out by Hodgon but their powder is still sold under IMR's trade name.      I'll try and find it locally, but if  I can't, Midway handles it.  

[Luckyducker]

A short barreled Ruger Vaquero in 45Colt loaded with 5.8 grains of Trail Boss behind a 250 LRN slugs gives 700 ft/sec which makes an excellent CAS round.