45 colt loads

[benjaminw7528]

 any hs-7 loads or 700x or bullseye loads would be helpful

[John R.]

I'm not sure if they make HS7 anymore. 13 grs. of HS6 is a favorite load of mine from a 260 gr. to 300 gr. Hard Cast bullet.

[Graybeard]

A bit of advice from someone who has been doing this for 40+ years. Quit looking in your powder storage locker for what you have. Instead look in the loading manuals at what actually works and go buy some. We've told you over and over that what you have on hand is NOT proper for the job ya really oughta listen to that advice.

We've told you numerous times now the correct powders for the task. If yer not gonna listen why keep asking for our advice?

Lots of powders can be made to work safely but not all that can work safely are suited to the task nonetheless. Those you have on hand are not proper and you need to break down and go buy a can or two of what is.

[spinafish]

I have always loaded my .45 LC sorta on the hot side..but as of late, I have backed off.  That being said, I have become a very big fan of Trail Boss.I use one grain under max for the bullet weight.I use it with a 255 cast SWC bullet from a Lee mold.  I recently added a One Ragged Hole sight to my Bisley and after alittle tinkering..got just that..one ragged hole(six shots), at about 17 yards.  You can get load info from the Hodgdon website.  Its an IMR powder, but is marketed under the Hodgdon umbrella now.  You can probably find data for the HS-7 powder in an older manual.  I have used it in the past,but as best as I can recall, it was a fairly heavy load.http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp

[benjaminw7528]

 yea I know graybeard but this time I was just wanting regular loads

[Graybeard]

Regular, irregular, hot, mild or lukewarm ya really need to use proper powders for the cartridge. That's really all I'm trying to tell ya. Reloading is not a game of trying to make what you have work it's a game of picking what works properly and using it.

I do understand the desire folks have to use what's on hand but when it's not really appropriate it's best to get what is. That you keep asking for loads on an internet site like this and clearly have a lack of reloading experience concerns me for your safety. Places like this are NOT the best to obtain safe load data thus the reason I keep trying to caution you.

If you don't already have them buy at least two reloading manuals from reputable data sources then get all the free manuals you can from powder companies as well. If you need safe data the websites for powder makers and bullet makers are safe places. Internet sites like this are not.

My thoughts are the absolute minimum any one who reloads should have on hand at any given time are the most recent or at worst next to most recend manuals from the folks making the bullets they are using and the folks making the powders they are using. Add to that the Lyman manual and get all the free manuals from powder makers you can lay your hands on.

Read them and heed their advice. The internet has too many folks putting out bad info. I try hard to keep an eye out for such here but I can't be everywhere all the time and do not pretend to know it all and might not even recognize an unsafe load given out even if I see it as I don't use all powders or load for all cartridges. What I see in your queries is a new loader looking for data in all the wrong places and trying to pull data from someone for powders not properly suited to the task at hand. When I see that my warning flags all go up.

Take it from a fellow who has already exploded a TC Contender in my hands it is NOT a fun experience. I'm just trying to help you avoid the same experience with your handguns.

[cwlongshot]

Gray beard is telling it straight!!

Bullseye is a BIG NO-NO in the spacious colt case, its flatly too fast a powder.

HS7 was a OK powder, but I used it mostly for duck hunting shotgun loads. Back when you could still shoot lead.

 Pretty much the same story for 700X. i used it for 20 ga loads and some 38 mid-range wad-cutters too.

Out of all of them the HS-7 is best, but FAR FROM the best overall choice!!!

 Use to be THE load for the 45 colt was UNIQUE. Currently, I like what I am seeing form TRAIL BOSS. Its the next powder I will be trying.

CW

[benjaminw7528]

thanks boys I'll just stick to the black stuff till I get some new powder. when I bought the reloader it came with all the powder I said

[Graybeard]

thanks boys I'll just stick to the black stuff till I get some new powder. when I bought the reloader it came with all the powder I said

In that case then quite actually you don't even know what the powders you have are. Some reloaders have bad habits and even dangerous habits. Some times they put powder in cans other than the original cans it came in. Some times they accidentally put the powder from their measure back into the wrong can.

I realize some folks are less concerned about such matters than I am but I refuse to take partial cans or unsealed from the factory cans from anyone and used as opposed to from a store I take it from no one unless I know that person VERY WELL and trust them explicitly.

Reloading is a safe hobby BUT ONLY if you use proper safety precautions and are 100% sure of what you are doing.

[Autorim]

Benjamin,

With all due respect, please heed Graybeard's advice. You need a couple of proper powders. A can of Unique and a can of Trail Boss here in Arkansas is a $30.00 investment. If you cannot afford this investment, you cannot afford to start reloading. IMHO you cannot go wrong with either of these powders and both are very flexible in a variety of loads. Unless the powder you have is in a sealed container, you may not know for a FACT what the powder really is and that could be very devastating. View your investment in propellants of a known factor as an insurance policy against destroying your hand, head, eyes or other body parts. The other absolute requirement is a reliable scale.

A great deal of free info is available on line from powder manufacturers and distributer's. Do not start by using another reloader's loads. The best choice is buying a couple of good reloading manuals and STUDYING them until you really understand what is required to produce quality reloads. And, always weigh your charges.

Like Graybeard, I have been doing this a long time and have done some really stupid stuff. I try not to do that anymore. At age 68 I am still educable and still learning. The hearing is not good, but my body is still intact although somewhat scarred from life's events.

Reloading since 1962 - well, on my own equipment - started learning from a professional loader and bullet caster in 1958.

Good shooting,

Autorim

[Glanceblamm]

In that case then quite actually you don't even know what the powders you have are. Some reloaders have bad habits and even dangerous habits. Some times they put powder in cans other than the original cans it came in. Some times they accidentally put the powder from their measure back into the wrong can.

Makes me shiver
Benjaminw7528...Why dont you just dump this stuff out while you are ahead? It makes great garden fertilizer.

[Lloyd Smale]

bullseye is a good powder in the 45 for light loads. Just keep them light. The other two you listed are not my favorite powders. Ive never had real great luck with accuracy with either of them. Another thing to consider with hs7 is its not made anymore so any load you work up will be worthless when you run out of powder. Hs6 has been a much better powder for me anyway. 700x is such a thick flake powder that it doesnt flow through a powder measure worth a crap so its a powder you need to weight every charge with. The powders i use mostly in the 45 are for lighter loads up to 1000 fps, unique, power pistol and herco. For midrange 1000-1100 i use mostly hs6 and 2400. For heavy loads aa9, 110, 296 and 4227 are hard to beat. For really light plinking loads bullseye 231 and hp38 have worked well. Redot would be another but its another powder that doesnt meter well enough to use on a progressive press.

[BIG Dog454]

I've been at reloading since 1959, take some advice from some old hands at this, like Graybeard, Listen and you will learn without having to find out by making mistakes.  It's much easier, and cheaper, to spend a few bucks on the right powder for the job, then to ruin a gun or get hurt.

[larry357]

Ben, All that powder you got in the deal with your equipment needs to be sprinkled on the grass for fertilizer. There is no way that you can be sure of whats in the bottle=very dangerous. For 45Colt my guns and me really like Unique loads and 2400 loads for plinkin to huntin. A little Bullseye goes a long way for plinkin loads.

[Autorim]

I suggested Unique and Trail Boss because both perform well in my .45LC and .45AR and a double charge is easier to spot. I doubt if you can double charge with Trail Boss. I visually check all cases after charging and before seating - even in the Dillon. A double charge of Bullseye is quite a handful.

I agree with the other postings - dump any suspect powder. It is not worth the gamble for the small amount of savings.

Autorim