Old reloading manuals, wide variance in data for 45 colt

[Ron C.]

Just want to get some thoughts here.  Getting ready to to reload for Uberti Cattleman I bought at Cabela's (see thread below) w/ 4 3/4 inch barrels.  Have a quantity of Unique powder, Remington 2  1/2 primers, and bought some Laser Cast 250 gr. RNFP bullets and Starline brass. Pulled out my old (mid 70s) Speer and Lyman manuals.  Both have listings for Colt SAA with same weight bullets.  Speer lists starting load of 8 gr. of Unique with a max of 8.5 gr. .  They also list hotter loads (for Ruger or TC only) of 9 gr. starting and 10 gr. max. I know the Uberti is only for Colt SAA type loads.
   Went to Lyman manual for some loads with Unique and they list a starting load for same bullet of 7.5 gr. but a max of 10.3 gr which exceeds the Ruger load listed by Speer.  They definitely show this as loads for SAA not Ruger.  
   I don't plan to hot load for these but was thinking of about an 8 gr. load which should give me a little over 800 fps for plinking.  Just wondering how hot you can load for these revolvers for 'serious" uses as opposed to targets.  Thanks for any input.

[DzrtRat]

Ron, a look at John Linebaugh's "gunnotes" shows that he suggests loads using a 260 gr cast bullet for a Ruger load starting at 10.5 gr of Unique (24,800 CUP) and a max of 12.0 gr of Unique (30,000 CUP).

I think SAAMI specs for the SAA are 15,900 CUP max, so I would say that the 10.3 gr Unique load is going to be a little warm in your pistol.

Could it be that you are looking at loads for a jacketed bullet rather than a cast in the Lyman manual?  You can't use as much powder with a cast bullet as you do with a jacketed, but the cast bullet will achieve greater velocity with less powder.

~Rat

[Blackhawk44]

After shooting a few loads with 9gr Unique in your pistol (and similar frames), I believe you will find it about all you want in that pistol.   In addition to not having the frame strength of the Ruger, it also does not have the weight to counteract the recoil.  That load should get you about 900fps or so and at the shorter ranges will handle the average deer and boar better than you might imagine.  For many years, 8.5gr has been my factory duplication load and usually clocks about 850fps.  Going below about 8gr with Unique is not recommended because it begins to burn erratically and is below its designed working pressure range.  BOL.

[44 Man]

Amen on the 9.0 gr Unique.  With a 255 gr fp cast bullet that's my all around load and will do anything you ask of it.  Depends on the gun, but usually will do 900/950 fps.  This load kills all out of proportion to it's paper ballistics on deer etc.  Best source on the subject is the book "Reloading Colt Single Actions" by Bryan Pierce.  He covers anything you might want to do with a SAA type gun.  He also has some great info on loading cast bullets without leading.  Buy one, rent one, steal one if you have to before you start loading for that gun.      44Man

[Steve P]

8.0 gr unique is my "plinking' load for my Ruger.  It is a good, accurate, all around load that even my kids can shoot.   I think it will do everything you will want and need.

Steve  

[Jayhawk Dan]

Thanks to Ron C. for raising this question because I've had some similar questions!
    Hey, Steve P., what weight of bullet are you shooting over the 8.0 gr Unique, and what Ruger are you shooting this in?
    I'm going to reload for my Ruger Vaquero (.45 Colt, 7 1/2" barrel) and have been convinced to use a 250-255 grain hard cast bullet.  I'm now convinced that I'm going to begin with 8.0 grains of Unique and , if possible, work my way up to 9.0 grains as my max load.

Jayhawk Dan

[Ka6otm]

Ron C,

The Laser Cast Reloading Manual First Edition in its loadings for Standard and Cowboy loads (Not Ruger pressures) lists the 250 gr. RNFP as follows:

Starting load: 6.7 gr. unique, 708 fps in a 4-3/4" Vaquero
Maximum load: 8.1 gr. unique, 842 fps in the same Vaquero

Ka6otm

[Ron C.]

Thanks for all the input,  does 8.4 gr. of Unique with above components sound fine for an Uberti?   Tested a couple of loads with 8 gr. today and no signs of pressure, felt pretty light.

[44 Man]

According to Bryan Pierce, (reloader magazine) you can shoot 9.0 gr Unique with a 250/255 cast bullet forever without no harm to Colt/clones.  I got that load from Skeeter Skelton in Shooting Times way back when and have shot it ever since.  It's the only thing I have loaded for the last 20 years in 45lc.  Works well with any bullet, swc or rnfp.  I'm at work so I can't check it but I believe my old Speer manual lists 10.0 gr Unique for the Rugers.    44 Man

[Ron C.]

I loaded up some of the Laser Cast 250 gr.  with 8.4 gr. Unique, Rem. 2 1/2 primers in Starline cases and was able to shoot today along with some Ultramax  250 gr. loads which I know are very mild (750 fps).  My loads appear to be more accurate and shoot much cleaner.  The Ultramax
left some brown flakes in the barrel and chambers.  Recoil did not feel much different, report was a little sharper with handloads.  Primers on handloads looked just a little flatter than the Ultramax, but certainly not showing signs of excess pressure.  Questions:

   I think I will drop back to 8.2 gr. for target and load up a box or so at 9 gr. for any serious needs.  Since I have a quantity of Unique I will use it up, but does anyone think powder such as 4227 or 2400 is better as it fills the case more?

  Also wondering if I am crimping them correctly.  I seat the bullet until the crimp groove is just barely visible above the case mouth.  The crimp depth I set allows you to just barely feel the case mouth with a fingernail after crimping, if that makes sense.  

   Thanks again.

[44 Man]

I would use a heavier crimp, especially if you want to use 4227 or 2400 later.  It will help the powder burn better and cleaner.  Some dies use a taper crimp which is about like you have now and will not crimp any more than that.  If yours will not make a heavier crimp, get a lee factory crimp die.  With a heavy crimp, you may sometimes bulge the case if you get a brass case that is a couple of thousants long.  The lee die resizes the case on the way out to eliminate that possibility.    44 Man

[OOBuckshot]

I have been warned not to load the Uberti single action revolvers too hot. I started with eight grs. of Unique and a 255gr swc. Eight grains had a little more bounce than I wanted so I tried seven grains today and that felt much better. I am shooting The Beretta Stampeed made by Uberti. A fun gun to shoot, but it has a hair trigger. There is my two cents worth. OOBuckshot