Author Topic: .45 Blackhawk Load? (Read 2383 times)

DannoBoone · « **on:** April 07, 2005, 03:13:00 PM »

I've become interested in loading ammo for deer hunting
with a Ruger Blackhawk .45 Colt. Currently, I have a box of
.451 230gr XTP's (left over from ML hunting) and five
different powders to get me started. I have been asking
several people what a good load would be........there seems
to be some very hot, HOT shooters out there. For instance,
a guy at a local gun shop told me today that he loads 27gr
N-110 behind a 250gr bullet. That's hotter than loads I've
seen for the .44 Mag!! :shock:

The powders I have are IMR4227, Bullseye, 2400, SR4759
and N110. Any ideas for an impressive (but safe) load with
any of these powders with a 230gr bullet? Primer? COL?

Thanks!

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #1 on:** April 07, 2005, 10:10:32 PM »

best thing to do is consult a loading manual just about all of them have loads that are for ruger specific guns now.

WD45 · « **Reply #2 on:** April 08, 2005, 06:35:27 AM »

Lloyd is right.... get a couple of good loading manuals and go from there.
And it doesn't take T-REX loads to kill deer or hogs. All they do is beat you to death and burn more powder. :-)

Castaway · « **Reply #3 on:** April 08, 2005, 10:02:26 AM »

First thing I'd do is to get some heavier bullets, starting at 250 or 255 grains. Being a fan of cast, I'd recommend that first, but next in line would be a 250 grain XTP. I've found that my heavier loads with a 300 grain bullet print 15" higher at 50 yards than my sights can adjust for.

sharps4590 · « **Reply #4 on:** April 09, 2005, 08:25:41 AM »

Somewhere in the dim and distant past I vaguely recall shooting jacketed bullets in a handgun....must have been in a different life. I'd recommend what has been posted by another and get a heavier, hard cast bullet for hunting. My load for deer sized game in my Ruger is 18.5 grs. of H-110 which is a load out of my RCBS Cast Bullet Manual for the KT-SWC at 255 grs. and is one grain below max. The Manual shows a load of 15.9-17.9 grs. of 2400 for the same bullet with a listed velocity of from 1126-1262. Sorry I don't have any jacketed information.

What kind of muzzleloader takes jacketed bullets?

Vic

Greeenriver · « **Reply #5 on:** April 09, 2005, 10:36:31 AM »

"What kind of muzzleloader takes jacketed bullets? "

About any muzzlwloader will take jacketed bullets when use with plastic sabots.

It's a perty commom usage here in Michigan for muzzleloader hunting. Gives a lighter bullet and higher speed and the pistol bullets used are in the right range for good expansion.

Greeenriver(Never gotten away from the patched round ball loads for mine. They work good for me.)

sharps4590 · « **Reply #6 on:** April 09, 2005, 01:46:18 PM »

I guess it's mostly those new in-lines I hear so much fuss over, correct? Tain't fittin'......jes tain't fittin'. Jacketed bullets and a plastic patch? I bet they put 'scopes on them thangs too! Why not just use a bolt gun?

I'm being facetious, not a smart a$$. I was aware of them. Probably a poor attempt at humor on my part.

Vic

lisa1lacy2 · « **Reply #7 on:** April 12, 2005, 07:05:27 AM »

I agree check loading manual first :shock:
I have a ruger bisley 45 colt my deer load is a 240gr xtp with cci lp mag primer and 27.5gr H110 28.0 is max I got my load from the hodgdon manual

DannoBoone · « **Reply #8 on:** April 12, 2005, 04:32:42 PM »

Quote from: lisa1lacy2

I agree check loading manual first :shock:
I have a ruger bisley 45 colt my deer load is a 240gr xtp with cci lp mag primer and 27.5gr H110 28.0 is max I got my load from the hodgdon manual

Thanks, Brian. I've read the Bisley can take more of a punch than the
Blackhawk. Is that 240XTP you use .451 or .452?

I served with a Lloyd Milner in the Army in the early-mid '70's who was
from your area. Any relation?

lisa1lacy2 · « **Reply #9 on:** April 13, 2005, 04:13:31 AM »

hay DB the xtp I use is the xtp mag and their 452 and your welcome

don't know if I am related have to check with my dad he was in the airforce his name is james. and you can load that in any ruger the bh and the bisley are the same gun with diff grip frames :grin:

Blackhawk44 · « **Reply #10 on:** April 14, 2005, 02:11:52 PM »

Check your manual first, but you'll find either 18-20grs of 4227 or 16-17grs of 2400 will do what you need for now. They'll do about 1000fps or just over and they won't set the brush on fire. After you finish with those you can get some 250gr bullets and by then you'll know if you want to try anything faster. If you have an old Colt, replica or New Service laying around you want to get a red felt marker and color the case heads so a Ruger load does not get in one of the others, just to be safe.

Onty · « **Reply #11 on:** May 06, 2005, 07:51:36 PM »

Quote from: DannoBoone

... I've read the Bisley can take more of a punch than the Blackhawk...

I always thought that basic frame is identical on both, Bisley and BH. Some folks even swapped grip frame, trigger and hammer between those two revolvers. If so, no difference in gun strength, just how much recoil shooter can take as the result of grip frame configuration. Please, correct me if I am wrong.

Be aware that for majority heavy recoil is handled better with Bisley grip. However, the only way to find out which configuration suits you better is to try same load in BH, SBH and Bisley.

jd45 · « **Reply #12 on:** May 07, 2005, 05:26:07 AM »

Danno, please clarify regarding that N110 charge. Are you talking VV N110, or Hodgdon H110. Reason I ask is that in Taffin's article on sixgunner.com, titled "Taffin tests the .45 Colt", he lists VV N110 @ 17.2grs for 3 bullets, an RCBS 255KT (cast) @1041fps, Hornady 250XTP @ 928fps, & a Speer 260JHP @934fps. I'm curious as to whether you can stuff 27grs ov VV N110 in a .45 Colt case & not blow the gun up. Of course, if its burn rate is close to H110, then it might be possible. I'd like to know, so I can try some of this powder. Thanx for the feedback, jd45

jd45 · « **Reply #13 on:** May 09, 2005, 06:58:09 AM »

Danno, I just checked a burn-rate chart & N110 is next to H110, (actually, a touch faster. So it looks promising for warm loads in pistol & rifle, jd45

DannoBoone · « **Reply #14 on:** May 26, 2005, 04:15:48 PM »

Quote from: jd45

Danno, please clarify regarding that N110 charge. Are you talking VV N110, or Hodgdon H110. Reason I ask is that in Taffin's article on sixgunner.com, titled "Taffin tests the .45 Colt", he lists VV N110 @ 17.2grs for 3 bullets, an RCBS 255KT (cast) @1041fps, Hornady 250XTP @ 928fps, & a Speer 260JHP @934fps. I'm curious as to whether you can stuff 27grs ov VV N110 in a .45 Colt case & not blow the gun up. Of course, if its burn rate is close to H110, then it might be possible. I'd like to know, so I can try some of this powder. Thanx for the feedback, jd45

Sorry for the delay.....haven't been back here for awhile. Just got the
rest of my reloading stuff needed. The guy was speaking of VV N110, just
a tad bit faster than H110. He said that the 27gr load required some
compression. I don't plan on starting out with any more than 24gr. (N110
is GREAT in my Savage ML! :-) , but then, that's a horse of a different
color!)

jro45 · « **Reply #15 on:** June 12, 2005, 11:50:11 AM »

I use 2400 and load it to 1450 fps with a 240 hornady bullet XTP. And this load is in the book.

jakes10mm · « **Reply #16 on:** June 18, 2005, 10:17:59 PM »

I have been playing with H110 in various charges for 250gr, 255gr, and 300gr bullets. My only concern is that I've resorted to "personal handloads" I found on the internet for a starting point. Hodgdon starts their H110 loads at 325gr bullets for 45 Colt, but they have plenty of lighter bullet llistings for 44mag.

The H110 loads have plenty of punch! I have also tried 2400 with good results. Today I loaded Accurate No 7 loads but haven't had a chance to shoot them. If these prove accurate, I will probably stick with No 7 or No 9...they list respectable velocities with relatively low powder charges.

I did try some Pyrodex Pellets with a 200 gr LRN bullet. Now that is a fun round! Lots of smoke and a good sized fireball. With a blackpowder substitute powder load, you could get to deer-level velocities....

Greeenriver · « **Reply #17 on:** June 19, 2005, 04:42:09 PM »

Jakes 10mm, them Pyrodex loads were fun, wern't they!!! For much shooting, Pyrodex needs a BP specific lube on the bullets. Try 3f American Pionier Powder, about 2.2cc's in a 45 case, (or grind 1/4 in off a fired case and don't resize or reprime it, sodder on a wire handle, and use it for a dipper), and a 200 or 250 grn cast bullet with any comercial lube on it. Easy clean up and the APP makes it's own lube. I been using 2.2 or 2.5cc, (the LEE dippers) and a cast slug for Deer for several years now. It sure does the job if I do my part.

Greeenriver(BP smoke on a clear morning just smells like History)

hombrey · « **Reply #18 on:** July 28, 2005, 02:52:38 PM »

I JUST DID SOME SHOOTING THIS PAST SUNDAY WITH MY .45LC RUGER BISLEY. I CAME ACROSS A LOAD THAT SHOOTS VERY GOOD AT 50 YARDS USING 325 GR LFNPB LBT BULLETS FROM CAST PERFMORMANCE BULLET CO. BEHING 9 GR UNIQUE AND CCI PRIMERS..4 INCH GROUP AT 50 YARDS...
300 GRAIN CAST BULLETS BEHIND 8 GRAINS UNIQUE
255 GRAIN CAST BULLETS BEHIND 8 GRAINS UNIQUE 3 TO 3 AND 1/2" GROUP AT 50 YARDS
HORNADY 250XTPHP BEHIND 11.5 UNIQUE 3 AND 3/4" AT 50 YARDS
ALSO SAME BULLET BEHIND 19 GRAINS OF 2400 IS OK AT 50 YARDS
SIERRA 240JHP BEHIND 9 GRAINS UNIQUE IS VERY GOOD AT 50 YARDS
.
MY PREFFERENCE IS WITH THE CAST BULLETS.CHEAPER TO BUY AND EASIER ON THE BARREL..ALSO UNIQUE IS A GOOD POWDER TO WORK WITH...
HOPE THIS IS OF HELP TO YOU SIXGUNNERS OUT THERE...

oso45-70 · « **Reply #19 on:** July 29, 2005, 03:55:15 PM »

Hombrey,

I too use unique powder and have for many years, Does every thing i ask it to do from plinking to heavy hunting loads. Hard cast, Nothing else. Have a good day..........Joe........Adios Hombrey

Mannlicher · « **Reply #20 on:** July 30, 2005, 09:27:50 AM »

While fast max loads are fun, they are not necessary for hunting Whitetails or hogs with a .45 Colt. The load that works for me, year in, and year out is a Speer 250 grain LSWC over 10 grains of Unique.