Big Bad 45 Colt (and rambling)

Ok, not so much. I started with a minimum load. Since I have the Super Redhawk Alaskan I thought I would try some hot 45 Colt loads. I have some 360 grain CPB bullets for the 454 and H110. I loaded 18 grains of H110 (Hodgdon minimum) under the 360 CPB. Results were surprising for the 2.5" barrel SRHA. The recoil was very manageable, I did have a large flame front (shooting at night), and it was very loud. Hodgdon says 20,200 CUP. Of course nice round primers. No obvious signs of pressure.

On the left 250gr RNFP
On the right 360gr LFN GC with a big crimp

And since there is always a thread going on about bench pics here's mine.

And yes as you see my presses are both Lee. My scale is Lyman, dies are a mix of Lee, RCBS, and Dillon. All primers are Winchester and Remington. Powder drop is Lee. OAL trimmer is Lyman. Books are Nosler and Hornady. Lots of lead in the lower box on the right. Reloading tools and hand tools in the drawers on the left.

Nice bench.

I have a 45 colt ruger Blackhawk. I love the plinking loads. That 250 grain RNFP at lower speeds makes a great trap gun and is a lot of fun just to shoot. For my hot loads im using IMR 4227 and 240 grain sierra hollow cavity's. Not as fun to shoot but they hit with authority.

Wow, that 360 CPB looks awesome. I would love to know what is chronographs out of your Alaskan. I think I'll give it a try in my 45 Colt S&W Mountain Gun.

BigDad Hodgdon says 1012 ft/s out of a 7.25" barrel. I'm guessing I'm running 750-800 out of the 2.5" Alaskan. Just shot it out of my 5.5" Vaquero and its rather stout for that grip. The suckers are also rather pricy but I think I'm going to enjoy them.

How hot can you load a 45 Colt if used in a Ruger Blackhawk? (Standard Blackhawk) What is the velocity, muzzle energy?

Dave I would suggest using book data. Ruger will only endorse the SAAMI max of 14,000. I personally do not have the knowledge to suggest otherwise. Some suggest the blackhawk is good to 30,000 CUP but that's information from individuals. Linebaugh did a lot of lab testing on this. you may want to research his data.

You sure about that? Book data includes loads for (Ruger, Freedom Arms, and TC) up to 30k CUP.

I have been running pressures well over 14k CUP out of my 7.5 inch barrel Blackhawk for quite a while...

I am only sure that Ruger for liability reasons will not endorse loads hotter than 14k. Case in point is my New Vaquero which is a smaller frame the the original Vaquero. The original framed guns including the Blackhawk have been tested independently up to a 60k bursting point and it has been said that half failure pressure is considered a safe operating pressure. This is where the 30k max load theory came from. That data did not come from ruger. The New Vaquero like mine with its smaller frame and cylinder has not been tested but is believed to be safe up to 23k. The cylinder and top strap on it are thicker than SAA and clones but not as large as the original.

Some newer manuals have took "Ruger Only" out of their books because of this new mid frame gun. I do realize he was talking about a Blackhawk which should be fine.

I guess im only suggesting load at your own risk past SAAMI specs. And yes, I do it. But I will not blame a book or weapons manufacturer when I blow myself up.

Here's the info I was quoting. I knew I had read it somewhere.

http://www.customsixguns.com/writings/dissolving_the_myth.htm

Very interesting... I had always loaded by the book as in ruger t/c freedom arms and thought that was fine. Now im gonna have to dig through my info and paperwork on the gun and see what it says. Coulndt find anything on Ruger's site.

Just pulled the 45 lever action out of the safe. These wide flat nose bullets cycle nicely thru the rifle. Wish I would have took it with me this morning for testing.

Good information. Thanks

What are the trade offs between bullet weight and velocity? A heavier bullet generates more pressure but ought to drive deeper into a game animal. On a 45 Colt fired in a standard Ruger Black Hawk. As has been said, we don't want an unsafe load but if a more powerful than usual load can be handled with no apparent ill effect- what would be some combinations?
Usually, I believe, a lead bullet can be driven at a higher velocity than a jacketed bullet- at equal levels of pressure. Little is said however on whether a hardcast lead bullet or gas check changes pressure.
And....any reloading has hazards. If I recall, years ago guys loaded very small charges in a 38 Special using wadcutters and for some unknown reason it was a bad combination, the top straps on revolvers were getting blown off. According to the theory it should not have been happening.
So...if someone has shot an occasional load in 45 Colt- out of a standard Blackhawk, over a period of years, with no pressure signs or ill effects. that information would be good.

That quote is from Buffalo Bore website. They have been loading +P ammo for years and I have shot a few hundred rounds of the first load listed on this. Link without ill effects from a Ruger Blackhawk. Notice the new Model Vaquero (small frame) are not included for use with the +P loads. Have also loaded 300gr jacketed to max listed loads listed at 30K PSI for it.

Backed off those loads some, not for issues with the gun, but they do recoil in the Blackhawk more than I really liked. Only had about 500 rounds through the Blackhawk before I sold it to help fund another gun, but it was as tight as ever.

Kmon1 I put 1 round of these through the new vaquero and decided it was not for me. Very uncomfortable and I have have other guns for the higher pressure.

Had a magna-ported 44mag blackhawk for a while, recoil wasn't that bad after the ports were put in. Down to one blackhawk not a 10.5 inch bqrreled 357max, the extra lenght and weight helps with the recoil and that is an accurate hunting pistol.

I bet that lighter weight ruger does have a snappy recoil with the heavier loads

I run 360gr 45 colts through my Blackhawk and SuperRedHawk. They work great and hit harder than a 44 mag.

If recoil becomes an issue, use a batting or a golf glove [the only use I have for golf equipment actually] and most of the sting goes away immediately.

I must admit I'm a 45 Colt fan. Now for some mea culpa; in the past I've said a word or two about open carry- like I'm agin it but years ago, in another state- I did some of that. I had two rigs with belt loops. The 44 Mag was good but on the 45 Colt- eyes would always pop, I'd have some folks always ask about what size cartridges are those? Got me liking the 45 Colt. In any event I've always liked the 45 Colt and sort of sore you can't bump it up to 44 Mag levels, still- the Ruger Blackhawk seems so much stronger than some of the ancient SSA Colts that it's ridiculous not to load a little better.

I'm pretty sure I'm going to stick with the super redhawk for the heavies. I may try a golf glove with vaquero. It may be enjoyable.

I'll be starting load development for my Bisley Blackhawk. Fell in love with the .45 Colt and that long barreled revolver thanks to Geezer Ranger and Dennis in Ft Worth. Thanks, guys..

I might have to start casting bullets.

Will have dies soon.

From the other thread about the bullets



If you do not like the heavier bullets in the New Vaquero, you have a gun they will work in and should be a real thumper from the rifle on hogs or whatever you use them on.

Dave, who says you can't bump .45 Colt to .44 Mag levels? I believe you can do just that, and even surpass .44 Mag---IF your revolver is up to it. As I understand it, the Blackhawk is up to it.

https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_list&c=8

45lc can get plenty hot in the right guns.

RiverRider: That's what I didn't know. Originally the cartridge used a balloon case but then switched over to a solid web, so as far as the case goes- no trouble as far as I know. The second issue was the revolver the case was used in, the thickness of the chamber boring to the outside of the cylinder plus the bolt notch/cut made everything too thin on a Colt SSA to load too hot. As I understand it, if a 5 shot cylinder of a little greater diameter is used, you have more metal between chamber and outside and the bolt notch is not directly under the chamber- so...you can really bump things up. I wasn't sure if the standard Ruger Blackhawk had more metal in these areas than the old Colts and how much you could load hot without a problem. Ideally, if I had the money, I guess a Freedom Arms in 454 Casull would be nice but I was thinking a Blackhawk was more of a reality.
Now...on this load "Hot" idea. I'm not talking about pushing things to the maximum. What I means is a heavier load that can be used in a Ruger and used for years with no apparent frame stretching, etc. Obviously the modern gun is stronger, I just don't know how much more of a load it will safety take.

Would not be worried about the Ruger Blackhawk with the heavy loads. Know a custom 475 Linebaugh 5 shot revolver built on a Super Blackhawk that has been running for years with heavy loads that is still going strong or was last time I talked to its owner, about a year ago I saw him and ask about that revolver and he said it is still shooting good. It was built in 1991.

You are correct about the old balloon head cases, do not use them in heavy loads. I have a few cases of that design in the stack of ammo.

What Kevin says, Dave. You can push a Blackhawk pretty hard, and in my opinion it's about the strongest off-the-shelf revolver on the market. You can load .45 Colt to exceed .44 Mag performance with one---if you like.

Personally, I see no need to exceed .44 Mag performance, but "different strokes for different folks."

Got dies, case length gauge and new brass for myself for Christmas.

Load development for the Bisley starts Friday!

.45 Colt can be loaded past .44 magnum loads when used with good brass and modern firearms.

When Elmer Keith went searching for a high powered load, Which was dubbed the .44 magnum, he chose the .44 special caliber for two reasons. One was a better selection of bullets at that time, and better brass. As mentioned earlier, some 45 brass was weak and knowing people would be reloading, he was worried people would push the weak brass past its limits.

I can remember when the 44 magnum was introduced. Urban tales included "broken arms and hands" due to the "massive" recoil, and many had to miss work due to "torn sockets and ripped ligaments".