|
Forum Rules | Firearms Safety | Firearms Photos | Links | Library | Lost Password | Email Changes |
Register | FAQ | Calendar | Today's Posts | Search |
|
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
November 13, 2022, 12:32 PM | #1 |
Junior Member
Join Date: December 4, 2010
Location: Huntington Beach, Kalifornia
Posts: 6
|
Smokeless Powder Loading Info For Cowboy Loads For .45acp
I'm wondering if anyone has a handle on loading .45acp with smokeless powder. I'm looking at Trail Boss as it is bulky and should make some good low pressure cowboy loads with coated lead bullets.
I have a Pietta 1858 steel framed Remington Sheriff's model and have a Howell's conversion cylinder. In California, it's prohibitively expensive to purchase ammo unless one can find it locally. We have to send it to an FFL and pay hazardous material shipping fees. I would rather have a .45lc as loading data is plentiful but it is what it is. I'm having a hard time finding reliable info on line. Apparently. the .45acp conversion cylinders are not widely used and/or popular. If anyone could direct me to a good source on smokeless powder loading data specifically for the .45acp or your experience with a low pressure cowboy load, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. |
November 13, 2022, 01:12 PM | #2 |
Senior Member
Join Date: August 10, 2020
Posts: 100
|
Buy any brand up to date reloading manual. I recommend the Lyman. It will have a complete listing of safe loads for the 45 acp.
|
November 13, 2022, 02:05 PM | #3 |
Senior Member
Join Date: December 26, 2008
Location: Greenville, SC
Posts: 591
|
I shoot Wild Bunch which requires a .45 ACP 1911 and lead bullets. I used a lot of 200 grain bullets but have changed to 230s which some folks believe has less recoil than a 200 pushed to meet the Wild Bunch power factor. Cowboy PF is much lower so you can load lighter.
Trail Boss is pretty much out of production but there are tons of suitable powders including Red Dot which has worked well for me. Titegroup is popular but I find it snappy. |
November 13, 2022, 02:43 PM | #4 |
Staff
Join Date: March 11, 2006
Location: Upper US
Posts: 29,011
|
welcome to TFL
Data for the .45ACP is everywhere. But I doubt you'll find Trailboss listed for the .45ACP, its not really a suitable powder.
Trailboss was created to be a very bulky powder, intentionally to be used to fill the space in pistol cases designed during the black powder era that is normally empty using smokeless loads in those cases. Rounds like the .38-40, .44-40 and .45 Colt were designed to use a case full of black powder, which leaves lots of empty room when loaded with smokeless duplicating their original velocity and pressure. The .45ACP was not. Starting loads for the .45ACP in my old manuals are in the 6-700fps range with the usual "fast" modern pistol powders and should do well enough for cowboy action shooting.
__________________
All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better. |
November 13, 2022, 05:16 PM | #5 | ||
Senior Member
Join Date: March 21, 2013
Location: Idaho
Posts: 5,536
|
Interesting: You've been a member here for 12 years, yet only 4 posts.
Quote:
I don't know if that's any help. But there it is. Quote:
__________________
Gun control laws benefit only criminals and politicians - but then, I repeat myself. Life Member, National Rifle Association |
||
November 13, 2022, 07:36 PM | #6 |
Staff
Join Date: September 25, 2008
Location: CONUS
Posts: 18,528
|
I load .45 Colt (and .44 Colt Original) with Trail Boss. I don't load or shoot those calibers a lot and I have a couple of pounds of Trail Boss, so I'm not in danger of running out tomorrow. I didn't know that Trail Boss is an endangered species.
Unfortunately, I do not have chrono data to share. For .45 ACP I load with Winchester 231/HP-38. The whole point of Trail Boss is that it's bulky, and .45 Colt with Win 231 is an example of why. A low- to mid-range charge in .45 ACP doesn't fill half the case. In .45 Colt you need to really look to see if there's any powder down at the bottom of the case. That's why I switched to Trail Boss -- so I could see whether or not the powder had found its way into the case.
__________________
NRA Life Member / Certified Instructor NRA Chief RSO / CMP RSO 1911 Certified Armorer Jeepaholic |
November 13, 2022, 08:15 PM | #7 |
Senior Member
Join Date: July 8, 2015
Posts: 1,021
|
Ramshot Competition is the powder you want.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
November 15, 2022, 09:06 PM | #8 |
Junior Member
Join Date: December 4, 2010
Location: Huntington Beach, Kalifornia
Posts: 6
|
Is a Lazer-Cast bullet 230gr 45 at .452diameter with Triple-Seven or H-38 a possible combo for a cowboy load or am I dreaming. I could always pick up some Ramshot Competition.
|
November 15, 2022, 10:10 PM | #9 | |
Staff
Join Date: September 25, 2008
Location: CONUS
Posts: 18,528
|
Quote:
The Hodgdon on-line loading data site lists a load for a cast 230-grain LRNFP bullet with a diameter of .452" at a COAL of 1.580" using HP-38. Starting load ==> 5.8 gr . . . 738 fps . . . 7,300 CUP Max load . . .==> 7.3 gr . . . 941 fps . . . 13,700 CUP If you're asking for a load for .45 ACP, Hodgdon offers the following: 230-grain LRN bullet with a diameter of .452" at a COAL of 1.200" using HP-38. Starting load ==> 4.3 gr . . . 699 fps . . . 12,200 CUP Max load . . .==> 5.3 gr . . . 834 fps . . . 16,900 CUP
__________________
NRA Life Member / Certified Instructor NRA Chief RSO / CMP RSO 1911 Certified Armorer Jeepaholic |
|
|
|