First SAA Colt .45 5.5 Gulp! Help!

Samadams2000 · July 30, 2008, 11:07 PM

Regards to all. Friend needed some relief and I picked up a NIBox .45 Colt 5.5 blued SAA. Salivating over my luck. Any general thoughts on the first series of loads to run through it? Thoughts for a newbee? I've owned many guns in the past and was eyeing a .357 Ruger Vacquero when the call was put into me.

Hawg · July 31, 2008, 09:29 AM

Factory loads are going to be pricey. I'd reload them and fill the cases with bp under a 250 gr. cast bullet.
If you reload and want to stay with modern powders/bullets my Hornady manual shows a 250 gr.JHP with 21.6 grs. of W 296 at 1000 fps but that's a maximum load. 20.8 will give you 900 fps.
8.8 grs. of Unique will give you a max load at 900 fps.
7.2 grs. of Bullseye will give you a max load at 900 fps.
16.4 grs. of 2400 will give you a max load at 950 fps.

James K · July 31, 2008, 12:58 PM

Hawg, I guess I just don't understand why anyone would load a good quality cartridge revolver with black powder. I grant the "real thing" has an aura (some call it stink) all its own, but the cleanup is messy and time consuming.

Oh well, to each his own.

Jim

zxcvbob · July 31, 2008, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Hawg, I guess I just don't understand why anyone would load a good quality cartridge revolver with black powder. I grant the "real thing" has an aura (some call it stink) all its own, but the cleanup is messy and time consuming.

Everyone with a .45 needs to do it at least once.

8.5 grains of Unique with 250-ish grain lead bullets is a classic load. 10.0 grains of Unique with the same bullet is a classic "hot load" that's supposed to be safe in SAA's but I wouldn't use it in a pre-war Colt.

I really like Red Dot powder for my .45 Colt loads. It burns clean as long as you don't load it too light, it fills the case pretty well, and it doesn't smell funny.

I'm experimenting with heavy loads of Blue Dot powder, but I have a Bisley-Blackhawk, not a SAA. (When this can of Blue Dot is gone, I won't be buying another.)

Hawg · July 31, 2008, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Hawg, I guess I just don't understand why anyone would load a good quality cartridge revolver with black powder. I grant the "real thing" has an aura (some call it stink) all its own, but the cleanup is messy and time consuming.

Oh well, to each his own.

It's history. That's what the SAA was designed for. As for cleanup, somebody that knows what they're doing can clean up after bp faster than for smokeless.

These 44-40's thrive on bp.

w_houle · July 31, 2008, 02:46 PM

I use 5gr of Trail Boss and a 230gr lrn bullet in a .45lc brass, but I have to roll them a little short to work for my 1851 .45lc conversion.
My Uberti SAA is a joy and a pleasure to shoot.

CraigC · August 1, 2008, 10:45 AM

I love my percussion guns but really need to try some blackpowder cartridges. Ain't nothin' like the real thing!

I have set here and come up with an evil plan. Maybe a feller needs a traditional sixgun that is dedicated to blackpowder to keep the stinky stuff out of his Colt's and USPFA's. The sights regulated for it. Maybe a feller needs to go back to a shop he was at yesterday and get one of those antiqued Uberti .45Colt SAA's for $369 and do some stoning on it. Then he can have it fitted with heavily aged TruIvory???

Hawg · August 1, 2008, 10:55 AM

Quote:

I have set here and come up with an evil plan. Maybe a feller needs a traditional sixgun that is dedicated to blackpowder to keep the stinky stuff out of his Colt's and USPFA's. The sights regulated for it. Maybe a feller needs to go back to a shop he was at yesterday and get one of those antiqued Uberti .45Colt SAA's for $369 and do some stoning on it. Then he can have it fitted with heavily aged TruIvory??

Now you're talking but you sound as if the smell won't come out of your more expensive guns.

If you reload you can use the same lube for smokeless as you do bp. That will allow you to interchange smokeless and bp without cleaning in between. It's the smokeless lube that plays havoc with bp and makes cleanup a real chore.

CraigC · August 1, 2008, 10:43 PM

Well, I'm not one to be real Johnny-on-the-spot with my cleaning duties so the "pre-washed" Uberti is more of an insurance policy than anything. Might save me from myself, or at least my guns.

Walther22lr · August 1, 2008, 11:12 PM

This was my first handgun purchased in 1978, "factory brand new and in the box" as they say. After shooting 100 rounds of factory ammo through it, I had enough brass to begin reloading. The first several years of reloads were all Pyrodex.
Yes, it makes for a more involved clean up, but I did get to know the insides of the Colt much better.

Hawg · August 2, 2008, 01:49 AM

Quote:

Well, I'm not one to be real Johnny-on-the-spot with my cleaning duties

Me either. It's sometimes two or three days before mine get cleaned. Course I don't have any real Colt's I shoot bp out of either.

CraigC · August 2, 2008, 02:25 PM

Picked up this one yesterday, it might see some blackpowder. Uberti Bisley .44Spl. Shot it this morning and was heartily surprised at how comfortably it handles the heavy Keith 1200fps load.

Hawg · August 2, 2008, 05:13 PM

I had a Ruger Bisley but traded it off. I just don't care for Bisleys or Ruger SA's. I might could live with one like that.

Smithy145 · August 10, 2008, 12:20 PM

Off on a tangent from the rest of you but I load 7grns of Unique for my 4" S&W Mod 25. Not near the max loads you guys like but it shoots fine for me. When I finally get a single action it will eat a lot of bp.

Hawg · August 10, 2008, 01:53 PM

IMHO if you're going to shoot Unique you might as well shoot bp.

W. C. Quantrill · August 10, 2008, 09:12 PM

There you go again, usin swear words about my Unique powder. I dont use nothin but Unique in my .45's and they aint no dirtier than yours are. I even loaded those bullets you sent me for the ACP with Unique.

Now, there is some real fun in loading the .45 with black powder. That doesnt mean any of the substitutes, that means Goex 2F black powder. The original load on that was 40 grains under a 250 gr bullet, then they found out that most of the little people couldnt handle that load. It puts the 250 gr bullet out at a shade over 900. The load was later reduced to 30 grains. I load 40 grains in my seven and a half inch Blackhawk, and it is a good deer load. It is not for the faint of heart.

About 9 grains of Unique is all that a Colt can handle. I load 10.5 grains of Unique under a 270 grain Keith bullet for right at 1100 fps for hunting loads. It tends to stop them right in their tracks if you place the bullet right. But then if you cant hit them, a cannon wouldnt help, eh?

You are going to get some real enjoyment out of that gun.

WC

joedapro · August 21, 2008, 10:02 AM

i recommend unique.

i use unique in all my guns. it is a great powder. for my applications it is extremely accurate. just not the most powerful load.

for my 12 gauge - 1200 fps patterns very well - soft recoil
for my .45 colt - 900 fps one hole groups at 25 feet.
for my .223 - 2200 fps one hole groups at 100 yards.

the results are not the fastest for all applications but it satisfies my needs. and, i will not mix up powders on the reloading bench. the powder is not position sensitive and you do not need magnum primers.

grymster2007 · August 21, 2008, 10:15 AM

Here's my 5.5" Pietta 44 (from Cabela's). She feels very nicely balanced and shoots pretty good. I like shorter barreled guns a lot, but I might well add the 8" version someday.

sundance44s · August 21, 2008, 10:22 AM

Save the smokeless for the Colt 1911`s ..I only shoot Black in my SAA`s Unless it`s been raining for a week and freezing then I load smokeless and go to an indoor range ..They aren`t fast feeders anyway , shooting is slow and more enjoyable with the black stuff . Clean up isn`t that bad eaither once ya understand water if your guns friend , just take the grips off and give her a warm bath .

long rider · August 21, 2008, 06:13 PM

IM with you on that one sundanc44, the only dif
is it does not rain here.

prm · October 4, 2008, 09:15 PM

I have been shooting a Colt SAA, 5 1/2 inch barrel, in 45LC since 1987. Great gun - Rates at the top of all my firearms. I have shot BP and factory smokeless in it. Most accurate of all my revolvers. It will cloverleaf shots at 7-10 yards. Several years ago I sent it back to the Colt Custom Shop and had a 45 ACP cylinder fitted to it. Now I have both options. The 45 ACP is a lot cheaper to shoot and just as accurate as the 45LC.

July 30, 2008, 11:07 PM	#1
Samadams2000 Member Join Date: July 30, 2008 Posts: 21	First SAA Colt .45 5.5 Gulp! Help! Regards to all. Friend needed some relief and I picked up a NIBox .45 Colt 5.5 blued SAA. Salivating over my luck. Any general thoughts on the first series of loads to run through it? Thoughts for a newbee? I've owned many guns in the past and was eyeing a .357 Ruger Vacquero when the call was put into me.

July 31, 2008, 02:46 PM	#6
w_houle Senior Member Join Date: March 29, 2007 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 1,391	I use 5gr of Trail Boss and a 230gr lrn bullet in a .45lc brass, but I have to roll them a little short to work for my 1851 .45lc conversion. My Uberti SAA is a joy and a pleasure to shoot. __________________ How could you have a slogan like "freedom is slavery" when the concept of freedom has been abolished?

August 10, 2008, 09:12 PM	#16
W. C. Quantrill Senior Member Join Date: February 11, 2008 Location: No Man's Land Posts: 354	There you go again, usin swear words about my Unique powder. I dont use nothin but Unique in my .45's and they aint no dirtier than yours are. I even loaded those bullets you sent me for the ACP with Unique. Now, there is some real fun in loading the .45 with black powder. That doesnt mean any of the substitutes, that means Goex 2F black powder. The original load on that was 40 grains under a 250 gr bullet, then they found out that most of the little people couldnt handle that load. It puts the 250 gr bullet out at a shade over 900. The load was later reduced to 30 grains. I load 40 grains in my seven and a half inch Blackhawk, and it is a good deer load. It is not for the faint of heart. About 9 grains of Unique is all that a Colt can handle. I load 10.5 grains of Unique under a 270 grain Keith bullet for right at 1100 fps for hunting loads. It tends to stop them right in their tracks if you place the bullet right. But then if you cant hit them, a cannon wouldnt help, eh? You are going to get some real enjoyment out of that gun. WC __________________ NRA Life Whittington Center Life

August 21, 2008, 10:15 AM	#18
grymster2007 Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2007 Location: In the oak studded hills near Napa Posts: 2,203	Here's my 5.5" Pietta 44 (from Cabela's). She feels very nicely balanced and shoots pretty good. I like shorter barreled guns a lot, but I might well add the 8" version someday. __________________ grym

August 21, 2008, 06:13 PM	#20
long rider Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 2008 Posts: 669	IM with you on that one sundanc44, the only dif is it does not rain here. __________________ Sod Buster Tried To Pull On Willson.

July 31, 2008, 09:29 AM	#2
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,189	Factory loads are going to be pricey. I'd reload them and fill the cases with bp under a 250 gr. cast bullet. If you reload and want to stay with modern powders/bullets my Hornady manual shows a 250 gr.JHP with 21.6 grs. of W 296 at 1000 fps but that's a maximum load. 20.8 will give you 900 fps. 8.8 grs. of Unique will give you a max load at 900 fps. 7.2 grs. of Bullseye will give you a max load at 900 fps. 16.4 grs. of 2400 will give you a max load at 950 fps.

July 31, 2008, 12:58 PM	#3
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	Hawg, I guess I just don't understand why anyone would load a good quality cartridge revolver with black powder. I grant the "real thing" has an aura (some call it stink) all its own, but the cleanup is messy and time consuming. Oh well, to each his own. Jim

August 1, 2008, 10:45 AM	#7
CraigC Junior member Join Date: November 28, 2001 Location: West Tennessee Posts: 4,300	I love my percussion guns but really need to try some blackpowder cartridges. Ain't nothin' like the real thing! I have set here and come up with an evil plan. Maybe a feller needs a traditional sixgun that is dedicated to blackpowder to keep the stinky stuff out of his Colt's and USPFA's. The sights regulated for it. Maybe a feller needs to go back to a shop he was at yesterday and get one of those antiqued Uberti .45Colt SAA's for $369 and do some stoning on it. Then he can have it fitted with heavily aged TruIvory???

August 1, 2008, 10:43 PM	#9
CraigC Junior member Join Date: November 28, 2001 Location: West Tennessee Posts: 4,300	Well, I'm not one to be real Johnny-on-the-spot with my cleaning duties so the "pre-washed" Uberti is more of an insurance policy than anything. Might save me from myself, or at least my guns.

August 1, 2008, 11:12 PM	#10
Walther22lr Senior Member Join Date: February 2, 2000 Location: Arizona Territory Posts: 296	This was my first handgun purchased in 1978, "factory brand new and in the box" as they say. After shooting 100 rounds of factory ammo through it, I had enough brass to begin reloading. The first several years of reloads were all Pyrodex. Yes, it makes for a more involved clean up, but I did get to know the insides of the Colt much better.

August 2, 2008, 02:25 PM	#12
CraigC Junior member Join Date: November 28, 2001 Location: West Tennessee Posts: 4,300	Picked up this one yesterday, it might see some blackpowder. Uberti Bisley .44Spl. Shot it this morning and was heartily surprised at how comfortably it handles the heavy Keith 1200fps load.

August 2, 2008, 05:13 PM	#13
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,189	I had a Ruger Bisley but traded it off. I just don't care for Bisleys or Ruger SA's. I might could live with one like that.

August 10, 2008, 12:20 PM	#14
Smithy145 Junior Member Join Date: August 9, 2008 Location: Southeast AL Posts: 7	Off on a tangent from the rest of you but I load 7grns of Unique for my 4" S&W Mod 25. Not near the max loads you guys like but it shoots fine for me. When I finally get a single action it will eat a lot of bp.

August 10, 2008, 01:53 PM	#15
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,189	IMHO if you're going to shoot Unique you might as well shoot bp.

August 21, 2008, 10:02 AM	#17
joedapro Member Join Date: August 21, 2008 Posts: 20	i recommend unique. i use unique in all my guns. it is a great powder. for my applications it is extremely accurate. just not the most powerful load. for my 12 gauge - 1200 fps patterns very well - soft recoil for my .45 colt - 900 fps one hole groups at 25 feet. for my .223 - 2200 fps one hole groups at 100 yards. the results are not the fastest for all applications but it satisfies my needs. and, i will not mix up powders on the reloading bench. the powder is not position sensitive and you do not need magnum primers.

August 21, 2008, 10:22 AM	#19
sundance44s Senior Member Join Date: February 6, 2006 Location: Hernando , Ms. Posts: 579	Save the smokeless for the Colt 1911`s ..I only shoot Black in my SAA`s Unless it`s been raining for a week and freezing then I load smokeless and go to an indoor range ..They aren`t fast feeders anyway , shooting is slow and more enjoyable with the black stuff . Clean up isn`t that bad eaither once ya understand water if your guns friend , just take the grips off and give her a warm bath .

October 4, 2008, 09:15 PM	#21
prm Senior Member Join Date: August 16, 2008 Posts: 102	Colt SAA in 45LC I have been shooting a Colt SAA, 5 1/2 inch barrel, in 45LC since 1987. Great gun - Rates at the top of all my firearms. I have shot BP and factory smokeless in it. Most accurate of all my revolvers. It will cloverleaf shots at 7-10 yards. Several years ago I sent it back to the Colt Custom Shop and had a 45 ACP cylinder fitted to it. Now I have both options. The 45 ACP is a lot cheaper to shoot and just as accurate as the 45LC.