Ruger Blackhawk with +P

[Pathfinder45]

I like loads that are quite similar to the ones 44AMP uses. For me, it's a 255 grain, home-cast, Lee RF, moving out at 1,000 to 1,150 fps for my field-loads. I'm done with the really hot loads; though my Vaquero can handle it, my hands find them unnecessarily punishing. Hotter loads can go in the Marlin. I shoot a lot of rounds between 850 and 950 fps.

[3Crows]

I know there is a reloading area and I might poise this there. But, in the meantime, if I just bought dies for .45 Colt (I did) and want to load a stout but still reasonably pleasant load, would you build it around a 200 grain or a 250 grain cast lead?

I ask because some rounds are famous for a particular grain weight bullet, the .45ACP the 230 grain jacketed ball ammo, the 45-70 the 405 grain cast lead and dozens of other calibers known for a particular load. So what is the "famous" bullet weight for the .45 Colt or put another way, what bullet made the round famous enough to stick around all these years?

[44 AMP]

The classic load for the .45 Colt is a 255gr bullet with a rather pointed round nose (some say conical) and a small flat tip. This is the factory bullet used since the introduction of the round in 1873, and for a very long time was the only bullet factory offered in that cartridge.

My personal preference is for a 250gr SWC design and those that are, or closely resemble the Keith design work the best, in my guns. I prefer the large flat point and the sharp shoulder of the SWC design as it seems to work well transmitting energy and also generally makes clean holes in paper.

Most of the 200gr SWCs are designed for the .45ACP. They can be used, and will do well, but they are not ideally designed for revolver use, which somewhat limits their applications.

My "stout" working load for the last 3 decades has been a 250gr SWC over 10.0gr Unique. Like me, the load is old, dirty, and it smokes.
but it hits what I aim at, hits hard, and isn't painful to shoot. Velocity from my 7.5" is approx. 1100fps. This is also the max listed load in the old (1970) Lyman manual, using a Colt SAA as the test gun. For a Ruger Blackhawk, its not near what the gun can safely take so there's no worries there, HOWEVER, ALWAYS work up to any load carefully, just to be safe.

[Pathfinder45]

I've been reloading the 45 Colt since 1976 with bullets weighing from 200 grains up to 300, both cast and jacketed. I have gotten to the point where I feel that the cartridge is generally at its best with bullets of around 250-255 grains, preferably cast. I would rather use 300 grain bullets than 200, but the original weight is just about ideal.

I have used a lot of cast semi-wadcutter bullets and they work well in a revolver. However, the round-nose-flat-point design is more reliable for smooth feeding in a lever-action rifle. Hence my preference for the 255 grain Lee RF bullet with a very broad flat point.

I use a lot of Unique at 9.5 grains. When I want a bit more velocity I use Hodgdon HS-7 or Accurate Arms #7. I use quite a variety of powders but if I was stuck with only one, Unique would be excellent.

[GeauxTide]

The point remains. People seem to convince themselves that there is no utility in something they don't like

Point well taken, Jack. In my youth, I pushed my 44 Mag SBH and 41Mag SBH to the limit, plus. The old Colt produced almost identical Hatcher numbers as the max loaded 44 with greatly reduced recoil.

[3Crows]

Okay, I see the appeal of the Keith type SWC in 255 grain. Should I look for gas checked? I plan to push them around 1000 fps plus or minus (to be decided).

[disseminator]

Okay, I see the appeal of the Keith type SWC in 255 grain. Should I look for gas checked? I plan to push them around 1000 fps plus or minus (to be decided).

No need for gas checked bullets at 45 colt speeds.

I like the 250 round nose-flat point as well as the SWC myself.

[rclark]

concur... No need for gas checked. When I was testing 240g SWCs in my .44 Mag, I was up to 1300fps and no significant leading. At 1000fps you'll have no problem (with 12-15BHN bullets anyway). My woods load is 13g of HS-6 under 255g SWC (15 BHN). This is ~1100fps load out of a 5 1/2" barrel. Bit more punch than the standard .45 load, yet not a hand killer. Not a load to take to Africa, but around here, it should be good enough for defensive purposes and suspect most handgun hunting scenarios at normal handgun distances. Use a magnum primer for more consistent ignition with this powder. Also I can shoot this load in my medium frame .45s as well as the large frames. It is what is called a Tier 2 load... Tier 3 is the Ruger only loads. That said, mostly I shoot 250g RNFPs in the 900fps range for my range/plinking/knock around load. YMMV, do your own research.

[black mamba]

The real reason I shoot 45 Colts is to have something bigger than 44 magnum, so I prefer the heavier bullets. I've shot up to 345 grainers at 1200 fps, but the 300s at 1100 are my go to hunting loads, and more than safe in large frame Rugers. My single action likes Silhouette powder and WLP primers.

[3Crows]

Okay then, the 255 gr. SWC sounds like a winner. I will not worry with the gas checks. I load 405 gr. for my 45-70 without the gas checks but I am running them at low to moderate velocities, 900 fps to around 1500 fps. I have not noted any leading or excessive leading so I suppose the 255 gr. should be fine in my Black Hawk.

Black Mamba, I hear you and will eventually work up some heavy loads but for self defense against mean critters I might be more likely to carry factory load BB or HSM Bear Loads. For hunting and plinking is where I usually spend my home loading efforts and the 255 SWC sounds good for that. Do you notice a great variation in impact point going from a relatively stout 255 gr. load to a modest load with the 300 plus gr. stuff?

[Pathfinder45]

What I have noticed about different impact points is this: At 25 yards, heavier bullets shoot high and lighter bullets shoot low, regardless of velocity. At longer ranges, velocity makes a difference in trajectory, so the above statement will not always hold true farther out there. Since I am using a fixed-sighted Vaquero, all this matters more to me than to a user of a Blackhawk, who can simply change their sight adjustments. With fixed sights it is important to choose a bullet weight you like and stick with it.
Keep in mind, my Vaquero wears a 4-5\8" barrel; I don't know that a longer barrel would have the same behavior, but I think so. Slight variations in bullet weight will have a less pronounced effect, especially at short range, but it's there and will show up on paper as the range increases.

[black mamba]

Heavier bullets shoot higher, because of more recoil and barrel lift. Higher velocity will mitigate this somewhat, reducing barrel time, so that slow (7-800 fps) lighter bullet loads shoot pretty close to fast (11-1200 fps) heavy bullet loads.

[Pathfinder45]

Right. Regarding bullet impact on paper at 25 yards, velocity matters little, if at all, while bullet weight matters a lot. There's not any practical difference between 250 to 255 grain bullets. If I drop down to 240 grain bullets, the difference isn't huge, but it's measurable. At 225 grains it's definitely hitting low, and at 200 grains the impacts are very low. And, of course, the 300 grain bullets strike much higher on target than my preferred 255 grain bullets.

[3Crows]

My 1981 Blackhawk Colt 45 with my 70s era JM Marlin 336 30-30 Texan. The Texan wears a Weaver 3X-6B from my dad circa 1961 or so.



A day at the range (in my backyard). Yes, I have the scope elev./wind. covers, I had just mounted the old but mint scope on Weaver rings and Weaver base. Three shots at 100 yards. My own loads, LR powder and Hornady 160 grain bullets:



Got to get on the 45 for some loads, just need to get some bullets, have everything else now.
3C

[Fjblair]

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