loading 45 long colt with blackpowder

Visaman · May 8, 2009, 11:08 AM

I am thinking about 30 grains of PP ( 2f ) behind a Mimek 250 grains lead bullet.

Any coments on that load ?

What is the maximum case capacity of the 45 long colt ?
I know that the old ballon head cases had more capacity than the modern ones.

velocette · May 8, 2009, 12:15 PM

40 grains was the standard BP load for the .45 colt & the .44-40.

Roger

Sam06 · May 8, 2009, 12:55 PM

Its going to be tough to get 40gr of Black in a modern case. The cases today will only take about 33-35 grains and some not even that. If you just want to duplicate the load Trail Boss will come close without the smoke. I recommend a Hot primer with BP like a CCI 350. 40gr of BP was the load for the 45 Colt and I think the 45 S&W was 35gr of BP. So with modern cases you should be able to duplicate the 45 S&W load. You might want to try a 230 LRN bullet to free up some room in the case for more powder.

Pathfinder45 · May 8, 2009, 01:22 PM

Not sure what PP means....But if you are loading real black-powder it should be packed into a compressed charge with no airspace. Use magnum primers. With modern cases I can only get about 31.5 grains of Gearhart-Owen fff-g in the case. Balloon-head cases will hold more but unless they are really old, [hundred years or so], they still wont hold 40 grains. I took apart an old black-powder round with, "W.R.A. Co.", headstamp and it had about 39.5 grains in it under a flat-base 255 grain bullet. The later smokeless rounds have hollow-base bullets. But this particular round had maximum dimensions that made it impossible to fully chamber in my Vaquero; no problem in the Marlin though. So I took it apart: The powder was really packed into a solid mass that had to be dug out of the case with a nail. The old primer still went, "BANG!", and the powder was still good. But about your bullet: It looks just like all those others that are probably too hard but they ship well. I use a Lee mould to cast 255 grain RNFP bullets with a flat base and big flat point from wheel weights and lube with a soft sticky lube. I came across some balloon-head cases that I will reserve for BP only loads. Make sure your powder is a some-what compressed load. And start casting your own bullets.

darkgael · May 8, 2009, 03:00 PM

I found that they shot better when I put a 0.030" fiber wad between the bullet and the BP charge.
Pete

HiBC · May 9, 2009, 05:23 AM

Good for you!!

The 45 (LONG!) Colt was built for black powder and is a touch out of balance for smokeless.

Bullet lube matters,and SPG will be one good choice to try.A real hard bullet like a Laser cast may not be best.I think maybe a 1 to 20 tin/.lead will be close.

Black in cartridges is always about the right volume of powder to fill the case completely.No air space.A little compression is OK.
Good luck.

Visaman · May 9, 2009, 05:45 AM

pathfinder45:
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/...d.php?t=356628

Slamfire · May 10, 2009, 08:26 PM

I tried using commerical cast bullets and around 35 grs FFFg in a modern case.

Result: Terrible fouling of the barrel.

Later I looked at the SASS, and many of the guys there melt out the smokeless commerical lube and "pan lube" a black powder lube into the bullets.

May 8, 2009, 11:08 AM	#1
Visaman Senior Member Join Date: November 10, 2008 Location: Norway Posts: 302	loading 45 long colt with blackpowder I am thinking about 30 grains of PP ( 2f ) behind a Mimek 250 grains lead bullet. Any coments on that load ? What is the maximum case capacity of the 45 long colt ? I know that the old ballon head cases had more capacity than the modern ones. __________________ Summa pia gratia nostra conservando corpora et cutodita, de gente fera Normannica nos libera, quae nostra vastat, Deus, regna.

May 8, 2009, 12:15 PM	#2
velocette Senior Member Join Date: May 25, 2007 Location: South Florida Posts: 924	40 grains was the standard BP load for the .45 colt & the .44-40. Roger __________________ Trigger control + Breath control + Sight alignment = Gun Control. http://www.hrpclub.info/ NRA Smallbore Prone Master, High Power Master

May 8, 2009, 12:55 PM	#3
Sam06 Senior Member Join Date: May 19, 2008 Location: Fayettenam Posts: 1,086	Its going to be tough to get 40gr of Black in a modern case. The cases today will only take about 33-35 grains and some not even that. If you just want to duplicate the load Trail Boss will come close without the smoke. I recommend a Hot primer with BP like a CCI 350. 40gr of BP was the load for the 45 Colt and I think the 45 S&W was 35gr of BP. So with modern cases you should be able to duplicate the 45 S&W load. You might want to try a 230 LRN bullet to free up some room in the case for more powder. __________________ The two most abundant elements in the universe are hydrogen and stupidity.

May 8, 2009, 01:22 PM	#4
Pathfinder45 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2008 Posts: 3,224	PP? Not sure what PP means....But if you are loading real black-powder it should be packed into a compressed charge with no airspace. Use magnum primers. With modern cases I can only get about 31.5 grains of Gearhart-Owen fff-g in the case. Balloon-head cases will hold more but unless they are really old, [hundred years or so], they still wont hold 40 grains. I took apart an old black-powder round with, "W.R.A. Co.", headstamp and it had about 39.5 grains in it under a flat-base 255 grain bullet. The later smokeless rounds have hollow-base bullets. But this particular round had maximum dimensions that made it impossible to fully chamber in my Vaquero; no problem in the Marlin though. So I took it apart: The powder was really packed into a solid mass that had to be dug out of the case with a nail. The old primer still went, "BANG!", and the powder was still good. But about your bullet: It looks just like all those others that are probably too hard but they ship well. I use a Lee mould to cast 255 grain RNFP bullets with a flat base and big flat point from wheel weights and lube with a soft sticky lube. I came across some balloon-head cases that I will reserve for BP only loads. Make sure your powder is a some-what compressed load. And start casting your own bullets.

May 8, 2009, 03:00 PM	#5
darkgael Senior Member Join Date: February 9, 2006 Location: Homes in Brooklyn, NY and in Pennsylvania. Posts: 5,473	.45 BP I found that they shot better when I put a 0.030" fiber wad between the bullet and the BP charge. Pete __________________ “Auto racing, bull fighting, and mountain climbing are the only real sports ... all others are games.” Ernest Hemingway ... NRA Life Member

May 9, 2009, 05:23 AM	#6
HiBC Senior Member Join Date: November 13, 2006 Posts: 8,283	Good for you!! The 45 (LONG!) Colt was built for black powder and is a touch out of balance for smokeless. Bullet lube matters,and SPG will be one good choice to try.A real hard bullet like a Laser cast may not be best.I think maybe a 1 to 20 tin/.lead will be close. Black in cartridges is always about the right volume of powder to fill the case completely.No air space.A little compression is OK. Good luck.

May 9, 2009, 05:45 AM	#7
Visaman Senior Member Join Date: November 10, 2008 Location: Norway Posts: 302	pathfinder45: http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/...d.php?t=356628 __________________ Summa pia gratia nostra conservando corpora et cutodita, de gente fera Normannica nos libera, quae nostra vastat, Deus, regna.

May 10, 2009, 08:26 PM	#8
Slamfire Senior Member Join Date: May 27, 2007 Posts: 5,261	I tried using commerical cast bullets and around 35 grs FFFg in a modern case. Result: Terrible fouling of the barrel. Later I looked at the SASS, and many of the guys there melt out the smokeless commerical lube and "pan lube" a black powder lube into the bullets.

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