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45 Colt reload results.........

7825 Views 17 Replies 7 Participants Last post by  toroflow
Well, finally got to the range and tested some loads. Unfortunately I don't have a chrony, so no details as far as fps. :( All loads were shot through a Ruger Redhawk, 4" bbl.

Loads tested were:
250gr LRNFP, 6.5gr Red Dot- I love this load. Let me repeat that because it bears repeating, I LOVE THIS LOAD!!! Absolutely lovely recoil! Mild, but it seems to hit with authority. I've been debating this load as some folks weren't sure about it as Red Dot runs a little hot. There were no pressure signs whatsoever and it was by far the most accurate load out of the bunch (the CP 300 grainers with 21.5 of H110 was a close second). I was getting 2" groups at 25 yards with 2-3 rounds touching on average. With the difficulty in getting Unique in the area as well as it costing at least $4.00 more than all of Alliant's other powders, I think this is now my 250 boolit load.


300gr TCLFP, 6.5gr Red Dot - A smidge more recoil than the 250's and not quite as accurate. Some folks told me to stay away from this one, but I had others that had decent results. After testing it for myself, I think I'll keep looking for something else to use with these pills. I'm looking for something that'll push a 300 grainer about 850 fps and give me good accuracy. Not looking to make thumpers out of these pills - that's what the CP and H110 is for. ;)


300gr TCLFP, 9.0gr Unique - I did not like this load at all. Way too much recoil although there were no pressure signs. Was the least accurate of the bunch. I know a lot of folks like Unique for the 45 Colt and I think that with 250's in front of 8.0 grains, it works great. I just don't like it with the 300's. I would not like to put a steady diet of these through my gun.


300gr Cast Performance GCLFN, 21.5gr H110 - AWESOME!!! Not nearly as rough as I had imagined and wonderfully accurate. Could shoot these all day. Very, very accurate and was essentially the same accuracy-wise as the 250gr Red Dot loads.


300gr Cast Performance GCLFN, 22.0gr H110 - I couldn't really tell any difference between this and the above load with 21.5. I do believe that 21.5 is the low end for this particular load, so I think I will be staying with 22.00 just to be on the safe side. I've read that 23.0 is about tops for this load. Even 21.8 would work fine I'd imagine. I do believe that this will be my bear load.

All brass was Winchester and primers were WLP.

I really wish I had a chrony so that I could have gotten some numbers with these loads. All I could test was accuracy, pressure signs and pain threshhold. The only one I was really disappointed with was the Unique load. I think I'll just stick with 250's with that powder.

As far as pressure signs, all cases ejected smoothly and primers were just barely flattened with a very slight imprint of the machine marks on the area around the firing pin hole (I know there's a technical name for this, but I can't recall it right now).

I wanted to thank everyone for all of the advice during my adventure in loading up some good 45 Colt loads! I've only ever loaded lighter Cowboy Action loads in this caliber and this was first time loading something hotter. Thanks again! :D

Anyway, it was a fun day of shooting!!! I fell in love with my Redhawk all over again. :mrgreen:
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Thanks for the recap.. Very interesting!

By the way, I'm not real surprised to hear about the 300 grainers and Unique not working out very well..
I inherited an 8 lbs Caddy of Red Dot and have been wondering what to do with it... I'll try your 6.5 Grain load under a 250 Grn Cast RNFP. I looked it up and depending upon which manual you check it appears to be 800-825 FPS.

Drew
carl418 said:
By the way, I'm not real surprised to hear about the 300 grainers and Unique not working out very well..
Why didn't ya say somethin'?!?!?! :lol: :lol:
Sebago Son said:
I inherited an 8 lbs Caddy of Red Dot and have been wondering what to do with it... I'll try your 6.5 Grain load under a 250 Grn Cast RNFP. I looked it up and depending upon which manual you check it appears to be 800-825 FPS.

Drew
I was told that it doesn't meter too well, and it doesn't. Not too bad, but there'd generally be a 0.1 or 0.2 difference in throw weights. Didn't seem to matter one iota.

I think the gentleman that likes this load was getting 850, but he was using a Blackhawk with a 5.5" bbl..

He also stated that he was getting about 900 with a 300gr boolit out of the same gun with the Red Dot load.

I was just surprised with the mild recoil. Very nice.
FYI, Red Dot powder has the same burn rate as its "sister" powder Alliant "Promo". Alliant Promo powder is $10 a pound when you buy it in the 8 pound keg. This is so much cheaper than Red Dot or Unique that you can afford to shoot more! I believe that Promo powder is simply Red Dot without the red dots in it! ;)

(Powder Valley Inc .com has Promo for $81/8 lbs.)
I think you told me about that, but I forgot. :oops:

I'll definitely look for that. So you're saying I can use the same weights of Promo as the Red Dot?
LeMat said:
I think you told me about that, but I forgot. :oops:

I'll definitely look for that. So you're saying I can use the same weights of Promo as the Red Dot?
YES!!! I do it in loading .38, .44 spec, .45acp & 45 LC. I use the load data for Red Dot when using Promo, and have shot thousands of rounds.

CAVEAT: I do not, nor advise, use max loads though, as this type of powder (fast burning) is for target loads.

I load small doses of Promo with 230 grain leads in .45 Cowboy brass (which is the same as 45 auto brass, but with a 45 lc rim) and shoot them in a birdshead Uberti 3.5" 45 lc, and don't even have to use the ejector to extract them! The brass simply FALLS OUT when you hold the gun upright! NICE MILD LOADS!!!
Alliant (Hercules) has always been my favorite line of Shotgun/Pistol powders, but I have neglected to ever try RedDot! I've used many pounds of nearly ever other one in the Alliant spectrum from Bullseye to 2400. I'm told that RedDot is a fabulous gunpowder for 12ga. target loads - but I've always bought GreenDot because it is excellent for 12ga, 16ga, and 20ga, too.

Thanks for the report!

xtm
XT, it's interesting to see your comments on Green Dot. Ten pounds orso of that came my way several years ago and I discovered my favorite load for the 38 Special. Since then there have been 45 ACP and
12 guage loads that work well. Must be time to find some more uses for it. 32 S&W long maybe? Since that time there have been a few more 8 pounders go away. Wonder why we don't hear much about it?
Ken
LeMat said:
carl418 said:
By the way, I'm not real surprised to hear about the 300 grainers and Unique not working out very well..
Why didn't ya say somethin'?!?!?! :lol: :lol:
And spoil your fun?? fhfjjjj

Not to mention spoiling an opportunity for you to get first-hand experience..

Besides, I wasn't entirely sure I was correct. It was just a thought I had that it seemed like some other powder would work better, like maybe 2400.

Lastly, you probably would have tried it anyway.. if I were in youre shoes, I would have!
carl418 said:
Lastly, you probably would have tried it anyway.. if I were in youre shoes, I would have!
Yeah, I wasn't ever much good at taking advice. :lol: ;)

I think I'm going to give 2400 a try next. Sure hear lots of good things about it.
LeMat said:
carl418 said:
Lastly, you probably would have tried it anyway.. if I were in youre shoes, I would have!
Yeah, I wasn't ever much good at taking advice. :lol: ;)

I think I'm going to give 2400 a try next. Sure hear lots of good things about it.
Just don't go light with the 2400, as you'll get unburned powder all over the place! 2400 likes mid to high-end loadings.
Well, seems I should visit this place more often. I used to load shotshells with Red Dot, but lost interest when I could buy shotshells at Wal-Mart for less than I could reload them. I'll give that stuff a try in .45 Colt and see what happens.

I have some of that stuff around here somewhere. I think I'll light a match and go look for it.
Sideswing said:
XT, it's interesting to see your comments on Green Dot. Ten pounds orso of that came my way several years ago and I discovered my favorite load for the 38 Special. Since then there have been 45 ACP and
12 guage loads that work well.......Wonder why we don't hear much about it?
Ken
IMO, only because it is overshadowed by its far more popular siblings, Unique and Bullseye.

Maybe this thread and current shortages of some of the more popular gunpowders will encourage our handloading crew to try some of the neglected members of the Alliant line - like RedDot and GreenDot.

xtm
I have to admit I've never given Red Dot and Green Dot much thought..

No real reason for it except that I've always had good success with Unique, Bullseye and 2400.. with a little bit of Trailboss thrown in.

I tend to stick with what works for me... sometimes to the detriment of expanding my horizons!

I do believe I'll be giving both of them a try sometime in the near future.
carl418 said:
I have to admit I've never given Red Dot and Green Dot much thought..

No real reason for it except that I've always had good success with Unique, Bullseye and 2400.. with a little bit of Trailboss thrown in.

I tend to stick with what works for me... sometimes to the detriment of expanding my horizons!

I do believe I'll be giving both of them a try sometime in the near future.
Hey Carl, IMHO there is no reason to go "out of your way" to try Red or Green Dot...they don't offer any marked performance gains over Unique, etc. Only reason I stumbled upon Promo powder was due to having it left over from reloading shot shells. Like Quarter Cherokee, when you can buy shotshells new for not much more than reloads, the shotshell reloading machines get moth-balled! Promo powder = Red Dot, and does it at 30% less cost!
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