Fun with 45 colt

[wvfarrier]

So.....

I decided to load some 250gr "Ruger Only" 45 colt loads for my Winchester 1892 (24" octagon barrel)

These 6 loads should have been between 1400 and 1500 fps however!!!

#1- 1840fps (avg)
#2- 1848fps (avg)
#3- 1850fps (avg)
#4- jumped to 1901fps (avg) Recoil was AWFUL
#5- 1904fps (avg)
#6- 1913fps (avg)
The steel buttplate was beating the stuff out of me.

I thought my charges were wrong so saved 1 rd of each group, pulled the projectile and weighed the powder charge. All were correct. These loads are WAY faster than they should be but every one of them shot .75" to 1.0" at 95 yards using a 3moa red dot.

The powder was H110, new starline brass and CCI large pistol mag primers. No pressure signs on the brass, except the brass is dirty which seems to always happen with 45 colt.

I do not think it wise to push them any harder, that top load is 1800ft lbs at the muzzle....from a 45 colt!!!!

Anyway, I am perplexed out by the velocities.....any thoughts?

[Lassiter]

Just a thought, but maybe Ruger Only loads would be quoting velocities from a handgun with a shorter barrel. The velocities you're getting are really close to what I get from my Marlin model 94...

[JimT]

What Lassiter said.

[Pisgah]

Those velocities seem spot-on to me for the barrel length.

[GunnyMack]

I settled on a 1800fps load for my Henry 41 mag. One hole group at 50 and about 1.5" at 100. Deer killer for sure!

[wvfarrier]

Just a thought, but maybe Ruger Only loads would be quoting velocities from a handgun with a shorter barrel. The velocities you're getting are really close to what I get from my Marlin model 94...

Hilariously, that occured to me about 30 minutes after I posted this

[.45colt]

About 2006 or 07 I did the same thing and wrung the .45 out with exactly the same results you achieved. I asked Paco a bunch of questions and I think He got pretty tired of hearing from a Guy from Ohio. .