Need Cowboy loads with Universal for .38 and .45 Colt

[JerryB]

Sometime ago my son gave me a can of Hogdon's Clays Universal. Do any of ya'll have cowboy loads for .38spl and .45 Colt with this powder? I use 4.0 grains of Unique with 158 grain RFN in the .38 and 6.0 grains for the .45 with 255 grain RFN.What would be a comparable load with Universal? Thank's for any and all help.

[CaptainFinn]

There was an article in Shooting Times by Jim Wilson--quite a while back--and he said you could interchange load data for Universal and Unique.

I've found that Universal is a bit hotter and a bit cleaner-burning, but I load about 5% to 10% less with the Universal and get the same velocities as Unique.

My 'cowboy' load for .45 250's is 7.5 grains of Universal, and for 'full power' (i.e., 950 to 1000fps) I go with 8.5 to 9.0 grains of Universal.

I don't load it in .38 or .357, but I get nice tight groups and no primer flattening in .44 special with 6.5 to 7.0 grains, although Jim Wilson said he went as high as 7.5 in .44 special with no problem.

I like Universal a lot, after plain old 'Clays' I probably use it more then any other powder in handgun cartridges.

[JerryB]

CaptainFinn,thank's for the reply. I will drop down a little and try the .45 Colt load, probably do the same with the .38 too. What are you shooting the .44spl in? I have an old Charter 4 inch Target bulldog that is dead on at 100yards with 6 grains of Unique and a 240 grain swc, I would like to try some Universal in it also.

[Griff]

Go to Hodgdon's website for load data.

[CaptainFinn]

CaptainFinn,thank's for the reply. I will drop down a little and try the .45 Colt load, probably do the same with the .38 too. What are you shooting the .44spl in? I have an old Charter 4 inch Target bulldog that is dead on at 100yards with 6 grains of Unique and a 240 grain swc, I would like to try some Universal in it also.

I was shooting the .44 special through two similar guns...a Rossi 720 3" and a S & W 696 3". 6.5 grains of Universal undera Berry's 240 SWC or a home-cast Thompson 245-grain gas check...I didn't need the gas check bullet at those velocities, but I had a box full of them and nothing else to load, so I tried them...and they shot pretty darned good. No access to a chrono lately so I'm not sure on the velocity, but they were accurate and controllable in both guns. Took a 200-lb hog in central Florida with the 696 and the Thompson GC. In one ear and out the other, dropped the piggy at 30 yards.

On an aise, when I lived in Florida I noticed Universal didn't hold up well in the heat, my unused powder got stinky and inconsistant after about 6 months or so in 90+ degree weather. Lots of unburned flakes and needless to say my accuracy wasn't up to snuff.

I switched to Clays in .45 colt, 6 grains under a 200 grain bulelt for SASS and it never let me down. Switched to the same combo in Scofield cases, slightly higher pressures I'm sure but it seemed to seal the cases better and I had less soot in the chamber and on the brass.

I really like Universal, though...it works as well as Unique and seems to burn cleaner in good conditions...I used Winchester LPP's and they have never failed...good luck with your reloading.

[JerryB]

CaptainFinn,I sure do thank you for the load information. I will try the .44 loads. I don't have any 200 grain .45 Colt bullets but when I get some I'll try them also. I am using 250 RNFP now for the CAS loads with 6 grains of unique.

[CaptainFinn]

I started off with 250 FP's in 45 colt and really didn't make a conscious decision to switch...but Russell from AWA was casting bullets on the side and one of my posse buddies could get me 25lbs of bullets for a truly awesome price (for 2006, anyway.). 25 lbs of 200's vs 25 lbs of 250's...so I went wth the lighter bullet. They worked just fine and hit to the same point of impact (or near enough for CAS distances and targets.).

Some guys ague endlessly over 250 vs 200 vs 180 or 160....it never mattered a lick to me. I went with the 200 simply because of the good price I got on those cast bullets. I like the 250/255 swc as well.

Good luck, use enough crimp, and let us know how your loads work out !