Today was .45 Colt Day

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JimT
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Today was .45 Colt Day

Post by JimT »

At least on my part of the shooting range it was. I took my Linebaugh .45 Ruger and two handloads just to do some target work and to work on my offhand shooting. I tested the loads from a rest and then shot them offhand both at targets and breaking clay pigeons etc.

The handloads were with 2 bullets that to me look "AT HOME" in the .45 Colt case. The first is the Keith #454424 semi-wadcutter. I had these loaded over 6.5 grains of Green Dot.
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The second is the old Colt bullet by Lyman, #454190. These were loaded over 7.0 grains of Green Dot.
IMG_4620.JPG
These were my "sighting in" targets. The offhand targets showed my lack of practice as I started out. A hundred rounds or so into it and the groups tightened up some. I just need to keep at it.

I really like these 2 bullets. At moderate velocities they work 'way beyond what most folks expect.
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Griff
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Re: Today was .45 Colt Day

Post by Griff »

Very good Jim! The majority of my .45 molds are RCBS, but, yep, the 250 grain Keith style is very good. My favorite mold is the RCBS 45-225-CAV. A truncated cone with a large grease groove and weighing about 230 grains after sizing & lubing to .452. The main reason I prefer to the Keith style is its easy feeding in my leverguns. It's deep grease groove also holds enough SPG that I end with a nice grease star on the muzzle, even on the 24-¼" 1873, keeping the fouling soft in the bbl, even after a 10-shot string.I have a bunch laying on my living room floor, begging to get to the range. (Where'd I'd have been today if I hadn't slept in)!!!
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JimT
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Re: Today was .45 Colt Day

Post by JimT »

I have used the 454190 bullet with SPG lube when I was shooting Black Powder class. I like that lube. It works well.
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Re: Today was .45 Colt Day

Post by .45colt »

We had a 4th of July Picnic some years ago....My Wife's brother and All of us and His petite Young Wife (22) went out back to shoot. I had a few revolvers as well as some .semi auto .22's..........I had the .45 loaded with Elmer's 265grn, 18.5 gr of 2400 . The Young Lady shot all of the smaller stuff then the Ruger Bisley .45colt. I said politely "Do You want to shoot the .22's" ." No she said I want to shoot that one". pointing at the Ruger, She then shot about another 20 rounds of the .45colt , never blinking an eye. One tough Women. I don't think She had ever shot before that.
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Re: Today was .45 Colt Day

Post by Ysabel Kid »

EVERY day should be a ".45 Colt Day"!!! :D
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Old Savage
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Re: Today was .45 Colt Day

Post by Old Savage »

Jim, nice shooting. I use similar loads and have a stock similar configuration Ruger.

45colt - Took my rather dainty built daughter shooting years go. We had a SAA Colt in 44 Spl and a Ruger Super Blackhawk 5 1/2” with Factory loads. She liked the SBH better, didn’t fight it and shot well. Said she liked the smooth grips on he SBH better than the Colt hard rubber.
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JimT
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Re: Today was .45 Colt Day

Post by JimT »

Old Savage wrote: Thu Jan 12, 2023 7:21 am Jim, nice shooting. I use similar loads and have a stock similar configuration Ruger.
Thanks. I prefer Unique for this velocity in the .45 but over the years found that any powder in that range works pretty well. And with powders being hard to find at times I use what I can get. :D I ran across some cheap 700X some years ago and loaded up a bunch of .45 Colts with 250 gr. RNFP bullet. These are pretty durn accurate. This target was shot with them from my late wife's S&W.
IMG_0413.JPG
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Old Savage
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Re: Today was .45 Colt Day

Post by Old Savage »

I came to the same conclusion regarding shotgun powders at moderate velocities in the 44/45s. A couple New Frontiers and Midel 24 had good accuracy.
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Bill in Oregon
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Re: Today was .45 Colt Day

Post by Bill in Oregon »

Boy, I sure need to step up my game to run with you big dogs. Nice shootin' fellas. 8)
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Old Savage
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Re: Today was .45 Colt Day

Post by Old Savage »

Here is a load that worked well in the Mod 24 44 Spl. I found the 45 Colt and .44 Spl very similar to load for.
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Old Savage
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Re: Today was .45 Colt Day

Post by Old Savage »

Here is a rough comparison of some velocities.
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samsi
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Re: Today was .45 Colt Day

Post by samsi »

Old Savage wrote: Thu Jan 12, 2023 1:43 pm Here is a load that worked well in the Mod 24 44 Spl. I found the 45 Colt and .44 Spl very similar to load for.
At some point I realized the same thing, going as far as using the same charge of Power Pistol with 250 grain bullets in the 45, 44 Special and Magnum. It's not necessarily the best across the board for all three, but it worked pretty darn good all around.
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