Looking for a 45 colt load

[Rockchucker]

My Lyman books show no listing for the lyman 250 gr. rnfp cast boolit using 2400 or h110. I'm not getting the best accuracy from 8 gr. of unique or 7.5 and thought I'd ask here for a pet load using these powders. My gun is a stainless Rossi 45 colt w/1 in 16 twist. Any recommendations here sure would be appreciated.

[sparky45]

My favorite is 250gr over 6.5 of Red Dot. I shoot these in my Ruger Blackhawk. Have to add a disclaimer. You should ALWAYS check and re-check load data to make sure it will work for your situation.

[btroj]

Try going up to 10 gr of Unique in 1/2 gr increments.

It could also be an alloy or fit issue. The rifle just may not like SWC style bullets. Lots of potential reasons for the accuracy issues.

[Rockchucker]

With iron sights at 50 yards I'm grouping about baseball size, my alloy is ww/and soft lead plus a little tin. No lead at all, and the bore is nice and shiny. Barrel slugs around .4505 and sizing .452 with c-red mixed with 25% extra bees wax. I would like to tighten this group up some what for a hunting load and thought a slower powder might work better than Unique.

[gon2shoot]

You might want to look at the "Ruger" loads. Mine likes 17.5gr of 2400

[Rafe Covington]

I use 2400 with a 300 gr bullet in Ruger Bisley, 17.5 grs.

Rafe

[HATCH]

9 to 9.5 grains unique 250 grain boolit flat point round nose

[Rockchucker]

If the Lyman Cast Handbook is listing 8.2 grs. of unique as max load, how does the 9-10 grs. affect pressures in my Rossi, question is.. is this gun strong enough for these loads?

[TXGunNut]

My favorite load for the 255 gr 452424 was 7.5 grs Universal, nowadays I think 37grs KIK FFFg is a lot more fun.

[longhorn]

I've shout literally thousands of rounds of 10 grains of Unique under a 250 to 260 gr cast "Keith" bullets from Ruger Blackhawks; frankly, I wouldn't give $5 for a Rossi lever I had to keep, but that load should be fine in your carbine.

[TXGunNut]

I've shout literally thousands of rounds of 10 grains of Unique under a 250 to 260 gr cast "Keith" bullets from Ruger Blackhawks; frankly, I wouldn't give $5 for a Rossi lever I had to keep, but that load should be fine in your carbine.

I have a few revolvers and a Trapper chambered in 45 Colt and quite frankly I'm looking forward to adding a Rossi in 45 Colt (or mebbe .357) to my stable. Have you had problems with the Rossi?

[Rockchucker]

I personally like mine, The action is smooth as silk and the trigger is smooth also. It doesn't have a leading problem with the cast I'm loading and the bore is shinny. I'm sure i'll find the right combination of powder/boolit soon, an I'll probably be changing the sights, then it'll be a shooter instead of a safe queen.

[huntrick64]

My pet load for my Ruger Bisley 45's is 9.5 gr Unique under the 45-270-SAA bullet (284 gr.) sized to .452 and lubed with LBT Blue Soft or BAC and seated to 1.650. At 50 yds, this load would shoot about 2-3" groups. Tried my max H110 loads (24 gr. H110 and same bullet) and had same accuracy, but hit about 8" high and knocked a few fillings out of my mouth! Tried a lot of powders and 19.0 gr. of 2400 under that bullet gave me the best accuracy and power, UNTIL I TRIED HS-6! Started at 12.0 grains and worked up to 14.0 grains in 1/2 grain increments. Same accuracy with every charge which was 4 bullets in one big hole and one flyer about 3/4" away from the group. If I want to save powder, power, recoil, etc. I load 12.0 grains HS-6. If I want to go hunting, I load 14.0 grains HS-6.

A sweet load for my Bisley 45's that I haven't tried in my Rossi is 8.2 grains HP-38 under that same bullet.

Hope that helps, I love Unique for my revolvers, but my Rossi lever doesn't really like it.

[TXGunNut]

HS-6? Interesting. Thanks!

[Rockchucker]

Thanks for all the replys on this thread fellows, I'm thinking i'll bump the Unique load up to 9.0 grains and increase it in 1/2 grain increments and see if the accuracy improves before changing over to a different powder. Just might have to try some that HS6 and experiment some and find a powder that won't knock my fillings out of my mouth. I'm loving this this little 45 colt Rossi regardless of some of the bad wrap it gets from some members here.
Thanks again fellows, Rockchucker.

[arkypete]

All of my 45 Colt revolvers like 8.5 to 9.5 grains of Unique behind a 250 grain SWC sized .454. My Rossi likes 20 grains of H110, 300 grain cast or condum. The cast 300 grain bullets are sized .454 and gas checked.

Jim

[joec]

I have a Rossi 92 in 45 Colt and love it. First off it will handle more pressure than most lever guns out there so anything you can shoot in a Ruger is usually safe in the Rossi. Now my hunting load from mine is a Ranch Dog 290 gr cast bullet sized to .452 (comes .454) with X-Lox 2500+ loaded with 23 to 25 gr of Lil'Gun. It will pretty much stop pigs, deer and perhaps a black bear. My plinking loads are 250gr LRNFP with either Black powder or Trailboss. A fun gun to shoot and mine is also been a great gun the 2.5 yrs I've owned it.

[rbertalotto]

10 - 10.5 gr of Unique

YIKES!!!

"Danger Will Robinson, Danger!!"

[Ziptar]

YIKES!!!

"Danger Will Robinson, Danger!!"

Not at all. Its still in the 20,000 psi range. In fact 10 grains of Unique is the sweet spot, especially for a rifle.

Would I use it in an original Colt SAA or clone? Nope.. Should be safe for anything else (Ruger, S&W, Taurus, or Rifles) made in the last 50 years though.

[btroj]

I shoot 10.5 gr of surplus 105 powder which is pretty close to Unique in burn rate. This is a Ruger level load but very safe in a Rossi lever action. Works quite well for me.