What powder for .45 Colt in carbine?

[corvette8n]

I have a Puma 16" carbine in .45 Colt and my thinking that a slower pistol powder would give better velocity than the usual powders recommended for pistols.
Say a 250-300gr cast bullet.
Is my assunption correct? If so what powders would be best?

[NickSS]

You can load the 45 colt to various levels. In your carbine you can load loads that would be unsafe in any revolver including the ruger (not that I am advocating that). So it depends upon what you want to do. You can make good hunting loads with Unique using 250 to 300 gr bullets. If you want to hunt big game you can up the velocities by using 2400, H110 or AA 1680 powder. I myself loaded some loads a few years ago consisting of a 250 gr Jacketed slug and 31 gr of AA 1680. It was a hot load and hurt my shoulder when I fired it. Go to Leverguns.com and read the article on the 45 colt.

[Bucks Owin]

Well, if you're after velocity, W296/H110 in Linebaugh amounts would be my choice. (I suppose a Puma can handle 30K?. Don't they chamber .454 Casull in that rifle too?)....Dennis

[runfiverun]

regular pistol loads will pick up a couple of hundred fps in the carbine.
you should be able to get 1500 from 2400 easily enough.
h-110,longshot,aa-1680 should all get you even more.

[Potsy]

FWIW,
I had a Trapper .45 colt with a 16.5" barrel, heavy loads went as follows:
250grn. Hornady XTP over 27 grn Win 296=1830fps
300grn. Hornady XTP over 23 grn Win 296=1550fps
265grn. LBT over 27 grn Win 296=1770fps
260grn. Lyman 454424 over 21 grn 2400=1525fps

Every Puma I ever held felt like I was going to run out of fun before I ran out of horsepower.

5 grains of Clays and the 454424 gave 850 fps. fairly quiet, easygoing, accurate enough, never had anybody volunteer to run out to 100 yards with a catchers mitt and stand in front of it.
9 grains of Universal was probably my all around favorite and gave 1200fps with the Keith bullet.

[mike in co]

two things....
yep the lenght gives more velocity from a pistol load.
and in my case, moving to a mag primer gave better accuracy.

this was in 44mag, but the longer enclosed chamber/burn(the whole bbl) gives better velocity, and it apeared the primer helped in the big pic.

mike in co

[rickster]

For a given pressure, the maximum obtainable velocity will increase as powder burn rate decreases, up to H110/W296, and 2400 isn't far behind. Decrease burning rate any further and maximum obtainable velocity decreases.

This is based on Quickload calculations and my own experience.

And, that is a pretty good rule of thumb for all magnum sized pistol cases. It is also true for all barrel lengths longer than a few inches.

[Ed Barrett]

Give Lil'gun a try in your carbine.

[lbaize3]

I have had good luck with Universal Clays. Good velocity with the 250 grain RNFP and the bullet will probably go through most deer and hogs. The faster burning powders like 231, Red Dot and Clays will burn clean but recoils sharper in the max loads. Your Puma is a copy of the Winchester 92 and will hold heavier loads than the Winchester 66 and 73. I try to hold my pressures below 13,000 psi because of the weaker lever actions I also own. Therefore I only use loads found in the reloading manuals for the Colt peacemaker. Unique powder has about the same burning rate as Universal Clays, but is dirty... Titegroup is a good powder but also burns dirty in lighter loads. Trail Boss is great but the velocity is a bit low for hunting. Get a good reloading manual and chose the load that gives you good velocity at a low pressure for the firearm you are using.

[Charlie Sometimes]

I've used TiteGroup, Unique, AA #5, and Trail Boss- I like TiteGroup for the best all around powder.

[MtGun44]

Define "best".

Kinda like asking "How high is up"? Darn near unlimited choices.

Max vel, max accuracy, max economy, max fun - - - - -???

Unique, W231 and H110 have done well for me in various loads. These are
WILDLY different powders and I am sure that others have had different results.

Bill

[Lloyd Smale]

i doubt any powder is going to give you more velocity SAFER then 110/296 or possibly 4227. Lilgun might but pressures can go wild fast with it.

[Don McDowell]

What my chronograph told me is you can expect about 150 fps gain over handgun velocity with powders from Bluedot and faster. With powders from 2400 and slower the gain is closer to 300 fps over the 7 1/2 inch handgun data.

Use +p data for 2400, H110, 5744 and the accuracy will be good altho recoil gets to be a little sharp.
4198 also works pretty well in the carbine.

[helice]

I have a 20 Stainless LSI Puma in 45 Colt and it is a delight. John Linebaugh gives a good discussion of the 45 C. on his web sight www.customsixguns.com. Mr linebaugh likes H110 and W296 but gives loads for a few more like Unique and A2400. I've worked a bit with Lil'Gun and to be sure it does make for velocity.

There is IMHO an inverse relationship between velocity and fun in that light weight rifle. The 300 grain RCBS GC SWC starts getting brutal quickly as the velocity goes up. Get any slug going at "Max Published" and that stainless steel butt plate gets mighty unfriendly. Just my opinion. Helice

P.S. Nice tractor. I have always admired the little FORDS.

[timkelley]

I shoot H110 for fast and Unique for fun in mine.

[Snyd]

I shoot H110 for fast and Unique for fun in mine.

Same here in my 454 Puma. 45 Colt and 454 loads.

For 45 Colt:
Plinkin 255gr rnfp 8-9gr Unique
Huntin or bear protection. Ruger Only 45 Colt loads. 350-360gr WFN, 21+ gr H110

I can shoot these loads in my Ruger wheel guns and 20" puma with great accuracy and pickup some fps in the Puma.

But, the powerhouse load is the 454 335gr wfn at 1950fps