It is loaded not by weight, but by volume. The 45 Colt brass could handle the pressures, but standard sixguns could not. The final level includes custom five-shot Rugers and the Freedom Arms Model 83. As I have gotten older and my hands have become more tender, I find myself moderating my everyday shooting loads. These are decent numbers, but a 240-grain.44 Magnum round from the same product line flies out of the barrel at 1,230 fps; after 50 yards it is still traveling 1,117 fps. All rights reserved. Compare all 45 ACP ammunition manufacturers on one easy to read chart. These loads developed muzzle velocities of up to 1,050 ft/s (320 m/s). 2 of 5 Gun Review: Rossi R92 .45 Colt Rifle No safe queen, Rossi’s high-quality replica of the Winchester Model 1892, the R92, is built for hard use on the range. To put this into perspective, a Boeing 737 commercial airliner travels at a cruising speed of 600 mph, or 880 fps. There are many reasons for reloading for your handguns. Swarovski Z5(i) P BT L 3.5-­18x44mm Scope Review, Kimber Rapide Black Ice 10mm Review – A Truly Unique 1911, Red vs. Green Lasers: Visibility in Bright Light, Browning X-Bolt Hell's Canyon Speed Long Range McMillan Review, How to Shoot Better: Tools and Tips to Improve Factory Ammo Accuracy, Kimber Rapide Black Ice 10mm Review — A Truly Unique 1911, Surefire XSC Micro-Compact Pistol Light: First Look, First Look: Springfield Armory Model 2020 Waypoint Bolt-Action Rifle, Trijicon's New Specialized Reflex Optics (SRO). 45 Colt hand load velocity test Posted on March 26, 2016 by superc Decades ago when they were brand new I purchased a Smith and Wesson Model 25-5 pistol (in .45 Colt of course) with the mandated 8 3/8 inch barrel in the wooden case it came with in those days. .45 Colt.45 Super.460 Rowland.223 Rifle Acknowledgements. After 50 yards, it is traveling at 828 fps. To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine. That is, until I tried IMR 4227 with Lyman’s #452424 and a 20.0-grain load, and that combination produced one-hole groups. A .45 ACP 200 gr. His 45 Colt bullet was #454424 and was available for decades from Lyman. All Guns and Ammo subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. Any time I have a 45 Colt that doesn’t shoot the way I think it should, I don’t give up until I try this load of IMR 4227 with Keith’s bullet. 45 Long Colt Ammo: Bullet Type: Flex Tip eXpanding: Muzzle Velocity: 920 fps: Muzzle Energy: 348 ft. lbs: Primer: Boxer: Casing: Brass Casing: Ammo Rating: Personal Protection & Self Defense 45 Long Colt … The United States Army has adopted the SIG Sauer Tango6T 1-6x24mm as its new dedicated optic... Small, lightweight and purpose-built for sub-compact carry guns, Surefire's XSC pistol light takes on EDC illumination segment. A check of Hodgdon’s loading manuals shows these two powders using the same charge weight produce the same velocities and pressures. As illustrated in the chart,.357 Magnum rounds - on average - achieve a velocity of about 1290 feet per second (fps) while.45 Colt (LC Long Colt) rounds travel at a velocity of 1050 fps. For recreational shooting I load the 200 grain Speer "flying ashtray" JHP bullet in front of 11.0 grains of HS6 powder for a muzzle velocity (MV) of 945 fps. Due to High Order Volumes, Expect Delays in Processing Orders. I also have been having good luck lately with 10.0 grains of HS-6 and 250- to 260-grain bullets, which duplicates the performance of the early black powder loads. On paper, the 357 Magnum was the first cartridge to exceed the 45 Colt’s muzzle energy, but many knowledgeable sixgunners, Elmer Keith included, believed the 45 Colt actually offered more practical power than the “First Magnum.” Today, it remains one of our most popular sixgun cartridges. The Trijicon SRO is specifically designed for pistol use. They generate a surprising amount of velocity out of such a short gun. First is a 265 grain Bonded-Core Hollow Point bullet at a muzzle velocity (MV) of 1350 fps and muzzle enerby (ME) of 1073 ft. lbs. By the standards of the day when it arrived in 1873, and even to this day, the 45 Colt was and is a powerful cartridge. It is my most used powder both in cap-and-ball and cartridge-firing sixguns when black powder loads are desired. My .45 Colt load in a Ruger 4 5/8 barrel, with Rex II and a 280 grain boolit gives velocities in the high 800s. In fact, HS6 can launch the 200 grain bullet at up to 1081 fps in front of 12.5 grains of HS6 powder, according to the Speer Reloading Manual #13. For the 45 Colt, I especially prefer the 250-grain RNFP and the 255-grain SWC. A .45 ACP, 230 gr. I assure you that , based on my testing, you would not want to see someone hit by one of those bullets. Actually, we can divide 45 Colt sixguns into several reloading levels, and I have moderated these somewhat over the past several years, with the first two levels being very close together. But the 45 Colt is a survivor. For many decades reloaders have been arguing over whether or not H110 and W296 were identical. The .45 Colt and single-action revolver are a powerful and useful combination. However, it cannot be approached the same as smokeless. I have fired .45 Colt loads with a 165-grain bullet at 650 fps. They are my choice for everyday use and also for hunting larger, tougher game. So if one used 40 grains by weight of Pyrodex when the chart called for 40 grains of black powder, the result would be an overloaded charge. And the conclusion is the bullets from 44 Mag weapon can come out with the speed of 1270 fps (feet per second) while that of the 45 Colt is only 957 fps. Copyright 2004, 2015 by Chuck Hawks. Because of this power and its excellent accuracy, the .45 Colt was the most-used cartridge at the time of its introduction, succeeding the .44 WCF (or the .44-40 Winchester). However, Dick Casull started with the 45 Colt single action and the “weak” 45 Colt case to come up with his cartridge, which eventually became the 454 Casull. The .45 Colt uses .454" diameter bullets and standard large pistol primers. The mid-range trajectory of this load shows a rise of 3.2" over 75 yards. It also is a most versatile powder as it can be used for standard loads for the Colt SAA and heavy loads for the Blackhawk. Pyrodex P is the equivalent of Triple-F or FFFg black powder. Complete 45 ACP ammunition ballistics Chart. Cowboy shooters often load down to 700 fps or so. Particularly for the reloader, there is nothing that the .45 ACP cartridge can do that the old .45 (Long) Colt cannot do better. S.A.A.M.I. +P, Gold Dot Hollow Point has a velocity of 1080 fps. The Colt Single Action Army, Colt New Frontier, Ruger New Model Flat-Top, Ruger New Vaquero, and Smith & Wesson Model 25/625 are all very close strength-wise. A typical 45 Long Colt cartridge has a 250 grain bullet and 860 fps muzzle velocity, giving it 411 ft lbs muzzle energy. When Ray Thompson was designing his line of bullets, he did not neglect the 45. Two other powders for standard loads include W231 and HP-38. At 1,400 fps it is an excellent hunting bullet. So both the up and down positions were closer in speeds and the spreads were noticeably closer. I have found HS-6, Universal, and W231 powders work very well for standard loads, while IMR 4227 bulks up nicely in 45 Colt brass. LEVERevolution ® represents a breakthrough in ammo design for lever action rifles and revolvers. Universal is an excellent powder for the 45 Colt with 8.0 grains under a 250-grain bullet duplicating the old black powder load. Tim Sundles at Buffalo Bore Ammunition (www.buffalobore.com) has developed 45 Long Colt + P ammo that will greatly enhance your Henry rifle … The two most important variables are the Initial Velocity and the Ballistic Coefficient. I own a Bond derringer with the 2" and 3" .45 Colt only barrels. I shot 240 grain Winchester JSP ammo through it. The .45 Colt, sometimes called the .45 Long Colt to distinguish it from the short .45 cartridge historically required by the S&W Schofield revolver, as well as the .45 ACP (also sometimes, incorrectly, referred to as the .45 Colt), is the oldest service cartridge still in use today. Elmer Keith was way ahead of his time in developing everyday working and hunting loads. The company also distributes IMR and Winchester powders as well as Goex black powder. ©2021 Outdoor Sportsman Group. For the 45 Colt this is the Single Action Army revolver. These modern projectiles have mono-metal construction and use a deep hollow-point for rapid expansion. These can be safely driven to 1,200 fps in the Ruger Blackhawk. Colt single actions are right around 0.454 inch. On the other end of the spectrum, Cutting Edge Bullets makes a 150-grain Handgun Raptor bullet that can achieve very high velocities (upward of 1,600 fps) in the.45 Colt case. The blueprinted and precisely machined action allows Springfield to offer the Model 2020 with .75" MOA accuracy guarantee. The wide field of view and clean, crisp dot makes it easy for users to find and track the dot in both target and competitive shooting applications. Instead of being overly large, Rugers have been way too tight, with some measuring around 0.449 inch, but now Ruger is cutting all cylinder throats at 0.451 to 0.452 inch. Notes: This is an average of three shots fired over a chronograph with skyscreens placed 10 feet from the muzzle. All Freedom Arms cylinders are held to very tight tolerances and whether using 45 Colt or 454 Casull brass, I size with a special 454 die. Note that these are not "+P" loads. We have all the best brands for your firearm at low prices, ready to ship right to your door nationwide! Heavy loads that are safe for use in the Ruger Redhawk would destroy a fine Colt SAA. Physically, the .45 Colt is a typical, straight wall, rimmed revolver cartridge. The .45 Automatic Colt Pistol (ACP) was released in 1911 as a replacement for the .38 Long Colt (not to be mistaken for .45 Long Colt), the .45 ACP was meant to have ballistic performance similar to the .45 Colt while delivering a higher carrying capacity to soldiers and law enforcement. That brings us to the next level, which includes 45 Colt revolvers built on the Ruger Super Blackhawk frame and the Ruger Old Model Blackhawk, the arrival of which led to two separate load sections showing up in loading manuals. The original black-powder loads called for 28 to 40 grains (1.8 to 2.6 g) of black powder behind a 230-to-255-grain (14.9 to 16.5 g) lead bullet. 45 Long Colt The .45 Colt [11.48x35R] cartridge is a handgun cartridge dating to 1872. The original conical bullet found in black powder 45 Colt loads from the 1870s is very close to the Lyman #454190 and the RCBS #45-255 FN. The availability of all of these bullets is dependent on how much time I have to cast my own. The day of the percussion revolver would soon be over, and even Colt could see the future and began converting 1860 cap-and-ball sixguns to fire cartridges. The top such loads listed use W296 and H110 powders. This was achieved with 40 grains of black powder. The vast majority of my 45 Colt handloads over the last 60 years, however, has been put together with cast bullets. However, there are two problems associated with it: case capacity and cylinder throat diameters. Because case capacity is large, trying to produce lighter loads with slow-burning powders can give very poor results. Or a 250-255 grain lead bullet a MV of 860 fps and a ME of 410 ft. lbs. His #452490GC was originally made for the 45 Auto Rim cartridge for use in the Smith & Wesson 1950 Target revolver, but I also use the Thompson design, which weighs around 255 grains, for heavy-duty loads approaching the energy of the 44 Magnum in the Ruger Blackhawk. Here's some info off the Sierra Ballistics page. I owned a set of barrels in .44 mag. Everyone who has a Ruger Blackhawk or Freedom Arms single-action revolver realizes the roots of these modern guns go back to the Colt Single Action Army. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets. The second high pressure Cor-Bon load is uses a 300 grain Jacketed Soft Point bullet at a MV of 1300 fps and ME of 1126 ft. lbs. I have found 5.0 grains of Clays under a 250-grain bullet delivers a very pleasant-shooting load at 725 fps and will group all its shots in 0.63 inch at 20 yards. My loading dies are from Lee, Lyman, and RCBS, and all of them give excellent service. The Colt shooters could easily use the shorter Smith & Wesson cartridge, so the quartermasters began referring to the Colt round as “45 Long Colt”. In 1875, it became the standard issue for the U.S. Army, and remained so until replaced by the .38 Long Colt in 1892, though it wouldnt be long until the Army adopted yet another .45 caliber pistol cartridge, but you know all a… This was achieved with 40 grains of black powder. With Accurate's 5744 the speeds with 17.0 were 853 fps UP and 802 DOWN, but spreads were much better at 45 fps and 16.6 fps respectively. For a good deal on 45 long colt ammo go to. |   It was introduced in 1873 for the then new Colt Single Action Army (SAA) revolver, the famous Peacemaker. Then comes the Freedom Arms Model 97, the original Ruger Vaquero, Ruger Blackhawk, Ruger Redhawk, and the Ruger Super Redhawk. It didn’t take long for manufacturers to offer heavier bullets, and two of the best came from NEI. Despite being a production rifle, the Model 2020 should rival more expensive custom builds. The .45 Colt originally was a black-powder cartridge, but modern loadings use smokeless powder. The other problem, that of cylinder throat diameters, centers around the fact that they vary considerably. In comparison, a standard 45 ACP cartridge has a 230 grain bullet and 850 fps muzzle velocity, giving it 369 ft lbs muzzle energy. My brass of choice is Starline’s excellent 45 Colt brass with CCI 300 Large Pistol primers for all powders, except I switch to CCI 350 Magnum Pistol primers with IMR 4227, H110, W296, and all black powder and black powder substitutes. The key for best shooting is to size cast bullets accordingly and open the throats if necessary. Sam Colt became a millionaire producing percussion revolvers. As with most things cast, "it all depends." Dropping down to 30 grains results in an easier-shooting 835 fps and a group of 1.13 inches. For the Fastest Delivery, Select Express Shipping at Checkout. In ranking the various 45 Colt sixguns now in production from the least strongest to that capable of a handling the heaviest loads, I would set the following order. With the coming of Ruger’s Blackhawk chambered in 45 Colt in the early 1970s, we finally had a sixgun that could tap the tremendous potential of the 45 Colt cartridge. Moving up to the second level, loads at around 1,000 fps with the same-weight bullet are used in the Colt New Frontier, Smith & Wesson Model 25/625, Ruger Flat-Top New Model, and the Ruger New Vaquero. They often equal or surpass the accuracy from my carefully tailored hand-cast bullets. Using a 250-grain cast bullet, 37.5 grains by volume of Pyrodex P results in a very potent 987 fps and a five-shot, 50-foot group of 0.88 inch in my revolver. With the 45 Colt, IMR 4227 is almost magical in being able to provide excellent accuracy when other powders will not. This brings us to powders, and I use a lot of Hodgdon powders. Keith’s #454424 was an excellent bullet, but it has been improved by Dave Scovill and is offered by RCBS as #45-270SAA. In actual weight, Pyrodex is lighter than black powder, being about 80 percent of the weight of black powder. For loading black powder 45 Colt loads, I use Goex as well as Pyrodex and Triple Seven. In this Guns & Ammo TV segment, Gun Tech Editor Richard Nance and Pro-Shooter Jim Tarr discuss the benefits of airsoft training for uniformed professionals and armed citizens alike. The Speer 260 grain JHP bullet can be driven to a MV of 810 fps by 10.5 grains of HS6, and a maximum charge of 11.5 grains of HS6 yields a MV of 925 fps. Pyrodex is cleaner burning than black powder and results in less fouling of the barrel. A favorite pastime of many dedicated sixgunners is sitting around a campfire arguing the merits of their particular choice of caliber. For example, 20.7 grains of W296 powder behind the 300 grain Speer bullet achieved a MV of 1084 fps, and 23.0 grains of W296 drove the 300 grain bullet to a MV of 1193 fps. Lyman now offers it as #452424, and it is a 255-grain bullet—or thereabouts, depending upon the alloy used. sets maximum standards for cartridges; this standard must be set at a level safely usable in the weakest common denominator. We are blessed to have many excellent cartridges and sixguns available to us, but it would be hard to find any cartridge that is as versatile as the old 45 Colt. Briefly, the Cor-Bon ".45 Colt Magnum +P" loads are as follows (Cor-Bon figures). It is a good choice for self-defense, long-range shooting, hunting everything on four legs, and just plain fun shooting. load above from a rifle, at basically the same velocity as the 275 gr./45 long Colt from a rifle has the same killing level potential as the 45 long Colt. They are my choice for the heaviest loads especially with cast bullets weighing 300 grains and heavier. The . The original loading was a bullet of approximately 255 grains with a muzzle velocity of somewhere around 850 to 900 fps. The SAAMI maximum average pressure is pegged at 14,000 psi. We'd like to personally and specifically thank Pat Childs at Fin & Feather in Iowa City, as he not only helped get most of our ammunition and other supplies, he was the brilliant gunsmith who worked with us to make this insane project much more practical. This same bullet can be loaded to much higher velocity in Ruger’s large-frame single- and double-action sixguns. 45.93-43.79-12.74: 0.00: 0.00: 0.00: 0.32: 444: 895: 150: 53.49-34.02-9.90 ... your firearm, and cartridge. The Frankford Arsenal ended up dropping the longer round from production in 1887 and solely manufactured the 45 S&W round as the “ . For those who prefer a 250 grain lead bullet, the same Speer reloading manual suggests 11.0 grains of HS6 powder for a MV of 917 fps, or 12.0 grains of HS6 for a MV of 945 fps. Its rim diameter is .512", its base diameter is .480", and its neck diameter is .476". (NOTE: Sections marked “Ruger Only” are not for the New Model Blackhawk Flat-Tops or the New Vaquero!) There simply is not much that cannot be accomplished with the 45 Colt. [bc-description action="new description"] Technical Information Caliber: 45 Colt (Long Colt) Bullet Weight: 250 Grains Bullet Style: Hornady Jacketed XTP Hollow Point Case Type: Ducta-Bright 7a Nickel Brass Ballistics Information Muzzle Velocity: 960 fps Muzzle Energy: 512 ft … Both of these are plainbased Keith-style bullets, and their numbers are #310.451 and #325.454, with the first three digits giving the approximate bullet weight. With the 24" barrel the velocity is only in the high 1100s. The 6mm Creedmoor is a new member of a wonderful family of 6mm-caliber (.243) cartridges; it's... Give a Gift   Gold Dot Hollow Point has a velocity of 900 fps. I have hand-loaded a 250 gr. Others are the New Model Blackhawks, the Bisley Model, the Redhawk, and the Super Redhawk. The SAAMI maximum average pressure is pegged at 14,000 psi down positions closer. Turned out to be a somewhat mediocre performer designed for pistol use and Triple Seven to provide excellent accuracy other. 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