Little 45 lc help

[schleutj]

So I purchased the Lee 300 grain gas checked mold.

I found the data for 12-13 grains of HS-6. Man o Man for POWER.

But I would rather not shoot those every time I go to the range. I can not found if I am able to down load this load to a more comfortable everyday pluming load or is there a different powder to use. There is more on the shelves now so if I need to buy a different powder that is not the end of the world. Thanks in advance.

 

[SSL]

Hodgdon shows 9 and 10 grains of HS6 for 300 grain loads at 616 and 740 fps respectively. It isn't listed as a proper powder on their loading site for anything hotter, not even for Freedom Arms. Not sure where you found your loads.
Look at loads for .45 Colt, not .45 Colt Ruger, Freedom Arms and T/C. Those just show the strength of the particular firearms, not a requirement to run them that hot. Otherwise, CFE Pistol, Accurate No. 2 or 5 and a dozen other powders will work.

 

[schleutj]

That load data for 12.5-13 was from John Linebaughs website. I researched it a lot before loading my test rounds. I will try some at 10 grains of HS-6 and see how they feel.

 

[SSL]

That load data for 12.5-13 was from John Linebaughs website. I researched it a lot before loading my test rounds. I will try some at 10 grains of HS-6 and see how they feel.

Yeah...he shoots dinosaurs...
Way to much for real world use.

 

[schleutj]

yeah. I don’t think I will be shooting a whole lot of those. Good to know I can though .

 

[schleutj]

I am interested now to see what those 10 grain loads will feel like. I was thinking I would have to buy a different mold but if I can get something decent I will be happy. Even more so if I can use HS-6. I use and have a lot of it.

 

[SSL]

I use 7.0 grains of CFE Pistol and you know you pulled the trigger, but it isn't bad. This out of a 4.5" Ruger .45 Colt and shooting a 300-grain cast, gas-checked bullet. That is about the same pressure as the 10 grains of HS6 load. Tried it out of curiosity since I bought the mold a couple years ago to shoot with sabots in my muzzleloader. Shoot 250 to 270-grain bullets far more often and use anything from Bullseye to 2400 or H110 depending on what I'm trying to accomplish. Once you get into those pressure ranges, whatever works for a .44 Magnum will pretty much work in a .45 Colt (Ruger and equivalent) with similar (but not identical) powder/bullet weights.

 

[17cal Fan]

I've shot a lot of Sierra 185's in my Blackhawk. They are fun and fast with a lot less recoil. Pushed them with 11-12gr of Unique.

 

[JSH]

As mentioned, look at 45 Colt loads. There may be something there to let you use what you may have on hand. I would say Unique, but don’t know about availability. Maybe titegroup.

 

[schleutj]

I've shot a lot of Sierra 185's in my Blackhawk. They are fun and fast with a lot less recoil. Pushed them with 11-12gr of Unique.

Are those jacketed? I do have a bunch of 230 grain hornadys laying around. I don’t shoot my 1911’s as much. I should try those too.

 

[powderbrake]

I use a 255 gr lead RNFP and 14.6 gr of 2400 in my 45 Colt loads. This is about 850 fps., safe to shoot in my SAA Colt.

 

[DHD]

Having used many pounds of HS6 in 44 Spec, 44 Mag, and 45 Colt with my own cast heavies, I've found that powder wants some pressure to burn clean. You can download it easy enough, but staying somewhere around 11 grains to 12.5 grains will be clean with 275-300 grain bullets. I'll usually just load 12.5 grains.You guessed it though, it's a powerful load.

I use a MP 45 Colt Carb GC mold and powder coated with that load. Not hard to handle, accurate, and clean. H110 will get stupid though (shoot a fair amount of them too). My 45 Colt's are either Blackhawk's or a FA83 (45 Colt cylinder) so the only weak link is my hands.

For just about all revolver loads I could get by with only HS6 and H110. I do like AA9 in 327 Federal, 32 H&R, and 357 Mag.

 

[17cal Fan]

Are those jacketed? I do have a bunch of 230 grain hornadys laying around. I don’t shoot my 1911’s as much. I should try those too.

Yes, Jacketed Hollow Points. #8800 .4515 Dia. but they shot great.

 

[jr600yd]

Heavy bullet and 6grs of Unigue for plinking 9grs for heavy load

 

[Infrequent Shooter]

I've shot a lot of Sierra 185's in my Blackhawk. They are fun and fast with a lot less recoil. Pushed them with 11-12gr of Unique.

I am a big fan of 180 gr 45 acp for same reason. but I buy off the shelf Win box. and shooting those big bullets, 180 or 190 etc. is still a darn big slug.

 

[JLT]

I'll echo the previous recommendations for Unique. It is perhaps the most flexible pistol powder around, especially for the larger cases. Unique will let you cover mild to wild without a lot of fuss and bother. I have no direct experience with the .45 Colt, but I've shot a fair amount of Unique in a .44 Magnum under 240 gr. Keith SWCs. Six grains of Unique made for a pleasant plinking/practice load and roughly a little less than double that for serious business. A firm crimp on the lighter loads will aid combustion and cut down on powder fouling.

 

[tommeboy]

One problem that is popping up lately with some 45 COLT dies is the seating die is a little small for cast bullets. You might need a COWBOY seater die as the internal diameter is larger to load cast lead bullets.

 

[Adam in WI]

One problem that is popping up lately with some 45 COLT dies is the seating die is a little small for cast bullets. You might need a COWBOY seater die as the internal diameter is larger to load cast lead bullets.

Is this why I'm shaving lead when seating and crimping? Can the standard stem be opened?

 

[SSL]

Seating and crimping in two separate steps usually eliminates shaving lead. Mostly that happens when the bullet is still traveling into the die as the crimp shoulder is trying to close the case mouth and the mouth shaves the edges of the bullet. It's the die itself, not the stem, that causes the issue.

 

[tommeboy]

Is this why I'm shaving lead when seating and crimping? Can the standard stem be opened?

The internal diameter of the die is too small in regular dies. They are made for jacketed bullets not cast lead. When you do a roll crimp you should always crimp in a separate step. The cowboy dies are larger on the internal diameter. Regular dies can swage the bullet in the case causing leading from a too small of a bullet. DO NOT use the Lee Factory crimp dies with anything cast lead. There is a carbide ring in it that will size the loaded round too small causing leading.