Looking for .45 Ruger/.45 Colt +P Loads

[JohnnyFlake]

I recently purchased a Rossi 92 Lever Gun 20" SS in .454 Casull.

Of course, I plan on shooting .454 loads from time to time, but I really wanted a .454 Casull for the ability to safely shoot hot .45 Colt Loads.

I know some of the hot .45 Colt loads are often referred to as Ruger Loads and sometimes .45 Colt +P Loads.

If anyone is familiar with or maybe has a favorite load in those categories, I'd love to hear what they are and your comments on such loads. I'll probably stick with 250gn RNFP and 300gn cast bullets.

Any suggestions and/or comments will be appreciated.

[gdmoody]

I don't load +P or hot loads in anything if I can help it. I would suggest that you go to your reloading manual and load one of the loads for it. Just don't go over the maximum load.

[al45lc]

Reloading Magazine had a section on hot loads for the Blackhawks some years ago and spoke to the fact that they were perfectly safe in the lever guns with steel actions. Since yours is a .454 casull, I'm sure any load from the manuals is fine.
In my Blackhawks and my Marlin lever gun (all .45 L.C.), I use a 300 gr. backed by 21 grs. of H-110 as a deer load, and that same powder with 22 grs. turned out to be great for my Elk load with a 325 gr. cast, both are gas checked. These were pulled from an article by Brian Pierce of Reloader Mag, I consider him an expert in the field, having read a lot of his work.
For lighter recoil, I use a Speer 225 gr Magnum H.P. with 15 grs. Blue Dot, from the Speer manual. Good for short range deer hunting and very accurate.
All these loads are with CCI mag primers.
You should back off of course and start lower for safety's sake, all guns are different.
The great thing is, these loads are also very accurate in my Marlin, so I have the advantage of shooting both without having to keep seperate loads on hand.

[JohnnyFlake]

Originally Posted by al45lc

Reloading Magazine had a section on hot loads for the Blackhawks some years ago and spoke to the fact that they were perfectly safe in the lever guns with steel actions. Since yours is a .454 casull, I'm sure any load from the manuals is fine.
In my Blackhawks and my Marlin lever gun (all .45 L.C.), I use a 300 gr. backed by 21 grs. of H-110 as a deer load, and that same powder with 22 grs. turned out to be great for my Elk load with a 325 gr. cast, both are gas checked. These were pulled from an article by Brian Pierce of Reloader Mag, I consider him an expert in the field, having read a lot of his work.
For lighter recoil, I use a Speer 225 gr Magnum H.P. with 15 grs. Blue Dot, from the Speer manual. Good for short range deer hunting and very accurate.
All these loads are with CCI mag primers.
You should back off of course and start lower for safety's sake, all guns are different.
The great thing is, these loads are also very accurate in my Marlin, so I have the advantage of shooting both without having to keep separate loads on hand.

Thanks for the response and I truly appreciate the info you have provided.

Also, since I posted this I came across an article by John Taffin in which he mentions that his favorite .45 Colt Rifle Loads are a Cast 250 RNFP from Oregon Trail over 10gn of Unique for 1290fps and with the same bullet, 18.5gn of 2400 for 1357fps. Both loads use standard LP Primers.

Additional research tells me that with the same bullet as above under 17.5gn of 2400 out of a 20" barrel will produce about 1200fps.

The 10gn of Unique and the 17.5gn of 2400 under an Oregon Trail Cast 250gn RNFP sounds like loads I would like to try.

[Bigr Bang Thry]

Give this a try: 24.0gr IMR 4227, 250gr Hornady XTP, and a Win lrg pistol primer. I hava a Win 94 chambered in .45Colt, and that's what it likes. Makes a GREAT hunting round.

[Bigr Bang Thry]

Sorry, but i should have added this: THIS IS A "+P" ROUND, AND THEREFORE MAY NOT BE SUITABLE IN YOUR GUN. WORK THIS LOAD UP CAREFULLY !!

When chronographed through the model 94, this load produces a velocity of 1420 FPS.

[JohnnyFlake]

Originally Posted by Bigr Bang Thry

Give this a try: 24.0gr IMR 4227, 250gr Hornady XTP, and a Win lrg pistol primer. I hava a Win 94 chambered in .45Colt, and that's what it likes. Makes a GREAT hunting round.

Thanks for the information.

This sounds like a pretty stout load, maybe +P+ but that will be fine in my Rossi, as I stated above it is actually a .454

I have seen other recommendations of both 19.0 and 20.0 grains of IMR 4227 under a Cast 250 and 255 grain bullet for about 1150 and 1187fps