Yeah, it’s been a while since I posted. A general “funk” has been meandering through my life. A butt-kicking cough, a fresh injury to my back, and a general lack of internet interest have all contributed to my absence from the blog.
Then there is my favorite pass-time: Shooting.
Lately I’ve been continuing my work on the 7mm-08 Remington. Frankly, I can’t find a “bad” load for this cartridge. Using both light and heavy bullets, hitting very long range targets, (400+ meters) is ridiculously easy with my Remington 700 SPS. I’m also tinkering with the .204 Ruger. The amazing thing with this one is its trajectory. Trajectory makes one think of an arched flight path. The .204 Ruger is more like a laser! I see much fun in the future with this one!
This post, however, is about my favorite cartridge, the .45 Colt. Of late I’ve really been sending a lot of those big slugs down range from both the Ruger New Vaquero and the Winchester Trapper. Now here there are definite preferences in loads. Some combinations, are in a word, dreadful. Others are remarkable in accuracy and potency. I thought I’d take a few minutes to point out the best of the components I’ve found so far.
Brass: When it comes to buying your cases for the ol’ .45 Colt you need look no further than Starline. I use both the standard brass and the nickle-plated versions. The later for black-powder loads and “carry loads” that will spend a lot of time in leather loops. These babies are remarkably consistant in size right out of the box as well in weight. I have a lot of time to kill and tend to measure and weigh each and every case. When it comes to pure quality of product, Starline is second to none!
Primers: One brand – CCI. Period. End of report. In all of my years of shooting, sending literally hundreds of thousands of rounds downrange, I’ve never had a single failure to fire from a CCI primer, or for that matter any CCI rimfire round. This company also happens to offer a huge selection in ammo and components. I use this brand of primers in every load for every firearm. What more can I say?
Powder: I’m just beginning to tinker with Hodgdon’s Titegroup powder in the .45, so the jury is still out on that one. It has a reputation of “position insensitivity”. Something that does make a difference when using most modern powders in the cavernous .45 Colt case, designed as it was for blackpowder. I’ve personally noted the positional differences, (powder near or away from the primer), while using other powders. No failures to fire or squibs, but a definate change in velocity and point of impact. Now, did you notice where I said “most modern powders”? Case position isn’t an issue with a powder that properly fills a case. That is where my favorite powder to date comes in to its own. I’m talking about IMR Trail Boss powder. This new powder is a flake powder with each flake shaped like a wee doughnut and is so “fluffy” that a load can’t be double-charged without overflowing the case. A nice safety feature for the handloader. Relatively clean burning, and low pressures don’t hurt either. Accuracy with this powder has been top notch with every bullet I’ve tried, both jacketed and lead. Sure, you can’t “magnum-ize” the .45 Colt using this powder, but why would you want to do something like that anyway? If you want a .45 magnum, buy a .454 Casull or a .460. For me, I like the .45 Colt just as it is.
Bullets: Ahh… The “business end” of all these bits! Again, I’ve sent a bunch of different weights and styles of .45 bullets downrange. I’ve also developed preferences. In the lines of an “anti-personnel” round there is none better than the jacketed hollow point, 250 grain, Speer Gold Dot. Normally I’m strong on Hornady bullets, but in my own testing the Gold Dot beat out the XTP. Then there is the Rainier Bullets 250 grain Plated Flat Point. These are quickly becoming a true favorite in both my .45’s. Accurate, dependable, and no leading or lead vapors. All around a great bullets. When it comes down to the absolute most accurate bullet in both the Ruger and the Winchester, top honors has to go to the Hornady Cowboy. The one I’m using is the 255 grain, .454 caliber version of this swaged lead bullet. I first bought these for Cowboy Action shooting where all lead bullets are the law and ranges are danged short. I’ve slugged both guns and measured the throats of all six chambers in my Ruger. A .454 ball is really a bit on the large size, but I suppose that, and it being formed from soft virgin lead, is what helps this odd-ball bullet be so danged accurate. It is also externally lubed with a waxy substance that really works. Two hundred of these have been sent down the barrels of each of my .45’s and NO leading has occurred. None. Accuracy? How does consistantly pinging a 12 inch steel gong at 200 meters with a 16 inch, open sighted, carbine sound to you? Up to 100 meters with that same carbine is too easy to be fun. That’s when I use the 4 5/8 inch barrelled Ruger. 
Well, that’s my list on the .45 Colt. I hope this will help someone out there looking for some ideas for there own loads. At some point in the future I will post load data along with chronograph results.
Now I’m going to bed.
Bull, out.
loaded with the Hornady Cowboy 255 grain,
.454 Caliber?