Loads for the 45 flattop

[45spades]

I know it has been talked about here before and I've misplaced my Handloader mag with the article by Brian Pearce. I'm looking for a deer hunting load for the Ruger 45 Colt Flattop. I want roughly 1000 fps with a 280 grain bullet very similar to the RCBS SAA bullet. Here is what I am thinking.........
IMR-4227 18.5 - 20 grains
HS-6 12.0 to 13.0 grains
Unique 8.5 - 10 grains..........

Will these loads get me where I want be but safely?

Thanks
Spades

[Paden]

Here's the Brian Pearce article: www.riflemagazine.com/magazine/PDF/HL%20246partial.pdf

I especially like 10 grains of VV-N350 under that bullet.

[Fowler]

He did another article here in the last couple of months where his son used that very gun and that bullet to go 1050fps I believe. I know he did some fairly extensive testing with a variety of powders for accuracy and settled on one using Longshot I think, but it could have been Power Pistol. But it was issue 283 April 2013 though, Brian's article are always very well researched and will give you way too many loading options to try them all in your gun.

Personnally for that velocity range I would start with HS6, Power Pistol, and 2400,(probably in that order) they have all given me very good results for medium power 45 colt loads. The load you list for HS6 should be right in there for velocity in my experience and be pleanty safe in a Mid framed Flat Top...

[shorty500]

the 20g imr4227 should get you there. i run 20-1/2g h4227 under 283g from old NEI mold thats similar to the rcbs 270saa. mine just seats deep enough that can use in the older short S&W cylinders

[bob45colt]

45 Spades.
In the article Brian used Longshot powder in his sons pistol with a 280 grain bullet.
The Longshot gave a very small standard deviation shot to shot of around 20 feet per second. The load he was using in his sons pistol was 11.1 grains of Longshot, averaging 1050 feet per second,and it was accurate and effective on the Bear he shot, killing him very quickly. I have tried this powder (11.5 GRAINS) as well as Power pistol powder (11 grains) with a 305 grain bullet, of similar design, and they are running around 1075 to 1100. Both of these powders are burning very clean and are very accurate in my Ruger 45 Bisley and my Redhawk 45 Colt.

bob45colt

[dougader]

Remember, the 45 flat top is a medium frame gun and not as robust as the Bisley and large frame Blackhawk, and the Redhawk. Brian lists 20k psi loads in the link posted above and reached 1013 fps with 9.5 grains of Power Pistol in the test gun (a 5-1/2" Bisley).

I know I love the medium frame guns, but my Montado doesn't see anything above 1000 fps with the cast 265 - 280 grain bullets I load. I know Brian loads his to 23k psi now, but I tend to shoot most stuff at or under the old 14k psi data and very few up at 20k psi. I want this sweet revolver to last a long time, and I don't see an extra 100 fps bringing me more "killing power" in the field with this bullet (the 280 Keith style swc).

[hammerdown77]

Aug 1, 2013 16:07:14 GMT -5 bob45colt said:

45 Spades.
In the article Brian used Longshot powder in his sons pistol with a 280 grain bullet.
The Longshot gave a very small standard deviation shot to shot of around 20 feet per second. The load he was using in his sons pistol was 11.1 grains of Longshot, averaging 1050 feet per second,and it was accurate and effective on the Bear he shot, killing him very quickly. I have tried this powder (11.5 GRAINS) as well as Power pistol powder (11 grains) with a 305 grain bullet, of similar design, and they are running around 1075 to 1100. Both of these powders are burning very clean and are very accurate in my Ruger 45 Bisley and my Redhawk 45 Colt.

bob45colt

Whoa, 11 grains of Power Pistol with a 305 grain bullet in a mid frame 45 Colt? Are you sure that's right, Bob? I didn't think Pearce went above 9.5 grains of Power Pistol with the 270 SAA for the mid frame guns. Certainly not with a 300+ grain bullet.

Just want to make sure that isn't a typo or that we're talking about two different applications (Redhawk vs. mid-frame 45 Blackhawk).

[bob45colt]

hammerdown 77,

If you will read my comment again, the last sentence, you will see that I am using the loads mentioned in a Ruger Bisley 45 Colt and in a Redhawk 45 Colt. I did not recommend these loads for a mid frame revolver. However the load I quoted, 11.1 grains of Longshot, is directly from Brian's article and his son used it to take a very nice bear. This is the load he used in this mid frame flat top.

bob45 colt

[Paden]

Aug 3, 2013 13:49:33 GMT -5 bob45colt said:

...I did not recommend these loads for a mid frame revolver...

Respectfully, the OP is asking about recommended loads for a mid-frame revolver... So interjecting loads for a stronger frame revolver creates unnecessary confusion.

[rawly]

The load I have been using with great success is from Brians Handloader article using 18 gr of AA9 with 280 bullet for roughly1150 fps. The load is stout and superbly accurate in my flattop.