Shooting the USFA Storekeeper...

[pentz]

Range day today in the Northwet...in between thundershowers peeling the targets off the backers - firing lines were covered

50 rounds of 8.0 Unique under a 250 swaged Speer SWC, pretty stout; the RSO came over to see what the ruckus was - he mentioned the flame spouting from the bore. Some unburned grains of Unique tells me it's too slow for the 3.5" barrel. Stout load from this little critter.

20 rounds of 7.2 231 under the 250 gr. Speer yielded similar stout results but less muzzle flash; the powder burned cleaner. Recoil about the same as with Unique.

20 rounds of 5.8 Trail Boss under the Speer yielded softer recoil and no muzzle flash. This is a more pleasant load than the other two and may be my plinking load.

The first two loads shot 1" above POA at 7 yards; the Trail Boss shot more to POA. The weather was not conducive to more accuracy trials. I was pleased to find the piece was well-regulated; more time at longer distances will tell the tale.

One thing for sure - the factory checkered stocks suck! I gotta get a smooth pair!

[J Miller]

The first two loads are factory equivalent loads. I've used thousands of them. If those are considered stout then the RSO needs to bone up on ammo.
Check your neck tension and crimp on the loads. It does make a difference.
As for the Trail Boss I have no idea.

The flash and boom are part of the game. Learn to love it.

Glad that little shooter works good. I'd love to shoot one some day.

Joe

[Frank V]

Pentz
You are going to like the Trail Boss, it's a great powder in the .45 Colt. I get right at 815fps with that load. The cases just fall out of the chambers, the cases are clean, the accuracy is very good, & you absolutley cannot get a double charge in the case. I like Trail Boss.
Frank

[peacemaker]

May 28, 2011 17:21:00 GMT -5 Frank V said:

I get right at 815fps with that load.

Through what length barrel was that, Frank?

[pentz]

Years ago I was running 10.5 gr of Unique through a Ruger 45 so the flash and boom were not a problem. The day I was shooting was dark and gloomy, and the line was mostly comprised of 9mm shooters, so the revolver and load drew attention! I had a pretty heavy crimp but the short barrel could not burn the powder well. The short ejector will pop the rounds out when they do not fall on their own if the muzzle is elevated. I'm going to *carefully*route out the ejector head to bypass the base pin and thereby increase the stroke.

[Frank V]

May 29, 2011 1:03:19 GMT -5 peacemaker said:

May 28, 2011 17:21:00 GMT -5 Frank V said:

I get right at 815fps with that load.

Through what length barrel was that, Frank?

I was using a Colt SAA 4-3/4"!
I really like Trailboss, it's not as cheap as some powders, but I think you will find it's really clean burning, doesn't soot up your cases, gives low pressure with recommended loads, gives good accuracy, & works through a powder measure a lot better than the shape would indicate. It will also fill the .45 Colt case right to the top with a double charge, I tried just to see what would happen. You'd really have to be asleep to not notice a double charge & I don't think it'd allow seating a bullet, the powder really is right to the top of the case.
When I first saw the doughnut shape, I thought no way is this going to measure well from a powder measure. I was very wrong, it does.
Another powder I really like is Hodgdon's Titegroup, this was recommended to me by Bob Munden about 3 years ago. He tuned up a Colt for me & WOW he's great! He said it is what he uses. It is really an inexpensive powder in the .45 Colt. Here it costs right at $20.00/lb & at 6 grains per charge, it goes a long ways. I use it a lot too. It's not quite as clean burning as Trailboss, but I get just a bit more velocity, & very good accuracy.
Good shooting
Frank

Pentz, a book I highly recommend is Shooting Colt Single Actions by Mike Venturino. It's great reading, I think you would enjoy it.
FV