45 Colt

[ARDude]

What's your favorite load for Ruger New Vaquero.
Cowboy load and standard load.
Thanks

[JagerDog]

My typical std pressure load in my Blackhawk is 12.6g Blue Dot behind a 255gr Bear Creek RNFP.

[scotty99]

Favorite cowboy load is 5.5grs of Trail Boss behind a 200gr LRNFP. Really fun to shoot. Velocity is so low you'll swear you can watch the bullets fly to the target.


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[Whiterabbit]

My typical std pressure load in my Blackhawk is 12.6g Blue Dot behind a 255gr Bear Creek RNFP.

is this a NEW vaquero load, or an OLD vaquero load?

Gotta ask since you are using a blackhawk... could be either...

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scotty's load is mine too for "cowboy", all the way to 300 grain bullets. It's a hard charge to go wrong with.

[ARDude]

Favorite cowboy load is 5.5grs of Trail Boss behind a 200gr LRNFP. Really fun to shoot. Velocity is so low you'll swear you can watch the bullets fly to the target.


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Thanks,
I'm gonna give Trail Boss a try. I've heard it's one of the best for cowboy loads.

[Cowboy T]

6.2gr Titegroup under a 200gr LRNFP. I use it for both cowboy and standard, as it's a good mid-way point. I've found you can safely go as low as 5.4 grains of TG in a 7.5" barrel (Super Redhawk 454), but that would be my absolute minimum with this bullet. Yes, Hodgdon's "Cowboy Load" section says 5.0gr is the minimum, but you get LOTS of unburned powder and more of a "pop" sound than a "bang" sound. That worried me, so 5.4's my minimum, and 5.7 is also fun.

When I want to get heavier, then I call for the load that uses a mighty healthy charge of 2400 under a 250gr LRNFP. Now that's a "loudenboomer". :-)

[Eljay]

Thanks,
I'm gonna give Trail Boss a try. I've heard it's one of the best for cowboy loads.

It's a great powder for calibers that used to be black powder. I hate having a tiny little dab of titegroup at the bottom of a 45 Colt or 38 Special case. With trail boss you can actually see what's going on. For my 1858 with a conversion cylinder I usually load 5.0gr with a 255gr cast bullet but I've chronoed up to 6.4gr and it's still a reasonable load. I just see no reason to push it.

The problem is that it's very difficult to find. I've been keeping my eyes out for it for a long time and I'm not convinced they've actually made any in the last year or two - concentrating on more conventional powders I guess.

[ARDude]

It's a great powder for calibers that used to be black powder. I hate having a tiny little dab of titegroup at the bottom of a 45 Colt or 38 Special case. With trail boss you can actually see what's going on. For my 1858 with a conversion cylinder I usually load 5.0gr with a 255gr cast bullet but I've chronoed up to 6.4gr and it's still a reasonable load. I just see no reason to push it.

The problem is that it's very difficult to find. I've been keeping my eyes out for it for a long time and I'm not convinced they've actually made any in the last year or two - concentrating on more conventional powders I guess.

I just called my local place, and they haven't seen it for awhile either.

[Tom-ADC]

Another vote for Trail Boss I like it as noted nice bulky powder that fills that big 45C case up even with mild loads.
When I want to get the 45C zipping along then it's 250 gr JHP and a bunch of Winchester 296 this out of my Ruger Blackhawk.

[Eljay]

I just called my local place, and they haven't seen it for awhile either.

You may be able to get some from a private party. I got some in a trade from somebody who bought it not really realizing it was a specialized powder.

Also be aware the "1 pound" containers are 9oz - the stuff so light and fluffy rather than use special containers you just get less.

[Whiterabbit]

it costs less too. The per pound price ends up being about the same.

of course, you USE less too, so the per round cost also comes out less. Especially if you compare cowboy loads to full power loads using dense powder (like H110).

[jg7]

You might try 9.3 gr of Unique with a 200 gr LRNFP. I find that's a nice load. Not weak, but not excessive either.

[JagerDog]

is this a NEW vaquero load, or an OLD vaquero load?

Gotta ask since you are using a blackhawk... could be either...

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scotty's load is mine too for "cowboy", all the way to 300 grain bullets. It's a hard charge to go wrong with.

It's std pressure. Even OK in clones/antiques. Faster than most "cowboy" loads. Alliant says 12.9gr = 1029 fps. I get 1200 out of the carbine with 12.6gr.

[Eljay]

it costs less too. The per pound price ends up being about the same.

of course, you USE less too, so the per round cost also comes out less. Especially if you compare cowboy loads to full power loads using dense powder (like H110).

It SHOULD cost less so the cost per pound ends up the same, but I've seen places and people who price basically all pistol powder the same per container. Can bite the unwary...

[orangeusa]

I dislike Trail Boss. I use 2400, Titegroup, HP-38 and am working up a IMR4227 load.

2400 is a mild load but it is cleanest and I think most accurate.

.