2400 in 45C- anyone using it?

[bubbapug1]

I picked up a uberti lever gun in 45 LC. I could load up some trail boss cowboy loads and max out at 1050 fps, or use 2400.

Quick load optimized the 2400 load at 15 grains with a 200 grain bullet at 1300 fps out of a 24" barrel. Has anyone out there used 2400 for 45C! Is there something I'm missing here?

[sghart]

I use 2400 in my 45 Colt but I want to stress something first. My load is 20 gr of 2400 under a cast lead bullet of 255 gr. I shoot these loads out of a first generation Ruger Vaquero, before they downsized the frame. I also shoot these in a Harrington and Richardson Buffalo Classic rifle. Out of my 7" Vaquero these loads do 1200 fps. Out of my rifle they are just shy of 1800 fps.

I would not try these loads in your Uberti. The suggested powder charge that you mentioned sounds reasonable, I have no experience with these guns.

[BigBronco]

NO, Never thought of it. Not intentionally. Once only in a Ruger though.

[wild_weasel]

I use 2400 in my 45 Colt but I want to stress something first. My load is 20 gr of 2400 under a cast lead bullet of 255 gr. I shoot these loads out of a first generation Ruger Vaquero, before they downsized the frame. I also shoot these in a Harrington and Richardson Buffalo Classic rifle. Out of my 7" Vaquero these loads do 1200 fps. Out of my rifle they are just shy of 1800 fps.

I would not try these loads in your Uberti. The suggested powder charge that you mentioned sounds reasonable, I have no experience with these guns.

I have an H&R Classic and Blackhawk Convertible both in 45 Colt. My standard load is a 255gr LSWC over 9.0 gr of Unique.

[BigBronco]

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?p=4158273

[bubbapug1]

Thanks amigo. I was primarily worried about the issues H110 has when loaded at lower case capacity, such as squibs.

Seems like 2400 is not as tricky to work with.

The Ubertis cannot tolerate loads over 14,000 psig from what I've read, but Uberti has no printed data I can find regarding pressure limits. There are no locking lugs on the 1866 lever guns, the only thing holding the case in place is the bolt supported by a dodgy linkage. But the guns do work and have put a lot of cowboys, injuns, and game into heaven with black powder loads.

[sghart]

I have an H&R Classic and Blackhawk Convertible both in 45 Colt. My standard load is a 255gr LSWC over 9.0 gr of Unique.

I agree, Unique is a great powder in all of my guns. But I didn't mention it because he specifically asked about 2400.

[bubbapug1]

I agree, Unique is a great powder in all of my guns. But I didn't mention it because he specifically asked about 2400.

I appreciate it. It's not a what if question, its a this is what I have at hand that might work question. The Unique is too fast to reach optimal velocity within pressure ratings anyway.

[Carcassonne]

I am fairly certain 2400 is more of a heavy magnum powder. The original 45 Colt cartridge is not considered a magnum, but you could load it to magnum specs if your gun can handle it. I think the 454 Cassull is considered a magnum 45 Colt.

Since you have Quickloads, and it says it is good, it should work.

There are a few loads for 454 Cassull that use 2400 powder.

.

[Cowboy T]

I have two loads for .45 Colt, "mild" and "wild". The "wild" load uses a very healthy charge of 2400 under a 250-grain cast boolit of BHN 12-13. It is designed specifically to be as powerful as the .44 Magnum factory ammo, and I assure you, it is. It chronos out of my Super Redhawk 454 (7.5" barrel) at 1,300 ft/sec. The pressure estimate is just over 30,000 PSI. This is enough to blow up a Colt SAA or clone (e. g. the Ubertis). I might try it in a Ruger Redhawk or Blackhawk, but I'd still start low and work up.

A buddy tried my wild load in his Winchester levergun in .45 Colt, and that rifle seemed to like it. It is probably also safe in a Rossi 92 in the same chambering. However, I personally shoot this load out of only .454 Casull-rated firearms, such as my SRH 454 or the Taurus Raging Bull 454 that we used to have.

Please, be careful when you do this. 2400 is most definitely a magnum pistol powder, and while (unlike H110/W296) you can easily download it, it's really meant for the hotter loads. It certainly can be done safely, if you exercise the proper precautions.

[bubbapug1]

I tried my loads today at WEGC. I loaded up 4 variations to test shooting but with no chrony testing. I feel the quickloads data will be within 20-30 fps...but I will check it.

15.1 Grains 2400 with a 230 grain berry plated 45 bullet RN

15.1 Grains 2400 with a 200 grain Missouri lead RNFP cowboy bullet

14.3 grains 2400 with a 2300 Berry plated RN

14.3 Grains 2400 with a missouri lead RNFP cowboy bullet

First the 14.3 Grain loads didn't obturate, but they performed well in the rifle and Vaquero pistol. The recoil in the pistol was a bit more than the 6.0 grains of trail boss. The accuracy in the rifle was very good for a 45C bullet, but its no 80 grain 224 smk!!

The speed of this load has to be around 1200 fps from a 24" rifle (1866 Winchester Uberti replica) because the lag time to hit the steel at 50 yards was noticable, but not as long as the 750 fps loads as the 6.0 grain Trail boss loads out of the pistol. The 2400 loads from the pistol seemed just a slight bit faster to the plates than the trail boss loads

There was slightly more recoil with the 230 grain bullet, and its was a bit more accurate, but the sights on the 1866 are iffy as the front sight post is about as thick as a RCH.

The 15.1 grain loads had more recoil, and the cases were less sooty. They worked great in the rifle, but in the pistol the recoil was problematic for any sort of speed shooting with a Vaquero ad the muzzle flip was pronounced.

There seems to be some unburnt powder in the pistol, rifle not so much.

I think the 2400 is a nice powder for the rifle loads, but not super great for pistol unless I download them further. 2400 allows me to get to 1300 fps and still be around 11,000 psi, which won't tax the 1866 linkages.

I do think I will try Ramshot Silhouette next as it has a 99.7% powder burn, hits the same velocity and pressure as the 2400, and might have more application in the 45C pistol load as its slightly faster.

I also tested some 38 spl loads, and in pistol shooting for SASS I now understand why the 38spl pistols have taken over as the muzzle flip for a given velocity is much less in the 38. Your speed back on target in at least 50% faster even when shooting mouse fart 45C loads at 670 fps with 185 grain bullets.

The

[hambam105]

45 Long Colt must have been around for 100 years or so...so what kind of powder have they been successfully been using? Oh no! It is too dirty.

Reloading 45 Long Colt is low tech, don't over-think it.

[at_liberty]

45 Long Colt must have been around for 100 years or so...so what kind of powder have they been successfully been using? Oh no! It is too dirty.

Reloading 45 Long Colt is low tech, don't over-think it.

There is the matter of exploring those loads for which my 5.5" Redhawk is well suited. For my New Vaquero I don't reinvent the wheel but do enjoy the technology of Trailboss.

I might add that I have no reloading information for 2400 in my Redhawk ("Ruger only" loads) for bullets under 225 grains. For that gun I am committed to a supply of IMR 4227 and bullets 250 gr and up. I have checked Lee, Hornady, and Speer current editions. As an extrapolation, I might try the max for 225 grain as the min or starting load for 200gr. Further extrapolation might be necessary, since the 225 load is for JHP, not lead. For those lead 200 gr, that could put you at or near the minimum load for 225 gr JHP. They should at least exit the barrel. That is not advice but rather how I might reason it.

[MongooseV8]

I use 2400 and Unique in my 1894. The 2400 works awesome, especially for the lighter bullets. Problem is finding it...

[bubbapug1]

I use 2400 and Unique in my 1894. The 2400 works awesome, especially for the lighter bullets. Problem is finding it...

Yea....no shti !!

45 colt is low tech, and also versatile. People use it for standard loads and mega magnum loads. It seems to cover a wider spectrum of pressures and applications than any other pistol caliber. You have guys using 45 in anything from uberti clones to contenders to 454 casull. That's a hell of a spread!!

I'm going to go with 2400 for the winchester 1866 loads and trail boss for pistol. I really don't like the mess trail boss leaves behind on a dillon as it falls slowly into the case and sometimes flatters to the side. But that's a small price to pay for a clean accurate mouse fart load.