Need advice for .45LC Cowboy Reloads

Eric M. · Post by **Eric M.** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 6:04 pm

I need some advice from you guys on reloading.
The other day, a Uberti Cowboy Millenium followed me home.
Actually, Gander Mountain had it in the used guns area for $179.00.
The pistol was unfired as much as I could tell, and I looked it over real close.

In the morning, I will be going to the Wolf's Den gun shop and purchasing some Lee Dies, some 200gr lead round nose bullets, and Trail Boss Powder.
I have never reloaded for a gun like this, but the fellows at my gun club seem to like Trail Boss with 200gr bullets.
Wolf's Den sells the bullets for $24.00 for 500.
I know that Griff does this kind of shooting as well as most of the rest of you guys.
In your opinion, what is the best load that I should use for this pistol?
The Cowboy Millenium has a 4 3/4" barrel.

Any advice that you guys could give me would save me a lot of time working up a load for something that I am totally new to, and would be greatly appreciated.

Eric [ElyBoy] Marleau

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 7:08 pm

My favorite load with all my CAS bullets (range from 185grs to 225grs) in .45 Colt consists of 6.5 grains of RedDot. It falls right in the middle of what Alliant recommends for their Cowboy Action loads.

While I have purchased some Trail Boss , I haven't loaded for and only have their recommendations to go on:
Bullet Wt. type/style wt. powder bullet dia/oal grains fps est press max fps est press
200 GR. CAST LRNFP 200 Trail Boss .452" 1.600" 5.5 706 8,000 PSI 6.5 855 11,000 PSI

Eric M. · Post by **Eric M.** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 7:24 pm

Thanks Griff,
I never thought of Red Dot. I have a bunch of it on hand because I still use it for my trap loads. I have used it sense 1970. I will give it a try.
After I did this post, I found a review of the Trail Boss power by Jeff Quinn. It's pretty interesting. It sure is a different type of powder.

Eric

Post by **Chuck 100 yd** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 8:49 pm

I shot my .45colt Marlin and my .45 colt rossi short rifle using 255gr.
Lyman Keith type and 5.0 Trail Boss a couple of weeks ago. The Marlin shot 5 into 2"- at 50 yd and the Rossi shot shotgun paterns. They usually do the same with everything I try. I will work up a load just for the Rossi and maybe the Marlin wont like it!

Cimarron Red · Post by **Cimarron Red** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 7:09 am

Eric M,

I shoot 5.6 grains of Hodgdon's Tite Group under a 200 grain bullet for CAS. For NRA Cowboy lever action silhouettes my load is 5.8 grains TG under a 250 grainer.

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 10:45 am

My real genuine "cowboy" shootin load is 35 to 40 grs of 3F black behind a 250 grain conical flat nosed bullet.

Real loads like this will blow them cowboy wanna bees outa their WalMart boots.

Not that anybody cares, but Joey don't like the squib loads used by the guys trying to play cowboys.

Joe

Eric M. · Post by **Eric M.** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 12:13 pm

I just picked up some Unique powder at Wolf's Den Joe. The guys there told me that they have used it for years. 7.0gr with 200gr lead bullets. I guess that it smokes pretty good.
I asked them about black powder and they didn't know. Thanks to your post I will be giving that a try. The more smoke the more realistic.
I also am going to load up some Red Dot to Griff's load too.

Thanks guys for all of the help.
Now I'm off to the reloading room to have some fun.

Eric

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 3:47 pm

Eric,

I've used Unique for a very long time. Usually I use either 8.0 or 9.0 with the 250gr and then 255gr to 270gr bullet.

7.0 with a 200gr bullet should be a decent load.

As far as smoke with Unique it all depends on the bullet lube. Certain lubes with Unique smoke like crazy. One of the worst offenders is the RCBS Rifle Lube. Some brownish concoction that not only smokes but creates a oily greasy mess on your gun and hands.
There have been days when I'd lay my gun down after shooting and it was so covered with this residue it looked like I'd been shooting black powder.

If you do try the black powder get bullets lubed with SPG lube or another lube made for black powder. If you use normal lube it reacts with the powder residue and creates a thick hard mess in the bore. This causes accuracy to degrade rather quickly and can gum up the works of the gun.

Joe

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 8:18 pm

J Miller wrote:Eric,
I've used Unique for a very long time. Usually I use either 8.0 or 9.0 with the 250gr and then 255gr to 270gr bullet.
7.0 with a 200gr bullet should be a decent load.
As far as smoke with Unique it all depends on the bullet lube. Certain lubes with Unique smoke like crazy. One of the worst offenders is the RCBS Rifle Lube. Some brownish concoction that not only smokes but creates a oily greasy mess on your gun and hands.
There have been days when I'd lay my gun down after shooting and it was so covered with this residue it looked like I'd been shooting black powder.
If you do try the black powder get bullets lubed with SPG lube or another lube made for black powder. If you use normal lube it reacts with the powder residue and creates a thick hard mess in the bore. This causes accuracy to degrade rather quickly and can gum up the works of the gun.
Joe

Joe/Eric,
When I first started playing "cowboy shootin'" I used loads like that. Back then, if it didn't go 950fps it was "whimpy". The one of the organizers showed me just how much damage such loads can do to steel. So.... for ringin' steel I load down 100fps or so.

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 8:27 pm

Griff,

You shoulda told him to get stronger targets

.

I understand, I just gotta be ornery sometimes. Besides I did say his 7.0 Unique X 200 gr was OK didn't I?

Cowboy action games may be fun for some, but although I love the guns, I just can't get into the squib loads. I had enough of the gamesters loading light bullets for no recoil when I was shooting IPSC. Ruined it for me.

Joe

Eric M. · Post by **Eric M.** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 8:37 pm

Hello gang.
Just returned from the range.
I had time to load up one box with 7.5gr of Unique.
It shot very well, but I see that I can go down to 7.0gr of Unique with no problem Joe.
I think that I will give the Red Dot a try at the same time.
Boy, shooting that Cowboy Gun is a lot of fun.
Again, thanks for all of the info. It has really saved me a lot of time and headaches.

Eric

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 8:38 pm

J Miller wrote:You shoulda told him to get stronger targets .
I understand, I just gotta be ornery sometimes. Besides I did say his 7.0 Unique X 200 gr was OK didn't I?
Cowboy action games may be fun for some, but although I love the guns, I just can't get into the squib loads. I had enough of the gamesters loading light bullets for no recoil when I was shooting IPSC. Ruined it for me.

Yep, but when I bought the targets for our club, I found myself in his shoes.
Yep, you did.
There's plenty of guys that love full-house loads in CAS, and are always razzin' them "pfft-tink" guys!

Post by **Old Savage** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 9:03 pm

6.1 gr of Red Dot here - 200 gr. 1100 fps. 20" barrel.

kimwcook · Post by **kimwcook** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 8:13 am

When I was shooting SASS I used 7.8 grs. or Unique under a 250 gr. lead boolit.

Grizzly Adams · Post by **Grizzly Adams** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 12:10 am

Cimarron Red wrote:Eric M,

I shoot 5.6 grains of Hodgdon's Tite Group under a 200 grain bullet for CAS. For NRA Cowboy lever action silhouettes my load is 5.8 grains TG under a 250 grainer.

I don't shot the 45LC for CAS now days, but when I was, I used the same load. It is very hard to beat TiteGroup.

JerryB · Post by **JerryB** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 2:31 pm

kimwcook, I have been loading 7.8gr of Unique for alot of years for my Colt. I will be taking my grandson and our guns to a shoot on Sept 15. It will be our first time to try shooting cowboys.Looking forward to it.

Jerry

John Boy · Post by **John Boy** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 8:31 pm

Eric, regardless of what powder load you use (and many good ones have been suggested) ... buy the Lee Carbide Factory Crimp Die.

45 Colts, being straight walls, will incur blow back using white or black powder. The Lee Crimp Die will really minimize blow backs.

Good Luck with Your New Find

gon2shoot · Post by **gon2shoot** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 9:05 pm

My "cowboy" load is 27gr of lilgun behind a 255 SWC.

Please dont try this in your gun, different cowboy

foureyedfloyd · Post by **foureyedfloyd** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 7:59 pm

Eric M. wrote:I need some advice from you guys on reloading.
The other day, a Uberti Cowboy Millenium followed me home.
Actually, Gander Mountain had it in the used guns area for $179.00.
The pistol was unfired as much as I could tell, and I looked it over real close.

In the morning, I will be going to the Wolf's Den gun shop and purchasing some Lee Dies, some 200gr lead round nose bullets, and Trail Boss Powder.
I have never reloaded for a gun like this, but the fellows at my gun club seem to like Trail Boss with 200gr bullets.
Wolf's Den sells the bullets for $24.00 for 500.
I know that Griff does this kind of shooting as well as most of the rest of you guys.
In your opinion, what is the best load that I should use for this pistol?
The Cowboy Millenium has a 4 3/4" barrel.

Any advice that you guys could give me would save me a lot of time working up a load for something that I am totally new to, and would be greatly appreciated.

Eric [ElyBoy] Marleau

I don't have a 45LC but use Trail Boss in my 38's and I love it. I have had some squibs with Unique but none with Trail Boss and you can fill the case and not over load. Crimping does help too! Trail Boss is particularly good for large cases.

gon2shoot · Post by **gon2shoot** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 9:12 pm

I shoot 27.7gr of lilgun in my 45 Ruger.
(please dont try this in yours)
Some folks like the Trailboss loads and unique could be an option.

Need advice for .45LC Cowboy Reloads

Need advice for .45LC Cowboy Reloads

Re: Need advice for .45LC Cowboy Reloads