Loading the Peacemaker, Colt’s Model P

Scott Tschirhart · Post by **Scott Tschirhart** » Sun May 12, 2024 5:49 pm

By Dave Scoville is one of the outstanding books of its type.

Not only is it chock full of detailed information about things you wouldn’t normally think about regarding getting accuracy from these guns, but Dave came by this information honestly.

Can you imagine shooting 80,000 plus rounds through a single Colt revolver?

This book is highly recommended.

JimT · Post by **JimT** » Sun May 12, 2024 8:38 pm

That is an excellent book.

Paladin · Post by **Paladin** » Sun May 12, 2024 9:31 pm

JimT wrote: ↑Sun May 12, 2024 8:38 pm That is an excellent book.

+1

Scott Tschirhart · Post by **Scott Tschirhart** » Mon May 13, 2024 7:42 am

Kinda puts to bed the idea that a SAA is delicate.

Walt · Post by **Walt** » Mon May 13, 2024 7:53 am

Also an excellent book, Dave Scoville's follow-up "Colt's Single Action Army - Loading and shooting the Peacemaker".

Scott Tschirhart · Post by **Scott Tschirhart** » Wed May 15, 2024 7:41 am

I have that one as well. It’s giving me ideas about a replacement for Unique.

Walt · Post by **Walt** » Wed May 15, 2024 7:46 am

They're both great books; "bibles" to me and have gorgeous pictures of Colt SAAs. They also have detailed suggestions of what has worked for the author through decades of experience.

black river smith · Post by **black river smith** » Wed May 15, 2024 2:45 pm

Glad to hear all the good additional comments about this book. After seeing the first three posting I went out to Amazon and found a copy and bought it, just to see his research findings. Can't wait to start to read it, after these postings.

Thanks for the reference.

Sideline comment to the LOSS of Unique powder. I used Unique exclusively for my smokeless powder shooting for 30+ years. Back several years ago when everything seemed to dry up from the retail shelves, I did decided that I needed to find the right or adequate substitute. I eventually settled on -- was Hodgdon Universal.

What I will miss and hope I can find still is Bullseye for my 41LC load. Unique was inadequate for this cartridge.

Pat C · Post by **Pat C** » Wed May 15, 2024 5:58 pm

Just snagged a like new 1996 copy for $10.95 on ebay

Walt · Post by **Walt** » Wed May 15, 2024 7:04 pm

Black River Smith, there are several powders that will substitute well for Bullseye. Accurate Arms #2, Red Dot, Power Pistol and TiteGroup ought to work just fine. Of those, TiteGroup is my favorite. It's a very versatile powder which works well through a broad range of pressure levels just like Unique.....except that it's available, more economical and meters more evenly.

Scott Tschirhart · Post by **Scott Tschirhart** » Wed May 15, 2024 7:38 pm

Everyone tells me that I should try Universal but I’ve never seen it available on the shelves.

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Wed May 15, 2024 7:53 pm

And here I expected to see Load one, skip one, load 4, pull to full cock and release the hammer on the empty chamber.

Grizz · Post by **Grizz** » Wed May 15, 2024 8:34 pm

Griff wrote: ↑Wed May 15, 2024 7:53 pm And here I expected to see Load one, skip one, load 4, pull to full cock and release the hammer on the empty chamber. :)

I thought the same thing. Bill Ruger saved my life. He invented the transfer-bar safety just for me. So I wouldn't wind up with 4 ADs. ;)

black river smith · Post by **black river smith** » Wed May 15, 2024 8:39 pm

Walt wrote: ↑Wed May 15, 2024 7:04 pm Black River Smith, there are several powders that will substitute well for Bullseye. Accurate Arms #2, Red Dot, Power Pistol and TiteGroup ought to work just fine. Of those, TiteGroup is my favorite. It's a very versatile powder which works well through a broad range of pressure levels just like Unique.....except that it's available, more economical and meters more evenly.

Walt,
Thanks for the suggestions. I will keep a-look-out for any of those you recommended. I have Red Dot but never thought of it as a Bullseye substitute. Yes, hotter than Unique -- But. Never looked at TiteGroup, either. Can't even say I have seen it in retailers around my area. I will look and ask. Thanks again.

Pat C,
"Just snagged a like new 1996 copy for $10.95 on ebay"

That is a very nice price. When I looked on ebay days ago they were all in the $50 - $60 price range. My copy is also the 1996 copy, listed as Very Good(whatever that really means -- can be questionable). But states all pages are there -- that is a darn good thing.

I gave $22 for my copy. So, like I said you got a very good price.

Scott Tschirhart · Post by **Scott Tschirhart** » Thu May 16, 2024 8:53 pm

Comments that I agree with:

Pat C · Post by **Pat C** » Fri May 17, 2024 7:16 am

There are four or five currently on ebay for $20-$23 , one even has reloading manual with it for $23.

JimT · Post by **JimT** » Fri May 17, 2024 7:42 am

I use a lot of Green Dot in the .45 Colt as well as 700X. The 'shotgun' powders work quite nicely.

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Walt · Post by **Walt** » Fri May 17, 2024 7:55 am

Thanks for the load suggestions, Jim....and some mighty fine shooting!

Rockrat · Post by **Rockrat** » Fri May 17, 2024 8:58 am

I think Universal has been discontinued

Also, how sharp should the firing pin be on a SAA? I picked up a nickled 357mag that pierces primers regularly. Even with factory 38 spcl ammo. If you dropped the hammer on your finger, you would have quite a hole in your finger.

Scott Tschirhart · Post by **Scott Tschirhart** » Fri May 17, 2024 6:19 pm

Try taking a file to it and blunting the point of it a bit

Scott Tschirhart · Post by **Scott Tschirhart** » Mon Jul 08, 2024 5:07 pm

Walt wrote: ↑Wed May 15, 2024 7:04 pm Black River Smith, there are several powders that will substitute well for Bullseye. Accurate Arms #2, Red Dot, Power Pistol and TiteGroup ought to work just fine. Of those, TiteGroup is my favorite. It's a very versatile powder which works well through a broad range of pressure levels just like Unique.....except that it's available, more economical and meters more evenly.

Walt,

I bought a pound of TiteGroup this afternoon. No Unique to be found anywhere. Thanks for the tip.

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Mon Jul 08, 2024 5:35 pm

I've been using RedDot in my 45 Colts for nearly 35 years. I now keep at least one full 8 lb jug on hand.

Scott Tschirhart · Post by **Scott Tschirhart** » Mon Jul 08, 2024 7:13 pm

I was looking for a replacement for Unique.

It looks like TiteGroup is a versatile powder for my range of loads. The label has a recommended charge weight of 6.2 grains under a 250 gr LRNFP for 881 fps. That’s quite useful if it shoots well.

Brian Pearce recommends 7.5 grains under an RCBS 45-270-SAA (in a Colt SAA) for 950 to 1000 fps. That’s a hunting load.

Looking forward to the experiment.

black river smith · Post by **black river smith** » Tue Jul 09, 2024 12:15 pm

Walt wrote: ↑Wed May 15, 2024 7:04 pm Black River Smith, there are several powders that will substitute well for Bullseye. Accurate Arms #2, Red Dot, Power Pistol and TiteGroup ought to work just fine. Of those, TiteGroup is my favorite. It's a very versatile powder which works well through a broad range of pressure levels just like Unique.....except that it's available, more economical and meters more evenly.

Walt,
I do want to thank you for your suggests on a substitute. This posting seems to have disappeared from my view until now coming back up and re-read through everything. I am not always out at the local shops lately but I will definitely keep and eye out for Titegroup. I still have 1-1/2 #'s of Red Dot but did not think of using it before.

Thanks again for the list.

Walt · Post by **Walt** » Tue Jul 09, 2024 12:24 pm

I admit that small standard deviations are no guarantee of accuracy but my 6.2 gr loads using Titegroup under 250 gr bullets in .45 Colt usually run between 2 and 6 fps SD and that's a big step in the right direction.

Scott Tschirhart · Post by **Scott Tschirhart** » Tue Jul 09, 2024 4:04 pm

Walt wrote: ↑Tue Jul 09, 2024 12:24 pm I admit that small standard deviations are no guarantee of accuracy but my 6.2 gr loads using Titegroup under 250 gr bullets in .45 Colt usually run between 2 and 6 fps SD and that's a big step in the right direction.

That’s really consistent!

AJMD429 · Post by **AJMD429** » Tue Jul 09, 2024 5:23 pm

Griff wrote: ↑Wed May 15, 2024 7:53 pm And here I expected to see Load one, skip one, load 4, pull to full cock and release the hammer on the empty chamber.

LOL me too...!

I like books like that though, that focus on one gun or one cartridge. Especially if written by one of the Old School types, who wrings every potential out of their firearm, and takes notes.

Scott Tschirhart · Post by **Scott Tschirhart** » Tue Jul 09, 2024 10:14 pm

Very interesting.

https://youtu.be/W7bOiTbceTw?si=sJ-qz27ZXEgyLV8o

Walt · Post by **Walt** » Wed Jul 10, 2024 9:46 am

Interesting video, thanks.

I will say that I question the consistency of Berry's bullets. They are probably okay but I don't use them. I am a fan of S & S cast bullets in relatively low velocity loads like .44 special and .45 Colt. I cast for any higher velocity loads in .357, .41 mag, .44 mag, .45 Colt and .454 Casull. My chronographing of .45 Colt loads has mostly been done with 5 1/2" barrels so my velocities are about 15 fps faster than his results in the video. I can't say exactly why my standard deviations are somewhat lower than his but again, I'm a fan of conventional lube grooves rather than the bullets coated with lube that he used.

Scott Tschirhart · Post by **Scott Tschirhart** » Wed Jul 10, 2024 6:38 pm

I prefer the traditional lube groove bullets as well. But I gotta tell you that those Bear Creek bullets really shoot well in my sixguns and carbines.

piller · Post by **piller** » Thu Jul 11, 2024 7:13 pm

Keep the power within design limits, and lots of well designed mechanical items last a long time. The Colt Peacemaker was well designed.

Scott Tschirhart · Post by **Scott Tschirhart** » Mon Jan 05, 2026 7:46 am

7.5 gr of TiteGroup has turned out to be quite good, particularly in my Redhawk with the 270 gr Rim Rock Keith bullet.

I can push it harder, but I don’t see why I should.

veeman · Post by **veeman** » Mon Jan 05, 2026 9:33 am

I have both books, great reading. I like Be86 powder for Unique replacement.

High Desert Hunter · Post by **High Desert Hunter** » Mon Jan 05, 2026 10:40 am

I purchased that book almost 20 years ago when my beautiful bride purchased me an altered Ruger Buckeye Special in 32-20/32 H&R. I've since used it for suggestions for the 45 Colt and 38-40. I will have to give Titegroup a try, I've been using Longshot as my Unique replacement for about 10 years now, still have about 6# of Unique left, but I save it for specific uses now, one being in the 454 with the 270SAA bullet, gives one hole accuracy.

Dave

Lastmohecken · Post by **Lastmohecken** » Mon Jan 05, 2026 4:00 pm

I guess I am behind on the times, having not bought any powder in a long time. I still have a fair amount of Unique. Are they not making it, anymore?

samsi · Post by **samsi** » Mon Jan 05, 2026 6:18 pm

A question for anyone who knows, any idea of the pressure of Linebaugh's 8 gr W231 load? Was looking at it over the weekend but couldn't find any pressure reference. It's over standard, just wondering how much.

(Answered my own question on the 7.5 Titegroup load, it was in a Brian Pearce 2011 article on the Lipsey's mid-frame Flattop .45. He has it listed in the 23k/+P category. Thinking I might like to try it)

samsi · Post by **samsi** » Mon Jan 05, 2026 8:11 pm

Lastmohecken wrote: ↑Mon Jan 05, 2026 4:00 pm I guess I am behind on the times, having not bought any powder in a long time. I still have a fair amount of Unique. Are they not making it, anymore?

Unique is supposedly still in production, although limited and with sporadic availability along with all of Alliant's canister powders. Military sales seem to be their focus at the moment.

Walt · Post by **Walt** » Tue Jan 06, 2026 5:50 pm

I used Titegroup in .45 Colt loads for several years with good success, filed down front sights on several fixed-sight revolvers to bring point of aim to point of impact. It's clean, very economical and gets astoundingly low standard deviations. But, I wanted to use slower powders so took the advice of John Linebaugh and switched to 231. His everyday load was 8 gr of 231 behind 250 - 260 gr cast bullets and he stated that his sons had shot deer with that load that fully penetrated lengthwise. My load at this point is 7.5 gr of 231 because it seems to shoot to the same point of aim as my 6.2 gr of Titegroup did. Both loads work very well in my guns, both powders are generally available and given the times are reasonably priced.

samsi · Post by **samsi** » Tue Jan 06, 2026 6:34 pm

Thanks Walt. I've heard good things about the Linebaugh 231 load, just haven't gotten around to trying it.

I've also been using a lot of Titegroup for the last year or two because it's been so readily available, but only in 9mm and 38 Spl so far. Time to branch out a bit I guess.

Scott Tschirhart · Post by **Scott Tschirhart** » Wed Jan 07, 2026 5:18 pm

samsi wrote: ↑Mon Jan 05, 2026 6:18 pm A question for anyone who knows, any idea of the pressure of Linebaugh's 8 gr W231 load? Was looking at it over the weekend but couldn't find any pressure reference. It's over standard, just wondering how much.

(Answered my own question on the 7.5 Titegroup load, it was in a Brian Pearce 2011 article on the Lipsey's mid-frame Flattop .45. He has it listed in the 23k/+P category. Thinking I might like to try it)

John told me personally that I could use 8 gr 231 in my Second Gen SAA and USFA revolvers. So far, no issues. But I get more accurate results around 7.2 and it duplicates factory loads.