Favorite 45 caliber loading?

[Skychief]

What's some of your favorite loads in your 45's guys?

I monkeyed around with a 45 caplock of mine yesterday a good while. It sure likes 45 grains of 3f with a tightly patched .445.

Just thought I would ask and should probably mention that I am sorely tempted to take a deer with this accurate gun and load someday.

What gives your 45 it's best accuracy?

Best regards, Skychief

 

[coloradoclyde]

55 grains 3f .440 ball .015 ticking or drill and spit lube....
Shoots the heads off mosquitos.... :wink:

 

[Skychief]

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[Katahdin]

My rifle is fond of 60 grains of FFF and a .445 PRB,patch 10.

 

[ZUG]

My cap lock has a 33" Green Mountain barrel and likes 60 gr of Goex 3F with a .440 swaged Hornady ball & .018 - .020 ticking and spit.

 

[nkbj]

65 grains Jacks Battle and .453 ball*.



* The Lyman blocks say .451 but it's bigger.
Just right for Pietta and the flinter.

 

[ohio ramrod]

I shoot 43 grain FFF and a .445 ball with .014 patch in my Douglas barreled target rifle (1 in 66 twist ). It is far more consistant of a load than I am a shooter now days. :idunno:

 

[will5a1]

Out of my .45 Tingle 60 grains of OE FFF, a .437 ball spit patched with .018 ticking. Very accurate off the bench, but the rifle really shines offhand, wish I could shoot it to it's potential.

 

[Vaino]

My first build was a .45 flint w/ a 42" Douglas bbl w/ a slow twist. This LR uses the loads listed below.

Was lucky to achieve a very accurate squirrel load and a deer load that's not quite as accurate, but doesn't need to be. The sights remain the same for both loads.

The squirrel load uses a .445 RB w/ a .018 patch lubed w/ Oxyoke 1000 Plus and 30 grs of 3f. This load has head hit 100s of squirrels

The deer load uses the same RB, patch and lube but w/ 70 grs 3f. Has shot a few deer w/o long tracking......Fred

 

[hanshi]

A .440" or .445" ball, 60 grains of 3F and a .024" patch. Depending on the rifle it gives just over 1700fps.

 

[azmntman]

Have had my TC .45 hawkin for only a lil while but when sighting in for deer the first time (quickly) I found a good group with 60 grains, .440 and pillow ticking with 6-1 ballistol dry lube patch. Need to shoot several more time with different slickness for patches, maybe fiddle with powder. You do know of course what works for us is ONLY a starting point....yer rifle has its own need and you will have to "shoot n see" :thumbsup: .

 

[Skychief]

Oh yes, I've been at it for awhile :thumbsup:

 

[Skychief]

Out of my .45 Tingle 60 grains of OE FFF, a .437 ball spit patched with .018 ticking. Very accurate off the bench, but the rifle really shines offhand, wish I could shoot it to it's potential.

Interesting Will. I have a Tingle and its bore is tight for a 45. Seems that yours may run the same.

Best regards, Skychief

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

Shoots the heads off mosquitos....

You must have missed a few because they are thick here. :rotf:

 

[Rifleman1776]

For target shooting me .45s are very happy with a charge of 45 gr. of 3Fg in most powder brands. I am still trying to get satisfied with Swiss, very finicky stuff. But, for deer hunting I'll go to 65 gr. 3Fg and have found it to be a very effective killer.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Shoots the heads off mosquitos....

You must have missed a few because they are thick here. :rotf:

Nary a one in my area... :grin:

 

[Matt PA]

Hanshi,

What length barrel are you getting that 1700+ out of if you don't mind me asking?

I haven't been able to chrono my .45 and was curious.....I was planning on trying 65-70grs of 3F out of the 47 1/4" Rayl barrel for deer this season.

It's a touch low at 50 with 55grs of 3F and don't want to file the already low sight down any farther to bring up the POI. I figured I could bump it up the 1-2" I want at 50 with a little stiffer charge if the groups hold as nicely.

Here is the last 4 at 50yds off the bench (the far left notch is me tearing the edge of the sticker LOL) She is plenty accurate.

Sounds like 70grs on a .440 ball out of a 47 1/4" barrel would be pretty peppy!

 

[Zonie]

Of course, I'm just using the data in the Lyman "BLACK POWDER HANDBOOK & LOADING MANUAL", 2nd ed but they show speeds like that for their tests of a 28", 1:48 twist barrel.

Using 60 grains of powder under a .440 diameter patched ball they got:

GOEX 2Fg = 1614 fps
GOEX 3Fg = 1719 fps
Elephant 3Fg = 1609 fps
Pyrodex RS = 1663 fps
Pyrodex Select = 1698 fps
Pyrodex P = 1738 fps

 

[timothy prouty]

I use 70ff 445and 18th pillow ticking from a CVA Mountain rifle with a Douglas Barrel

 

[Leighton]

I shoot a .45 in Competition and use 80 gr C&H 2 F (which is about 2 1/2 F) and a .451 ball for 50 and 100 yd accuracy, which is excellent. I use 65 gr. for 25 yds with a .445 ball in my Douglas bbl 1:48 twist