I have some 300gr Colt +P loads that I shoot, and they're bruisers! But they're also a little slow.

Would it be possible to use 200gr bullets instead? I want a load that's close to the "high velocity" .44-40 of the early 1890's. I believe that a lighter bullet like a 200gr (as used in the .44-40) for my .45 Colt will bring good results.

Yeah, I loaded 180 grain bullets behind 12.5 grains of Unique. According to the reloading manual, this is above max loads for standard 45 Colt. I have learned, however, that loading less than this, causes case splitting (go figure). I would use a gas-checked 180 grain bullet, to reduced leading and increase velocity. The load listed was launching something like 1600-1700 out of a 16" Win94. Bullet drop at around 300 yards wasn't but 3" or something stupid like that. Mad tack driver with very low recoil.

I have loaded 18.5 gr of 2400 under the lyman 255gr.
one of my favorite loads 1500fps from my 94. very accurate.
A 200gr hornady xtp over 27gr ov 296 got 1,877fps av.
too hot for big game as that bullet will explode at that velocity.
for my model 73 in .45 I have duplicated the 44-40 load witha 200gr lead bullet from desparado bullets with 12.5gr of Hs-6 for 1298 av.
the 200gr bullets shoot well for me and with a bit of load work you should be able to find one you like.Jim.

Yeah, I loaded 180 grain bullets behind 12.5 grains of Unique. According to the reloading manual, this is above max loads for standard 45 Colt. I have learned, however, that loading less than this, causes case splitting (go figure). I would use a gas-checked 180 grain bullet, to reduced leading and increase velocity. The load listed was launching something like 1600-1700 out of a 16" Win94. Bullet drop at around 300 yards wasn't but 3" or something stupid like that. Mad tack driver with very low recoil.

WOW, thats incredible!

Did you have any loading problems at all from the magazine? I was really looking forward to loading 185gr or 200gr bullets in Colt +P, but I've been told that bullets smaller than 200gr don't have the proper OAL and get jammed in the 94.

I had not one problem after firing over 150 shots in one sitting. Infact, because of the shorter length, I was able to fit one more round in the tube than normal.

But again, never had a jamming problem. The bullets are round nosed I might add.

The story behind the load:

I was working up a plinking load with these cheap 180 leads from Meister Bullets. I had a lb of Unique, so I referenced the loading book, found a load starting at 8 and maxing at 9 grains. So I loaded 3 loads, 50 8.0 grains, 50 8.5 grains and 50 9.0 grains of Unique. After seeing massive variations in speed, case splitting and horrible accuracy, I decided that these 180 grain bullets were too small, and I didn;t want to have to pack every round with polyester to force a clean burn. I decided to load (on a complete whim) 12.5 grains of Unique behind the 180 grain bullet, and loaded around 250 of the remaining 350 bullets using the load. Low and behold the load worked out very well both out of my Bisley, and my buddie's 16" W1984. I've shot most of the bullets, and not once have I had disapointment. Very accurate, very fast and flat shooting. Only issue is leading because I have no gas checks on these.

http://www.acsalaska.net/~skligmund/stuff/45colt.jpg

1. 180 Meister, 12.5gr Unique, OAL 1.520"
2. 250 Hornaday XTP, 26.5gr W296, OAL 1.588"
3. 265 BTB Keith, 25.0gr W296, OAL 1.655"
4. 330 BTB WFPB, 23.7gr W296, OAL 1.619"
5. 300 Hornady XTP MAG, 23.0gr W296, OAL 1.639" (I have 5 loaded rounds left, no bullets)

1. 1894 plinking load
2. Bisley plinking load
3. Bisley/1894 game animal load
4. Bisley/1894 mild bear load
5. Test load (to see differences between 250 and 300 grain XTP loadings in velocity, accuracy and felt recoil)

These are currently what are in my load boxes. The bear load was made up the night before I went on a hiking trip, so I just used a number I found and went with it, I plan on loading it hotter when I get the chance. Getting pretty cold up here, and it isn't as much fun to stand around and shoot for 4 hours in 45 degree F windy weather. Gotta love fall!

Thanks skligmund, youve been helpful as usual

great picks btw

I have loaded 18.5 gr of 2400 under the lyman 255gr.
one of my favorite loads 1500fps from my 94. very accurate.
A 200gr hornady xtp over 27gr ov 296 got 1,877fps av.
too hot for big game as that bullet will explode at that velocity.
for my model 73 in .45 I have duplicated the 44-40 load witha 200gr lead bullet from desparado bullets with 12.5gr of Hs-6 for 1298 av.
the 200gr bullets shoot well for me and with a bit of load work you should be able to find one you like.Jim.

What's the trajectory like on that 200gr XTP at 1800 and the lead bullet at 1298?

Is the XTP anything like skligmund where he can get out to 300 yd no problem?

What's the trajectory like on that 200gr XTP at 1800 and the lead bullet at 1298?

Is the XTP anything like skligmund where he can get out to 300 yd no problem?


With the 200 grain XTP or lead bullet @ 1298, you'll have a lot more bullet drop (I uninstalled my ballistics program a while back, so I can't give you good numbers) but it should still be accurate. Probably looking at like a 10-14 inch drop at 300 yards with the rifle zeroed at 100 yards. I bet if you loaded the 200 XTP to 1800 like he did, you'd have a tack driver like the 180 grain lead I shoot. I would use that 200 grain XTP load myself, except I can get the 180 (or 200) grain lead bullets for $25 for 500, vs $18 for 100 XTP's. The problem with lead bullets is the velocity to leading ratio. As you shoot it hotter and faster, you get a lot more leading. To get by this, you need a gas check. If you want high velocity, you either need a jacketed bullet, or a gas checked bullet. If you have either of those two, the 200 grain bullet should work great to a fairly decent range at high velocity.

Yeah, I'm definately going to try those 200gr XTPs in a +P load.

It sure would be nice to hit somthing farther away than 100yds with my win94 for once.....

Only problem I have with the Win94 is the sights. They are hard for me to use, and I can't group well with it. My buddy is a bit better with it than I, but he has more practice.

200gr .451" JHP from a 45acp lineup work well with starline cases and a good taper crimp. You'll need to full length resize each time, though.

14gr of 2400 or such should be a good starting spot.

Or, go with 21gr of W296...

The BTB 265gr WFNGC bullet actually works darn well with my 45lc Win94AE trapper.

OMFG!

I just came back from the range today, my arm is so sore..

I fired probably 5 rounds of 300gr .45 Colt +P from my winchester. Then I had to quit. That load is a BEAST!

I hope that the 200gr loads I'm getting are less brutal.

Army GI
Do you have a 94 with the metal butt plate? When I got mine I knew I was going to shoot some heavy loads so I changed out my plastic hard plate and installed a nice recoil pad!! These bigbore 45's will kick the snot out of you! :) Want to try my 454 Casull Puma? It shoots 300gr at 2000 fps!!! :D Or 325gr at 1900 FPS!! That make the 45 LC+p's feel tame!! :cool:

Yeah, I bought a pachmeyer 3/4" slip on recoil pad, and it took the edge off of it. But it still feels like I'm getting tackled by a football player.

My .30-06 rifles recoil smoother than that .300gr .45 Colt Magnum.

Heck, I can shoot 20 rounds of my 300 Remington Ultra Mag with no added padding, and I quit after 2 or 3 shots with my heavy loads in the 94. Of course, that is with a plastic butt plate.....

I have developed a "pet load" that works well in my Smith mountain gun, my Vaquero and the 94 trapper.

It consists of Marshall's Keith style bullet in the 265 grain variety, loaded over 8.0 grains of Hodgdon Universal clays. It produces about 800-845fps from my 4" Smith.

For something a bit speedier, try the same bullet over 23.0 grains of H110. Nets about 1100fps from the Vaquero's 4 5/8 barrel.

For what it's worth, I think I've found another "favorite" for my .45s

The 200gr Gold Dot nets about 1200fps from my rifle. I'd hate to see someone get smacked with one of those at that kind of velocity.

Hehehehe! Haven't tried the gold dots yet, wasn;t sure if they would hold up to the velocities I would try to shoot them at.

Well I ordered two new loads:

One consist of a 200gr hard cast bullet loaded full of black powder.

And the other is a 200gr hard cast bullet loaded at +P velocity.

The blackpowder load should give me results close to that of the original .44-40. While the +P load should be what you all were talking about getting 1800fps and 3" of drop at 300 yards.