Looking to buy 45 long colt taurus tracker in the near future. I've read good reviews about this particular gun (correct me if you've heard different)I like the medium frame size as it fits my hand better than most, and of course the double action option is a plus too. Plan on taking a whitetail next season with it and I'm looking for the maximum load I dare shoot without having to purchase a new firearm as well as a prosthetic hand. I find a lot of cowboy loads,as well as a lot of recipes for T/C and ruger. Will be using the Keith style bullet in the 255 to 260 gr flavors. Any suggestions or recipes would be a great help.

Haven't seen a strength limit/class placed on the tracker. Would probably keep the loads to the ones listed for the Colt SAA at first. Some older loading manuals, before the cowboy craze, listed loads safe in S&W revolvers...just a touch more than SAA's, but a whole lot less than Ruger BH's.

As the holes in a cylinder bet larger, the amount of metal between them gets smaller. Barrels take a step-down where they are threaded to go into the frame...as caliber goes up, this area gets thnnner. Just becasue a certain sized gun can be safe with .41mag. pressures does not mean it will stand high pressure in a larger case....S&W mod. 25's can't take what S&W mod. 29's can take, even though they share external dimentions.
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Back when the first Charter Arms 44 bulldogs came out, had a friend who insisted on shooting them with the old Keith load of 2400 (lost track of him...but if "Heavy Duty" is out there, drop me a line). The little revovler stood up to what had to be a bit more than "proof" loads, but he only got to round #4 before realizing he needed a bandage more than he needed to fire #5.

Point being, most revolvers will stand more than they were designed for for a short time....then again, if it had come apart like a hand grenade, I'd have not been nearly as surprised as I was that it held together.

Here is an excerpt frpm the "Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading", page 362, sixth printing 1987:

Pistol: Colt Buntline Special*
Barrel: 4 3/4", 1 in 16 Twist
Case: Winchester
Primer: Federal 150

*Barrel cut from 12" to 4 3/4" before it came to Hornady

"Shooting jacketed Hornady pistol bullets in the 45 Colt, we were able reach (and safely) 1000 fps with our 250 gr. Hollow Point and Winchesters excellent 296 pistol powder. At such velocity the big Long Colt carries 555 ft.-lbs. of muzzle energy, substantial performance from a cartridge so ancient. We definately do not recommend a steady diet of such steamy loads in most single actions, for they tend to loosen things up inside."

The load the Hornady book was refering to is 21.5 gr. of W296 for 1000 fps / 555 fpe. The next notch down is 16.4 gr. of 2400 for 950 fps.

I have the Taurus M450 Ultra Lite which is chambered in 45 Colt. It only weighs 19 oz. and recoil is managable with Winchester 225gr. Silvertips. Since your Tracker is all stainless steel the above loads should be safe in it since they were safe in a SAA Colt. As usual, start low and work up.

Look in the Speer manual. I believe that they have a load for a 255gr. bullet at around 1,000fps, at standard .45 Colt pressures. Powder is Blue Dot I think.

The lightweight Taurus guns are neat, but I bet you'll run out of enthusiasm long before the gun runs out of strength.

Look in the Speer manual. I believe that they have a load for a 255gr. bullet at around 1,000fps, at standard .45 Colt pressures. Powder is Blue Dot I think.

The lightweight Taurus guns are neat, but I bet you'll run out of enthusiasm long before the gun runs out of strength.

MikeG,
I agree. I checked my Speer manual and Blue Dot is one of the better powders for the 45 Colt. Speer lists 13.0 gr. of Blue Dot for 1036 fps with the Speer 225 gr. JHP and 941 fps with the 260 gr. JHP. These loads were fired in an S&W 25-5 with a six inch barrel. In the Taurus M450's 2" barrel I am only guessing that the velocity will be in the 900 fps range for the 225 gr. JHP and 800 fps for the 260 gr. JHP.

CorBon sells a Self Defense load for the SAA Colt that propells a 200 gr. JHP at 1100 fps. (bbl length unk.). I talked with CorBon and was told that their 45 Colt Magnum load would not be safe in the Colt SAA, SAA clones and the Ultra-Lite Taurus, which I already knew, but the 200 gr Self Defense load would be OK. And yes, I agree, one would run out of enthusiasm before the Taurus ran out of strength.

In 1989-1990 I bought 3 new Taurus revolvers (1 .357, [2] .38's) and all three had parts breakages, especially the .357 now I only shot mild lead reloads and factory ammo in this gun but it broke every 500 or so rounds (firing pin once, the cylinder stop 2 x) I got rid of them and stayed with Smith and Wesson.. we own several in .357 and .38 and have only had one minor problem with a new 649, since the warranty repair it is fabulous. The other S & W's have been wonderful..

thanks for the info fellas, I'll give tem a try and see what transpires.

I use two powders for 45 colt

wc820f(hs7)
12 grains under 230 grain bullets

wc820(h110) 20 grains under 230 grain bullets

my tracker 41 magnum handles some pretty hot loads,you'll know when they get too hot,as they will sting pretty well.
the taurus grips do a fantastic job,when your rounds get to stinging your hands its time to back off slightly.
military powder is usually faster than mass produced blended powders,and when working up my loads I'm below the mass produced data but the rounds start to get erratic,at this point I back down a grain and usually find my best accuracy.

MikeG,
CorBon sells a Self Defense load for the SAA Colt that propells a 200 gr. JHP at 1100 fps. (bbl length unk.). I talked with CorBon and was told that their 45 Colt Magnum load would not be safe in the Colt SAA, SAA clones and the Ultra-Lite Taurus, which I already knew, but the 200 gr Self Defense load would be OK. And yes, I agree, one would run out of enthusiasm before the Taurus ran out of strength.

I've recently purchased a Taurus tracker in .45 Long Colt. (I loved it.) I emailed Mike Shovel (Sales Manager, COR-BON/Glaser) to ask if it was safe to us the "45COLT/MAG +P -- 300gr JSP" made by Cor-Bon out of that gun to use to hunt hogs. He replied that there shouldn't be any problem using that ammunition in my Tracker. I haven't tried it yet, but that was good news to me.

The specs at cor-bon.com have that 300gr bullet getting pushed at 1,300 fps (muzzle) for 1073fpe. I'll be happy with that.


KJ

I bet you won't! OUCH!! That will smart!

I'm sure the ammo will work.... but my oh my, can you say 'recoil'??????

I now own three Taurus handguns, and haven't had one problem with them, but I keep the loads well into the safe zone. The Tracker series is not a medium frame, the mod. 66 and the mod. 65 are on the medium frame. The Tracker is a compact frame, same as the 460, 450, and 617. I have shot 300gr. +P Cor-Bon's in my Vaquero, and they are not for the young. I wouldn't put these in any Taurus, especially a compact frame gun. The 200 gr. Cor-Bon defense load should be fine, but stay clear of the +P ammo. Stay with loads intended for use in the Colt SAA and you'll be fine. Another consideration in picking hunting ammo for Taurus guns is the shorter length of their cylinders, many of the heavier bullets will not fit within the limited length of the cylinder.

Don

Another consideration in picking hunting ammo for Taurus guns is the shorter length of their cylinders, many of the heavier bullets will not fit within the limited length of the cylinder.


I'll admit I'm a little nervous to pull the trigger on the first one, but I figure I'll learn to hate the gun if I don't at least try it....haahaa. Seriously, IF the ammo fits (which is a concern that I hadn't considered but may ve valid!), I'd still like to give it a shot since it is supposedly safe to shoot that ammo.

Then again, I might not. I have a Ruger BlackHawk in .45 Long Colt now, too. I don't need the extra power as bad in the Tracker now. (Well, the Ruger is for my girlfriend and not for me, but I can use it "when she lets me" - haahaa.)

I'm just saving up for a .454 next, I think. I'd like one with a scope mounted on it, so running +P ammo out of the .45LC may not even be something I need to do - if you know what I mean.

The curiousity is bothering me more than anything else now.
KJ

Another consideration in picking hunting ammo for Taurus guns is the shorter length of their cylinders, many of the heavier bullets will not fit within the limited length of the cylinder.

You are correct. The Cor-Bon 300gr +P JSP won't fit in the Taurus and let the cylinders rotate.

KJ

MikeG,
I agree. I checked my Speer manual and Blue Dot is one of the better powders for the 45 Colt. Speer lists 13.0 gr. of Blue Dot for 1036 fps with the Speer 225 gr. JHP and 941 fps with the 260 gr. JHP. These loads were fired in an S&W 25-5 with a six inch barrel. In the Taurus M450's 2" barrel I am only guessing that the velocity will be in the 900 fps range for the 225 gr. JHP and 800 fps for the 260 gr. JHP.
.

In my 5" S&W a 270gr Keith does 1,050 fps with 13,5gr of Blue Dot. Very accurate load in my gun and not punishing, but that is in a N frame I'm sure in a little Taurus it will get your attention.

I've been told by a couple people who have the mid frame Taurus that it's short cylinder can only accept a 1.630" OAL, just a shade to short for the 270gr Keith unless you trim the brass. Last time I loaded them they came to 1.645" OAL. I'd expect the 225 and 260gr JHP to be a little shorter though so they should work Ok.

If it was my gun since you are useing Keith style bullets I would try Elmers load of 2400. everybody says that 2400 is slightly hottor now than it used to be, I would start with about 17 grains and work up to about 18 grains. I have shot many rounds of his loads with 18.5 gr in my rugers and it is a really good load. the Old Guy new his stuff. good shooting. Jim.