Finding load date for a .45 Colt handgun is easy, but no so for a rifle. Can anyone recommend a good source of loading date for a lever rifle in 45 Colt?
Michael

This might give you a starting place.

Thank you. Its a start. I have a feeling that I may have to collect and publish the data myself. This will be a start of my collection.
Michael

Are you looking for suggestions for Pistol Cartridge or Cowboy Rifle recipes?

w30wcf

Looking for Lever Action Silhouette loads.

I believe what w30wcf is asking is if you plan to shoot the rifle in a) Cowboy Lever Action Silhouette (Targets: Long Range Pistol, at distances of 50 - 100 - 150 - 200 meters) or b) Pistol Cartridge Cowboy Lever Action Silhouette -(Targets: Hunter's Pistol, at distances of 40-50-75-100 meters.).

Both.
.45 Colt in Pistol Cartridge and .45 Colt in long range. Need data for 40, 50, 75, 100, 150 and 200 yards. The ideal info would work for all 6 distances?

Michael

OK, no one offers, so I’ll answer my own question – based on what I’ve learned in the past two weeks.

.45 Colt wants a heavy bullet, moving at moderate speed to be accurate from a rifle. The minimum should be 250gr at about 1000fps.

I tried some 200 gr RNFP bullets and they were all over the pace at 200 yards, and not much better at 50 yards. 230 gr. RNFP did well at 50, but opened up a lot at 100 yards. 185 gr were miserable.

Today I tested 250gr RNFP and 255gr LSWC from a 20” Rossi barrel.
The 255 LSWC was best with 700X, and 2nd best was same bullet with a hot load of Title Group. The 250gr RNFP was 3rd best with 700X, but a stout load 250gr RNFP with Title Group didn’t even find the paper at 100 yards.

My conclusion – forget light-weight bullets in the .45 Colt – it really wants something like the original loads to perform at its best.
My load, for now, is 255 Keith-style LSCW over 5.7gr of 700X. This should produce about 850fps in a handgun and near 1000fps in a rifle.

A nice Pistol Cartridge silhouette match round. I'll test it in a long range match too - next month.

Maybe something a little slower for a rfile...? Titiegroup may be to fast a powder for any barrel over about 6 or 8 inches...