Powder Suggestions for .44 Spl and .45LC

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9mmepiphany

9mmepiphany

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I admit that I'm pretty much a one-trick pony when it comes to reloading. I have one powder in my inventory (WST) for 9mm, .38spl and .45ACP.

A friend had some .45LC brass (~200) that came with his rescued Dillon 650 and some .429" bonded bullets (400-500) that he was willing to trade me for some primers (Yup, those from the Midway Clearance). He doesn't load for .44mag nor .45LC. (he's selling the .44mag cases)

Anyway, I have my S&W 3" M696 in .44spl and a 4.625" Cimmeron SAA clone in .45LC. I have some .44spl cases (50-70) and I think I have some .452" bullets someone gave me a while back.

I'm looking for powder/load suggestions to load both of these.

Nothing cutting edge, just pushing them along at 750-900fps.

Boy, this is getting expensive; now I have to look for additional dies and shell holders too
 
I like TiteGroup for them. It seems pretty clean burning and I use it in 9mm 45 acp 45 colt and some light shotgun loads. My dad uses it in 44 special and likes it too. The small charges keeps cost down and it meters a bit better than the large flake shotgun powder. As far as load data is concerned i just use hodgens load data center and all my guns seem to like it on the upper side of the data, its more accurate and cleaner on the higher side.
 
I don't know that it won't.

Just looking for suggestions...maybe an excuse to expand my powder inventory...for anything better
 
Can't help with .45 Colt.

I love Unique with .44 Spl. Favorite load is 240 LSWC over 6.3 gr. Unique. Nice load. I think it runs about 800fps, depending on barrel length, phase of moon, etc.

I've tried 700-X but didn't like it as well. Don't remember all the details, but probably because it wasn't as accurate as the Unique loads.
 
WST will probably do very well in the 44 Special and 45 Colt.

I like W231 for the 45 Colt and used almost nothing else for a long time. I gave HS-6 a try last year and now that's my new favorite 45 Colt powder.

For the 45 Colt I have used:
W231/HP-38, HS-6, Red Dot, Unique, Universal, Trail Boss and probably a few others and my 2 favorites are W231 and HS-6 although Red Dot is a close follower in place of W231 for lighter loads.

All the powders I listed will also work well for the 44 Special but I have not tried HS-6 in the 44 Special yet.
 
Last edited:
In the 44 sp and 45 colt, unique, bludot and 231 have worked well for me, with unique and bludot about tied for 1st choice, altho bludot has been getting the nod more often than not over the last several years.
 
Greetings
I load both 44 Special and 45 Colt when up north there using Unique in both. Loads from "mouse" to 80 % power are easily done. Unique ignites easily in those large cases and seldom is there any need to worry about powder position. First powder I bought after ETS from the pickle suit brigade in 74. My dad was also a long time Unique loader. Mostly he loaded 45 ACP and 38 Special.
ACC 5477 would be my second choice. No better than Unique but will fill more of the air space in the brass. Also easy to ignite.
Mikein Peru
 
I have a couple guns in 45 colt and with 250 gr cast bullets at the velocity your looking for
6.5 gr of Red Dot has worked REAL GOOD for me and economical to boot

Doc
 
Any of the Dot powders are sometimes troublesome to meter out of auto measures. That said, I like Blue Dot for some loads. You'll find that Blue Dot likes a case that's pretty much full.

Anyway, your answer IMO is Universal Clays. Love, love, love me some Universal Clays. It is basically identical to Unique in performance but far cleaner burning. It's a LOT more forgiving than fast powders like Bullseye or Red Dot

There's a reason it's called "Universal". Betcha it works for all your pistols.
 
WST should work, especially with lead, although I haven't tired it. I love 700X with lead in .44 Spl, and it works well with plated too. I have a bunch, so that is what I use. I like AA #2 and True Blue in .45 Colt, but lots of powders work. Red Dot is a favorite of many in .45 Colt, so WST certainly isn't too fast. WST is also less position sensitive in big cases than many other powders. I bet it works just fine.

I bet more Unique has been burned in .45 Colt over the decades than anything else.
 
redneck2 said:
Anyway, your answer IMO is Universal Clays. Love, love, love me some Universal Clays. It is basically identical to Unique in performance but far cleaner burning. It's a LOT more forgiving than fast powders like Bullseye or Red Dot

There's a reason it's called "Universal". Betcha it works for all your pistols.
Click to expand...
I'd love to try some...but with the factory blowing up, it is a mite hard to find.

Have you seen any recently?
 
I bought a four pounder of Universal (No, not recently), and have much of it left. When it first came it, it was touted as the answer to .45 Colt by some gun writers. I didn't see where it was any better than Unique. Good, but not "the answer". It did rock in the .40 with 165 Gr jacketed bullets in my Witness Elite Match. Sold it though. :)

Universal is a tad quicker than Unique and a bit touchier at the top end. It burns super clean at top end pressures.
 
I don't load .45 Colt but I have loaded some mild-to-medium .44 Special loads with Red Dot (those were the mild ones), Unique and Universal. Skeeter Skelton's pet load for .44 Special used Unique as I recall, so that's a classic.

Some of my cowboy action shooting friends like Trail Boss for .45 Colt. Like many powders it's getting kind of scarce.
 
Historically, I have used Unique in my 45 Colts. Recently, I have noticed how position sensitive Unique is in the big 45 Colt case. (Powder against bullet vs powder against primer). There is a substantial difference in velocity depending on where the powder starts in the case. I do not remember noticing this 30 years ago but I have slept since then.

I've dabbled with AA#5 and am planning to try some 700-X (I use 700-X in 45 ACP). I loaded some 700-X in 44 Special and am pleased with the results. Too many cartridges, too little time.:)

Other powders already mentioned should work just fine in the 45 Colt.
 
Cowboy action shooter here; never loaded the .44.

But your SAA clone in .45 Colt is screaming for black powder loads. Real black powder and substitutes are a lot easier to find than Titegroup or Clays, my two preferred smokeless powders on those rare occasions when I shoot smokeless.

Get a pound of Triple Seven, fill the case with enough powder to give just a mite of compression and go have fun. Wash the gun and used brass with soapy water and re-lube the gun after it's dry. With 777 you can use bullets lubed for smokeless powder just fine.

You have a wonderful opportunity for a new experience!
 
If you go with blue dot you're going to be working near max loads, with a full or compressed case and a heavy crimp. Anything else, forget it
 
Not that there is anything wrong with using Unique for both but it's my opinion the reason why everyone jumps right to Unique is, when both cartridges were new there were very few powders available and Unique was pretty much the only choice. These days there are so many good powders out there, there are better choices available that are cleaner and meter better. I'm guessing you can load either with 6 or 8 powders available to day and you couldn't tell the difference between any of them.

Because we are lucky enough to have so many choices there are no absolutes in reloading powders today. It's a blessing and a curse at the same time because it's so hard to decided which is the best powder choice. I have come to realize there are many good choices for each cartridge...
 
cfullgraf said:
Historically, I have used Unique in my 45 Colts. Recently, I have noticed how position sensitive Unique is in the big 45 Colt case. (Powder against bullet vs powder against primer). There is a substantial difference in velocity depending on where the powder starts in the case. I do not remember noticing this 30 years ago but I have slept since then.

I've dabbled with AA#5 and am planning to try some 700-X (I use 700-X in 45 ACP). I loaded some 700-X in 44 Special and am pleased with the results. Too many cartridges, too little time.:)

Other powders already mentioned should work just fine in the 45 Colt.
Click to expand...


I've loaded lots of 255 grain LSWC with 700x. Very accurate and very clean burning, as it is in most every loading.
 
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