QuarterHorse
New member
My New Vaquero loads vs my SBH loads vary greatly, so much so that I run Linebaugh loads through the SBH and run standard pressure through my New Vaquero. IMO this is part of the fun with this caliber.
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Pressure tested .45 Colt/Long Colt Loads?
- Thread starter jkpq45
- Start date
While I have little doubt that the Colt/Uberti original designs would be proofed at something
akin to 21-23,000psi, thats ~150% of working pressure. So SAAMI's 14ksi prevails.
On the other hand, Brian Pearce notes the New Vaquero is good for that 150% figure as
its working pressure, even though the loads he lists in This Article appear more along
the 14ksi SAAMI lines.
He later published Tier-II (21,000psi) loads for it his review of the RCBS 45-270 cast bullet.
I shoot those, and they shoot well. But I'd not use them in an Uberti/Colt
akin to 21-23,000psi, thats ~150% of working pressure. So SAAMI's 14ksi prevails.
On the other hand, Brian Pearce notes the New Vaquero is good for that 150% figure as
its working pressure, even though the loads he lists in This Article appear more along
the 14ksi SAAMI lines.
He later published Tier-II (21,000psi) loads for it his review of the RCBS 45-270 cast bullet.
I shoot those, and they shoot well. But I'd not use them in an Uberti/Colt
I have been shooting an old 1970s 45 Colt Uberti Cattleman exclusively at 20,000 psi 1220 fps 250 gr with 4.75" barrel for years. It has ~ .045" thick chamber walls between chambers.
I think it is getting some rotational slop. Not as bad as a new Ruger, but it is changing. And I am changing... getting too old for the 44 magnum like recoil.
The Ruger Blackhawk has .060" between chambers and gets published loads of 32 kpsi.
Those revolvers are loose when they are new.
The S&W 25 has chamber walls .066" and gets published loads of 41kpsi.
Those revolver shoot loose with wimpy loads.
What does it all mean?
There are more than one failure mode.
From hot loads the two I see most are split cylinders and shooting loose.
The cylinder splits are all pressure driven, and somewhat predictable.
The shooting loose is a crap shoot. I cannot predict when a revolver will get rotational looseness.
I think it is getting some rotational slop. Not as bad as a new Ruger, but it is changing. And I am changing... getting too old for the 44 magnum like recoil.
The Ruger Blackhawk has .060" between chambers and gets published loads of 32 kpsi.
Those revolvers are loose when they are new.
The S&W 25 has chamber walls .066" and gets published loads of 41kpsi.
Those revolver shoot loose with wimpy loads.
What does it all mean?
There are more than one failure mode.
From hot loads the two I see most are split cylinders and shooting loose.
The cylinder splits are all pressure driven, and somewhat predictable.
The shooting loose is a crap shoot. I cannot predict when a revolver will get rotational looseness.
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