BB 45 Colt accuracy

[MJ151]

2-3" at 100 yards will fill the freezer any day of the week. Can you get a tighter group, sure, how much do you want to work at it. Have you slugged the bore to get a true diameter? Do you want to cast your own bullets? It is down to tinkering at this point. The velocity is there for anything you want to take in the lower 48. I run anywhere from 8.5gr to 11.5 of unique in a pistol. A 10gr load will blow through an elk with a cast bullet. If the Henry would accept a longer bullet, I would recommend trying the 270gr SAA Keith style over H110. Or a LBT LFN of similar weight.

[ESquared]

2-3" at 100 yards will fill the freezer any day of the week. Can you get a tighter group, sure, how much do you want to work at it. Have you slugged the bore to get a true diameter? Do you want to cast your own bullets? It is down to tinkering at this point. The velocity is there for anything you want to take in the lower 48. I run anywhere from 8.5gr to 11.5 of unique in a pistol. A 10gr load will blow through an elk with a cast bullet. If the Henry would accept a longer bullet, I would recommend trying the 270gr SAA Keith style over H110. Or a LBT LFN of similar weight.

Great perspective, MJ. We can tend to drive ourselves crazy trying to wring tighter and tighter groups out of the rifle or the ammo load (or both), when it comes down to the shooter or the weather or the other 'tinkering' that comes into play. It's a lever action hunting rifle, after all, not a sniper's tool with a $5,000 scope.
We all want it to be as good as it can be (just look at what RR does with iron sights!), but so many variables come into play that, YES!, a 3" group at 100 yds is by no means a failure on the part of the firearm or the shooter!

[MJ151]

Exactly. I love a tight group and have spend money to get there (with different platforms). But at the end of the day to take an animal it's not necessary (for me). Far be it from me to stand in the way of quest for obtaining tight groups. That's part of the fun for some people, to see just how small of a group can you get. But I don't want the OP to think he has to chase a submoa group to take a deer at any reasonable levergun range. If you find the magic load for your rifle please share it and lastly, happy hunting.

[Mags]

A fantasy of mine. 5 shots at 100yds in 1 ragged hole. Regardless, agree with what has already been shared, 3" group at 100yds is pretty darn good.

[markiver54]

I would certainly accept that!
Especially in a hunting situation it would be dinner!

[Vaquero]

3" groups at a 100 yds. and open sights.
That'll fill the freezer any day.

RP

[JEBar]

Yeah, I would be very happy with that group. I haven't yet tried any of the Nosler bullets, waiting to find them at SPS.

we burn'um ... the first picture below shows 1,275 that were loaded about this time last year to take with us out west .... second picture shows 500 loaded one rainy day last month ....third picture, historically we use the same load in our Redhawk .... that may change, still trying to make up my mind

[markiver54]

Very nice table setting...

[bdbrown66]

Yeah, I'm not obsessing about it. If that's the best that it will do, then I can live with it. I'm just trying to find out if others have had better luck in that regard.

I did pick up a pound of AA #9 powder and loaded a ladder with the lead 255gr SWC's. I'll see how that compares to the ones I tested with H110. Will report back when I have more info. Thanks for the input, folks.

[bdbrown66]

3" groups at a 100 yds. and open sights.
That'll fill the freezer any day.

RP

No way I could do that with open sights. My eyes are way too old. I'm using a 2-7 scope.

[Firefly]

That is pretty good for a pistol calibre rifle, what scope are you using

[RanchRoper]

That is excellent shooting at 100 yds.

[bdbrown66]

I thought I would circle back around with my findings on this topic. After a lot of load testing, I gave up on the H110 powder. I just wasn't getting the consistency I wanted, and it seems like you really have to get the pressure up to avoid sootiness. After doing some research, I found Accurate #9. Velocity potential right up there with H110, and none of the pressure drawbacks, difficulty igniting, etc. Also switched bullets to the 250gr Hornady XTP. In testing, I was having better results than before, but still getting odd flyers, which drove me nuts. I finally decided to try another scope and rings, but when I took it off, I discovered that the screws in my mount had worked loose, even tho I had put Loctite on them originally. So I remounted everything and went back to the range. Much, much better, especially for a woods gun. I zeroed at 75, won't have a need to go beyond 100 or so, but the capability is there if needed. MV is 1710 fps, and that bullet really expands. Should be quite effective on deer.

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[fortyshooter]

How does Alliant 2400 powder compare for accuracy?

[bdbrown66]

How does Alliant 2400 powder compare for accuracy?

I have never used it.

[Rifletom]

1710 MV from a .45 Colt? I have to ask: Where did that data come from? Thanks.

[bdbrown66]

1710 MV from a .45 Colt? I have to ask: Where did that data come from? Thanks.

The load data came directly from Western Powder's published data. It was listed as using a 255gr SWC bullet, but I contacted them to verify that it would be safe with the Hornady XTP and other JHP bullets. It is listed under their "30,000 PSI" loads for 45 Colt.

ACCURATE NO. 9
225 BARNES XPB 18.0 1,226 20.0 1,362 28,287 1.588
255 (L) LC SWC 20.6 1,303 24.2 1,524 29,950 1.604
300 (L) LC FP 16.0 1,127 18.8 1,281 29,023 1.566
320 BME PUNCH 15.9 1,058 18.7 1,214 29,654 1.640
395 (L) CP WLNGC 12.2 891 14.3 1,024 28,877 1.658

As you can see, at 23.0 gr I'm not even bumping up against the max. No pressure signs noted with primers, brass, sticky ejection, etc.

[Rifletom]

Very good. That indeed looks to be a good load. Thanks for the input regarding Accurate #9.

[bdbrown66]

There is another combo that I'm going to try next. Ramshot Enforcer/Accurate 4100 with 250gr Nosler JHP. That will have to wait until deer season is over.

[Mags]

.
Thanks for circling back with an update. Good to see you getting it figured out!

I thought I would circle back around with my findings on this topic. ...