2F good for .45 Long Colt?

[RowdyBill]

If using one common round in pistols and lever action rifle, say the .45 Long Colt, would 2F be the optimum powder?  Have used this with a Hawken .50 and sort of feel comfortable with it, even though I know a lot of pistols are loaded with finer grain like 3F.

[Howdy Doody]

Although a lot of folks use 3F including me and I use it for everything including shotgun, there are probably more folks using 2F. The 2F in volume would be a tad less in weight due to granulation size. In a way it is a form of downloading, since you would want the case full enough to allow for about 1/8" compression when the bullet is seated. I load the same for pistol and rifle. It makes life a lot simpler
Caution, if you 777 powder especially in old guns they claim a 10% increase in power for the same loading. I actually think it is more than that even. I use 777 in long range calibers and it is awesome.

[Silver Creek Slim]

FFg (2F) will work just fine for .45 Colt. I did a pseudo-scientific test last year, FFg vs. FFFg in .45 Colt. FFg gave me an average of 50 fps velocity less than FFFg. The FFg was running 775 fps out of a 5.5" barrel.

Slim

[Bottom Dealin Mike]

I use 2Fg for .45 Colt and .44-40. Though it gives slightly less velocity than 3Fg, I find it is more accurate in those big cases.

My informal rule of thumb is to use 2fg in everything that takes more than 30 grains of powder.

For what it's worth, based on some recent testing, I may be developing another rule of thunb that says use 4Fg for anything that takes less than 15 grains of powder.

[Sergeant Smokepole]

It works just fine. As stated before, velocity will be down by about 5%. If you were trying to lower velocities in order to reduce recoil, this is a good method as you do not increase air space.

[RowdyBill]

Thanks for the info.  Until I experiment and determine otherwise, 2F it is!

[Pukin Dog]

I shoot mainly 45 colt and 44-40 and shoot them with 2fg.  I just got some Cowboy Goex and its supposed to be about half way between 2fg and 3fg and I've loaded both with that powder too.  Seems to work great but I haven't noticed much difference with it from 2fg.  Seems to clean up a bit easier though. 

Cowboy Goex was made just for CAS shooting so you might want to try it.  Rule is though that you should load 40gr or less.  If over that go back to 2fg.

[Dick Dastardly]

Here's the disclaimer:  At CAS distances and target sizes FFg and FFFg will do the same thing in yer 45s.  But, if ya want the final extra bit of testostrone in yer 45s go with a well compressed charge of FFFg.

I shoot 44 Magnums and find that a strong charge of FFFg behind a Mav Dutchman Big Lube(tm) bullet will seal the chamber much tighter and I get way less blowback.  So, if yer 45 Colt gives ya blowback problems, I'd say to give a strong charge of FFFg behind a PRS Big Lube(tm) bullet.  You may find that the problem will go away.

Enjoy the smoke.

DD-DLoS

[El Paso Pete]

If ya use Goex's recommended load of 42 grains 2F or 3F is OK.  With the 250 grain big lube boolits the powder gets compressed into a solid cylinder anyway so I don't think it makes much difference.