.45 Cowboy and .45 Scofield

hp246 · January 26, 2017, 01:09:34 PM

I'm getting tired of looking out at the rain, snow and mud. Time to start thinking spring. All of my guns are set up for .45 Colt. Thought I'd play around a bit with the .45 Scofield and .45 Cowboy. I was going to cut down some brass to the proper dimensions and give them a try in my pistols.

I understand the .45 Cowboy is the same cartridge capacity as the .45 ACP, but all of the .45 ACP loads are meant to function a semi-auto revolver. I have a bunch of 200 grain .452 semi-wadcutters cast, so will be looking at shooting those.

Would appreciate it if you guys could give me some Cowboy loads for both the Cowboy and the Scofield. I'm currently loading 5 gr. of Trailboss in my .45 Colt. Trailboss is my go to powder, but also have some Uniue, Red Dot, WST and a few others sitting on my bench.

For those who have tried it, how bad is the accuracy falloff with the two different cartridge lengths? I've read the .45 Cowboy can be pretty bad. Will be putting these through RUger New Vaqueros and Uberti's.

mehavey · January 26, 2017, 07:55:11 PM

My Uberti #3 New Model (45 Colt) absolutely loves the shorter 45 Schofield.
My Ruger New Vaquero hates it.

STD_Lt-Med LOAD:
S&W NewModel#3_Frontier SCHOFIELD CASE h=56.5
RCBS 45-230(30:1)(231act)/TiteGroup /5.5+/FedLrgPstl
StarlineCase/ Medium+(¾turn)Crimp / OAL: 1.410"
QL6.5"= 12,368psi /858(771fps_actual)

Alternate:
S&W NewModel#3_Frontier SCHOFIELD CASE h=85.7
Lyman 452424(30:1)(260act)/RedDot /4.9 /FedLrgPstl
BH(StarCase)/OAL: 1.465" Medium(¾turn)Crimp
QLBa2.55.55"= 8,815psi /714fps(actual 715fps)

hp246 · January 26, 2017, 08:20:09 PM

Quote from: mehavey on January 26, 2017, 07:55:11 PM
My Uberti #3 New Model (45 Colt) absolutely loves the shorter 45 Schofield.
My Ruger New Vaquero hates it.

STD_Lt-Med LOAD:
S&W NewModel#3_Frontier SCHOFIELD CASE h=56.5
RCBS 45-230(30:1)(231act)/TiteGroup /5.5+/FedLrgPstl
StarlineCase/ Medium+(¾turn)Crimp / OAL: 1.410"
QL6.5"= 12,368psi /858(771fps_actual)

Alternate:
S&W NewModel#3_Frontier SCHOFIELD CASE h=85.7
Lyman 452424(30:1)(260act)/RedDot /4.9 /FedLrgPstl
BH(StarCase)/OAL: 1.465" Medium(¾turn)Crimp
QLBa2.55.55"= 8,815psi /714fps(actual 715fps)

Thanks Mehavey. Will definitely try the Red Dot load when I get some brass cut down to Scofield length. Cut some 45 Colt down to .45 Cowboy Special and loaded a few tonight. Used 4.4 gr. of WST behind a 200 gr. Semi Wadcutter. Hope to get out and try them tomorrow after work.

Sir Charles deMouton-Black · January 27, 2017, 01:12:29 PM

Until I obtained some Starline .45cspl & schofield I used to cut cases down. I Used a tiny tube cutter followed by a LEE case length cutter for .45 ACP.

Coffinmaker · January 27, 2017, 01:53:13 PM

Mehavey,

Before you give up on the shorter rounds, first check the throat diameter of your Ruger. Rugers are famous for undersize throats. The throats may well need to be reamed to correct diameter. Match the throats to the groove diameter of your bore.

Coffinmaker

hp246 · January 27, 2017, 04:55:41 PM

Quote from: Sir Charles deMouton-Black on January 27, 2017, 01:12:29 PM
Until I obtained some Starline .45cspl & schofield I used to cut cases down. I Used a tiny tube cutter followed by a LEE case length cutter for .45 ACP.

Same method I used to cut mine down.

hp246 · January 27, 2017, 04:57:55 PM

Quote from: Coffinmaker on January 27, 2017, 01:53:13 PM
Mehavey,

Before you give up on the shorter rounds, first check the throat diameter of your Ruger. Rugers are famous for undersize throats. The throats may well need to be reamed to correct diameter. Match the throats to the groove diameter of your bore.

Coffinmaker

Shot 10 .45 Cowboy SPecials today out of one of my Uberti's. 2 1/2 inch group 3 inches low at 10 yards off hand. I think they'll do. Still would like to hear some recipes or at least a link other than "use .45 ACP data."

mehavey · January 27, 2017, 05:27:11 PM

QuoteBefore you give up on the shorter rounds, first check the throat diameter of your Ruger...

Coffinmaker, 1st thing I did w/ that (and all my other)Ruger(s) was ream the throat with Brownell's Reamer to 0.4525"
http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/barrel-tools/reamers/throating-reamers/revolver-cylinder-throating-reamer-prod7700.aspx

The Vaquero is superbly accurate with cast...

...just doesn't like the Schofield load

Coffinmaker · January 27, 2017, 06:02:34 PM

Mehavey,

Good job. Over a 20 year span, I can count on one hand the number of Rugers with correct throats. I don't run out of fingers. I have never figured out why Ruger delivers hand guns with small throats. Odd That.

Coffinmaker

Tuolumne Lawman · February 19, 2017, 08:11:39 PM

Rugers = undersized cylinder throats. I had .44-40 Vaqueros when they did a run 15 years ago or so (maybe closer to 20). The cylinder throats were .425", and the bore was .430! Minute of Volkswagen described the accuracy. The ONLY reason they took them on warranty and opened them up for me at the factory, was I literally blackmailed them with the fact I was a staff writer for the cowboy Chronicle, and they did NOT want to piss me off. After they came back, they shot REALLY well.

I actually miss those guys. One was blued and one was stainless. If I still had them, I would have gotten a 44-40 Henry instead of a .45 Colt.