Jim Taylor
.45 Colt Pressure Data
Monday, July 21, 2025, 08:20

Back in the 1970's John Taffin and I were experimenting with heavy .45 Colt loads using Ruger single actions. I had talked with Elmer Keith about his 300 gr. loads in the old Colt single actions and using the SWAG method (scientific wild ass guess) came up with some loads that seemed to work OK and didn't tear the gun apart.

John Taffin got me in touch with John Linebaugh who was doing stuff 'way beyond what we were doing and he helped me a lot! He had built a .45 Colt Pressure Barrel for Hodgdon's and because he built it for them, he had access to it any time it was not being used.

I sent him a bunch of loads to test which turned out to be pretty revealing. Remember. At this time the "accepted" wisdom was the .45 Colt brass was "too weak" to be used in heavy loads.

Here is a copy of the Pressure Data .. thanks to Ray who dug it out of old copies of JD Jones "The Sixgunner" ...