Just bought one of these for deer hunting and I had two questions. I ordered some 335 gr gc LBT bullets and some Starline brass. I was wondering if anyone could recommend good load?
Also I understand Ruger cylinders run tight. (My 10MM / .38-40 Blackhawk convertable runs under .400 on both cylinders). Is it worth having them plus the .45 opened up? If so, can you reccomend a good 'smith? Thanks

northwoodsman,

I can help you with the following, you will find velocity for the 3 levels of loads. You can also see good gunsmith names.

Regarding loads
http://www.hodgdon.com/data/pistol/

From Big Bores Sixguns book by John Taffin.

There is 3 levels of .45 Colt loads.

Level one :Colt New frontier and S&W Model 25
For these a 260 ge bullet at 1050 feet per second in the main course. It kills all out of proportion to its paper ballistics ans will penetrate deer completely on broadside shots.

Level two : we have the .44 magnum frame size .45 Colts, the Ruger Blackwak and Bisley, the Texas Longhorn Arms Improved Number Five and Flat-Top Target, the Colt Anaconda and the Dan Wesson. For these sixguns, a 300 ge bullet at 1200 feet per second muzzle velocity puts us into the largergema category. For this load level I prefer 21.5 gr of either H110 or WW296. Loading manuals go to 23 gr with jacketed bullets, so I feel perfectly safe with cast bullets and 1-1/2 gr less powder.

Level three : find us with the five-shot custom sixgub built on Ruger Blackhawks and Biseleys by sixgunsmiths such as Hamilton Bowen, David Clements, john Linebaugh and jim Stroh. All of these men are masters at building customs sixguns. With these sixguns built in th fivegun persuasion, .45 Colt loads with either 260 or 300 gr bullets at 1500 feet per second are easily and safely attained.

Hope this can help you.

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BER007
Keep the faith in any circumstances
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BBER007@HOTMAIL.COM

I've got a 45 Bisley Starline brass and 335 LBT also. I load 21 grains of H110 with a Winchester WLP primer.

northwoodsman, take care. There is a lot of load data on the internet and in magazines, and some of it appears too hot to me. I load for both a Bisley and Redhawk. Hodgdon is a good source, both their last two editions and their web site. Sixguns.com will link you to articles by John Linebaugh which are a good source. Handloader magazine has published two or more articles by Ross Seyfried on this sugject. Loads that reach 30,000 PSI seem to be appropriate to the Bisley. Some writers are starting to suggest 40,000, but I don't want to go there. 300 grain LBT plus 23 grains of H110 is my max. good shooting.