452AA to the rescue, a good 45 Schofield load.

["Big Boston"]

I have a pair of used 71's, early model with navy grips, coming and they are chambered in 45 Schofield. 

 

A previous load development project got me a decent load with Trail Boss, but that doesn't do me any good now. The seller said he used Clays and it worked well for him. I loaded up some loads with Clays, but they weren't all that consistent in velocity. Good enough to be used, but nothing to brag about. 

 

I have a few powder options, and searched the forums and articles for some direction. An old Lyman manual listed 3.0 grains of Bullseye for 500 fps. I have some Bullseye but way more 452AA, so that is what I decided to try. My initial load was with 3.7 grains of 452AA, rotor 4S in my Accumeasure. 

 

A trip to the range for a quick chronograph session was fruitful. A solid 10-10-10 load. IOW the difference in velocity between powder forward  and powder rearward (position sensitivity less than 10 fps. The Es (Extreme spread) for the powder forward string less than 10 fps and the Es for the powder rearward string also less than 10. These results were in a 45 Colt handgun with a 4 5/8" barrel. There will be a bit of velocity gain in the 71s with the shorter chamber and longer 5.5" barrels but this is the load I will test in them. 

 

I had a bit of leading, I may have to fool with alloy/size or lube, but I have a good base to work with. 

 

Calibre	45 S&W Schofield			Date Loaded		2022-04-26
Powder	452AA (Ontario)			Weight in Grains		3.7 (4S)
Bullet	Cactus 230 gr. (45 Auto)			Weight in Grains		236
Primer	WLP			Loaded OAL		1.400
Case	Starline 45 SCHOFIELD			Weight in Grains		99
Times Loaded	3F			Number loaded		10
Firearm				Barrel clean/fouled
Velocity Av	631.4/638.5	Es	20.2/18.1	Sd	7.8/6.6	Shots	5>/5<

 

BB

[G W Wade]

Used a bunch of 452aa before discontinued.     felt lost a good powder.       Using WST instead now        GW

["Big Boston"]

Coincidently I was thinking that WST would work with this as well. I had 5 Fed 150 primers sitting on the bench left over from a primer swap, so I loaded them up with the same load. 

 

Velocity Av

633.5

Es

7.8

Sd

3.16

Shots

5<

 

It doesn't seem to mind  the Feds. Good to know as my primer supply is not great, and who knows what will be available. 

 

BB

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

WST was the follow-on powder that Winchester recommended for shotshell loads that were using 452AA, back in about 1985 when 452AA was discontinued and WST was introduced.  Very similar appearance, very similar burn rate and applications.  I found that recommendation to work real well, both with shotshells and 1911 loads.  But with the LARGE amount of WST data anymore, one does not even have to rely on that 40+ year old recommendation.  Just load WST to current WST data.

 

Yep, I too burned up several 8 lb kegs of 452AA back in the late 70s and 80s.  Real nice for 16 yard and doubles trap loads.

 

good luck, GJ