Quote:
Originally Posted by herr_oberst
The information administered here has been entertaining as well as enlightening. There are some really good writers on this board, but I can't just allow the glossing over of what might be one of the best opening sentences of a thread since I've been on Pelican:
"The chances I will need to defend a stage coach from Indian attack are low, but never zero."
If I were a plagiarist, I might be tempted to steal that line, If I were a writer.
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Supe and I discussed that possibility over a beer (or two...) just yesterday afternoon. I tried to convinced him I had had occasion to do so just last week, but he appeared skeptical. Oh well...
But that's not why I'm writing this. Talk about "timing", or "karma", or whatever one wishes to call it - the February issue of
Handloader magazine was in my mailbox literally awaiting my return home yesterday. In this issue, one Brian Pearce answers just this very question for a subscriber.
The subscriber has a Ruger New Vaquero, a Marlin 1894 (their pistol caliber lever gun, similar to the Winchester under discussion), and a 13 year old daughter. Who wants to hunt deer with the Marlin. The guy was asking what a maximum safe load for the New Vaquero might be, and how much faster it might be in the Marlin.
Well, Brian answered right there in print that the New Vaquero is safe for +P loads up to 23,000 psi (standard .45 Colt is limited to 14,000 psi). He listed loads for the 250 grain Hornady XTP and Speer Deep Curl bullets that all exceed 1,100 fps from the New Vaquero. Some of these loads only increased to 1,300-ish fps from the 20" rifle barrel, but one exceeded 1,500 fps.
These are "hotter" than I have ever used in my own New Vaquero, but I've always erred very much on the side of caution with these heavy .45 Colt loads. I'm somewhat heartened to learn that I have been well, well within bounds with my own loads.
Granted, my own "Ruger only" 300 grain loads exceed 1,300 fps from a revolver, but I'm not willing to share those with anyone. They cannot be found in any reputable manual. These loads, as I explained to Supe yesterday, were developed by a small, tight knit cadre of shooters in the '80's and '90's. Shared by post card, letter, and phone call. A couple had access to laboratory pressure testing equipment, so we know they are safe, but I'm sure they would raise a few eyebrows.
While Mr. Pearce was not involved in any of that, his data is considered "the word" on modern .45 Colt loading. He has access to the Western Powders laboratory, so all of his data is pressure tested. So now we have definitive numbers, from the best source available today.