Buffalo Bore .45 ACP

[jlewis406]

So I bought some Buffalo Bore 255gr +P Hard Cast rounds in .45 ACP for my Kimber as trail ammo. I know I know... .45 ACP isn't the idea trail gun but down here in New Mexico I don't really have to worry about Grizzlies and over aggressive black bears, and it's what I prefer to carry for hiking and packing. Has anyone used these rounds? Or better yet used them in hunting? I grew up in Montana and Alaska so please no lectures on why I should be carrying a .454 Cassul or some pistol sized artillery. I like my .45. I am comfortable with it and it is what I carry everywhere for everything.

 

[Prosser]

That load, in .45 Super in particular, is about the same as the .45 Colt original 260 grain load, at 900-1000 fps. That load was designed to stop horses.
Don't know many that hunt with that load, since most that do have a .45 Colt revolver instead.

However, the effectiveness of that load is legendary. It takes the .45 ACP into an area of deep penetration and hunting most other loads don't.

Don't worry. Be Happy.

 

[OregonJohnny]

Here is a post I made regarding the Buffalo Bore 255-grain .45 ACP+P load in a seperate thread about .45ACP loads for bear defense:

Without throwing more bear defense opinions into the ring, I'll just let you know about my experience with the Buffalo Bore .45 ACP +P loads.

The 255 grain load does not feed well in my S&W 1911 stainless government. The bullet used is a hardcast lead round nose flat point .45 Colt revolver bullet (with a crimp groove), so it is seated very deeply in the case. This makes the COAL shorter than just about any other .45 ACP round, causing the round to "nose dive" and get hung up during feeding from the magazine. Others may have better luck. I'm sure this round works fine in other types of .45 ACP auto loaders, but as with any defensive round, it should be thoroughly tested for reliability in your gun. I chrono'd this round at an average of about 930-950 f/s. A .452" 255-grain bullet moving at 950 f/s has another name - .45 Colt . But you get this power from a fast-shooting autoloader with more capacity than a revolver. I just wish Buffalo Bore would load this cartridge with a different bullet that wouldn't have to be seated so deep.

The other BB .45 ACP+P round I've tried is the 230-grain FMJ-FP (flat point). BB's claimed velocity with this round is 981 f/s. I have not had a chance to accurately chrono this round, but out of 4 or 5 other BB cartridges I've tested, their advertised velocities are very accurate, maybe even slightly underrated, so I have no reason to doubt that this round is doing something between 975-1,000 f/s from my 1911. This load feeds very well in my 1911, as the COAL is standard. It may not be as hard or as heavy as the 255-grain lead bullet, but it's still better for deep straight line penetration than any round nose or hollowpoint bullet.

If limited to a .45 ACP autoloading pistol for bear defense, these 2 rounds are probably your best option. You could certainly do a lot worse than an autoloader you are very good and fast with, slinging .45 Colt bullets at standard .45 Colt velocities. When people hear ".45 ACP", many of them immediately think of the old standard 230-grain round nose bullet moving at about 850 f/s. These two flat-nosed .45 ACP+P loads from Buffalo Bore change the game, a little.

If human threats are your main concern, with the very slim chance of a dangerous encounter with wildlife up to and including small or medium black bears, these .45 ACP +P loads from Buffalo Bore are probably the best thing you can carry in your 1911.

 

[WYO]

I have chronographed that load at 923 MV out of my Glock 30SF with a 3.75" barrel. It fed fine in that gun. I've seen water jug tests done with that load out of a 5" government model and I would expect it to get decent penetration.

 

[skt239]

Johnny brings up a good point... First and foremost, make sure the ammo feeds reliably through your Kimber.

 

[wisconsin]

Literally just got back from the range with these, the shoot excellently. But definitely check to see if they function. Once my Loaded 1911 was broken in it ran these like a champ, the first few FTE when it was the last round in the magazine though

 

[Prosser]

Also: IIRC BB recommends the stiffest springs you can get for recoil, and buffers may not be a bad idea.

 

[OregonJohnny]

Also: IIRC BB recommends the stiffest springs you can get for recoil, and buffers may not be a bad idea.

And don't forget extra-power magazine springs, too. When testing these loads from Buffalo Bore I used an 18.5# recoil spring, shock buffer, and extra-power mag springs. They do get your attention.

 

[dogsoldier0513]

When hunting hogs in Florida in the early 1990s, I used to load 255 gr. hard cast lead SWCs for my S&W 645 using .45 Auto Rim load data from Speer's No. 11 reloading manual. The S&W 645/4500-series autos are the only autos I've ever had to feed that bullet with 100% reliability.

 

[cpileri]

hmm

not ure if this info helps but i shot the 255gr lead BB load out of a glock 21 with a 5-in Bar-Sto barrel and hit a man-sized silhouette in the sternum (aiming for the nose), at 100yards measured.

It was one of those "I wonder if i can' shots, and i stopped at that first shot; quit while I was ahead, right?

Anyway, it gives some indication of velocity and accuracy from that platform anyway.

Eversince, i have kept a mag loaded with them.

C-

 

[jlewis406]

Thanks for the info guys. I manually jacked 8 rounds through the gun as quick as I could, nothing out of the ordinary. Hopefully this weekend will be able to get out and shoot them. I use CMC Power Mag's. I do have a Kimber factory 7 rounder, will try that as well. I am not sure how much of a difference the mag will make but ya never know.

 

[OregonJohnny]

I manually jacked 8 rounds through the gun as quick as I could, nothing out of the ordinary.

Well, the problems start to occur under actual firing, where the slide velocity is dramatically increased with the heavy +P loads (and compounded by the heavy recoil spring necessary when shooting lots of these loads), sending the slide rocketing back forward faster than the magazine spring can get the next round up in perfect position for feeding. Add to this the very short OAL and blunt sharp face of the Buffalo Bore 255-grain load, and John M. Browning's perfect geometry and timing can get thrown off. Like I said, other types of autoloaders (like the Glock mentioned by another poster above) may handle these loads just fine, and in fact, some 1911's may handle them just fine. But when I had a few FTF's in multiple magazines with this load in my S&W 1911, I settled on the Buffalo Bore 230-grain FMJ FP, which have been functioning flawlessly, and still pack a punch.

I wanted to try closely duplicating this 255-grain +P load with handloading, but in all my searching, I have yet to find a .452" 255-grain round nose flat point bullet that was not meant for .45 Colt revolver. They all have a crimp groove, and therefore must be seated very deep in a .45 ACP case, pushing the limits of minimum COAL length.

 

[vba]

I used to handload .45 255gr Colt bullets for my Colt 1991A1. I used information from John Taffin in an article in a magazine. I loaded them to only ~800 to 850 fps using Unique.

I remember not being concerned about the crimping groove and had the bullet seated a little further out somewhat past the first groove trying to keep the overall length of the cartridge the same as 230 gr ball IIRC.

These loads were heavy thumpers and all fed and fired very well from my gun. I did use an 18# Wilson spring but with no buffer.

 

[hentown]

Thanks for the info guys. I manually jacked 8 rounds through the gun as quick as I could, nothing out of the ordinary. Hopefully this weekend will be able to get out and shoot them. I use CMC Power Mag's. I do have a Kimber factory 7 rounder, will try that as well. I am not sure how much of a difference the mag will make but ya never know.
__________________

"Manual jacking" is, well, manual jacking. Not even close to the real deal. The potential problems have NOTHING to do with anything that "manual jacking" would reveal. The advice you've been given relates to slide speed. Think!