Any good 45acp loads B/E or unique??

5 grains of bullseye worked in 1911 and still works today!

murf

5 gr of Unique for 185, 200, and 230 gr lead bullets is what I use

I've loaded 230 grain RN in 45 ACP with 700-X for decades but 5.0 grains of Bullseye has been the standard for a century that all other loads have been judged against.

I've loaded Unique and Accurate #5 in the 45 ACP with good results as well as Accurate #2 with 180-200 grain SWC. 45 ACP is quite flexible in what powder works well.

I load 6.2 gr of Unique behind 230gr FMJ and JHP's to get 850 fps from both the Government and Commander 1911. For 185 gr JHP's 7.7grs of Unique will push them out the muzzle at 1,080 to 1,090 fps. Both these loads are accurate from every .45 I've shot them out of.

I load 6gr of Unique with a 230gr bullet

My 1911 really likes FMJs and 6.2 gr of Unique.

The only jacketed .45 round I've loaded with Unique was 230gn XTP with 6.1 grains-- got an average of 859fps.

5gr of Bullseye under a 230gr FMJ runs at ~815fps in my Test 1911.

It is my standard load and, from what I have read, duplicates the century-old US military load.

It is very accurate for me.

Unique and 230 gr. FMJ's at 5.9 for a medium load and 6.0-6.3 grains is where my loads work best. Not maximum with various brand bullets but warm enough. Using RP, Win, and other cases with both CCI 300 and RP 2 1/2 primers. RP 2 1/2 primers makes a little more velocity than CCI's in my 45's. Mostly in 1911's, a Glock 21 and carbine rifle. Most of my FMJ's get seated to 1.250" maximum while some blunt nosed 230 FMJ's seated a little shorter.

After trying Bullseye, Unique, Win 231/Hp38, I settled in on Win231/Hp38. 5.3 grains under a cast 230 grain Lee tumble lube bullet, runs + or - 825 FPS and very accurate. hdbiker

GBExpat said:

5gr of Bullseye under a 230gr FMJ runs at ~815fps in my Test 1911.

It is my standard load and, from what I have read, duplicates the century-old US military load.

Click to expand...

Per Clawson, the original 1910 ammunition used in the down select of the M1911, was a 230 FMJ loaded with 5.0 grains of Bullseye for a velocity of 800 fps. That powder and that load has functioned perfectly in 1911's under world wide climatic conditions.







By many Bullseye Pistol Competitors, the load is considered the standard load for Ball ammunition. If you have to shoot ball, might as well use 5.0 grains Bullseye as it is a well proven combination.

Whether you get 800 fps depends on the pistol, and the powder lot. You want perfect function without excessive recoil. I doubt your pistol would short stroke on 5.5 grains Bullseye, should not on 5.0 grains. Short stroking is common amount Bullseye Pistol shooters, particularly in cold weather with loads that were tuned in hot weather. These guys cut their loads, commonly use 185 gr lead bullets, for the absolute least recoil commensurate with excellent accuracy on the target. Their bullets might be going 700 fps, sometime less, but, the load has just enough power to function the mechanism. That's OK for a target load, but not a self defense load. You don't want to have hard ejection due to hot loads, if possible, because that will beat up your pistol, may even cause frame peening. I have not tried to hot rod the 45 ACP, but I had some strange over pressure problems in the 9mm. The slide came back so fast the round did not feed, and then, the slide double pumped. That scared me, so I cut the load.

In my Kimber Custom Classic, the average is almost 800

230 gr FMJ (R-P) 5.0 grs Bullseye 98' & 2005 mixed lot Mixed Brass WLP (brass) OAL 1.265" taper crimp .469"

12-Dec-11 T= 53 °F

Ave Vel = 793.5
Std Dev = 18.92
ES = 61.99
High = 817.4
Low = 755.4
N = 16



a little slower in the Rock Island Arsenal GI M1911

230 FMJ 5.0 grs Bullseye (1998 & 2005 mix) WLP, OAL 1.265" taper crimp 0.469" once fired brass

18-Dec-17 T = 58 °F

Ave Vel = 777.4
Std Dev = 14.56
ES = 57.1
High = = 806
Low = 748.9
N = 30

I think I like mine a wee bit more "oomph" than most of y'all seem to like.
The 5.0 of Bullseye seems to be the gold standard, but I didnt like the amount of case fill (or lack thereof).
It was my dads favorite load, too.

so, my 230 JHP or FMJ get knocked out by 6.5 of Unique. nice and filling, and burns clean enough. I've got my 45's sprung to handle the load, the brass doesnt seem to be bothered by it, and it's plenty accurate for me. I thought Id run it through a chrono as well, but I seem to've misplaced that sheet.

Ironicaintit said:

I think I like mine a wee bit more "oomph" than most of y'all seem to like.
The 5.0 of Bullseye seems to be the gold standard, but I didnt like the amount of case fill (or lack thereof).
It was my dads favorite load, too.

so, my 230 JHP or FMJ get knocked out by 6.5 of Unique. nice and filling, and burns clean enough. I've got my 45's sprung to handle the load, the brass doesnt seem to be bothered by it, and it's plenty accurate for me. I thought Id run it through a chrono as well, but I seem to've misplaced that sheet.

Click to expand...

Friend of mine had to shoot some loads over my chronograph to see what they would do. This is what 6.3 grains Unique will do with a 230 FMJ. I expect 6.5 would be closer to 930-950 fps. That much Unique would be more appropriate for something with a heavy breech block, like the Thompson, or other blow back sub machine guns. I have fired 230 LRN's with 6.5 grains Unique, and it really kicked the cases a country mile.

SA M1911 Trophy Match 5" barrel,

230 Win FMJ 6.3 grs Unique mixed cases (WLP Brass)

23-Sep-07 T = 82 °F

Ave Vel = 916.7
Std Dev = 15.29
ES = 40.5
High = = 938.2
Low = 897.7
N = 5

Thanks for the data, Slamfire.
an AO Thompson is one that I load it for, too.

my para P14, I did put a heavier recoil spring in to accommodate it, but my FNP seemed like it wants them that hot, in the accuracy department.
Brass ejection on the para is maybe 5-7 ft away at about 4-5 o'clock.

I've been loading 6.5grn Unique under a 230grn FMJ since I've been loading .45's... about 30 years. I will say it is not the best load in a 4" 1911... it has a fair amount of muzzle flash from the shorter barrel, but maintains good velocity compared to my 5": W231 does the same thing but loses more velocity, 4" vs 5", and is one of the reasons I don't think the faster powders are the best choice for the 230grn bullets. I could probably reduce down to 6.2-6.3grn Unique and be OK, but I'm working up loads right now with different powders and the 230, as well as 200grn bullets, just to see.

I like around 6 grains Unique. Work up from 6.0 to see what your weapon likes.

5.0 Bullseye is a great load, but I don't like the lack of case fill.

I haven't worked up a "pet" load with AAC#2 yet, but if I ever go back to shooting the .45 very much, I think that will end up being my powder of choice. It meters perfectly, burns clean, and is consistent.

not my load but when on the phone with Mr. Baer talking about some issues with my gun he suggested some loads that "I've been shooting for decades"...
4.8 gr bullseyes with 200 gr lswc( didnt get to test this)

from me in my 1911. 4.9 gr bullseye with 200 gr plated xtreme swc

5 gr bullseye with sns casting 200 gr swc without groove coated

4.4 gr bullseye 200 gr swc with groove MBC coated BH 12

YMMV