Need a light load for .45ACP in a SSA

I shoot 6.2 grains of trail boss with a 200 grain coated LSWC in 45 Colt. If I run out of trail boss, I will work up a similar load with tite group. In 45 ACP I use the same bullet with 4.5 grains of bullseye for a light load. I'd guess the same charge of HP38 or thereabout would work well.

4.7gr of HP38/W231 makes a fairly soft load
Mixed range brass, Win LPP, charges as thrown after setting measure
5" 1911
String: 2
Date: 9/11/2016
Time: 9:25:57 AM
Grains: 230
Hi Vel: 762
Low Vel: 714
Ave Vel: 734
Ext Spread: 48
Std Dev: 16
45 RMR 230 4.7 HP38
Velocity Power Factor Ft/Lbs
762 175.26 296.51
735 169.05 275.87
725 166.75 268.414
748 172.04 285.715
739 169.97 278.881
721 165.83 265.461
714 164.22 260.331

These functioned fine in both my 1911s.

My chronograph data shows a 200gr LSWC at 1.250 oal, loaded with 4.5gr of Win 231 gives me 633fps avg out of a Ruger Commander in 45acp. Functions in my 3 other full size 1911s. Stock guns and springs.

It makes for a great accurate load. If you jerk the trigger when shooting, it's going so slow, you have time to run downrange and move the target over.

FWIW, I did get to try my .45 Colt loads yesterday; Lee 255 gr rnfp powder coated and size to .454" in new Starline brass sparked with Wolf LPP.

I tried 231, Unique, Universal, Sport Pistol, Titegroup and Accurate #5.

The 231, Universal and Unique all performed as expected; excellent accuracy and recoil I expected from a large cartridge with a 255 gr bullet.

Since I had gone to the range with my brother in law (not a gun guy) and a coworker of his who was a complete newbie I didn't get to shoot for groups and they shot all 10 of my Titegroup test loads (both are very recoil adverse), which is fine with me; I told them both to shoot whatever they wanted; shoot it all, I'll just make more.

And they did; I took 250 rds of 9mm; gone, 150 rds .45acp; gone, 150 rds .45colt; gone.

I absolutely loved it!
Their huge smiles made my day!

On paper, Titegroup should be a good fit in both the Colt and the ACP cartridge but I find it filthy and just can't warm up to it.

I was impressed with Sport Pistol though.
Very pleasant shooter and very accurate.
Slightly sooty (at 5.7 but cleaned up at 6gr, nothing like the soot and scorched brass from Titegroup (oddly enough, 7.5gr Unique was the cleanest of all the powder tried; so much for the "flammable dirt" moniker assigned to that powder over the years)

The #5 made a very nice, clean load and I plan on experimenting more with it.

It had decent recoil at 8.7 gr (which I like) and I could cover my groups with a golf ball.

Overall, I liked the Unique load (7.5gr) with the 231 (7gr) a very close 2nd but, Sport Pistol is definitely one I want to explore further.

Again, all these loads were in .45 Colt but I'm sure you could could extrapolate the data to your ACP revolver.

I, personally think Sport Pistol shows great promise that deserves further load development.

I know you're asking about an ACP load in a revolver, a fact that seems to have escaped to attention of some of the posters here and I'm giving you Colt data but, hopefully you can find something useful out of all this.

Good luck! Stay safe!

deadeye dick said:

My LC load for 230 Gr, is IMR 7625 8.3Gr.

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That must be the LC load?
My ACP load was about half that if I remember correctly.

N555 said:

6gr of green dot in 45acp sounds pretty hot.
If you put the same load and bullet in 45acp and 45colt the 45acp will produce far higher pressure due to the much smaller case volume of the 45acp.
For greendot in a 45acp with a lead 230gr bullet my old speer manual is showing 5.3gr as the max.
I got a nearly full keg of greendot at a yard sale, I never loaded with GD before. I was going to try more like 4.5 to 5gr under a 230gr bullet.

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Off topic but I use GD quite a bit in handgun ammo. It works fine when loaded correctly. One of my favorite target/plinking loads in 44Mag is greendot and 240gr jacketed bullets.

Y-T71 said:

Again, all these loads were in .45 Colt but I'm sure you could could extrapolate the data to your ACP revolver.


Good luck! Stay safe!

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I don't think extrapolating the 45 Colt loads to the 45 ACP is very safe, given the difference in case size. I would suggest the OP use some published load manual data to work up loads or at least cross check the charge weights against published data.

Sure, and there's plenty of data for the combination available, problem is that data is geared towards producing enough power to give the best chance of functioning in a semiautomatic, something the OP doesn't need or want because he's specifically after lighter recoiling loads in his revolver.

I was thinking more of lightening (extrapolating might not have been the best word choice) the charges since he's not needing minimum power for functioning and that is something that's easier to do in the smaller case of the ACP.

.45AutoRim

GeoDudeFlorida said:

.45AutoRim

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Not sure I see a benefit to using AutoRim brass in this particular case (single action revolver).

Case capacity (allowing for normal variations between manufacturers of course) will be "the same" between that and the ACP and, since the ACP brass headspaces on the case mouth and an ejector rod is used for extraction instead of a extractor "star" as is used on a double action revolver, the rim itself is irrelevant.

GeoDudeFlorida said:

.45AutoRim

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Auto rim won't work the rim is too thick.

mavracer said:

Auto rim won't work the rim is too thick.

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I just checked out Starlines website for S&G and saw the disclaimer about SA revolvers.

Y-T71 said:

Not sure I see a benefit to using AutoRim brass in this particular case (single action revolver).

Case capacity (allowing for normal variations between manufacturers of course) will be "the same" between that and the ACP and, since the ACP brass headspaces on the case mouth and an ejector rod is used for extraction instead of a extractor "star" as is used on a double action revolver, the rim itself is irrelevant.

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Autorim data.

a 200 grain cast bullet over the beginning load of Clays ...or any pistol powder, ...should not recoil hard in that SAA. Per LYmn's u can easily go back one full grain on the green dot,and one laod is even less than 5 grains but n my experience ,any super low loads don't ignite well.

FWIW HP38/W231 will work just fine in the 45 LC. Probably burn cleaner than trail boss. 7 grains of HP38 should get you around 825 FPS.

Just in case you are looking for one powder to handle both rounds.

deadeye dick said:

Don't know if i'm asking the question the right way.
I'm looking for a .45ACP light load for my Cattleman.
Any bullet weight powder combo. Just something that will shoot soft.
I have: HP38, Autocomp, Greendot, SR7625, Titegroup,

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200 grain SWC’s and whatever the website says for the HP-38. The 200 grain SWC’s are accurate and will work well in a 1911 if you have one.

Bullseye shooters bottom out for 25y with jacketed ammo around 4-4.3gr of Bullseye and 3.8-4gr of N310 from what I've seen.