.45 ACP : 6.5 gr Bullseye over 185 gr JHP?

[Richard.Howe]

I'm loading some "warm" target/varmint loads for the .45 ACP.

Components:
Mixed brass: cleaned, inspected, and sized
Federal 150 primers
Bullseye powder
Nosler 185 gr. "Sporting handgun" JHP

The Lee manual says that up to 6.7 grains of Bullseye can be used. I've loaded 100 rds. w/ 6.0 grains and 100 rds. w/ 6.5 grains.

However...many of the other manuals topped out with much smaller loads, and the typical "target load" mentioned in this forum for the .45 ACP contains significantly less powder.

Are these rounds out of spec? Although they're listed in a reliable manual, are they safe?

Thanks as always,
Rich

 

[JoeHatley]

Your loads are "warm" for .45 acp, but you are only just starting to get into .45 acp +P range. If you gun is in good shape and the recoil spring is 16# or more, you should be fine. Ejection will probably be snappy.

Here is link to a bunch of .45 acp loads at Real Guns for comparison: www.realguns.com/loads/45auto.htm Most of these loads are +P range. You can see your load is "mild" compared to some of the Bullseye loads.

Good Luck...

joe

 

[Paul "Fitz" Jones]

Warm loads vs accuracy

As a police weapons instructor I found that the hotter the loads past factory standard loads that accuracy degraded.

For varmint and competition target accuracy the lesser the recoil accuracy improves.

Many serious and top competitors have used highly accurized weapons that can feed the lightest .45 Saeco 180 grain lead bullets and have even asked me for .45 molds to cast undersize bullets, under size sizing dies for their lubers to reduce the powder needed to move the bullets which results in the least recoil possible.

If you compete in .45 matches check out what the competition is using and I would not fire overly hot loads in my valued target .45.

Fitz