45 Acp

[Tony Z]

What is your favorite powder, type of bullet and load. for your 1911 45s.


Target Loads

Mine would have to be a 200 Gr Plated SWC over 6.1 Gr #5

Next would be 200Gr Plated SWC over 4.9 Gr W231

Next would be 200Gr Plated SWC over 4.3 Red Dot. Mild Crimp

All are mild very accurate target loads

I would like to see others favorite loads.

Tony Z

 

[Clark]

CAUTION: The following post includes loading data beyond currently published maximums for this cartridge. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The High Road, nor the staff of THR assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information.

1) In a Para Ord P10 for carry loads I like:
12 gr Power Pistol, 152 gr LSWC National Bullet Copperized, exactly 1.275" OAL, Starline +P brass, this load is the most self defense I can get with the little pistol
This is 45 Super like pressure [25kpsi] in a poorly supported chamber and only has ~.5 gr safety margin from a case bulge.

2) In S&W 29-2 45acp revolver for maximum recoil I like:
24 gr LIL'GUN, 230 gr FMJ, 1.4" OAL, Lee Factory crimp with two tightening turns.
This load kicks like a 44 mag and takes advantage of the longer OAL possible in the longer chamber.
This is a very hot load and not to be copied.

3) In Mauser rifle for target shooting at 100 meters I like:
13 gr AA#5, 230 gr FMJ, 1.275"
This is >42kpsi and not a load to be copied.

 

[HSMITH]

98% of my 45 acp shooting is with a 200 SWC that I cast myself, WLP, 3.8 grains of Clays and a mild crimp at 1.25 OAL. It really cuts the x-rings apart and runs great.

For hot loads a bullet of any weight propelled by a top charge of Power Pistol is the way to go. Power Pistol is THE powder for 45acp when you want a full power load.

Clark, what is the velocity of your 152 grain load?

 

[Peter M. Eick]

Bullseye, 4.9 grns, 230 grn fmj's, starline cases, cci-300 primers, 1.272 COL.

That is a favorite ball ammo look alike!

 

[JoeHatley]

4.5 grains Bullseye
200 grain LSWC Cast
Starline Brass
Federal 150 primer



I've got several 625's, 1911's, and even a Ruger Convertable, and this load works great in them all.

Good Luck...

Joe

 

[WESHOOT2]

W231, the CLEAR WINNER

230g projectile(s), IMI case, CCI300, W231 / PP / Universal Clays / AA5 / N100 / Bullseye (although this powder gums up my 1911 sooner than any other tried) / AA2 / some other stuff.

 

[JackC]

200 gr lswc, 5.0 titegroup
Jack

 

[HogRider]

I'm always working on something new and I'm still trying to find the "perfect" load, but here are some of my favorite target loads so far:

200g LRN 4.5g Hodgdon TITEGROUP OAL 1.23
(A really smooth and mild Taqrget load)

200g LRN 4.7 Winchester Super Target WST OAL 1.225
( This was the cleanest burning so far and I was able to shoot a 1-hole 10 shot group @ 25 yards with my SW 625 ). Pet Load Alert!

230g RN Plated (Rainier) 5.6g Hodgdon UNIVERSAL OAL 1.23
( worked great in 625 and several 1911s)

 

[larryw]

Woop-Woop-Woop! Pet load alert!

4.3gr of WST, mixed brass, 200gr plated SWC from West Coast Bullets, 1.235" COL (Increasing COL to 1.255" to improve feeding is proving to be only slightly less accurate, but is still death on the X-ring). Changing from mixed to Starline brass makes the group more circular.

So how's it shoot? First attempts to shoot groups were difficult because the POA kept getting blown out. So I moved the POA over and shot 10 rounds @ 25 yards. The one yanked out of the group was my fault:

7.0gr of N340 behind a 185JHP is also very nice (hard hitting!). As this load approaches max, work up carefully.

 

[Quantrill]

.45acp

Hensley & Gibbs mold#130 (185gr wadcutter) or Hensley & Gibbs mold#68 (200gr semi-wadcutter) on top of 3.5gr of 700X. Target loads.

 

[reconjack]

I like 185grn. cast swc's for target/plinking. I usually use clays4.5 gns. or tight group. I just started using tigt group and don't have a pet load yet, the few I worked up all shot outstanding. The 185grn bullets take that rainbow trajectory down quite a bit from the 230grn ball.

 

[dandean316]

Para Ordnance P10

1) In a Para Ord P10 for carry loads I like:12 gr Power Pistol, 152 gr LSWC National Bullet Copperized, exactly 1.275" OAL, Starline +P brass, this load is the most self defense I can get with the little pistol
This is 45 Super like pressure [25kpsi] in a poorly supported chamber and only has ~.5 gr safety margin from a case bulge.

Clark,
I have always enjoyed your posts. Have you ever "tested" the Para Carry? That's the 3" single stack version of the P10. Reason I ask is I wonder if the Para Carry has the same poorly supported chamber like the P10. Currently for my Para Carry I use:
185 gr Hornandy JHP
5.5 gr of Bullseye
and sometimes
230 gr Hornancy RN
5.0 gr Bullseye

I saw no problems with excessive pressures and although the loads aren't overly hot, they are on the higher side, at least according to a few manuals I have.

Also, do any of the other Para Ordnance have the same poorly supported chambers like the P10. I was under the impression this was only the P10.

 

[Desert Dog]

The only powders I use in .45 ACP:

AA#7
Unique
WW231
AA#9

 

[euclid]

I have migrated towards:

230 Montana Gold bullet

5.5 Win 231

or

4.2 Clays

Both are great target loads.

poof...

 

[HSMITH]

4.2 Clays is above listed max with a 230 jacketed bullet in current manuals. Just FYI, and you might want to put that disclaimer in there.

CAUTION: The following post includes loading data beyond currently published maximums for this cartridge. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The High Road, nor the staff of THR assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information.

I have used some of the older data and especially the Lee data that called for up to 4.7 Clays with a 230 FMJ and it was obviously over reasonable 45 acp pressures at 4.7 though nothing bad happened. Primers were starting to flatten and if you see that in 45 acp you are well past standard pressures and way into the +p data. 4.0 which is the current listed max (per Hodgdon) is a nice mild load though in my experience, and I shot 4.4 for a LONG time. I would consider 4.2 to be a +P load and 4.4 to be a strong +P load. 4.4 generated PLENTY of pressure in several guns too, it was not just one gun I shot it in.

 

[Archie]

.45 ACP loads.....

For target work, I use a 200 grain Hornady lead SWC bullet over 3.9 grains of Bullseye. This assembled into a Federal nickle case (I have about 500 of them) and a WW LP primer. Gentle and accurate round for 2700 shooting; probably good on small game if'n I were somewhere I could.

For practise defense loads, I load a hardball equivilent; my carry ammo is Federal 230 HydraShok. Usually this is a plated 230 FMJ and a dose of WW-231 powder. (Check your loading manual.)

I am starting to experiment with some 185 grain bullets for target work. I keep hearing about Clays powder and suppose I have to try it.

I had a box of 155 SWC bullets and thought they would be good for timed and rapid fire courses. By the time I had the powder charge high enough to work the action, the blast was annoying.

 

[MoNsTeR]

3.8gr Clays / Berry's 230RN
4.2gr Clays / Berry's 200RS
5.0gr N320 / Berry's 200RS

 

[Mike Irwin]

Lately my load has been a 230-gr. bullet from NBC (the lube they use doesn't smoke nearly as much as some others) and WW 231 for a book velocity of about 950 fps.

It's accurate, clean burning, and really moves the pins off the table at pin matches.