.45ACP - What's you favorite powder?

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WNTFW

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.45ACP - What's you favorite powder?
Go ahead & include the "Why it is my favorite" if you want.

Bullet weight & type of shootin would be good to know also.

I have only used Unique with 230 grain FMJ for target & pins and steel. A friend asked for some .45ACP powder advice (230gn FMJ). I figured THR would be the best place to ask.

Thank,
WNTFW
 
I use nothing but Unique for 230 grain factory duplication loads.

I'm sure there are better powders anymore, but I'm too lazy to start over figuring out what it is after using Unique for 47 years.

rc
 
RCModel,
In my response to him "Guys get set in there ways & don't try too many powders. I can understand why but in the current environment you can't alway get what you want. I bring my reloading manual in case my first 6 choices aren't available."
It is resource consuming to reinvent the wheel . . . when you get something working it is a pretty good time to write down the settings.

On another note I pretty much grew up in a hobby shop & I think we sold the RC Magazine you were associated with.

Thanks,
WNTFW
 
For light target shooting which is mostly what I do with the .45ACP I use a 200 grain LSWC over Hogdgon Clays.
 
Clays is my favorite and gives me accurate loads from 3.4 to 4.0 grains. 3.8 grains of Clays seems to be the most accurate in both of my 45's.

I've used Winchester 231 in a couple of my 1911 45's and 4.5 to 5.0 grains gives pretty good accuracy.

All loads above are with 200 gr. SWC lead loads.

It seems to me that Clays burns cleaner than W231 and maybe shoots a bit softer.

Cloudpeak
 
I use Winchester 231 in some .45 acp loads, Green Dot in some others, and True Blue in yet others. I tend to experiment and find what works best with each bullet, and then stay with it.

Hope this helps.

Fred
 
WW231 is great, Bullseye is and was THE .45ACP powder, but there are many other great modern propellants.

I will post a picture of the 25 yard target tonight, that I shot Sunday. It consisted of 3.2 gns of Clays in Winchester cases, using a Wolf LP primer, pushing a Missouri 200 gn LSWC. Using my CZ-97, I put 10 rounds in one big hole. So Clays can deliver exellent accuracy with a light charge and it runs clean as well.

If you average 3.5 gns per charge, Clays will let you load 2,000 rounds per pound:)
 
I use Sierra 230g FMJ RN tournament master bullets and use only Unique powder with WLP. Find it performs well in my 1911 from a feeding/cycle standpoint, is very accurate, good for metal targets and find the powder is relatively 'clean'.

Just my 2 cents (ok...maybe worth 1/2 cent).

Take Care,
Mike
 
Last edited:
I use Vectan BA10 and 230 grain FMJ bullet.
Vectan is a french powder so I don't know about availability in the US.
But it's a high quality and clean burning powder.
 
My favorite is Bullseye.

5.0 grains
230 grain FMJ of any manufacture
CCI #300 LP primers

This load makes my subgun sing and also runs my 1911 great. Very accurate to boot, and it's cheap!

Second favorite is W231, 5.5 grains under a 230 grain FMJ makes for a good accurate load as well.
 
I use Unique for full power loads, haven't found anything better. Lots of different powders promise more but don't prove out over the chrono.

For target loads I use a variety of faster powder, which ever I got a good deal on.
 
Old school here....Unique or Bullseye. I have ran some Titegoroup with good results though.
 
Win 231 here. Why? Because Im new and thats the only powder I have at the moment. :neener: I use 5.1 grains with a 230 LRN bullet. It seems it shoots really soft to me, but Im too chicken to try anything more yet. I have a problem with the load data. Old data says one thing, new data says other. The big "max load discrepency" concerning the new charts on the max load data. Seems all the data I have on starting loads are now the maximum. Dang tree huggin hippies writing the literature I guess.
 
Started with Unique. Used it for 21 years. Now have switched to Bullseye. Make my own 230gr. lead cast rd. nose. Prefer Federal #150 lg. pistol primers
 
WNTFW, I load the same weight ammo for the range as I carry. That would be 230gr; lead, FMJ's and Remington Golden Sabers. Every post prior to mine has pretty much covered the gamut of powders for 45ACP. I started with HP-38, which is the same as Win 231. Someone gave me some Bullseye and I have added that now too. I use 4.9 to 5.1 grains of HP-38 for the Lead Round Nose and 5.3 for the FMJ's and Golden Sabers. Bullseye: 4.0 to 4.3 grains.
 
I've loaded W231, AA5, Titegroup, WST, WSF, Unique and others. They all work well.

How about Universal? I'm still working through my last 4# jug of Unique and like the stuff but have been thinking about changing to Universal. Does it really meter better than Unique while maintaining about the same velocity and pressures?
 
I like what's worked well for me for so long, which is Unique. It's what I use most (for both kinds of 45's), but also have some favorite loads with 700X, SR475six and 231.
 
rcmodel,

Unique is hard to beat...I agree.

But for high performance loads (not "hot"...just high performance) Power Pistol is better (and more accurate in my experience).

It gives better velocity at lower peak pressures...can almost reach +P performance without the +P pressure.
 
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