Favorite 1911 defense load in 45acp?

[hoser45]

Been reading that the new Federal HST may have some feeding problems in 1911 platforms. Any 1911 owners (specifically) come across this?

As a second choice, do you 1911 guys prefer the classic Federal Hydra-shok or Winchester Ranger SXT or Remington Golden Saber or other 230 grain NON +P?

BTW, this is for a Colt Officers in case your recommendation changes based on a shorter barrel.

 

[earlthegoat2]

Any of the above is fine. I like the Hydras. The others are just as good I think though.

 

[Walkalong]

Any name brang JHP that will feed 100% in your gun. proper placement will take care of the rest. They all work well.

 

[deacon8]

Personally, I like 230 gr GoldDots. My 1911 likes them too.

 

[rbernie]

Been reading that the new Federal HST may have some feeding problems in 1911 platforms. Any 1911 owners (specifically) come across this?

Every pistol is a law unto itself in terms of what it will feed reliably. The only way to know for sure is to shoot a bunch of it (200+ rounds) in your pistol and find out.

I carry a number of different SD rounds in my 1911s, but it's usually either a 230gr Remington GS or a Winchester 230gr 'Personal Protection'.

 

[CWL]

Try it.
I'll say it again, you like something? Try it.

Bullets and guns don't always work together, you need to try all potential SD/HD rounds in your personal pistol(s) to see if the combination functions reliably and accurately for you.

 

[glocks rock]

I will go on record as stateing the winchester ranger and fed HST's are the best. The Speer Gold Dot's are a close second.

 

[osteodoc08]

My Kimber feeds Hornady TAP ammo just fine, it is easy to find in my locality and is relatively inexpensive as far as SD ammo goes (allowing more practice with this ammo). This, to me, adds up to a fantastic deal on some fantastic SD ammo.

 

[highorder]

I will go on record as stateing the winchester ranger and fed HST's are the best.

Glad we got that cleared up.

I use Federal Hydra-skoks because they feel flawlessly, shoot clean, and have low muzzle flash. (from my 5" gun)

YMMV.

 

[CWL]

I will go on record as stateing the winchester ranger and fed HST's are the best. The Speer Gold Dot's are a close second.

Welcome to THR glocks rock!

Have you really used any .45ACP JHPs in real and multiple self-defense situations? Have you been unlucky-enough to have had multiple occurrences where you needed to defend yourself/loved-ones against determined attackers? In each situation where you survived, was everything the same except for the bullets in the gun?

Unless you did, what qualifications do you have in determining the "best".
(If you can answer "yes" to all of the above, then it would prove that all of the JHPs you've tried did their jobs sufficiently, disproving existence of a "best".)

 

[wrc376]

230g Hard Ball. If I had to choose a hollow point- 230 Gold Dot

 

[egumpher]

All my 1911 shoot HST

Hello,

My Springfield TRP Operator, Colt LTWT Commander and Colt New Agent (5", 4.25" and 3" respectively) all cycle the HST just fine and the HST is my primary defensive ammo. I use +P for the 3-incher.

BTW the best round has the most penetration, see brassfetchers.com, and the most expansion.......no brainer....for expample the 9mm HST constistently penetrates more than the Almighty .45 and expands consistently to more than .65 inches......this make it much better than many mediocre .45JHPs IMHO......in fact my Sig P266 9mm spends many nights in my nightstand.



Rgds
Eric

 

[TIMC]

All my 5" 1911's shoot anything I throw in them. The only issues I have had are with my little 3" Para Ordnance. I found 185 grain Golden sabers with an OAL of 1.10 feed really well and the little Para is now 100% reliable. For factory ammo I find the Federal Hydro-shok ammo is about that OAL and peforms well in it.

 

[sohcgt2]

My preference is Hornady TAP FPD, it's +p and has a nickle coating that is supposed to have greater lubricity to improve feeding. I don't have feed issues with any of the ammo I use but for defensive use "Why risk it".

 

[MICHAEL T]

I like Corbon 185 DPX +P in my Compacts and Commanders I have 200JHP +P Corbon in my Gov.

 

[BlindJustice]

For my S&W 1911 5" Bbl. and 625 5" Bbl. Currently using

Double Tap Speer 200 gr. Gold Dot JHPs DT rates @ 1,125 FPS

WOrks and I can hit the target with it.

Randall

 

[gglass]

I feed only HST's and Gold Dots through my Springfield 1911 Loaded. I don't know where you are reading your HST info, but I have never read, heard or experienced anything like that.

I only feed my 1911 Gold Dots when I can't find the HST's.

 

[Ken Rainey]

hoser45, I've tried standard 230 FMJ, 230 Winchester Ranger T, 185 Gold Dot and 185 SilverTips in my Kimber short stroker (Ultra Eclipse) and I've settled on 230 FMJ....why?, glad you asked...the Ranger T had a rather healthy kick and the Gold Dots had excessive blast and flash with a good kick as well...the SilverTips were/are quite nice and I carried them for a while and even used one to take care of an invading armadillo. The reason for going with the 230 ball is due to few reasons, in no particular order they are; it's not going to be overpenetrative, especially from a short barrel, but still has the full bullet weight to hopefully help insure adequate penetration, it's what I practice with (along with 230 RNL), it's a whole lot better priced than premium HP ammo, it's accurate in this pistol, it functions in this pistol (weak handed as well), it's not abusive to shoot, a HP bullet is unlikely to expand at the velocity it gets from this barrel length and if it did expand would it penetrate enough? I'm satisfied with 230 FMJ ...

On a side note, a few years ago I was talking to a Kimber rep that said if HP ammo was used that they recommended 230 Golden Sabers or HydraShoks and that Rangers were good as well but that Gold Dots and Corbons had given problems....this same rep carried the same pistol I have and said that they carried 230 FMJ....I found that interesting. I don't feel "under ammoed" by using 230 FMJ - even in my full size 1911s...but then again I don't mind using a 200 LSWC or 230 LRN either ! My priority is function and accuracy with adequate penetration. For all you "must have a premium hollowpoint" people, don't worry, I do have some Ranger Ts for my full size pistols and a supply of SilverTips for my short stroker...just in case I run out of FMJ ! ... ..

If you feel better with a HP and it functions 100% in your pistol by all means use it...confidence in your choice is a good thing ...

 

[amd6547]

I too prefer 230gn FMJ in my .45, even though it feeds reliably with any JHP load I try.
I am shooting a Ballester Molina.

 

[Wesson Smith]

One vote for Glaser Pow'RBall here.

 

[WoofersInc]

I have found that for me the Winchester SXT is the defense round that I use in my 1911's. So far they have run well in my guns when I use them in training.

 

[Kind of Blued]

Federal HSTs feed fine in my SW1911. Remington Golden Sabers are even more agreeable though, so that'd be my second choice.

By "more agreeable" I mean that I can cycle them with my hand in slow motion with very little resistance. The HSTs will take a bit more force, but still, during live fire the slide is in no way moving in slow motion or with little force.

 

[bannockburn]

I've always been satisfied with Winchester 185 gr. Silvertips out of my Colt Combat Commander.

 

[Rampant_Colt]

Since many 1911s are finicky feeders, the 230gr R-P Golden Saber provides a good combination of accuracy, proven terminal ballistics, feed profile and overall reliability. Afterall, you want the gun to go BANG when "IT" hits the fan at 2am, right?

+1 for Remington 230gr Golden Saber

 

[hoser45]

I found some 230gr Ranger SXT (non +P) and am going to test that out in my gun.