Hornaday .45 acp 185 GR. HP loads?

[Furncliff]

I bought a Hornaday LNL AP over the weekend. I'm replacing my Dillon square d. I need to choose a bullet size for the deal they have going. The best deal is 500 rounds of their .45 acp 185 GR HP, it is worth almost $150. That's a nice rebate on this loader (I paid $400 and change at Cabella's).

I have only loaded 38 and .357 so far. I own a .45 RIA tactical that I'd like to load for, informal target use only. Will the 185 HP XTP be accurate and reliable in the .45?

I'd appreciate load data that are pet loads for you. Or directions to your favorite book. Any powder is fine.

I appreciate your help.

Tom

 

[Walkalong]

Great bullets. They will do quite well in your .45. I would load them to put back, and shoot cheaper stuff for plinking etc. Your bullets though.

 

[alfack]

Awesome bullets with low recoil.

5.5 gr. of N320 or 7.5 gr. of AA #5 seems to work good for me.

 

[LiveLife]

I would load them to put back, and shoot cheaper stuff for plinking etc. Your bullets though.

+1 on shooting the cheaper stuff for plinking. I would make sure the powder charge/OAL/taper crimp definitely would feed/chamber/cycle the pistol reliably before putting up the loads for like SHTF situations.

FWIW, when I sort brass, I separate out the nickel plated cases and use them to load my JHP rounds before they get vacuum packed into "battle packs" of 100s.