Opinions on Best 45ACP Powder

[762 shooter]

I have loaded Unique and WSL and am about out.

Is there a better powder out there for reloading 230 hardball that has come out since I bought powder 15 years ago?

I like those low powder charges.

Opinions Please.

I have done several searchs and come up empty.

 

[Linear Thinker]

Before the floodgates of opinions open, I will put my 2 cents in:

Win231 is the cleanest and most economical 45ACP powder I tried. I no longer bother experimenting for 38 Special and 45ACP - Win231 is the shizz.

Among others I tried:
Bullseye - economical but filthy
Accurate #2 - occasional incomplete ignition, but very economical.
IMR 700 - expensive to load
LT

 

[Sistema1927]

I have been using W231/HP38 for .45 ACP, and .38 Special, and 9mm, and...and...and... for many years with good success.

 

[skinewmexico]

So Win231 works on 9mm too? I'm fixing to get the Dillon rigged up to load 9 and 45, and I would just as soon use one powder. And is Win231 a high or low volume powder?

 

[presspuller]

I like Titegroup. Its clean but I have never tried it compared to Win231.

 

[Griz44]

I use HP38 or Titegroup, powder choice is determined by what is on sale at the time. Cabelas puts them on sale regularly. The HP 38 fills the case a little better, and I prefer it, but both shoot very nicely in the 45acp.

 

[The Bushmaster]

W-231 is my "go to" powder for 9mm X 19, .38 Special and .45 ACP. I use W-231 in short barreled (3" and shorter) .357 magnum revolvers too. I will be experimenting with two others, but W-231 is hard to beat...

W-231 will not fill the case and you have to watch for double charges. As with most powders for these three calibres one must be paying attention to what you are doing as very few, if any, completely fill the case. Of course this goes with any part of the reloading procedure.

 

[MaterDei]

Hate to sound like a broken record.

W-231 gives me my best groups.

 

[Walkalong]

There are a number of powders that work real well in .45 ACP, but like The Bushmaster said, W-231 is hard to beat. It meters well,, is economical, and most of all, it is hard to load a bad load in .45 with it. It works over a wide velocity range in the .45.

 

[Galil5.56]

I like those low powder charges.

Not sure if this meets that criteria, but about 5.6-5.8 grains of WW231 will about duplicate 230 grain FMJ service load performance outa a 1911. Obviously if you want to go softball, that is no problem at all. For full out +speed loads, AA#5 has been very good to me, as has HS-6. Power Pistol is another that will "get the lead out", and at sub +P pressures.

 

[moooose102]

i bought and use acurate arms no. 7 for mine. it works well, seems to burn pretty clean. but to be honest, it is the only powder i have tried in it so far, so i reall have nothing to gauge it by. when i am selecting powder, i usually find the top 5 velocities listed. then i look for the load that gives me the best velocity with the least pressure. since velocity is our freind, and high pressure is our enemy, it just seems logical to me.

 

[762 shooter]

Thanks all.

Just what I needed.

 

[NVMM]

Clays

Clays!

 

[lordgroom]

I use Bullseye. It is more accurate than I am able to shoot. Does make a sweet smelling cloud and is dirty on the hands and gun but I clean my guns anyway so what difference does it make. The "dirt" comes right off with any solvent. Hard to find a powder more economical.

 

[ReloaderFred]

I use Winchester 231 and Bullseye for most of my .45 loads. They both work well and are very accurate.

I use a couple of different powders for other applications in .45 acp, but just because I have them. Either 231 or Bullseye would do just as well.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[Nacho Libre]

I use WIN231.

 

[rantingredneck]

Another happy 231 user here.

 

[Slamfire]

I have used about 6 pounds of W231 through my M1911's. Shoots just great. However I am transitioning over to Bullseye. Shoots very well.

About the clean versus not clean. I lubricate my M1911's heavily. I believe your elbow is the drop point for the oil. At the end of the day, with either W231 or Bullseye, I have an equivalent amount of residue, so I don't know what the "cleanliness" debate is based on.

 

[D. Manley]

Hard pressed to find a caliber easier to load for than .45 ACP...lots of good powders. For most range use especially with 230 grainers, Clays and Solo-1000 are hard to beat...clean, soft and accurate.

 

[M47 Dragon]

Clays!

+3

(Me and two guys I shoot with)

 

[ricehombre]

I had good luck with SR7625 & SR4756. But some of the best accuracy came from WST. Burns clean, meters great, and cycles my 1911's the a wide range of loads.(4.4 - 5.5 gr.)

 

[38 Super Auto]

Titegroup

Clays

WST

These three powders give me great performance in 45ACP.

 

[LCTitan]

45ACP powder

You will get many opinions on this one. I really like Bullsye for 45 ACP. I will soon be trying some Win 231 as well.

4.7 Bullseye
230 fmj
Win LP primers
1.26 OAL
mixed brass

Really works well in my Glock 21SF

 

[Mr.Revolverguy]

+1 231

I have tried tightgroup as well but could not find a load that grouped as well as 231 so I went back to it.

 

[dwave]

I am going to go with a powder that no one has mentioned, Longshot. I have gotten good groups using Longshot. I have tried titegroup in .45acp, but my gun didn't like it at all.