Powder for low recoil 45 acp

[cocare]

You guys were so helpful on a prior question that I thought I would try you again. I want to load reduced power loads for familirazation with my new 45 acp. I have a box or so of 185 Hornadys and plan to buy additional 200g swc in bulk. I already have W231, H110 and HS-6 in hand.

In researching my reloading manuals, I see Unique, Titegroup and Hercules listed near the top in reduced power loads. Do I need new powder or will my W231 and HS-6 do what I need to do. I think I am looking at something around 800 to 850 fps.

 

[madman]

5.3 grains of 231 with a 230 gr RN bullet is my standard practice load. It chronographs at 800 fps in my 1911 (5 in barrel)

You could certainly start with a little less powder with the lighter bullets and still have a nice load. I used to shoot 185gr FP bullets, but I don't recall what the load was.

--md

 

[NVMM]

CLAYS

Get yourself to the gun shop and buy a can of Hodgdons Clays.
Around 3.6 to 4.0grs w/ 200swc (whatever works your slide) and you'll be very happy.

 

[Steve C]

If your Hornady 185gr bullets are JHP’s then don’t waste them loading them down. If they’re the 185gr FMJSWC then they’d be fine for a reduced level target load.

You don’t say what brand or type your new pistol is. SWC bullets can be problematic in many pistols not set up for them. 1911’s need to have their feed ramp polished and the barrel chamfered to get reliable feeding with the blunt nosed SWC’s. For a more reliable feeding bullet get some 200gr RN bullets, either cast, or copper clad Raniers or Berry’s.

H110 has no application in the .45 acp, its good for high pressure full powered magnum loads in magnum cartridges from the .357 on up. HS-6 is one of the slowest powders you’ll find data for and is will be extremely dirty and smoky at low pressure. W231 is ideal for the .45 in target to standard velocity loadings. A load of 5.0 to 5.5grs of W231 would be a good moderate target load with bullets that are 200gr and under.

 

[cocare]

Sorry - I should have included more data

I am reloading for a new - never yet fired Springfield ED. The 185g bullets I have are old Hornadys that are #4510 not #45100. They look to be from about 1990 or prior.

What are your thoughts about lead. That is what I shoot in almost all of my revolvers - 38, 357, 44 mag, etc.?

 

[Clemson45]

My target load

I got into reloading to feed my 45. For a light plinking load I used a 185gr LSWC over about 6.2 grains of unique. Its only pushing a little over 900FPS, no leading, and it runs fine with a standard 16# recoil spring in my Springer Mil-Spec.

 

[Lennyjoe]

5.5 gr of W231 under 200gr rainer flat points.

 

[Sunray]

4.5 grains of Bullseye with a cast 230 grain RN or FP is a nice accurate target load. 3.5 grains with a 200 grain cast. No SWC's though. Their square edges can lead to feeding issues. Remember the .45 ACP likes a taper crimp. A lot of feeding problems just go away by simply using a taper crimp die.

 

[HSMITH]

Clays is far softer than 231 and noticeably softer than Bullseye. Clays is the softest shooting powder in 45 acp I have ever tried, and I have tried a bunch of powders.

 

[NateG]

I posted topic that might help here

In it I asked about reduced loads (using lightened springs) so my wife can shoot my 1911. Right now I'm using 3.0gr Bullseye with a 185gr LSWC bullet, and a 10 (or 12... I'm still experimenting) pound recoil spring. If you're willing to change out your recoil spring, you should be able to come up with some pretty darn mild loads. The 200gr over about the same 3 grain bullseye load should work, too. (They worked somewhat, but I dorked up the seating, so I don't know how they would have worked had I not messed up)

 

[Steve C]

What are your thoughts about lead.

On a new barrel there's a good chance you'll see leading. With commercial hard cast they will often not fill the bore well enough to seal usually due to low pressure loads and I'll see leading at the front of the barrel. At the low velocities of the .45 ACP I'll used swaged bullets but with a new OEM barrel that hasn't smoothed down from firing jacketed bullets I find that I'll see more leading than I like simply from the rough bore. I don't mind small amounts that are easily removed with a pass or two of a bronze brush and solvent. The plated bullets from Ranier and Berry are softer than the regular jacketed but they eliminate leading problems and are loaded using lead bullet data. 400 or 500 rounds of jacketed bullets through the bore before using lead bullets generally smothes things out and reduces leading problems.

 

[only1asterisk]

Nate, who's bullet are you using and what kind of accuracy are you getting?

David

 

[Rico567]

+1 on what "NVMM" said. I switched from 5.3 gr. of 231, a fine powder, which I loaded for many years, to 4.3 gr. of Clays for the 200 gr. bullet. (I use a Rainier 200 gr. plated FP) Very clean & accurate, and noticeably softer recoil. It doesn't come near to filling up the empty space in the case, but neither did 231, and you just have to watch that as you reload.

 

[JDGray]

A+ on Clays! I load 230gr Rainiers over 3.9gr Clays, very soft, accurate, and my favorite, Clean!

 

[trickyasafox]

4.0 gr of bullseye under a 200gr LSWC cycles a glock 30 just fine and dandy and is a real cream puff to shoot

edit to add: i load to: OAL 1.250

 

[robctwo]

I just got into loading for .45. From this & other forums I've gotten good info. I've tried W231, Unique, Titegroup, HS6, AA#5 and Clays. Running Sig 220, SA Loaded and S&W 1911PD Commander. I just bought 8 lbs of Clays. Also got some reduced power springs for the 1911s. I've loaded anywhere from 155 gr SWC to 250 gr RNFP. I'm settling in with 200 gr SWC, RNFP & TC. Some lead and some plated. Like anywhere from 3.8 gr to 4.4 gr Clays depending on the gun & springs.

 

[xring44]

My thanks to the person starting this thread and those who have contributed, I loaded 200 rounds of .45 ACP this morning with 4.0 grains of Clays and 200 grain semi wadcutters. A leap of faith for me to load so many of a untried load. Excelent results, the first 10 shots from bags at 15 yards could be covered with a quarter easily. I haven't cleaned yet but after 200 rounds it is obviously cleaner than Bullseye by a large margin. Thanks x

 

[renaissance]

3.7 of CLAYS

Just plain "Clays"

 

[P-32]

4.5 grains of Bullseye with a cast 230 grain RN or FP is a nice accurate target load.

While this is a good shooting load, 4.6 grs of Bullseye shoots a little tighter and is a tried and true BE practice load.

 

[NateG]

Nate, who's bullet are you using and what kind of accuracy are you getting?

I'm just using a cheap cast bullet. I couldn't even tell you. I just know it's a 185gr LSWC. As for accuracy, it's somewhere between not awful and good. I've only shot it offhand at 25 yards, and I'm not much of a pistol shot. But offhand without trying too hard with a springfield GI 1911, I get about 6-8" at 25 yards.

Also, I just recently worked up (down?) the load. 3.0gr Bullseye with a 185gr LSWC and a 10# recoil spring. I was more concerned with getting the blooming gun to cycle than with accuracy. Right now I'm working on some loads using Red Dot and changing up the charges a little for accuracy.

If you don't mind swapping out recoil springs, you can get some pretty mild loads for the 1911.

 

[Jim Watson]

It takes the sensitivity of The Princess and The Pea to tell the difference in recoil from one brand of powder to another IF the loads are otherwise the same as to bullet weight and velocity.
You have W231, load it. The handbook starting load will most likely function the gun with the stock recoil spring and give moderate recoil.
HS6 is a rather slow powder for the ACP case and is best limited to high velocity loads, H110 is a magnum revolver powder not at all suitable for .45 ACP.

I know what they say about Clays and if you ARE as sensitive as the The Princess and The Pea, it is commonly used to cut felt recoil. It has also demolished more guns and stuck more bullets in barrels than any powder I know of offhand. I use it only for light .45 revolver loads and will not likely replace what I have now that IDPA requires Major PF in ESR moonclip guns.

 

[lycanthrope]

230gr bullets over 3.8gr of Clays for over 8000 rounds. Clean and light.

 

[ocabj]

The reason why I started reloading in the first place was because of .45 ACP (shooting 100 rounds of factory ammo every weekend adds up). I tried Winchester 231 with 230FMJ for a few hundred rounds, but then turned my eye towards lighter loads with 200gr SWC. Read about Clays. Bought a pound and got hooked on it. Been using it ever since for every 200gr SWC bullet I've bought. I'm currently using 200gr SWC Precision Bullets. Anywhere between 4.0-4.2gr produces a decent load.

 

[Lloyd Smale]

my most used powder now in the acp is surplus aa2 its cheap meters well its cheap its accurate its cheap and it burns clean and its cheap.

 

[xring44]

"my most used powder now in the acp is surplus aa2 its cheap meters well its cheap its accurate its cheap and it burns clean and its cheap."

Cheap is interesting Where are you buying your powder? I haven't seen AA2 in surplus.