PT145 ammo recomendations

[fordworker]

I hope y'all can help me out. I just purchased a new PT145 pro .45acp. This is my first Taurus and also my first .45acp pistol. I hope I will like both. My question is this...I've heard that with the short barrel pistols the 230 grain ammo is too slow. Is this true? What ammo do y'all use and what is best for personal defence? Thanks for your help.

 

[HighVelocity]

Too slow? Hogwash! I certainly wouldn't want to test that theory.
I keep my PT145 loaded with Winchester Ranger RA45T (non +p) 230gr JHP.

You can get it from [email protected]. He is in Florida but will ship it to you. I've gotten great service from him.

 

[Plainmark]

too SLOW? Nope...



Who told you that? Apparently they have not seen whatr SLO & BIG does to whatever it hits!

I went to the range today with my Springfield Compact to try out the new sites I just installed yesterday. ALL that is in my box is self-loaded 230 gr Golden Sabers over AA#2 (5.4 gr) with Federal 150 LP primers.

I have messed with multiple ammo components and while this little guy will NOT shoot most other hollow points, it flies thru these and I can keep the groups under 2½" for the first 6 mags or so (shakey later).

Honestly, I cannot get any performance with accuracy out of lighter ammo in this thing.. could be it's just a Springfield, but it does love Golden Sbers!
Plain

 

[PCRit]

I also use Win Ranger RA45T purchased from Jerry in my PT-745 (and PT-145 when I had that) It chronographed around 798-800fps in a shorter 3" barrel (Colt Defender), which is just fine with me.

 

[Grayrock]

I have used the Taurus Total Copper hex bullets with great results.

 

[fordworker]

Thanks for the help! I read today that the 230 grain hydro-shock is the best for defense...what do you all think?

 

[fordworker]

What about the Hornady TAP personal defense ammo?

 

[GMorel1916]

230 gr Hydra-Shock is my choice. Everyone I know (off the board that is) uses them too.

Greg

 

[gt3944]

Listen the problem with 230g ammo is that according to testing, the 230g often doesnt expand like its supposed to..cuse of the shorter barrel of the pt145. All I can say is even if that is true which I cant abide for, I think a 45 carries enough punch anyways. I personally use either the 230g golddots or my favorite Hornady 45ACP xtp ammo 185 gr.

 

[happy g]

Ok, I'll chime in here. Please take this with a grain of salt.
Today I went out to see what round I was going to carry in my Kimber with the 3 in barrel. The gun has been broken in and has proved reliable with the following ammo:GS 230 gr., Win. Ranger 230 gr., Hornady Personal Defense 230 gr. +P, Corbon PowerBall and DPX . I soaked phonebooks 24 hrs and off to the range I went. This is what I found....
1) The DPX performed as advertised. Expansion was perfect with all rounds tried. It also penetrated very well.
2) Golden Sabers came is second. Good expansion and penetration, one lost its jacket and one had so so expansion.
3) Ranger 230 gr. slight expansion, good penetration, one failed to expand at all.
4) PowerBall lost jackets on all but one, but that one expanded very well. Penetration was average.
5) Hornady 230 gr. performed to worst. Little to no expansion.

Remember, this was phone books so take it for what it is worth.

 

[Lennyjoe]

I prefer Gold Dot JHP's but that's my personal preference.

Also, 4" and under I use 200gr bullets and 5" gets 230's. Again, that's personal preference.

Shoot them all and see which one groups the best.

 

[Waitone]

Go find an outdoor range with a metal gong as a target. Pop it a few times with your PT145 using 230 grain FMJ rounds. I think you will change your mind. Yes you can spend money on fancy ammo, but you can spend less on FMJ and rest assured the job will be adequately performed. The .45ACP cartridge is not to be triffled with.

 

[Hypnogator]

Go find an outdoor range with a metal gong as a target. Pop it a few times with your PT145 using 230 grain FMJ rounds. I think you will change your mind.

Yep, no bout a doubt it -- 230-gr FMJs are the most effective round to stop attacking metal gongs!

Another vote for 230-gr Hydra-Shoks. That's what's in my PT-145 right now, and what I've carried for defense since they first came out. You should do fine with any of the premium bullets now manufactured by the major ammo companies.

The only legitimate need for FMJ's in a defensive situation is when underpenetration is a concern. And if heavy clothing blocks the hollow point and hinders expansion, well, it's still a .45. It ain't gonna shrink!

 

[Lou22]

Double Tap 185gr

I carry Double Taps in my PT145. If muzzle blast and recoil mean anything, they are one heck of a load. They really wake up my Taurus, without me losing any control. I believe standard velocity 230gr is too slow for decent expansion out of short-barreled .45s, so I like Double Taps in the PT145, which give the extra velocity without the +P rating (Taurus recommends against +P use). I say, if you can accurately and quickly shoot the ammo with the extra bang, use it. Penetration is good, but penetration and good expansion is better

Lou

 

[Grayrock]

Page 9 of the on-line Taurus manual states:

Taurus pistols were designed to use cartridges loaded to the limits shown
below. Other cartridges of various types or bullet weights may or may not
function acceptably; such ammunition should be thoroughly tested by the
user before relying on it. Because of the widely differing specifications of
such other ammunition, Taurus cannot be responsible for malfunctions
resulting from its use.
BULLET MUZZLE
CALIBER WEIGHT VELOCITY
.32 ACP...................................................71 GR FMP 905 FPS
.380 ACP.................................................95 GR FMJ 1000 FPS
9MMPARA. ..............................................124 GR FMJ 1225 FPS
.357 SIG .................................................125 GR FMJ 1350 FPS
.40 S&W .................................................180 GR FMJ 985 FPS
.45 ACP...................................................225 GR FMJ 900 FPS

Very interesting.

 

[Dave R]

The way I interpret that, the gun was not designed to endure anything hotter than a 225gr. moving at 900fps. That's pretty hot from a barrel under 3".

I'm sure that it also means that a 185 gr. bullet at 900fps would be fine, or a 230 gr. at 750fps are fine.

My experience is, I chronoed some 230 gr. loads, and they were under 700fps. from the PT-145. Too slow for my tastes. So I dropped back to a 185gr, and got velocity up to 800fps. That feels better to me. I use the 185gr Speer Gold dot.

 

[chaim]

The problem with 230gr .45ACP out of a short barrel is that it probably won't be moving fast enough to expand. Will it penatrate, sure. However, if you want reliable expansion you need a lighter weight round. Of course, with some looking you may find a specific loading that works even in a 230gr round.

 

[Hypnogator]

The problem with 230gr .45ACP out of a short barrel is that it probably won't be moving fast enough to expand.

A common myth. Federal Hydra-Shoks are spec'd to expand reliably at 600 FPS. They'll make ~750 FPS out of a 3" bbl.

A greater concern is clothing blocking the hollow point, limiting or preventing expansion. Taurus hex 185-gr HP copper bullets seem to expand very well even through clothing, and have the additional benefit of higher velocity out of short barrels. Federal EFMJs would also be worth a look.

 

[chaim]

A common myth. Federal Hydra-Shoks are spec'd to expand reliably at 600 FPS. They'll make ~750 FPS out of a 3" bbl

Not a myth, I was speaking about what is typical with most 230gr loadings, I wasn't speaking about each and every load available in .45ACP (since I don't have all the exceptions at my fingertips).

I don't know what velocity .45ACP Hydra-Shoks are spec'ed to so it is possible you are right. Most of the tests of it I've seen used either a 5" or 4" barrel so I haven't seen actual data either way for this load when using a shorter barrel. However, I do know that I've given up on Hydra-Shoks in most every other caliber since they seem the least likely of the premium ammo loadings to expand in any barrel length (makes sense since they are among the oldest of the premium loadings and there have been quite a few developments in ammo design in the past few years). It is possible though that .45ACP is the one chambering where they most shine.