Reloading 45 acp
- Thread starter TROOPER2
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rfwobbly
Member
Red Dot: 3.6 to 5.4gr under 230gr FMJ per the Hornady 3rd ed.
You need to buy some books or start using the powder maker web sites more. Really.
You need to buy some books or start using the powder maker web sites more. Really.
Trooper, here is the whole site for Alliant (makes both your powders)
http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/default.aspx
Wobbly is right! You need to do some more research. Seriously, not down on ya, but if you're ready for this, you should already have the answer to your question.
Safety first!
http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/default.aspx
Wobbly is right! You need to do some more research. Seriously, not down on ya, but if you're ready for this, you should already have the answer to your question.
Safety first!
Hondo 60
Member
Relying on joeshmoe poster for load data is NOT the smart thing to do!
Buy or borrow a reloading manual or 3, or getting data from the powder makers website is the ONLY RELIABLE way to get data.
Please be careful & stay safe my friends.
Buy or borrow a reloading manual or 3, or getting data from the powder makers website is the ONLY RELIABLE way to get data.
Please be careful & stay safe my friends.
1KPerDay
Member
Both are great powders in .45 ACP. You lucky dog.
Reefinmike
Member
so... err... ummm... to answer your question with the answer you are wanting- ditch the dots and get win231/hp38, bullseye or unique
Fishslayer
Member
Okay....
Am I missing something?
FWIW Green Dot is my favorite powder for cast bullet loads...
FROGO207
Member
231 is a good choice for your combo and I have 5 kegs of 700-X that I have several good loads I use in the 45 ACP, both cast and jacketed with my handguns.
In these times some ask if their on hand propellant is good for ______. Then they have not bothered to look past at best one source for data. That was the assumption I first had when reading your first post. Seriously there are a lot of those that want a magic answer, spoon fed to them while in reality there are a LOT of OK but not great loads. A reloader has the JOB of finding his own best load for his firearm. A "are these the best propellants for __________." would possibly be a better starting point IMHO.
Now there is a lot of shared experience in this particular forum and I often see a different combo that I would have never tried but is recommended that works out OK because that is what someone had on hand and experimented with. This is the good part of the info sharing. It expands everyone's data base to more choices. Just be sure to keep safety in mind when going outside published data. That said do not experiment outside published data unless you feel comfortable doing so because you have enough previous experience to see potential problems beforehand.
In these times some ask if their on hand propellant is good for ______. Then they have not bothered to look past at best one source for data. That was the assumption I first had when reading your first post. Seriously there are a lot of those that want a magic answer, spoon fed to them while in reality there are a LOT of OK but not great loads. A reloader has the JOB of finding his own best load for his firearm. A "are these the best propellants for __________." would possibly be a better starting point IMHO.
Now there is a lot of shared experience in this particular forum and I often see a different combo that I would have never tried but is recommended that works out OK because that is what someone had on hand and experimented with. This is the good part of the info sharing. It expands everyone's data base to more choices. Just be sure to keep safety in mind when going outside published data. That said do not experiment outside published data unless you feel comfortable doing so because you have enough previous experience to see potential problems beforehand.
bigdaa
member
I became a paying member of LoadData.com in order to supplement my loading data.
Yes it's 29 bucks a year but I don't mind.
I've printed out tons of data and have it filed away in a big binder. It's tailored to my needs.
That said, I have not used the powders you have in prodigious bulk.
At Load Data:
I found 23 Red Dot loads with 230gr bullets, lead, fmj and hp.
I found 11 Green Dot loads with 230gr bullets, lead, fmj and hp.
Your best bet is the Alliant website for starts. It's free and clear for ya.
Yes it's 29 bucks a year but I don't mind.
I've printed out tons of data and have it filed away in a big binder. It's tailored to my needs.
That said, I have not used the powders you have in prodigious bulk.
At Load Data:
I found 23 Red Dot loads with 230gr bullets, lead, fmj and hp.
I found 11 Green Dot loads with 230gr bullets, lead, fmj and hp.
Your best bet is the Alliant website for starts. It's free and clear for ya.
So you have manuals, know what loads to use and you are still asking?
Don't take this the wrong way, but with 8# of each powder, you have about 11,000 loads of each to play with. HAVE FUN WITH IT!
Load up a number of different charges with each (of course staying within safe limits of what your manuals say) and see what works best with your gun and your shooting style. 45ACP is a very forgiving round and won't cause problems so long as you stay comfortably below max loads. If you fall below min, the only thing that happens is sooty cases, unburned powder flakes and FTE's well before a stuck bullet.
Half the fun of reloading is testing out different loads and customizing them to your shooting needs.
Another suggestion: Don't load up a thousand at a time. You might decide later you like a lighter or stronger load after a while and it's best to have a smaller quantity loaded until you are sure you like a particular load.
Don't take this the wrong way, but with 8# of each powder, you have about 11,000 loads of each to play with. HAVE FUN WITH IT!
Load up a number of different charges with each (of course staying within safe limits of what your manuals say) and see what works best with your gun and your shooting style. 45ACP is a very forgiving round and won't cause problems so long as you stay comfortably below max loads. If you fall below min, the only thing that happens is sooty cases, unburned powder flakes and FTE's well before a stuck bullet.
Half the fun of reloading is testing out different loads and customizing them to your shooting needs.
Another suggestion: Don't load up a thousand at a time. You might decide later you like a lighter or stronger load after a while and it's best to have a smaller quantity loaded until you are sure you like a particular load.
41 Mag
Member
I think I understand that your looking for folks who used these powders for their loads, and are simply looking for what works best for them....
That said, and has been mentioned above, the 45 ACP is such a versatile round that the data for it is widely abundant. There are so many powders what WILL work with it's specific pressure range, that simply picking a powder is sometimes difficult.
I myself picked up an 8# jug of both 2400 and Unique for the same reasons. I shoot several calibers of handguns, and pistols, and wanted something I could load them all with. While neither will get me the "BEST" load for more than one maybe two, either WILL alloy me to load a wide range of bullet weights in them all.
So you will have to work up loads for YOUR pistol as was suggested. IT might be one, the other, or both which may actually work great in your pistol. Then you will find something else that determines which one is actually tops. Recoil, clean burning, smoke, flash, all come into play. If your just loading target practice loads pick one and go for it.
That said, and has been mentioned above, the 45 ACP is such a versatile round that the data for it is widely abundant. There are so many powders what WILL work with it's specific pressure range, that simply picking a powder is sometimes difficult.
I myself picked up an 8# jug of both 2400 and Unique for the same reasons. I shoot several calibers of handguns, and pistols, and wanted something I could load them all with. While neither will get me the "BEST" load for more than one maybe two, either WILL alloy me to load a wide range of bullet weights in them all.
So you will have to work up loads for YOUR pistol as was suggested. IT might be one, the other, or both which may actually work great in your pistol. Then you will find something else that determines which one is actually tops. Recoil, clean burning, smoke, flash, all come into play. If your just loading target practice loads pick one and go for it.
Last edited:
Pete D.
Member
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- Sep 13, 2010
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- 2,660
Best
Best is a tough word....it can mean many different things to different shooters depending on their firearm, their intentions, etc.
What do you want to load for?
The classic target load - for a 1911 - is 4.0 grains of Bullseye and a 200 grain LSWC. That being said, quite a few top shooters will use Remington's match 185 jacketed SWC and 4.5 grains of Bullseye.
IIRC, ten time national champion Brian Zins uses 185 grain hollow points.
Five grains of Bullseye and a 230 grain FMJ bullet is reputed to be a duplicate of factory ball ammo.
All of these loads can be found in the Lyman manual or at Alliant's website.
Bullseye and W231 are both popular because a) they work; b) they are fine grained and meter accurately in the small charges used.
Best is a tough word....it can mean many different things to different shooters depending on their firearm, their intentions, etc.
What do you want to load for?
The classic target load - for a 1911 - is 4.0 grains of Bullseye and a 200 grain LSWC. That being said, quite a few top shooters will use Remington's match 185 jacketed SWC and 4.5 grains of Bullseye.
IIRC, ten time national champion Brian Zins uses 185 grain hollow points.
Five grains of Bullseye and a 230 grain FMJ bullet is reputed to be a duplicate of factory ball ammo.
All of these loads can be found in the Lyman manual or at Alliant's website.
Bullseye and W231 are both popular because a) they work; b) they are fine grained and meter accurately in the small charges used.
Lj1941
Member
Red Dot works for me with lead, but I haven't tested it with jacketed bullets.I can't afford to shoot jacketed in 45 ACP.
I've been using 5.1 gr of Red Dot for 230 gr FMJ with pretty good results from 1911's and Glocks.
It's .2 gr less than the max charge listed in Speer 14 for 230gr TMJ.
It's a comfortable and accurate load. A rough guess for FPS from the data in the manual would suggest around 750-800 FPS
Good Luck
Red dot is a great .45 powder
Been using 4.8Gr Red Dot under the 230 jacketed and hard cast for over 30 years, its a really good combo in my Semi Autos as well as my Ruger Blackhawk.
It provides a satisfying hefty recoil and excellent accuracy in all my 45s . In 30 years I have always come back to RD despite trials with other powders. Yes its a little sooty but who cares , I clean after every range session anyway.
Been using 4.8Gr Red Dot under the 230 jacketed and hard cast for over 30 years, its a really good combo in my Semi Autos as well as my Ruger Blackhawk.
It provides a satisfying hefty recoil and excellent accuracy in all my 45s . In 30 years I have always come back to RD despite trials with other powders. Yes its a little sooty but who cares , I clean after every range session anyway.
ArchAngelCD
Member.
Never tried Red Dot in anything really but I have used Green Dot in the .38 Special and .45 Auto. It's better in the .38 Special IMO than the .45 Auto. I use almost nothing but W231 in the .45 Auto, that works best for me.
With Green Dot in the .45 Auto give 5.0gr to 5.2gr a try with a 230gr LRN or 230gr LSWC bullet.
NOTE:
Never trust load data you get from a stranger on the Internet because mistakes can and will happen. Always verify the data for yourself...
With Green Dot in the .45 Auto give 5.0gr to 5.2gr a try with a 230gr LRN or 230gr LSWC bullet.
NOTE:
Never trust load data you get from a stranger on the Internet because mistakes can and will happen. Always verify the data for yourself...
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