What is your favorite 45 acp handload

[lotsunsold]

I am new to reloading and want a 45 acp round for my Kimber ultra carry.Which powder,How much.Which round.lead or fmj.Help out a new guy.Please

 

[xsquidgator]

4.5 to 5.5 grains of W231 under 230LRN, OAL 1.230 iirc. 5.5 grains is a little stout and not necessary, 4.5 works just as well in my M&P45.

There are a bunch of good powders out there, I like W231 the most, I also like Unique alright. Lots of people use Titegroup, Bullseye, and many others. Fortunately 45ACP is low pressure and forgiving so you picked a good place to start.

 

[Crimp]

Welcome to the forum!

If you search the handloading forum using "ACP", you'll find days worth of reading about loading the .45 ACP.

 

[lotsunsold]

Thank You xsquidgator. I am still not sure if reloading is for me.What is your best printed source.

 

[PO2Hammer]

I shoot the 200 grain JSWC from Hornady over 4.3 grains of Clays. C.O.L. = 1.270". CCI brass/primers.

This bullet is just amazing for accuracy:
http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=716718&t=11082005.

Read the reviews for more pet loads.

The Lyman reloading manual is an excellent read for beginners.

I just started reloading a couple of years ago, and I'm kicking myself for not doing it sooner. My .45acp handload is soft shooting for comfotable practice and is match accurate out of my H&K.

Start slow and simple with a single stage press or a turret press, Lee dies are an excellent value.

Hodgdon Clays is a great powder for light practice loads and it's easy to spot a double charged case.

 

[Noxx]

I use a 230gr RN over 4.6-4.7 grains of titegroup, works like a charm for me. Titegroup may not be the best powder for a cold beginner, it's easy to overlook a double in a big case.

 

[bugs100]

5.2grs of W231 with 230gr bullet and Winchester large primers.

 

[zxcvbob]

I'd say Red Dot or Green Dot would be better powders for a beginner to use. They are kind of bulky.

 

[JackOfAllTradesMasterAtNone]

OK, my favorite 45acp load... For paper, or perpetrator?

For defense- Winchester 230gn HP from Midway. A very accurate HP.

For paper- My Bullseye load is a dream to shoot.

Bullet- Lyman 452460 SWC mould (~200gn bullets with 98% wheel weights, 2% linotype. Water quenched after moulded. Yes, these bullets are hard. Lubed and sized at .452" through a Star Lubrisizer. Lyman pistol bullet lube.
Powder- Bullseye, 3.6gns. (A lot of people push a 200gn bullet with 4gns.)
Case- WW
Primer- CCI300
Recoil spring- 15lb. (This load will not cycle a full length/tight slide with a 19lb spring)

This load is very accurate through my Kimber Custom II. This load is very close to duplicating H&G #68, with 4gns of Bullseye powder, type load/target results often viewed as the standard bullet in Bullseye shooting.

Why is this my favorite load? Because I create each and every one from start to finish. Because they go down range right where I point them.

I should probably put in a disclaimer that your mileage may vary, and that you should work your own load up, for your pistol. I will suggest that your Ultra should shoot any of the 200gn LSWC's just fine. For plinking. For defense I suggest a good hollow point of 225-240gns with the correct portion of pistol powder that will make the bullet perform properly.

-Steve

 

[BsChoy]

My Glock 21 loves 4.5 grains of red dot under a 230 ranier...combat accurate for practice.

 

[buenhec]

5.5? of W231? I though 5.3 was the max for a 230 RN? Is 5.3 pushing it or still on the safe but hot side?

 

[Luggernut]

Well.... all I can say is I also use 5.2gr of 231 with 230gr PLATED bullets... it is NOT a hot load by any stretch! As a data point... Speer has a starting load of 5.6gr and max of 6.2gr for 231 with a 230gr TMJ bullet.

 

[Ol` Joe]

My wifes nephew has a Kimber Ultra Carry and it comes I believe with a heavier spring then the std custom target or Colt 1911. His wouldn`t function properly with 4.5gr Titegroup under 200 gr LSWC, but worked just fine with 185gr HP Noslers and as I remember 8.7 gr of Power pistol.
Yours may not be as picky but if you have trobles with feed and ejection with mild loads you might have to raise the charge some or change bullet shape. These pistols are made more as defence arms and not so much as target shooters.

 

[Sam1911]

Just to throw in an alternative:

My IDPA load is 5.0 gr. of American Select under a 200 gr. LSWC. Gets me around 850 fps.

I used to shoot 5.4 gr. and that load will print a 2.5" group off the bench at 25 yds. from my SA Mil-Spec. But then I got a chronograph and found that the slug was moving at something like 950 fps, which is way more than I need to compete, so I backed it down. Haven't gotten to accuracy test it yet.

-Sam

 

[evan price]

My Sig P220 and Glock 21 like 4.7 grains of Titegroup, Win LPP and range brass with a Rainier 230-gr RN plated bullet.

 

[CZ57]

230 gr. Golden Saber and 7.75 (midway between .7 and .8) grains of V-V 3N37 @ 1.230" OACL. It may sound unconventional, but five rounds will go into a single hole at 50'! Velocity ain't shabby either.

 

[esheato]

4.5-5.0 grains of Titegroup under your choice of bullet (I prefer 200 SWC).

Ed

 

[RNG]

5.2-5.3 W231 under 230gr Rainer Plated RN
Winchester case
Winchester LP
OAL=1.260 Taper Crimped to .470-471.
POA is POI at 25 yards
Kimber Tactical Pro II.

 

[buenhec]

Does it make a diff if I go OAL if 1.25 or 1.23? Does it affect pressure, reliabilty or are some guns more finicky than others. I shoot a Sig 220.

 

[CZ57]

Not much in the .45 ACP becasue the pressure rating is fairly low at 21,000 PSI/19,900 CUP. If you were dealing with a 35,000 PSI + cartridge like the 9mm, .357 SIG, .40 S&W, or 10mm, pressure would be more affected by a change in OACL. With a P-220, you won't have a reliability issue with .005" of length variation. I listed 1.230" with the Golden Saber because the only source for data that I've found is from Accurate and that's the OACL they recommend.

 

[RNG]

Luggernut, What OAL are you using with that recipe?

Thanks

Richard

 

[Luggernut]

Rng- 1.260" Col.

 

[wally]

My favorite .45ACP load is 6.0gr Unique and any bullet, any primer, any case. I reload for for economy and volume shooting, the above has always met my needs witih minimal futzing around -- all I do is adjust the seating die when I get a different bullet type or brand. I try to match the COL of factory ammo that uses a similar bullet to what I'm loading. If in doubt 1.23" pretty much always works in any 45 I have.

--wally.

 

[RNG]

Luggernut -- Same thing I'm using. Thanks

Richard

 

[ShunZu]

My favorite .45ACP load is 6.0gr Unique

Whew! Thanks Wally. I was reading thru the thread and was amazed that nobody had listed Unique in the favorites list. I've reloaded for over 25 years and that has consistently been my most accurate load behind a 200 grain LSWC (albeit a bit dirty).