What Powder for a Self Defense Load .45 ACP

[Nasty Canasta]

I usually carry factory rounds but I've just made a batch of PD reloads using nickel plated brass, 230gr Speer GDHP's, with 6gr CFE Pistol that tested at just over 900fps.

 

[StrawHat]

That's a nice gun!

What's is it? Seems a bit customized. Would look better with the safety plugged IMO.

As for the loads, yea that should work while not being difficult to shoot well.

Had to go back and look, nope, not one of my customized revolvers except for the grip and adapter. I did smooth the action a bit, reduced the rebound spring but left the factory mainspring. The result is a nice smooth pull that ignites every primer.

What is it? A S&W Model 22-4. What I wanted when I wore a badge, 4”, tapered barrel, fixed sights, 45 ACP. Nearly the perfect revolver for LE or self defense.

Kevin

 

[nofendertom]

OK --- Powders for 230gr jacketed or plated --- Bullseye or 231.

 

[westernrover]

I didn’t mention velocity , I replaced it with defense load . I figured that would be a higher velocity than plinking loads and I am not looking for a number range and not looking for +p , but not opposed to it if it meets the other criteria I listed .

You probably want to start with a bullet and then determine a goal velocity. Some bullets are going to over-expand when they're driven at too high velocity and then they will not penetrate sufficiently. Other bullets may fail to expand if they are not impacting with enough velocity. 45 ACP definitely has both types. Your barrel length is going to be part of the determination of whether a tough bullet can be driven fast enough to expand or whether a more explosive bullet will over-expand.

You mentioned cleanliness. It's the primer that produces the most fouling except maybe in the case of cast lead bullets with lube.

For lower flash, use a fast-burning powder, a single-based powder, or a powder with a flash suppressant. Fast powders and single base powders will not produce the highest velocities in a small case like the 45 ACP.

You may not have a higher goal velocity than what the powders produce, but the bullet will determine that. We can't expect to use low-flash, single-base, fast-burning powder to throw tough bullets at high velocity out of a short barrel to ensure dependable expansion and deep penetration. There are trade-offs.

 

[red rick]

The bullet was going to be part 2 . But since you brought up the bullet I have always felt comfortable with a 230 gr fmj rn bullet in a 45acp . I would like to try some 230 gr gold dot hp bullets , but can’t find any . The Hornady 230 gr XTP is another one that I am looking at and you can get . This will be for a full size pistol .

 

[ms6852]

Bullseye or Titegroup is what I use.

 

[westernrover]

They all fall to ball, eh?

 

[Walkalong]

I usually carry factory rounds but I've just made a batch of PD reloads using nickel plated brass, 230gr Speer GDHP's, with

Me too, but for the handload it's N-340 and 230 Gr Golden Sabers at 850 FPS +/-.

 

[Boom Vang]

 

[.45Coltguy]

Op asked about low flash, clean burning powder and accuracy, correct? BE-86 pretty much fills the bill here. 200gr/230gr bullet, whether swc or rn, make it cast coated.
Presto! Clean my friends.

 

[westernrover]

View attachment 1195431

That Sierra will likely expand more in 10% gel or water and fail to meet penetration standards by quite a bit.
XTP's tend to penetrate well because they're designed with limited expansion. On the other hand, 925 fps is going to depend on a long barrel or a +P load. Here's some results in Clear Ballistics gel at 863 fps average.

Some people would say the Clear gel produces invalid results. Nevertheless, that XTP is a tough bullet that is going to need some velocity that won't hurt it if it hits too fast. 5" barrel and +P loads are a safe bet, but anything less and I would test it in water.

 

[westernrover]

Here are the 200 grain XTP's at 965 fps:

The expansion at this velocity is more decisive, but the diameter is still only .59", which can be achieved with 9mm or 38/357.

 

[Charlie98]

I would like to try some 230 gr gold dot hp bullets , but can’t find any . The Hornady 230 gr XTP is another one that I am looking at and you can get .

Love the GoldDot bullets! ...but, yes, they are the dickens to find right now, at least in .45. They are readily available in 9mm, however. The XTP is a very good bullet... it's always accurate out of about 5 different cartridges I've loaded it in, but, as westernrover states, it's a pretty tough bullet because it's designed for hunting in most applications.

The expansion at this velocity is more decisive, but the diameter is still only .59", which can be achieved with 9mm or 38/357.

Expansion is only part of the equation... there is bullet weight to consider as well.

 

[westernrover]

Bullet weight only contributes to sectional density and ultimately, penetration. There are 9mm and 38/357 bullets that expand to 0.60" and compare favorably in penetration tests. They do so because they're driven at higher pressure to higher velocities. For example, 9mm 147 grain HST +P expanded to 0.60" at 1008 fps and achieved slightly greater average penetration in the same media.

 

[Jim Watson]

I haven't studied it closely and can only say that Bullseye and HP38 give more flash than most factory loads.

Boom Vang hits my mark. I like the Hornady 200 @ 900 like Mr Browning did in 1905, and have it in factory and reload. My FLG loads that Sierra for shop defense.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

Love the GoldDot bullets! ...but, yes, they are the dickens to find right now, at least in .45. They are readily available in 9mm, however. The XTP is a very good bullet... it's always accurate out of about 5 different cartridges I've loaded it in, but, as westernrover states, it's a pretty tough bullet because it's designed for hunting in most applications.



Expansion is only part of the equation... there is bullet weight to consider as well.

I think the fascination with hyper velocity and “expansion” in testing medium other than flesh and bone taints any discussion of practical use. A .45 FMJ, especially one with a wide nose, moving slower than 850fps will kill a 250lb Boar hog at 15-20’. A Boar’s skin and coat are tougher than most any jacket and those animals are 99.9% muscle and mean. The use of hollow points is to prevent over penetration of a torso shot, endangering an innocent bystander behind the attacker. They do nothing for limb or missed shots. A .45 FMJ round nose at milspec velocity has less chance of over penetration on a torso shot, and about the same on a limb shot, as a hyper velocity .45 JHP.

All the theorizing and sciency-sounding numbers games won’t change this one fact: a hit with a bad bullet is still better than a miss with a good one. Use what you can hit with, repeatedly and consistently, under severe stress in the worst possible circumstances.

That’s just my opinion and worth everything paid for it.

 

[Charlie98]

a hit with a bad bullet is still better than a miss with a good one.

That's kind of my thought. There are so many variables in every single bullet that is used in an SD instance, the best you can hope for is to place that bullet, or bullets, in the spot you want them.

 

[cfullgraf]

5.0 grains 700-X under a 230 RN bullet is my favorite 45 ACP load. I look for reliability vs potential expansion. The 45 is almost 1/2” to start with and at 45 ACP velocities expansion is iffy at best.

But, the load works with hollow points if you must.

Many folks think 700-X is dirty and difficult to meter. I do not expect to eat off my hand gun and 700-X is tolerant to powder charge variances.

Having said that, there are lots of powders that work well in 45 ACP. My back up load is with Accurate #5. I’ve used Unique and W231/HP38 in 45 ACP.

Powders mentioned by other posters should work well as well. I just have not tried them.

Happy shooting

 

[hdwhit]

I load my 45ACP loads with Blue Dot, following the loading handbook they distributed in the 1980s.

 

[Boom Vang]

A 200 grain jacketed bullet @ 900 fps is not a +P load by any standard. It was the ORIGINAL standard as designed. That some factory ammo doesn't meet that figure... well, that's another story.

There's no absolutes when it comes to bullet performance. I can show you pictures of bullets recovered from actual people and objects, fired in ammunition that was FBI tested, issued and recommended as meeting their standards, that could be reloaded and fired again. Media tests - pick any media (gelatin, water, meat target) - are simulations and comparison tools.

So-called "underperforming" 185 grain JHPs in .45 Auto - and many other calibres and bullet weights - have been effective in many defensive shootings. Multitudes of people have been incapacitated and killed generations ago, with the Colt .36 Navy percussion revolver; that's an 80 grain round ball at 900 fps. Impossible, according to internet commandos. Penetration of 9-10" in a defensive loading is plenty for most self-defense. The "12 inch minimum" standard has been taken grossly out of context, but is a simple thing to repeat if you hear it enough. Law enforcement has widely differing requirements than most citizen self-defense, based on my 34 years of LE experience in firearms training and selection.

 

[Charlie98]

Many folks think 700-X is dirty and difficult to meter. I do not expect to eat off my hand gun and 700-X is tolerant to powder charge variances.

They say the same about Unique... but like you say, Unique doesn't seem to care, it still puts the bullets right on the target.

 

[Shivahasagun]

I've still never tried 700x from my Lee Auto Drum. Just dipped it.

It won't work well, correct?

 

[Jim Watson]

I tried hard to like 700X, convenient to load 12 gauge and pistols out of the same can. But metering was erratic in CH and Dillon progressives until I learned to hang a vibrator (aquarium air pump) on the measure.

Most of my non-magnum pistol ammo gets HP38 (W231).

 

[InTheSwamp]

Might be worth looking into True Blue.

One of my favorites. It likes to be loaded on the hot side of the spectrum, or it will be dirty.

 

[buck460XVR]

for full power, the original 230 Gr load used Bullseye.

....yeah, I don't think you can find anything much better for .45ACP than Bullseye. With all the playing around with powders for 230 grainers, I've yet to find anything that is more accurate in my 1911s than Bullseye. PP does give me more velocity, but not more accuracy.