Your most accurate 45ACP load?

[v8stang289]

I've loaded a lot of 45acp over the years, but it's mostly been for training and general shooting. As long as they functioned and shot to POA, I was good with it.
I've decided to see what kind of accuracy I can get out of a couple of Kimber Classic Gold Matches and a couple of S&W 625's.
I know the guns will likely have their own quirks and preferences, but I'm curious to hear what kind of accuracy loads others are using in 45acp.

I have a few different 200gn swc's that I'm planning to try. And I have a few lbs of Bullseye, Unique, HP38, and WST.
From the reading I've done, I plan to try ~4gns Bullseye and ~4.5 WST with a 200swc at around 1.25", and adjust from there.

If you're willing to share, what are your best loads or experiences with target 45acp loads?

Thanks in advance.

 

[InTheSwamp]

One of my most accurate ones involved 200 gr SWC with Universal and CCI Primers. I will have to dig up the recipe

 

[bfalcon00]

I get good results with 230 grain XTPs and Unique. I light then with CCI primers usually.

 

[KY DAN]

200 grain lead or jacketed swc 7.5 grains unique.

This is a safe load, look on castboolits.gunloads.com they have pressure tested and debated the Jeff Cooper load too death.

Doesn't damage my pistols and it is amazing at 100 yard gong

 

[.38 Special]

My go-to .45 ACP load is Winchester's 230 ball with 5 grains of 231. Very plain-jane, but reliable in any reasonable gun, usually quite accurate, and in my S&W "Classic" revolver, the single most accurate "service" gun and load that I own.

 

[nettlle]

200 gr S&G #68 bullet over 4.0 grns Bullseye.

 

[.45Coltguy]

200gr XTP, 4.1gr Clays. 230gr Speer LRN, 3.7gr Clays. Simply the most accurate loads in my .45acp, 5" barrel. Super soft shooting also. That's mine.

 

[Rodfac]

Home cast H&G #68, 200 gr LSWC's, seated to allow just a hair's width of full dia. bullet shank above the case rim. This allows that hair line of lead showing above the tapered crimp to smooth the entry into the chamber. A loading trick I picked up from Al Dinan, noted match grade 1911 gunsmith from the 50's & 60's.

With 5.1-5.2 gr of Win 231, that bullet will do nicely for 25 & 50 yd Bullseye competition. I size to 0.452", and the alloy is wheel weights to lead in a ratio of 2:1. I also use the old NRA lube formula: 50/50 alox to beeswax.

My 1911's include a Colt Nat'l Match Gold Cup, a WWll Remington-Rand, two Ruger 1911's, a Sig 1911 RCS, a Sig P227 & 220, and my son's DW, and two Colts. All prefer this loading above any other. At ~800 fps from a 5" bbl., it'll also do nicely for CC if you don't mind reloads.

In addition to the above, that same combination also works to perfection in a 7-1/2" bbl'd Colt SAA with my spare .45 ACP cylinder installed. In my S&W M-25 1955 Target N frame, it's the most accurate .45 ACP load I've ever fired averaging 1.5" gps at 25 yds as the rule. The Smith's 6.5" bbl gives me a chrono'd 875+ fps making it a field gun with considerable smack. Fifteen years ago, I put down a young buck whose rear off side leg had been broken by a misguided bow hunter's broadhead. Penetration from the front was through the skull, brain and exited through 5" of neck muscle. Penetration it's got!

HTH's Rod

 

[GW Staar]

In my Kimber Target II, my favorite load is simple. 6 grains of Unique, 230g Speer Hard Ball. CCI or Winchester large pistol primers.

 

[Otto]

5.5 gr Nitro 100 and a Zero 200 SWC 1.234”. *This isn’t the new formula Nitro.
Seating the bullets perfectly straight plays a big part in accuracy. I use a custom seating stem in a Dillon

Bullet Seat Stem - SKU: T1561 (Select Caliber: Bullet Seat Stem — .45 cal.)

uniquetek.com

 

[9mmepiphany]

My 1911 load is a ploymer coated 200gr SWC (Brazos) loaded over 4.2grs of Clays ignited by a Ginex SPP in a Blazer case

My 625 load is a ploymer coated 230gr RN over 3.2grs of Clays ignited by a Federal LPP contained in a Starline case; in a 1911, I bump the load up to 3.6grs and go back to a SPP

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

5.5 gr Nitro 100 and a Zero 200 SWC 1.234”. *This isn’t the new formula Nitro.
Seating the bullets perfectly straight plays a big part in accuracy. I use a custom seating stem in a Dillon

Is it the Scot brand or Accurate? Accurate sold off the last lots of Scot products before the new lots under their logo.

 

[King Medallion]

4.8 WST, best load so far in both 1911's. excellent groups with both jacketed or cast regardless of weight. Sure makes things easier that way.

 

[Blue68f100]

I use 4.2gr WST with 200gr LSWC with just a thumb nail thickness showing at the mouth, ~1.250". These have tested to be accurate out of my 1911 at 50 yrds. When shooting 185gr I'm at 4.1gr WST, sometimes 4.2 gr, does not make much difference, same OAL. The 185gr are not as accurate at 50 yrds.

 

[drband]

Acme HiTek coated 200gr SWC, 3.7gr Promo/Red Dot

Soft shooting, very accurate in 1911s, or SW625.

Perfect for pistol distances within 25yds.

 

[kmw1954]

SWC would not feed in neither of my 45acp but the 200gr RNFP loaded with Accurate #2 shoots lights out to 25yds. These are sized to .451"

 

[conan32120]

5.1gr WST under a 200gr swc, anything less and p220 had occasional ftf's

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

5.0gr Red Dot under a Speer 230gr FMJ or 4.8gr of Bullseye under the same bullet. Shoots better than I can see. At least good enough to hit an elephant in the butt if he’s sitting on me.

 

[Rodfac]

I use 4.2gr WST with 200gr LSWC with just a thumb nail thickness showing at the mouth, ~1.250". These have tested to be accurate out of my 1911 at 50 yrds. When shooting 185gr I'm at 4.1gr WST, sometimes 4.2 gr, does not make much difference, same OAL. The 185gr are not as accurate at 50 yrds.

Blue's advice is first rate...and succinct...4.2 gr WST with 200 gr LSWC and the "thumbnail of lead showing at the mouth". I've used this combination as well and can attest to its accuracy. It feeds though any 1911 that I've tried as well as the standard military load of a 230 gr FMJ. Well done sir! Regards, Rod

 

[41 Mag]

Home cast H&G #68, 200 gr LSWC's, seated to allow just a hair's width of full dia. bullet shank above the case rim. This allows that hair line of lead showing above the tapered crimp to smooth the entry into the chamber. A loading trick I picked up from Al Dinan, noted match grade 1911 gunsmith from the 50's & 60's

I really didn't get started loading 45 until maybe a decade ago. But as the above states, that is what I use as well. I managed to pick up some original HG molds over the past few years before everything went crazy and have poured several hundred pounds through most of them playing with loads. Overall BE and about 5gr of Unique do all I could ask for.

I also use the H&G 78, and 130 and have found that with the 78, if I set the depth so that the shoulder rest right at the beginning of the lands it shoots VERY well and still feeds reliably in my pistols.

 

[v8stang289]

Thanks guys, I appreciate all the input.

 

[SingleActionAndrew]

5.1gr WST under a 200gr swc, anything less and p220 had occasional ftf's

Curious - is that a typo? I load a full grain less

 

[Laphroaig]

I'm currently loading Missouri Hi-tek 200 SWC's with 4.5 gr. HP-38. My Range Officer just spits the brass off to the side but functions 100% of the time. They shoot way more accurately at 50 yds. than I can hold.

 

[Charlie98]

I get good results with 230 grain XTPs and Unique. I light then with CCI primers usually.

Shooting jacketed bullets, it's hard to beat the accuracy of the XTP... in any cartridge. The 230grn XTP over Unique is still my most accurate jacketed load combo evarrr in my .45's.

I use 4.2gr WST with 200gr LSWC with just a thumb nail thickness showing at the mouth, ~1.250".

5.1gr WST under a 200gr swc,

The most accurate cast or plated bullet combo I've ever found is the 200grn SWC over WST. It is not a full power load, but a target load... and a joy to shoot.

My 200grn SWC load is exactly like Conan's... 5.1grn WST for an easy 770fps, which gives me consistent and reliable feeding and extraction in my 4" full-power sprung .45's.

 

[.45Coltguy]

It's interesting to see all the different loads that work in our .45 acp's. Truly a great round. Pistol or revolver.