First effort at reloading .45 ACP

[Wild Willy]

My favorite 230gr FMJ/plated is 4.4gr Bullseye.

I'm not a fan of Titegroup.

I've been using a similar load of bullseye for many years, lots of rounds out of 1lb of powder

 

[cmysix]

any of the shotgun powders work well too, 5 grains of 700X 185 grn SWC was my fathers favorite bullseye load.

 

[ajn1963]

Any of the powders in your list except 296 will work, OP. The .45 ACP is easy to load for. I suggest you don’t make all 500 round at once, though. Your pistol will probably like some loads better than others. Functioning could depend on the load, especially if a lighter charge. The bullets you mention should give feed/function problems, but it’s still not worth committing to all 500 at once.

I am going to make a batch of 50 each first, then might try something else. I usually start the second lowest charge and probably not exceed the second to the last charge.

 

[ajn1963]

I've had good luck with unique in 9mm, 40, and 45; also bullseye. You'll find that a light load is quite dirty; but so's bullseye. All I can really say is load within your margins and make sure the firearm works as intended, it's not rifle accuracy is more relative and slightly subjective for pistols.

You're on the right path to find one powder, cleaning the powder measure and not double charging is very important. A powder check die, and/or progressive lock-out die is recommended.

-Mac

Thanks, I use a single stage Rock Chucker IV press. I read about the horrors experienced, and their now scrap 1911s from over charging not to mention the hand trauma. I usually do not go on the high end of powders, throw a charge from my Hornady powder throw, put it in the tray, repeat, when I have fifty charged I inspect to make sure they are filled or look overfilled, then seat, I love Lee factory crimp dies and then finally crimp. Checking all the measures on the path.

 

[Handi204]

I bought 500 box of ARX 118 gr. 45 ACP bullets from Raven Rocks Precision just to try great target rounds so far no issues.

 

[mac86951]

Thanks, I use a single stage Rock Chucker IV press. I read about the horrors experienced, and their now scrap 1911s from over charging not to mention the hand trauma. I usually do not go on the high end of powders, throw a charge from my Hornady powder throw, put it in the tray, repeat, when I have fifty charged I inspect to make sure they are filled or look overfilled, then seat, I love Lee factory crimp dies and then finally crimp. Checking all the measures on the path.

Use your pistol barrel as a gauge as well. We used to call it.the Plunk test. It'll make sense if the rounds are sized right. They fall in with a satisfying plunk. Some cases will grow a bulge for various reasons. +1 to your lee factory crimp die, that usually solves it anyway.

 

[Ruger15151]

I like the newer powders becsue they are much cleaner. I load with:

Aliant BE -86
Alliant Sport Pistol
Hodgdon CFE-Pistol
Vihtavuori N310 (favorite)

 

[Dave Zander]

Back in the day, like 30 years ago, I shot a lot of 45 and 10mm at bowling pins. 230 g lead or jacketed I used w231. Smith revolver and 1911’s.

 

[TIMO]

I run Winchester 231 in all of my 45 loads, mostly with my cast 200 swc, as well as jacketed bullets. I have also used it in my 9mm and 40 s&w.
Tim

 

[jpjulian]

Back in the mid-80's I loaded 9mm & 45ACP on a Lee Progressive. About 6 grains of Unique, according to Lee and their powder disk system, worked well with 115 JHP in 9mm and 200 grain LSWC in 45 auto.

 

[jk80]

231 and a 200 gr. swc has worked great for years.

 

[ronsatspokane]

6 grains of Unique will get those 230 grain freedom seeds moving post haste.

 

[10XSHOOTER]

5.7 gr of 231 and 200 gr Lead SWC.

 

[Steve Donlon]

Thanks, I use a single stage Rock Chucker IV press. I read about the horrors experienced, and their now scrap 1911s from over charging not to mention the hand trauma. I usually do not go on the high end of powders, throw a charge from my Hornady powder throw, put it in the tray, repeat, when I have fifty charged I inspect to make sure they are filled or look overfilled, then seat, I love Lee factory crimp dies and then finally crimp. Checking all the measures on the path.

If you do not have a 1911 you might think about getting one if you reload and some different springs so you can take advantage of shooting all the different bullets and different types of loads. From light target loads with Bulleye to heavy self defense loads with slower powders. The 1911 will do it all. For me, that's why I got into reloading in the first place.

 

[Cemetery21]

I am going to make a batch of 50 each first,

You are an experienced loader, so you probably already know this:
Seating depth and crimp are fairly critical for the self loader pistols. Seating too deep isn't much of an issue for feeding, but does increase pressure - a concern if you are at the top end. Seating long gets into the throat and will cause the slide to not close/lock. Crimp is really just taking the bell back to very slightly tighter than straight. Too tight deforms bullets and too loose can leave enough bell that the slide doesn't close/lock. Normally, I shoot for .472 at the mouth (depending on brass thickness). Bullets sometimes cock a little seating which can cause a bulge below the mouth, preventing chambering fully.

So, take the barrel out of the pistol and use for a "plunk" test to verify seating depth and crimp. It will likely be different for your two bullet choices. I'd probably load/shoot 5 for functioning before loading 50, but I don't like to pull bullets.

Lastly, I never measure case length or trim 45s. Never had one too long to chamber or one too short for the firing pin to set it off. Been shooting 1911s since the 1960s, some competition and mostly target loads, and the above has worked well for me. Many powders work well, so save the hard to get powders for your shotguns.

 

[David Milisock]

I would like to get some thoughts on making .45 ACP for the first time. No worries I am an experienced reloader and made numerous other loads for High Power, NRA ARC with 9mm, .357 mag, 5.56, 7.62 and 6.5mm Grendel. All loads work fine and I work up the rifle loads using the Audette Ladder testing with different powders.

In which, not sure what the best powder is for .45 ACP, from snooping around Youtube, it seems red dot is the most popular, which I have but reluctant to use as it is for my 1.75" 12g buck and slug loads and it very expensive and difficult to get.

Hence from the powders I have on hand I and bullets I have, I plan to make 230g LRNs and 230g Berry's RN plated bullets. My thoughts were going with Acc No.2 for the lead bullets and Titegroup for the plated bullets. I try to stick to NATO spec so I want to achieve around 825 fps.

The powders I have on hand to chose from are:

Longshot
Unique
Bullseye
HS6
CFE Pistol
Acc. No.2
Titegroup
W231
W296 - I save this for my .357 loads
Red Dot - as I said save this for my 12g loads

I would like to get some opinions on powder preferences if you can kindly advise.

As for primers I have an assortment of CCI Remington Winchester as Large Pistol was none existence in this parts for several years. Cases are range brass as we have too many slobs at our club who actually do NOT police their brass and vultures like me snatch it up. I recently hoarded whatever came available in the last 18 months, but never got around to making any .45 ACP until now. For the curious it is for my never fired Colt Govt Mod 70.

Thanks in advance for your advice.

I use HS6 it gives the performance in a charge weight that's impossible to double charge.

 

[divingin]

I was trying to find a powder that would be good for .40S&W and .45ACP so I got a 4 pounder of that one. At my rate of shooting pistol that will last me a LONG time.

I used to think that as well. Even at a rate of twice a week, 30 rds each 32SWL, 38Spl, and 45ACP (occasionally a few more, especially if I'm having problems), with 50 rds of 9mm thrown in about half the time, the powder level in my bottles drops significantly quickly.

I have a buddy that shoots a lot of action matches; he cranks out a few thousand hot 9mm rounds per week. No idea how he can afford that.

 

[divingin]

Lastly, I never measure case length or trim 45s. Never had one too long to chamber or one too short for the firing pin to set it off.

Several years ago, one of the Internet blogs did a test on 45 and case length changes. They fired max charges in a single case, repeatedly loading the same piece of brass, and charted the changes. Case OAL actually got smaller, as the case head deformed due to repeated compression. Growth doesn't seem to be an issue in 45.

 

[358WCF]

Another vote for a midway between min/max load of W231 with all bullet weights in 45ACP. As an alternate, W244 is very similar to W231 but just a tad slower. A 1/10th or 2 more powder is needed to equal velocity... at least in the lots I have.

 

[DGP4]

According to my shooting buddy that only shoots high end 45ACP pistols on a weekly basis, Unique is the top powder. I use Winchester WST with Berrys 230 grain round nose bullets, but I am not a serious pistol shooter. Still, that combo shoots very well for me and is very clean shooting.