.45 ACP Reloading Questions

[RVTECH]

Here is an example of a bullet with NO shoulder..
45- 200 RN
And here is one with a pronounced shoulder..
Laser-Cast® Hard Cast Bullets

 

[umrek]

1) Minimum for non-compressed charge.
2) Not necessarily, would depend on the charge. Anything ourside of 1.190 to 1.275 most likely would have feed problems with the lower end having compressed charges.
3) Yes. Ive even seen plated manufactures jump back and forth between treating them like lead and treating them like jacketed.

"Any input on a good loaded length range for 45 ACP is appreciated." 5gr of Bullseye behind a 230 FMJ at 1.250.

 

[saxon]

COAL is based on gun they used in the loading manual
on average 230 ball is coal @ 1.270 also
OAL depends on the profile & weight of the bullet you are using.
1.266" - 1.271" is the normal OAL for the 230 grain FMJ-RN GI load.

 

[benchmark]

How about 7.1gr of Accurate #5 behind a 230 RN at 1.250? Today I shot at 1.237, 1.244 and 1.255. No issues with any. The 1.24 casing was a bit dirty afterward but I attribute that to it being fired with a different gun. The 1.23 & 1.25 had less fouling left over firing from a Sig 1911. So, thoughts on best plinking target range powder weight? Is there really that big of an accuracy difference between say 1.24 and 1.25?

1) Minimum for non-compressed charge.
2) Not necessarily, would depend on the charge. Anything ourside of 1.190 to 1.275 most likely would have feed problems with the lower end having compressed charges.
3) Yes. Ive even seen plated manufactures jump back and forth between treating them like lead and treating them like jacketed.

"Any input on a good loaded length range for 45 ACP is appreciated." 5gr of Bullseye behind a 230 FMJ at 1.250.

 

[umrek]

I have never personally used Accurate with 45acp. I've been very happy with Bullseye.

Aside from compressing a charge, OAL is there for feeding. Sounds like you found a range that works with your gun and one really isn't better than another. I've never noticed fouling differences because of OAL, that's more powder, charge and bullet choice.

"Is there really that big of an accuracy difference between say 1.24 and 1.25?" Nope.

 

[benchmark]

THANKS SO MUCH!

 

[benchmark]

Another question. Why are there different weights for bullets? What is the difference shooting a 230 vs 200?

 

[Mikej]

Another question. Why are there different weights for bullets? What is the difference shooting a 230 vs 200?

Generally less recoil for the same velocity. Less money for 200 gr maybe. The more recoil the more wear/tear on the pistol. Just some of the reasoning I use. Not right or wrong, just what goes through MY head. I use Rainier Balistics plated 200 grain.

 

[saxon]

Another question. Why are there different weights for bullets? What is the difference shooting a 230 vs 200?

45 acp
185 gr JHP coal 1.19 --- 1,076 fps
VS
230 gr gdhp coal 1.2 --- 881 fps
fps and or weight delivery its a trade off

 

[ron]

I love all these recipes for 45 acp. Everybody has favorite loads here is mine.
Old school light target load. Very accurate. 200 swc lead Laser Cast--- 4 gr Bullseye.
Will work with standard power springs. Easy to shoot light recoil.

 

[Pete F]

My Dad used AA#5 for every gun load up to .357 magnum (8.1 g, 158 g sjhp). I am not saying it is the best for all pistol cartridges, but he had a lot of #5 and it worked just fine. I have some of his .357 mag reloads, but have not shot them yet - maybe next outing to align my new rear site blade.

.45 ACP - 9 g AA#5 185 g swc, 8.26 g AA#5, 200 g swc. He also used Bullseye for .45 ACP, 5.2 g 200 g XTP.

 

[thorborg]

.45 ACP


Western Powder & others provide a COL of 1.237.

SAAMI provides the minimum of 1.190 and a maximum of 1.275.

1) How should I read the 1.237 they provide, as the minimum or maximum?
Neither. Over time, I found most manufacturers of hand gun ammo shoot for the middle of the road to please a wide variety of guns, which is where you will find westerns 1.237. I then got lazy, If I'm within 1.200 to 1.250 I'm good with the ACP. (the bullets I use) This loose spread has never failed to work in mine, my daughters, or friends 1911 I have shared the ammo with. Nor does not seem to cause accuracy issues for us.
Rifles are a different story for me, so I get real anal about head and throat space details and like to please the gun it is for the best I can, albeit this may or may not be effective depending on the rifle, and which may or may not work in yours, if pushing maximums. Excepting some powder loads, I have an old Marlin 45-70 that doesn't seem to care about anything nor did the extant Carl Gustave 6.5 X 55 Swede. Those two rifles were made to shoot anything that will go boom and get the job done!

 

[bbbass]

Super soft load: 230gr RN, 3gr TiteWad, 11lb recoil spring.

 

[umrek]

Generally less recoil for the same velocity. Less money for 200 gr maybe. The more recoil the more wear/tear on the pistol. Just some of the reasoning I use. Not right or wrong, just what goes through MY head. I use Rainier Balistics plated 200 grain.

Couldn't agree more!

 

[RVTECH]

I have never felt the need to use anything other than 200 grain in my .45 loads with my best accuracy ever with the 200 gr laser cast SWC - but as soon as those are gone I'll move to a plated bullet.

 

[umrek]

A 200gr LSWC can be an extremely accurate round. Finding a gun that will reliably feed them can be a challenge though.

 

[RVTECH]

I've been pretty lucky with the few 1911s I have owned with most feeding them ok. My 1991-A1 runs 'me like butter!

 

[GRMPS]

Word of warning, never use any load posted on a forum without checking it against published data.
Some firearms can handle much hight pressures (like the RSBH) than other guns of the same caliber. And remember, are you going for accuracy or a sore wrist.

 

[7SFCW4]

...get yourself a DILLON CASE GAUGE, best bet ever...Dillon Handgun Case Gauges (dhcg): Reloading: Reloading Machine Accessories at Dillon Precision

 

[Mikej]

...get yourself a DILLON CASE GAUGE, best bet ever...Dillon Handgun Case Gauges (dhcg): Reloading: Reloading Machine Accessories at Dillon Precision

Is this ^^ in lieu of the "Plunk Test"? Always wondered.