45acp Reloading

nick9

nick9

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Been awhile since I reloaded so after doing ammo inventory and figuring I was getting low on .45 I made up my mind to work up a load or two.

Guns:
Sig 1911
Kimber 1911
Sig Ultra Compact 1911
Colt 1991 Officer
FNX-45

The 1911s are a lot like me, they’ll eat anything and everything. Of all the loads I made up they all fed, ejected, and performed nicely, save a couple on the load.
The FNX on the other hand is a picky eater. According to what I’ve read she has a stiff recoil spring that requires a lengthy break-in.

Loads:
185gr Nosler JHP
Magnum LPP
5.4gr Bullseye

185gr Nosler JHP
Magnum LPP
5.0gr Bullseye

185gr Zero LSWC
Magnum LPP
5.4gr Bullseye

185gr Zero LSWC
Magnum LPP
5.0 Bullseye

Tried to keep OAL around 1.250

Conclusion:
The first load with Noslers and 5.4gr of Bullseye fed reliably and shot well in everything, even the FNX-45.
The second load with Noslers and 5.0gr of Bullseye performed well in everything but had a single stovepipe on the FNX-45.
The first load with the Zeros and 5.4gr of Bullseye performed well in the 1911s but had several hiccups in the FNX-45.
The second load with the Zeros and 5.0gr of Bullseye had a couple issues in the 1911s and the FNX-45 just didn’t like them whatsoever.

I fell extremely comfortable with the 185gr Nosler jhp and 5.4gr of Bullseye loads. I’ll probably load up some of those to keep for future use.
Next session will be with some 230gr RMR plated round nose.
 
My FNX does have a stiff recoil spring. I have to load close to max loads to get it to cycle reliably, none of my reduced loads were reliable. But, with good loads, I really like the way it shoots.
 
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At some point I got 500 of the RMR 185 FN FMJ bullets in. I have been loading some of those with 5.5/Bullseye for 933 fps in 5 inch guns. They work/feed and function in everything I tested them in. But, I have a surplus of WSF around here and that also works very well with 185s and 200s, so I am going to switch over to WSF. I also have another 500 RMR FN 200 gr, I will use WSF for those as well.......... No reason, other than I have a surplus of WSF. And it is a good 45 ACP powder.........
 
Check out summers enterprises. I use his 230 lrn and 200 swc. Both lead, not coated.

My current do everything load is a 230 lrn over 5.0 gr bullseye. I figure that should accomplish everything from range use to carry if holler tips get hard to come by.


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In at least one of my 45s, I get better accuracy with the heavier bullets. I've pretty much standardized on RMR plated 200 and 230 bullets.
 
The Nosler 230 grain fmj flat point is one of the most accurate 45 bullets I’ve tried. It feeds and shoots swell out of all the 45 ACPs I’ve owned. 1911s , Glocks, XDM and M&P.
I used to load everything over Clays, but when it got scarce I switched to Titegroup. Not as soft but maybe a touch more accurate.
 
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I use 7.3/Bullseye with the 120 Lehighs, 1321 fps in 5 inch guns....... I have suspicions that this can be improved upon, especially with these being hollow based. Being Hollow Based increases case capacity, therefore reducing pressures.
I am a bit lazy to set up the pressure rigs for 45 ACP now..... maybe sometime shortly..........Unfortunately it was 2016 since I ran 45 ACP Pressures, and did not do any bullseye loads. I was on another mission at the time.
DSCN4034.jpg
 
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I have been using VV N320 5.1gr with coated 200gr lswc and 230gr lrn, the gun cleans so easily. I will probably start loading using BE since I have around #5 and the weather is getting warmer. I love the consistency but it is so filthy. I have some TiteGroup sitting around as well and that stuff scorches the brass.
 
Gonna shoot a few 230gr Rocky Mountain Reloading plated round nose. I’m sure they should do well.
230gr
Large Magnum Pistol Primer
5.0gr bullseye
1.250”
 
nick9 said:
Gonna shoot a few 230gr Rocky Mountain Reloading plated round nose. I’m sure they should do well.
230gr
Large Magnum Pistol Primer
5.0gr bullseye
1.250”
Click to expand...

Do you use Magnum Primers for a particular reason, like to lower the amount of powder or do you just have an abundance of Magnum Primers?
 
Today’s load was excellent! Fed in everything including the prima donna FNX-45 who don’t want to eat much of anything. The Sig, Kimber, and Colt 1911s never complain so they definitely liked it.

230gr RMR plated round nose
5.0gr Bullseye
Magnum primers
1.250 length
 
I've only used W231 in .45 & had good luck with both 230gr LRN & Berry's 200gr SWC. I forget the exact charge, but ~6gr with the 200gr was a lot of fun in my DW Pointman-7.

Haven't shot much .45ACP in a while, since getting into .41Mag & .357Max & going down the s/a revolver rabbit hole. I do however, have a little Bullseye, a couple lbs of Unique & several lbs of WSF on hand to try next time I load up some .45.

I like Unique for mild .41s, but really wish it metered better. Anything out there that burns/works similar to Unique, but that meters better?
 
I'm partial to win 231/hp38 and Titegroup for 45 acp. I used to use bullseye, but was running alox lubed bullets at the time and was getting a lot of residue from the bullseye and alox built up in the gun, making it jam and miss fire. W231/hp38 and titegroup are definitely snappier than bulls eye, but burn much cleaner.I'm running mostly 5.2 gn(IIRC) W321 over a high tech coated 200 gn(208 actual weight) lead flat nose out of a Lee mold. Crazy Carl, I'm running H110 in my 41, I think 20 gn, cant remember for sure, I'd have to grab my loading records.
 
I stick to 2400 for my warm .41s & have a bunch of 4227 if I get bored. I'm leery of H110/W296 needing to be run so close to max. Too thin a safety margin, IMO. Besides, 2400 will already push everything I shoot as hard as I want to hang on to.
 
Crazy Carl said:
I stick to 2400 for my warm .41s & have a bunch of 4227 if I get bored. I'm leery of H110/W296 needing to be run so close to max. Too thin a safety margin, IMO. Besides, 2400 will already push everything I shoot as hard as I want to hang on to.
Click to expand...
went back and looked in my log, loading 19.8 gn h110. I already had the powder for loading 300 blk
 
Bullseye and Unique have been the old standby powders for 45 ACP since I have been loading 45 ACP for nearly 40 years. It was only around 2013 that I decided to embark on a journey to update myself on 45 ACP Powders. But I did have a mission in mind and that was for the 150 CEB Raptor. I was using a very expensive bullet, and felt like I should at least try and find a more efficient powder for it, and start checking pressures as well, as I wanted to get the very most out of this without going over board with pressures.

Now, in the beginning of the 150 Raptor search, I had already used Unique with it. I had no issues with going all the way to +P Pressures which is 23000 PSI. I set up to do pressure work with a Contender single shot 45 ACP barrel. While hateful as hell to work with, it did work and worked very well to give me what I needed. Of course, first thing is to check your systems and get baselines. I did, and the system was good to go.

I tested my 150 Raptor load with 7.5/Unique. My pressures were 25000 PSI, yes a bit over +P. In the beginning I tried 8/Unique, that would have been WAY over. By the time I was testing I already determined that 8 was too much, correctly I might add. The Unique load gave me 1277 fps in a 5 inch gun, and was burning out in longer barrels giving no extra velocity.

In my search for new powders to work with, I bypassed Bullseye in this process completely. I wish I had not and tested it, because I am using Bullseye now with the Lehigh bullet, its even lighter. I need to do this one day.

I looked at a lot of different powders, but in the end I settled with 8.2/WSF with the 150 Raptor, which gave consistent 1250 fps in 5 inch guns, worked great in the Ultras, and also better performance in longer barrels up to 8 inches, at near 1400 fps. All this at only 20000 PSI, well under +P. The CEB Factory loaded 150 Raptors was only at 17000 PSI for 1100 fps. I felt like we had a good improvement over the factory loads, and very consistent in all barrel lengths, feed and function excellent in all platforms, so the 8.2/WSF 150 Raptor load became standard. For that bullet.

Another bullet that I really love in 45 ACP is the 200 gr FN Copper Solid. Its a hammer of a bullet, especially if you like penetration, which I do. Its the deepest diving ACP bullet I have tested, just edging out the all the other FN FMJ bullets regardless of weight. Not by much, but by enough to be proven. WSF did OK with this bullet, but Power Pistol Stood out above all the others. So in the end we used 8/Power Pistol and the 200 CEB FN Solids.......Dead steady 1050 fps in 5 inch guns at 19000 PSI. Again, well under +P. This became standard load for this bullet. This also worked well in the broad range of Platforms I intended to use it in.

Then in 2017 I started work with the 120 Lehigh Extreme Defense and Penetrators. I was not doing pressures at the time. I worked with Unique, Power Pistol, WSF, and Bullseye. Bullseye gave me the most consistent performance across the board, so I standardized that bullet with Bullseye. Someday I will test the pressures and see where it is.

Powders that have slower burning rates above Bluedot are not really suitable for the ACP. I did try some Bluedot in some limited loads. Bluedot being slower than all the ones mentioned thus far, in my post, is very interesting in the longer barrels, 8-16 inches. I had one load with the 150 Raptor with 12.5/Bluedot that clocked 1500 fps in the 16 inch gun. 1440 fps in 10 inch guns, and 1200 in 5 inch guns. Pressures under +P but barely at 22000 PSI. It also seemed to give some issues with feed/Function in some 1911s, so I deemed it interesting in longer barrels, but not versatile to work in all platforms properly.

Powders such as 2400, H-110, or WW 296 are way too slow to be effective in the small 45 ACP case.

Today I load most of the more expensive bullets with either WSF or Power Pistol. Common bullets and cast bullets mostly with Bullseye. But, I do have a over supply of WSF.... Yeah, back in the day, I ordered a lot of it because I was afraid I would run out, HOARDING they call it. I have a supply of RMR 185s and 200 FMJ Flat Nose bullets and have been using Bullseye with it, but with the over supply of WSF I am going to try some of that with the remaining bullets I have on hand.
 
Crazy Carl said:
I like Unique for mild .41s, but really wish it metered better. Anything out there that burns/works similar to Unique, but that meters better?
Click to expand...
Try BE86. It is between Power Pistol and Unique on the burn rate chart. Some people actually refer to BE86 as "the new Unique". It meters great, has less flash than Power Pistol, and in my experience is not case position sensitive. I like it for reduced loads in 44mag. It can be loaded up to within 200 fps or so of magnum powder velocity.

It has become my preferred powder in a few calibers, like 9mm and 10mm, but works very well in 380, 40, and 38spl. It also works well in 357mag and 44mag for non-magnum velocity, plinking loads.
 
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