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Old 04-04-2016, 08:16 PM
Sam Casey Sam Casey is offline
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Default 45ACP Bullet Choice

Have not loaded 45ACP before and would appreciate suggestions for good all purpose bullet. Will be shooting a Springfield that is about 5 years old and is set up like early Gold Cup. Good trigger and has never failed with any cheap or expensive commercial load. Bullet for paper, defense and occasional critter and will run well in Dillon SDB. Thanks for input.
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Old 04-04-2016, 08:44 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sam Casey View Post
...... set up like early Gold Cup.....
Nothing wrong with a 200gr LSWC in a gun set up to handle it (assuming yours has a decent throat if it's set up like a Gold Cup). I've had good luck using 4.0gr to 4.6gr Bullseye under just about any 200gr LSWC. About as inexpensive as you can get, and as far as paper, well the LSWC was MADE for it. Regarding defense and critters..........let me say right here I wouldn't want to get shot by ANYTHING 0.452" in diameter, regardless of weight, construction, or velocity.

If starting out with zero bullet inventory today, I'd probably try the newfangled coated bullets right off. But I'm definitely a believer in cast bullets.

Lou
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Old 04-04-2016, 08:45 PM
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HERE YOU GO. ZERO 185GR JHP. THESE BULLETS ARE 50 YD BULLSEYE ACCURATE. LOADED WITH 4.7 GR WST OR 4.3 VV310 IT WILL HOLD X-RING. IT'S ONLY SLIGHTLY MORE THAN A CAST BULLET. AND SHIPPING IS INCLUDED.

YOU CAN DO A SEARCH FOR ZERO BULLETS. THEY ARE AVAILABLE THRU SEVERAL DISTRIBUTORS OR ROZE DISTRIBUTION(OWNED AND RUN BY ZERO). I WOULD POST THE DIRECT LINK BUT I DON'T WANT TO GET SPANKED FOR POSTING THE LINK.
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Old 04-04-2016, 08:55 PM
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I also like the Dardas 148WC for 38Spl; hard to beat, but settled on 125g JHP for all round 38 use. Concluded I wanted to set equipment up for lots of regular shooting in retirement, with thought I could load & shoot enough to become proficient with best all round load ... 125 JHP in 38; ???? For 45acp?
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Old 04-04-2016, 09:02 PM
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A cast 200 gr lswc with enough Bullseye or Unique to get 800fps is my go to round
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Old 04-04-2016, 09:10 PM
Sam Casey Sam Casey is offline
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Zero must be well liked ....SOLD OUT! How about a coated lead SWC from Buyou? No sticky fingers, no smoke or residual grease in fired case?
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Old 04-04-2016, 09:11 PM
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No need for a jacketed bullet. I load 200gr swc's over 231 by the hundreds and have for years. For a few dollars more you can load 230gr round nose. Try both and see what you like or load both like I do.
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Old 04-04-2016, 09:17 PM
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The old H&G 68 200 gr swc hard cast is all I use for everything loaded to about 1,000 fps in all my 1911's.

I've killed deer with this load at 50 yards ( and closer).

I carry it daily.

Its all I use.
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Old 04-04-2016, 09:20 PM
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THE ZEROS ALWAYS SEEM TO SAY SOLD OUT. BUT A PHONE CALL AND I USUALLY HAVE THEM IN ABOUT 5-7 DAYS. JP

AND I LISTED THE JHP BECAUSE HE STATED SD, CRITTER, ECT.

DARDAS DOES MAKE A GOOD CAST BULLET, AS DOES MAGNUS BULLETS.
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Old 04-04-2016, 09:29 PM
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I have put many tens of thousands of the 200 grain H&G68 through my 1911s over the decades. It is a great target bullet and I can not see areason to change

For personal defense, Gold Dots are great in either the 185JHPs or the 230JHPs. Recently I have been playing with the Barnes 160 grain solid Copper hollow points

They are impressive looking projectiles


Critters of course depend on what we are talking about
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Old 04-04-2016, 10:29 PM
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I use 185-grain cast semi-wadcutter hollow-points from Precision Delta in my .45ACP handloads. They offer a "match lube" for a buck or two extra per box of 1,000 bullets and they look like there is no lube on them but they shoot and handle cleanly. All my 1911s in that caliber are very accurate with that bullet over 6.4 to 6.7 grains of AutoComp, which also shoots very cleanly.

Lighter bullets yield less recoil than heavier ones and often cost less. Also, 185 is the weight of most match bullets in that caliber so there must be some advantages to it.

Ed
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Old 04-05-2016, 10:53 AM
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Many times the Zero bullets are available from Powder Valley & sometimes cheaper than buying from Zero .
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Old 04-05-2016, 11:11 AM
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Recently ordered 2,000 ACME Bullets 200gr Coated SWCs (No lube grove). These are H&G 68 Clones without the lube grove (no need with the "coating").

I've only shot 50 so far. From a clean Les Baer 1911, they shoot very clean (using HP38 - Will go to WST soon). Shot five rounds at 25 yds to check POI -- with wrists rested over edge of shooting position equip shelf the 5 shots measured right at 1.5" in mixed cases.

Loaded these on one of my Dillon SDBs, which is dedicated to .45 ACPs.

Have also used Bayou's coated 200 SWCs and like the ACMEs better. I got the 2,000 for right at $190 delivered.

Paul

Last edited by Paul105; 04-05-2016 at 11:12 AM.
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Old 04-05-2016, 11:11 AM
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The 200 gr. lead SWC, HG 68 and clones seems to be the gold standard for .45 ACP. I've loaded and shot thousands of them and they seem to feed in just about anything.
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Old 04-05-2016, 12:18 PM
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Hard to go wrong with the old 230gr RN, FMJ, plated or lead.
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Old 04-07-2016, 10:04 PM
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Groo here
I have lucked on a universal load for my 45's.
A 200 gr swc H&G 68 type [ long nose ]
And 5gr Bullseye powder.
With 230gr RN , that is the Millspec WW2 load.
Under the 200 gr swc you get a JMB orginal 45 loading,
And under a RNHB bullet you get a nice target load.
Load the same, just change bullet weight.

Last edited by Groo01; 04-07-2016 at 10:05 PM.
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Old 04-08-2016, 09:31 PM
Mad_Charlie Mad_Charlie is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Groo01 View Post
Groo here
I have lucked on a universal load for my 45's.
A 200 gr swc H&G 68 type [ long nose ]
And 5gr Bullseye powder.
With 230gr RN , that is the Millspec WW2 load.
Under the 200 gr swc you get a JMB orginal 45 loading,
And under a RNHB bullet you get a nice target load.
Load the same, just change bullet weight.
I used that load for many years, then went to 231, then went to N320, then to WST, they all shoot very well and I still use all of them. My current favorite BE load is 4.8gr.
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Old 04-08-2016, 11:26 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sam Casey View Post
Zero must be well liked ....SOLD OUT! How about a coated lead SWC from Buyou? No sticky fingers, no smoke or residual grease in fired case?
I'd agree on eh 200 gr SWC being a good general purpose bullet. Mokes nice hole that are easy to see too!
I wouldn't get too hung up on brand name . For your initial purposes, any quality 200gr SWC will do fine. If your LGS doesn't have them, try Missouri, Zero, Precision, HardCast or any other number of suppliers.
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Old 04-09-2016, 11:10 AM
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Gotta go with H&G 68 or clones (200gr LSWC) a charge of W-231 works well in my old Gold Cup also in the pin gun,
MiHec H&G 68 clone molds with the Penta point makes some great bullets, Have used Bullseye and Unique in the mix..
As some have mentioned don't really caught up in the different name brands...

-Snoopz
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Old 04-09-2016, 05:49 PM
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everbody's said it already but I'll say it too,

a 200gr LSWC and some Bullseye

oorah
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Old 04-09-2016, 07:09 PM
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I shoot primarily 200g SWC's like everybody else, but, as an alternative, 200g RNFP (round nose flat point) seems to feed in every gun that I've tried, even those that have difficulty with the shape of the SWC's. Available from most places that sell cast bullets.
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Old 04-09-2016, 08:09 PM
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As with most shooters, 45 ACP is my #1 caliber.
Favorite bullet overall is the Bayou coated 200 LSWC.
625s prefer 4.2 VV N310.
Gold Cup likes 5.2 WW 231.
LW XSE Government Model likes 4.0 VV N310
OTOH, my S&W 1911 runs 230 JHPs over 5.3 Bullseye for bowling pins.

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Old 04-10-2016, 07:47 PM
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I like the Acme coated bullets. Shot regular lead and plated for a while but like the coated much better.

I use a 230 RN. I just like the original weight that the cartridge was designed for. Never seems to be a feeding problem with any of my 1911's.

My load is 5.0 grains of American Select with the 230 RN. Fills up the case and burns real clean. About 800 fps.

45 ACP is about all I shoot although I have a few 357's and 38's.

I buy my SD ammo. 230 JHP.
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Old 04-10-2016, 09:36 PM
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200 gr SWC from Bayou Bullets and 4.0 grains of Clays works in all my 1911's.
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Old 04-11-2016, 07:55 AM
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With many others here, for target a 200 gr. LSWC (I like Hi-Tek coated). Powder=231 or HP38. It seems like any powder charge with this bullet is very accurate. Critters or SD, Hornady JHP (pick your preferred weight) is a good choice and usually widely available and I like a little slower powder like WSF/Unique.
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