I've got a quantity of once-fired .45ACP brass that I plan on loading at some point in the not-to-distant future. Nothing fancy, just standard velocity loads. Will probably mostly be lead round nose, but some FMJ also. These will be for 1911 shooting, Commander and full-size 5" guns. What should I be looking for? Not sure on what's available locally. Thanks.

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'Merica!

I've always used Unique or Bullseye with my single stage set up.Bullseye will meter easier in most measures and you'll get more loads from a pound.The trade off is it's better for target velocities while Unique will give you full power loads.

231 or unique

Target loads: Universal. Meters well, good load density and excellent accuracy.

High performance loads: Accurate #5. Meters like water, good load density and great velocity.

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GOA
USA Shooting Supporter

I was going to say the exact same thing but arjay beat me to it.

I like 231. When I was getting a bit low, before I found a few more #'s of it, I used Unique. It's a very easy cartridge to load and lots of powders work well in the 45ACP.

Yup, single-stage. Hornady 00-7 that I bought almost thirty years ago.

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'Merica!

Clays or 231 in that order. Since I started using clays though, I load nothing else in my cast 45 ACP's. Economical, Soft recoiling, cleaner than most and delivers good accuracy.

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Dave

RCBS kit back in the early 80s.Im too cheap to update :-)

I have been using aa#5 and 800x, why because it is all i could get. So recommendations are great but if you can't find any then any powder that you have a load in your guides should at least let you shoot. I have used Herco, 700x, 231 and Unique all with great results also.

Hands down my favorite 45 Auto and .38 Special powder is W231/HP-38. If I can't find W231 I do have a few alternates I feel are acceptable. You can safely use probably 40% or more of the handgun powders available today in the 45 Auto. Some will produce better results than others but a lot will work.

Like I said, W231/HP-38 is my favorite but you can also use, AutoComp, WST, Clays, Titegroup, Universal, 700X, PB, SR 7625, Red Dot, Green Dot, Promo, Unique, Bullseye, AA#2, AA#5 and Zip. You can even use HS-6, True Blue, Power Pistol and a few others in a pinch even though I think they are too slow for the 45 Auto. Of the 15 to 20 powders I listed above I'm sure you will be able to find a few you like. Of the above list Zip would be my first alternative to W231 and AA#5 after that. (AA#5 was developed around the 45 Auto)

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Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

For me it's Unique or Bullseye.

Was using Unique (with acceptable results) because that is what I had. Last Fall my LGS only had 231 on the shelf. I bought a lb to test in the .45. I am now a convert. 231 meters better and gives good performance. Unique will still be used for the light mag and Spl .44's but my go to powder for the 45 Auto will be 231.

Red Dot. Best accuracy hands down for me. New, reformulated stuff

I have used titegroup with good results

I use Winchester Super Field ("WSF" in the manuals) for my .45 and 9mm.

Unique, 700X, WW231. I was going to add PB, but it's been recently discontinued.

Accurate #5 first choice, WIN 231 second choice.

WW#231....

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S&W Accumulator

HS-6, which, if one studies reloading manuals, one will see is NOT too slow for the .45ACP...and I have a LOT of it.

AA# 5 hands down. It gives me what I need, accuracy, dependability, and doesn't take as much powder to get top fps for loads in my Glock 21s.
Great powder!

I started using 800x a year ago when I fell into a deal on a #12 keg

Another vote for AA #5... meters like water, nice dense powder, and gives all the velocity one could ask for.

WST - soft, accurate and clean. AA#5, 231 too dirty for my tastes.

I have run 9-10 diff powders in my 45acp loads & always come back to WST. It works well with all bullet wts at all std vel levels, any bullet type; lead, plated or jacketed. VV320 may be a bit "better", but at nearly twice the price, no thanks. TG, not if it were free.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

I've run a number of different powders, especially over the last year or so based on what I could get. I agree with fredj338 that WST is probably my favorite, with W231/HP38, Unique, and SR7625, next.

As others have pointed out, there a number of powders that work well with 45 cal. You can always check reloading books for what powders provided them with the best accuracy, as another input.

If I couldn't find AA#5 I'd wait before using anything else, it's that good.

Red Dot.With 4.0 grains under a 200 swc bullet, it's the most accurate 45acp load I have fired to date. 6.0 231 is pretty good, too, with a little more velocity. Of course, Bullseye has been the standard for a long time.

I also like the WST or 231.

WST for the past 20+ years, followed by 231 and bullseye a distant 2d and 3rd.

231, I use it for 9mm, 38Special, 40S&W, 45ACP and 44Special

No ifs ands or buts about it, Bullseye. The same powder used by the military for 45ACP for many years. Very simply, if it ain't broke don't fix it.

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Dave

I use hp-38 or HS-6 works well without excess muzzle jump.

WW452AA, 231, Bullseye, Power Pistol, & Unique. Will try WST when I can find it!

I've used a lot of Bullseye through the years and still do.

Another vote for Red Dot. This is my most accurate 45 powder and I can shoot very nice groups at 100 yards with it.

WST - clean, accurate, light recoiling, does it all. Switched from W231 to WST. Good luck!

WST or WSF are what I use depending on what I want to do.

For lead, I've had the best luck with Bullseye. For 230 gr FMJ, I've used Bullseye, W231, Unique, Universal, and Green Dot. All have been excellent, it is hard to tell if there is any difference. Bullseye, W231, and Universal meter the best of those. Green Dot meters terribly. Universal is by far the cleanest.

I've never used AA#5, but I hear so many good things it would be interesting to give it a try, if it ever becomes available again.

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Common sense isn't so common.

I load only 185-grain semi-wadcutters for target use and my powder of choice right now is AutoComp with Clays and TiteGroup running a close second. I recently loaded 10 test rounds with five powders - the three already mentioned plus 231 and Bullseye - and shot five-round test groups from a rest at 50 feet and 25 yards with my Kimber Stainless Gold Match II. AutoComp was the winner - the five rounds at 50 feet cut one elongated hole and the group at 25 yards was almost a one-holer.

Ed

I had some left over after I got rid of my 10mm. Used for 45 to get rid of, butwworks amazing so bought more.

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God, country, family.

Bullseye or unique would get my vote.

When I first started shooting 45's seriously a gracious buddy made me an off I could not refuse. About 1200 45 hard cast 230 grain LRN, about 500 rounds loaded with 4.4 grains winchester super target and a bunch of stuff for my dillon 550B. Those loads shot so well that years later I'm still using the same bullet and powder. Frank

I've been using W231 for 35 years so I guess it's my favorite, but I believe that HP-38 is the exact same powder now that Hodgedon owns the Winchester Powder Name - just in case you can't get the W231 but find the HP-38.

WW-231 is hard to beat for all around performance.

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NRA Certified Instructor & RSO

My favorite 45 ACP Powder? For my 5" Kimber 1911, Vihtavuori N310 or Winchester 231.

W231 is my go to powder for .45acp for the last 30+ years.

5 grains of Bullseye and a 230 grain ball projectile. If it's good enough for Uncle Sam, it's good enough for me.

HP38 (same as W231) is all I'm using for 9mm and .45 ACP, have a lot on hand. If I had to find a new powder, I'd try WST - lots of good comments about it.

That's right, and it has been so since 1913.

http://www.alliantpowder.com/product.../bullseye.aspx