• Update – 12:30 PM EST
    Attachments are now working, and all members can once again upload files.
    We are currently testing URL redirects and other miscellaneous features across the site.
    Thank you for your continued patience and support during this migration.

    Prefer a darker look? You can switch between light and dark modes in your account settings:
    smith-wessonforum.com/account/preferences

.45ACP, 200 grain plated, SWC’s, Win 231

K

Kevin G

Well-known member
Bronze Supporter
Joined
Apr 20, 2006
Messages
921
Reaction score
2,020
Location
Southern Maine
Have used Unique since day one for reloading mild 45 ACP 200 grain plated SWC’s.
Starting to run a bit low on that powder, have an abundant supply of Win 231. Thinking about using that for the above loading.
At this point change comes hard. Have consulted the manuals and see it’s perfectly acceptable. Would still like to hear from others that have experience with both powders for this loading.
Thank You, Kevin G
 
Last edited:
The two manuals, Hornady and Lyman, sitting on my desk right now show W231 loads for 200 grain lead bullets, so there should be no issue using it for the plated bullets. As far as I know, plated are to essentially the same as lead for reloading purposes. Some have said they can be pushed a little faster, but I stick with loadings for lead when I use plated bullets.
 
I've only tried plated bullets once, 148 gr. WCs in .38 Special. I wasn't impressed with the accuracy. My own cast bullets, conventionally sized and lubricated work fine in all handgun chamberings and are accurate.

If you've been using plated bullets and are pleased with the accuracy, you should be able to equal or exceed the accuracy of Unique by using 231. It will take some load development work to do it right, along with some benchrested group shooting at 25 yards, but you know all that.

With cast bullets, I never got quite the accuracy in .45 ACP with 231 as I did with Bullseye, but you didn't mention Bullseye and you have plenty of 231 so that's understandable. And, plated bullets may react differently to various powders in comparison with plain cast bullets.

Good luck and may you see some tight groups with 231.
 
I shoot and load 12 different handgun cartridges. I use Bullseye for the smaller ones and Unique for .357 and up. With dwindling supplies of both powders I did some research on an alternate powder.

W231 looked like a good possibility and I was able to snatch a good supply at a reasonable price. So far I have only tried it in half of the calibers, but I have found it to be very good in each case.

The 231 meters well. It also has a slightly different scent when fired. I may just switch to it full time (until the next component crisis happens).
 
Try that plated SWC , 200gr. - 45 acp with -

starting load 4.5 grs W231 @ 725 fps .

You can increase , for proper functioning , up to to :

5.0 grs. W231 @ 812 fps

These are good loads and I have won a match or two with them ...
My Personnal Pet Load for the 45 acp is with 5.0 grs . W231 and a cast lead 200 gr. SWC (Lyman #452460)
Gary
 
I started using 231 & 200 gr SWC ages ago to make sure I made major at IPSC matches. The charge in question also did 850 f/s with 230 gr JHPs. Come to think of it, haven't had to adjust the charge bar on my ancient Dillon 300 since then.
 
Interesting that The American Rifleman November 2023 issue has an article on pg. 65 about this very load: an Xtreme 200gr SWC and 5.3gr WIN 231 @ 1.230" and with an estimated 866fps.

I've loaded these in the past but currently use the one from Berrys.

Cheers!
 
I really like 231/HP-38 for range loads, but as to the 200-grain SWCs, I could not get my Glock 30 to digest them at all. It just didn't like that bullet.
 
I love Unique. I’ve shot a lot of it in the past. But unless they have updated it somehow, there are better choices. It doesn’t meter all that well, and it’s sooty. Accurate No 5, and 7 is what I use instead of Unique.

231….. Ive burned lots of that too. 5.5 grains with a 200 grain SWC did about 900 fps, which was necessary when Power Factor was 175. I don’t play that game any longer. I still use that combination tho.

Plated 200 grainers…. There was a local company called Precision Munitions that cast and plated really well. I miss them. I have just about cast my last bullets. I’m out of lead, and can’t seem to scrounge up any. I’ve had good results with Berry’s and precision Delta.
 
I started with a 185 grain lead SWC/HP from Starr of Indianapolis but they went out of business. It is the same as most 200 grain SWC's but with a HP. I used 5.5 of 231 in mixed brass with any LP primer and had great results! I switched to a 200 LRNFP (Cowboy style bullet) and kept the 5.5 231 and love it in my Marlin Camp 45, my 3 Sig 220's and 5 of 6 1911 family (1 of 6 is a 38 Super Commander), and my 625 of 1989 and Brazilian 1917. That is eleven 45ACP firearms that like it a lot! Even though it is a large flat nose, not one semi auto has feeding issues!

I just grabbed a Military ball round or a Winchester STHP and used that to set my overall length. (Why mess with something that works?)

Ivan
 
I have loaded thousands of 45 ACP's with 200gr LSWC using 5.4grs of W231. When I converted over to loading and shooting plated SWC/FP bullets and got a new batch of W231, I had to bump the load up to 5.6grs to get the same performance. I have loaded these loads for 25+ years.
 
SMSgt said:
I really like 231/HP-38 for range loads, but as to the 200-grain SWCs, I could not get my Glock 30 to digest them at all. It just didn't like that bullet.
Click to expand...

I had the same "no run" experience with 200 gr SWC's in a G30. A 5" 1911 and a G21 both run 100% on the 200 gr SWC's. G30 runs great with 230 gr RN, so that's what it gets fed.
 
max said:
I have used 231 for almost 40 years in the 45acp. I am currently loading 5.0 of 231 with the 200gr coated bullets. I have been using coated for a year or 2.
Click to expand...

40 years ago it was really two "camps". The ones who loved Bullseye powder and those who loved W231 powder. Not only for PPC but Action, Combat or Practical Shooting.

Both are very similar. JMHO
 
W231/HP38 is an excellent powder for a variety of pistol cartridges, with the .45 ACP being one of them. It's pretty much all I use in .45 ACP and .38 Special. I used Unique for a few years but gave up on it. It never worked very well for me in anything but everybody else seems to love it. I switched to Universal for a Unique equivalent.
 
glenwolde said:
W231/HP38 is an excellent powder for a variety of pistol cartridges, with the .45 ACP being one of them. It's pretty much all I use in .45 ACP and .38 Special. I used Unique for a few years but gave up on it. It never worked very well for me in anything but everybody else seems to love it. I switched to Universal for a Unique equivalent.
Click to expand...
Universal is an excellent substitute for Unique. I began using it because I bought an 8# jug of it long ago and started using it when I used up all of my Unique. But I don't believe that Universal is any easier to find than Unique is. I see no real difference in performance between them using the same loads.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

J
Reloading 45 LC
2
Replies
25
Views
1K
BC38
BC38
R
Winchester WST powder
2
Replies
21
Views
2K
trulyapostolic
trulyapostolic
max
Loaded My 30,000th Round of .45 Today
Replies
10
Views
517
Marshal tom
M
max
Bought A Pound Of 231 Today
2 3
Replies
54
Views
5K
smoothshooter
S
Kiwi cop
Tightgroup powder in .38 S&W?
Replies
5
Views
1K
DWalt
DWalt

Latest posts

Back
Top