.45 acp lead load direction

[AJ]

" but I'm all over the place with lead 230 grain either in a 5" 1911 or a M25-2 6.5"."

The OP's question was about cast lead 230 grain bullets. Not anything else, but that is what he got.....everything else. Some good loads were present, but not what he asked for.

I would start with Bullseye powder about 3-3.5 grains, just enough to cycle the slide and see what the grouping is. Then go up a half grain or so to see if the group tightens up. Once you get there, then go up and down 1/10th of a grain to see what the groups do. If you want one load for both guns, you may have to settle for a loading that is not super accurate in both, but just good in both. Have fun getting to that point.

 

[johngalt]

I greatly prefer swaged over most any cast bullet. With the exception of the 185 gr flat base lswc cast by a local guy in Cincinnati when I used to live there. That was my 50 yd bullet.

 

[Rosco Shooter]

Look at the chapter in Ken Waters' book, Pet Loads. You will find pages of load data for the 45 ACP, as well as how they performed with his pistol.

 

[StrawHat]

The OP's question was about cast lead 230 grain bullets. Not anything else, but that is what he got.....everything else. Some good loads were present, but not what he asked for...

AJ,

Totally agree with you, to a point.

I read the OP as "… I can't get this bullet to work, how can I fix it…"

Sometimes you have to accept that not all bullets will work in all handguns. If the bullet chosen is not performing to your personal standards, try something else. He has had success with jacketed bullets. The 230 grain lrn that he is trying does not perform. Okay, there are at least a dozen different molds that will produce a bullet of that description. Some have pointier noses and others have longer bearing surfaces. Rather than buy samples of all of them, he came here to ask what works. He has received many answers, some will be helpful, some will also not work in his two handguns. The wadcutter bullet I mentioned, I doubt it will work in a stock pistol, but it is a good option for the revolver.

The less options you have the fewer results.

Kevin

 

[zeke]

Look at the chapter in Ken Waters' book, Pet Loads. You will find pages of load data for the 45 ACP, as well as how they performed with his pistol.

If memory serves, this is where i got the 5.5 gns unique under 230 lrn load.

 

[zeke]

The OP's question was about cast lead 230 grain bullets. Not anything else, but that is what he got.....everything else. Some good loads were present, but not what he asked for.

Perhaps you went through the posts too quickly?

 

[johngalt]

IMHO, the most important factor in accuracy is the bullet, not the powder. If your bullet doesn't work, changing powders will only get you so far.

 

[StrawHat]

IMHO, the most important factor in accuracy is the bullet, not the powder. If your bullet doesn't work, changing powders will only get you so far.

Well, if you poll the winners at a Bullseye event, you will probably find two bullets and three different powders make up the majority of competitors. PPC, if the could afford the Federal Match loads, we used it. Otherwise a 148 grain full wadcutter and Bullseye was the recipe.

Kevin

 

[pasound]

Having loaded 45 ACP and 45 Auto Rim in the past, I found that the Bullseye and 231 loads mentioned above for similar 200-230gr bullets worked well then, and they should still work now.

 

[smoothshooter]

The weight variation does not matter if they are accurate enough for YOUR use.
Unless you are a super serious bullseye shooter, it sounds like a non-issue to me.
Some guns and loads are not affected by certain variables.

 

[johngalt]

Well, if you poll the winners at a Bullseye event, you will probably find two bullets and three different powders make up the majority of competitors. PPC, if the could afford the Federal Match loads, we used it. Otherwise a 148 grain full wadcutter and Bullseye was the recipe.

Kevin

Yep. For .38, I use a swaged 148 gr HBWC + 2.8 gr Bullseye in my Clark. VV N310 may be even better. I'm tempted to give WST a try, but have so much Bullseye I never got around to it.

For .45, the local Bullseye shooters in Cincinnati recommended a 185 gr flat base LSWC cast by a local guy + 3.9 gr Bullseye. I can't get that bullet any more so I switched to a swaged 200 gr LSWC.

I really like Hornady swaged bullets, I've found them to be extremely accurate.

 

[STORMINORMAN]

I have found excellent accuracy with both MBC's 200gr IPD #4 & their 230gr Softball in 45acp & even 45 Colt at target velocities.

Many different powders (231, CFE-Pistol, #5, etc.) allow great results in my experience.

Cheers!

P.S. MBC's note that the IPD #4s "Feed like butter in Springfield XD" has proven to be 100% on target.

 

[Skeet 028]

I hunted those 45 auto loads up that were done with 2400. Loaded with 2 bullets. First was 235 gr round nose 45 lead bullets the others were a SWC type weighing about 245 gr both used Win LPPs and 14.5 gr 2400....gonna shoot a few today out of old ugly RIA 45 auto. Just had a note in the box that said dirty. Been sitting there for years in an old 2 piece Herter's reload plastic box

 

[AJ]

I hunted those 45 auto loads up that were done with 2400. Loaded with 2 bullets. First was 235 gr round nose 45 lead bullets the others were a SWC type weighing about 245 gr both used Win LPPs and 14.5 gr 2400....gonna shoot a few today out of old ugly RIA 45 auto. Just had a note in the box that said dirty. Been sitting there for years in an old 2 piece Herter's reload plastic box

Those loads should not be bad. I use 14.4 grains of 2400 with a 158 grain bullets in my Model 27-2 3.5 inch. Shoots well, all in the 10X at 15 yards off-hand.