Favorite .45 acp loads

[Kiwi cop]

I have been changing my loads over the last 6 months.

For IPSC competition I now use 5.9 gn W231 under a 200gn plated flat point bullet.p with WLP primers and mixed brass.

My practice load is now 5.2 gn Tightgroup with the same bullet,,primers and brass.

Both are max loads but the TG load barely makes PF (170+) in my Tanfoglio Witness .45 Custom and is a bit softer to shoot than the W231 load at a 176 PF.

For Wild Bunch and Service (a NZ/Australian version of PPC/1500) I back it down quite a bit. 4.2 gn TG under a 230 gn LRN (has to be lead for WB) is a pleasant all day shooting load.

 

[TAROMAN]

So, Kiwi Cop, Will you be surrendering your match guns to the Crown for destruction?
Used to live in ChCh, but no idea what's REALLY going on there now.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

My favorite 45 ACP load is any 230gr bullet over 5.5gr W231/HP-38 with an OAL of between 1.255" and 1.265"

 

[Rogeronimo]

Nosler 250gn. JHP over 7.0gns. Longshot through a Springfield XD ... COAL 1.204"

 

[Funflyer]

Welcome Tom,

I've got a few 230gn coated RN slow favorites. 4.4gn of Bullseye averages 804fps, and 3.5gn of Clays 675fps out of my ̶R̶1̶ ̶1̶9̶1̶1̶ Shield. Both are as accurate as I can be.

Favorite light and fast 185XTP load is 8.5gn of Power Pistol, averaging 1056 from the R1. Hornady showed 8.9gn to reach 1050 so I stopped at 8.5gn. Going to test these from the Shield next time out.

 

[cowboy4evr]

Yrs ago I used for awhile Ramshot True Blue using a 230 gr RN bullet . They were as accurate as I can shoot . I don't remember the load . It was using current load data . I remember that True Blue worked well for me in low pressure rounds , 38 special , 44 special , 45 Colt and 45 acp . Regards, Paul

 

[Texas10MM]

200 gr SWC, either a H&G 68 or a RCBS 201-KT over 4.0-4.4 gr WST.

That load accounts for 75% of the .45 ACP that I load.

 

[jim lock]

200 grn coated Bayou bullet, federal primers-
Clays
231
n310
Bullseye
Just started hod/winch.244 Very impressed, clean, meters great, not temp sensitive, and accurate. Like I said just started working up loads.

 

[fredj338]

The great thing about the 45acp is it happily runs on just about any powder bullet combo. I like 200gr for general shooting/practice. I have run maybe 8 diff powders, all work to some degree but I always come back to WST. Ckean burning, soft recoil, good loft in the case & its affordable compared to its sim cousin vv320.

 

[Hairtrigger]

In my plinking loads I use 800x
Not the cleanest powder out there, back when reloading components were scarce I scored a 12 pound keg of the 800x for $5 a pound...I'm still loading 45acp with that stuff!
When it's gone I will definitely change powder

 

[george_lehr]

I load 230 grain RNL, either plain, coated or plated, with 6.0 grains of CFE Pistol.

 

[Snapping Twig]

I cast a 230g TC from a Lee mould and put that over 5.3g W231/HP38.

Gold standard load.

 

[joshputman]

I just started reloading, and loaded up three test rounds with 230 grain Xtreme plated round nose over 5.5 grains of CFE Pistol at a length of 1.210".

All three rounds cycled the action on my full size Colt 1911 and seemed decently accurate at 5 yards.

I'm gonna load a box worth and hit the range and run some drills.

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

 

[Bobby B.]

For now I like 200gr. Lswc over 5 grains of Titegroup. Very accurate. Just purchased 700 Nosler custom competition 185's for cheap. They seem to like 5 grains of titegroup also. In the past I've had success with W231.

 

[bama55]

Favorite .45 ACP loads

Loaded thousands of rounds of hard cast 225 gn Tapered Flat Point bullets on an RCBS Green Machine using 4.5 grains of Bullseye. Worked great in everything from stock .45's, Gold Cup, custom built match pistols to a Thompson SMG.

 

[4barrel]

I am lucky to have a couple of 70s 1911s set up for bullseye. Most any fast powder works for these. I like a flat base 200 h&g 68 but the Lyman cast lead on the top right seems to work better. These are set up for mid range target. 5 grains of Bullseye with a 200 gr lead is my favorite load with other 45s. I still have 4 pounds left from a 15 pound keg I opened years ago.

 

[m-36]

agreed on that recipe for reliablity and accuracy

Welcome Tom, the majority of my .45 acp loads are GT bullets 225 gr hollow points. I've loaded a lot of other bullets but these are outstanding for expansion and weight retention. These are loaded over 8 grs of AA#5.

Agreed on that formula

 

[78Staff]

4.5 of WST under 230 plated/lead/coated is a go to range load, as well as Bullseye - 3.6 for wadcutter, 4.6 for hardball. Clays was a long time favorite of mine, but since they moved production to Canada, they've changed it and it doesn't perform as well, dropping by about 70 FPS on average, so I need to workup some new data. HP38/231 another long time favorite of 45 loaders, as well as VV N320/340

 

[The Norseman]

A 45ACP Reload

Welcome to the Smith & Wesson Forum.

My current go to 45ACP reload is:
230 Berry's Plated Round Nose Bullet
5.3grs Alliant Unique Powder
CCI LP or S&B LP primer
Cases: Win (just because what was on hand)
FPS: 800
Taper Crimped

I thought at first the reload was inaccurate until
I had a 1911 Target Shooter/Competitor try it.
It was Accurate. So I keep practicing.

In my circa 2008 Ruger 1911 Full Size 45ACP.

 

[jwk]

For an inexpensive plinking load, I've used 200 grain LSWCs with Unique or 231.

For a practice load I use a 230 cast round nose generally loaded w Unique because I load so many other cartridges with it. My goal is a load that hits same POI as my chosen factory ammo.

Pure accuracy loading is a whole different beast. With my current interests I don't worry about that w 45 ACP. If that is on your menu it's probably time to go to a match grade 185 JHP bullet and find which powder your 1911 likes best.

To me a 1911 is a beloved hammer, not a target pistol. Nothing wrong with a 1911 target pistol just not my interest. As I've gotten older I've rediscovered M14s loaded with HBWCs and 22 target quality revolvers. I've developed a perverse joy when teaching new guys to shoot. To keep interest up I like clay birds for targets. Seeing targets break holds interest better than holes in paper for new shooters. When a new guy with his Glock thinks the pieces of broken clays are too small to hit out comes the M14 or M617. I've had several guys develop an interest in revolvers when they realize how accurate those old school revolvers can be.