Pet loads in .45 ACP for revolvers? Let's hear 'em!

[Imaposer]

I recently picked up a "new to me" 625-3, and plan to start feeding it soon. Having never owned anything chambered for this cartridge, it's new territory for me. I have a Dillon Square Deal B and currently use it to reload .38/.357, 9mm, and .40 S&W and will be ordering the conversion kit and tool head for .45 ACP in the next few weeks. Current bench powders are Unique, Bullseye, Clays, and Universal Clays. I'd prefer to use what I have or even another powder with good crossover with some of my other calibers if possible, just for consolidation purposes, but I'm open to any powder suggestions, of course.

Right now I'm primarily looking for economical, clean, recreational shooting, light target/plinking loads using cast or plated bullets, just for cost reasons, but I'm sure I'll venture into other areas as well.

So, I'd love to hear anyone's pet load formulas, and any tips and/or advice for loading this round just for use in a revolver.

Thanks to any and all that will participate in this discussion.

 

[gwalchmai]

I've been using Bear Creek 200gr LSWCs over 5gr of Solo-1000 and my 625 loves them. I just changed to the same bullet in 185gr and it seems to like them, too.

ETA: one tip is to make sure you resize your cases all the way down or they can bind in the chambers, making moonclips not as fun as normal...

 

[growr]

I have used 6 grns of Unique and a 230 FMJ for many years....might work for you as well. For me it is a replication of hard ball ammo.

Randy

 

[BearBio]

I have a "favorite" load: 5 gr Titegroup.

Use it for 45 Colt (200, 230. 250 gr for Cowboy & defense), for 44 spl (200 & 246 gr), lite loads in 454 Casull, in 45 AR (200 gr) and, soon, 45 acp (230). My brother uses it in his 1911 for bullseye competition.

 

[chipking]

I recently started using a geezer load of 4.4 grains of Hodgdon Clays behind the Berrys 185 grain Hollow Base Round nose plated bullet. Because it is hollow based the bullet is the same length as the 230 Round nose and I load both to 1.249 OAL. Great accuracy out of my 625-8 and 22-4 and functions a normal 1911. About 770 fps, mild recoil and shoots to within an inch of my carry load which is a 185 JHP @ 1050fps.

 

[scattershot]

I have had good luck recently with a 250 lswc bullet and 6.5 Unique. Probably around 800 fps or so, and they all go into one hole at 7 yards.

I shoot these from a Cimmaron Thunderer in .45 ACP.

 

[Imaposer]

I recently started using a geezer load of 4.4 grains of Hodgdon Clays behind the Berrys 185 grain Hollow Base Round nose plated bullet. Because it is hollow based the bullet is the same length as the 230 Round nose and I load both to 1.249 OAL. Great accuracy out of my 625-8 and 22-4 and functions a normal 1911. About 770 fps, mild recoil and shoots to within an inch of my carry load which is a 185 JHP @ 1050fps.

That sounds just about perfect! Already use Clays for .38 and I've been wanting to try the plated bullets. But, does Berrys have any warning about staying above 800 fps with the .45 bullets as they do with the the .38's?

 

[fred5876r]

230 Berry's plated RN over 4.1 WST.

 

[kentguy]

Iamposer,

Stick with 230g bullets. I have developed loads using these powders;

230g FMJ over 5g of Alliant Bullseye
230g FMJ over 5.6g of Winchester 231
230g FMJ over 6.2g of Hodgdon Universal

All good target loads will run all day long.

 

[David Sinko]

My standard is a 230 gr. cast bullet and 4.2 grs. of Clays. This also serves as my match load and should do 165 Power Factor out of any revolver with a 4" barrel.

I also like 231 with the 255 gr. cast bullets. With this powder you should be able to easily work up a load that will do over 900 FPS. And while on the subject of 231, another excellent load is the 225 gr. FP cast bullet and 6.0 grs. of 231. This is one load that will do everything that you need a .45 ACP revolver to do.

For more specialized jacketed bullet loadings where you need high velocity, I find that nothing beats Power Pistol. You will be surprised by the velocities that can be safely achieved, especially with bullets that are too long to be loaded into the semiautos.

Dave Sinko

 

[4barrel]

4.5 gr. of 231---tightgroup---or e3 with a 185 or 200 gr. swc are good 50 yard loads. I have benchrested thousands. The same loads will also work in a automatic. You can taylor most any shotgun powder to do what you wont it to do in a 45 acp. Go on line & get the data from the load testers. I like Lyman & Lee the best as they seem to have more lead loads.

 

[Imaposer]

Great info so far!

On a related subject, can anyone tell me the basic difference between Hodgdon's "Universal Clays" and Hodgdon's "Clays"?

While digging through my component supply closet the other night I came upon an unopened 5lb of Universal Clays and I have no idea what I bought it for. My loading notes don't show that I've ever used it and if I had plans for it when I got it, I can't remember what they may have been.

I'm thinking that I may have inadvertently picked it up at a good price at a gun show by mistake, thinking that I was buying Clays, which I do use for my .38 plinking loads.

Seeing both powders listed above as useful for my goals for the .45, I'm just curious as to what is what between these two powders. Since I already have 5lbs of the Universal Clays, it would be nice to find a good use for it for now, but ideally, I'd like to consolidate my powder selection a bit in the future where practical.

 

[Rickkster]

A very nice load I use in my 325 Night Guard is a home cast RCBS .45-230-CM, using Lyman #2 alloy (drops at 225 grains from my mold), over 4.5 grains of Red Dot in Starline 45 Auto Rim cases. I am using Winchester large pistol primers since that is what I currently have.

I haven't tried this load in ACP cases, but I feel it should work well in those also. YMMV

Cheers,

Rick

 

[TAROMAN]

On a related subject, can anyone tell me the basic difference between Hodgdon's "Universal Clays" and Hodgdon's "Clays"?

Huge difference.

Clays is a very fast (think Bullseye) powder.
Universal is a medium (think Unique) powder.

In their infinite wisdom, Hodgdon packed them in cans that look very similar. That could lead to a big kaboom problem if a reloader got careless.

I use a lot of Universal. Very good in 44 Special, 357 magnum and mid-range 44 Magnum, to name just a few.

 

[Bart 44]

Iamposer,

Stick with 230g bullets. I have developed loads using these powders;

230g FMJ over 5g of Alliant Bullseye
230g FMJ over 5.6g of Winchester 231
230g FMJ over 6.2g of Hodgdon Universal

All good target loads will run all day long.

FWIW....With 230 FMJ, Winchester/Hodgdon load data shows max loads of: 5.3g 231 and 5.6g Universal.


Dennis.

 

[Imaposer]

Huge difference.

Clays is a very fast (think Bullseye) powder.
Universal is a medium (think Unique) powder.

Thats pretty much what I was thinking as well. I used to use Bullseye for .38 but switch over to clays because it is cleaner.

In their infinite wisdom, Hodgdon packed them in cans that look very similar. That could lead to a big kaboom problem if a reloader got careless.

Yep, the packaging, and even the names could lead to confusion. I actually believe that's what happened when I bought it. I was waiting to the last minute to buy my components so I wouldn't have to carry it all around the show. They were closing down for the day and in my haste I may have picked up the Universal by mistake.

I use a lot of Universal. Very good in 44 Special, 357 magnum and mid-range 44 Magnum, to name just a few.

With that said, it is possible that I bought it to use in place of my Unique, for loading my 9's, .40's, and .357, but I don't remember for sure.

Thanks for confirming my thoughts.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

IMO all 4 powders you listed and own already will be just fine for loading 45 Auto ammo. You have the added luxury of being able to load very light because you're loading for a revolver instead of a semi-auto with no worries about cycling the slide. Like said above, Clays is like Bullseye and Universal is very much like Unique. If it were me I would pick the powder that meters best in my powder measure since you will be loading on a progressive press. (I'm thinking Universal which is also clean)

 

[Reddog]

Universal is very similar to Unique. I use the same charge in .38 Special with 158 gr. cast bullet. 4.8 grains. This charge also works well in .45 ACP with 200 gr. cast semi-wads.

 

[bubbajoe45]

I use 5.7 grns of Universal Clays with a 230 grn RNL bullet (wherever I can find them 500 at a time). Found that 6.0 grns was a bit too much, but 5.7 feels roughly equivalent to commercial 230 grn loads (Ball or Personal Defensive HPs).

 

[Rule3]

American Rifleman January 1987
Loads to Duplicate Military Ball Ammo

230 gr FMJ

4.6 gr BE
5.6 gr WW231
6.5 gr Unique

Give or take depending on the person you talk to.

I use 5.0 gr BE or the 5.6'ish W 231/HP38