Loading for 45acp

[hickfu]

I was looking over load data for the 45acp using TiteGroup and Power Pistol and both say to use CCI primers... Can I just work up a load using my Winchester LPP? CCI's are twice the price as the Winchesters so I don't want to add another 3 to 4 cents per round.

Do you guys load mixed headstamps? I dont want to have to sort, but will if needed..

I need to go back to loading for my rifles... they are much easier!

[Pb2au]

1) i use what primers I have on hand. However I do not sub in magnum primers.
2) my 45 ACP brass is a heinz 57 variety. On a rare occasion, I might get an oddball that is dimension wise weird. I just toss those characters.

Protips:
Pay close attention to OAL. Make sure you get it right to match your firearm.
Pay close attention to your taper crimp. Follow the specs and it should be fine. My crimped mouth measures at .469"-.470" and chambers perfectly.
The above two points work together to allow for reliable feeding. If it is not feeding, most of the time one of the above points is wrong.

Good luck!

[mold maker]

I used to separate by head stamp, but now just a quality inspection and looking for SP primers. Not a high pressure load and easy to drop back and work up loads with any primer.
I think I read that TiteGroup is no more produced.

[hickfu]

Ok, good... I have all my dies setup and my dummy rounds load perfectly with my taper crimp and OAL is right on the money... Im going to start from the low load and work up so I just wanted to make sure I didnt have to go spend twice the money on primers. (I already have 5000 Winchester's so didnt need any more at this time.)

I just picked up the titegroup at my local pusher and got it for a decent price so the 8# should last for a long time...

[websterz]

Toss any AMerc brass in the scrap bucket, sort out the small primer pockets, and you're good to go. I use whatever primers I have on hand, lately I've been using Tula with very good results. Magnum primers will add a few FPS, and as long as you're not making max loads they will work just fine. A fast powder like TG is not really necessary in .45acp IMO. I load those with Red Dot or Promo and save my TG for 9mm. And as always YMMV.

[1911KY]

I have loaded Titegroup with CCI, Federal and Remington primers, can't tell a difference between any of them.

I load a variety of headstamps as well.

You might be the only person I have ever heard say that loading for rifles is easier than loading 45 acp!:shock: Case work on pistol rounds is minimal at best.

[hickfu]

LOL, Im just to used to loading my rifle rounds its like 2nd nature now.. just getting into pistol rounds.

I have went through all the brass and seporated out the SPP stuff (keeping it just in case)
Thanks for the tip on the AMerc brass (didnt see any and will keep an eye out for it)
The reason for Titegroup is I cant find any DOT powders, 231, promo or any other of the good powders I wanted

Should I use the Titegroup for 9mm and the Power Pistol for the 45acp? I got 8#'s of each so they will last a long time (I dont shoot my pistol rounds that much right now, hoping to in the future though) still hoping that one day I will find some 231 or HP38

[prs]

I have 5 1# bottles of HP38 sitting beside me right now, just came in on brown truck, so OUCH regarding the hazmat.

I really liked TG in 230gr and 200gr 45ACP loadings. That is why I ran out of it. Now its Promo/Red Dot, 700x, Bullseye, and the HP38 in stock. I have loaded a LOT of roll crimped pistol cartridges, but the 45ACP kicked my butt at first. Leading was horrible even after I got the cartridges to pass plunk. Turned-out it was how the chamber transitioned to the rifling so abruptly and I throated the leade to finally get lead free barrels.

TG too fast for ACP, but better for 9mm. I do not load 9mm, but I need to be educated on that aspect. I thought the reason for TG to have been marketed was to be a more modern competitor to venerable Bullseye; which, in itself is a poor reason to market a powder. So, I gots some research to do.

Rooster

[1911KY]

LOL, Im just to used to loading my rifle rounds its like 2nd nature now.. just getting into pistol rounds.

I have went through all the brass and seporated out the SPP stuff (keeping it just in case)
Thanks for the tip on the AMerc brass (didnt see any and will keep an eye out for it)
The reason for Titegroup is I cant find any DOT powders, 231, promo or any other of the good powders I wanted

Should I use the Titegroup for 9mm and the Power Pistol for the 45acp? I got 8#'s of each so they will last a long time (I dont shoot my pistol rounds that much right now, hoping to in the future though) still hoping that one day I will find some 231 or HP38

I kind of figured that was what you were going to say!!

4.0-4.2 gr of Titegroup behind a 200 gr SWC makes for a really nice target load in my pistols.

[fredj338]

Any primer will work in the 45acp. I load mixed headstamps, plenty accurate for speed shooting or target work to 25yds. I am not a TG fan, especially with lead bullets. Smokes like black powder.

[fredj338]

TG too fast for ACP, but better for 9mm. I do not load 9mm, but I need to be educated on that aspect.
Rooster
This makes no sense. Faster powders do better in low pressures rds like the 45acp. Faster powder work ok in high pressure rds like 9 & 40 if running minor loads, pressures below midrange.

[Shooter6br]

Spot on!

[Eddie17]

Again any LPP, works for me Also!

[bangerjim]

I use TG a lot and also use any and all brass irregardess of stamp and primers I have at the time. Have not seen the big whoop-la of different brands primers. I do not sub mags for std primers. Unless I back off the load some.

banger

[newton]

I use winchester primers for my 45acp loads that are listed there in the Lyman book. I don't throw out any brass unless it is beyond repair. I'm not recommending it, but I've even loaded some brass that had really bad dings in the case, just for curiousity sake.

Pistol loading is a piece of cake really. Since most shooting is done close range I don't worry so much about the fine details like I do rifles. Still have to load them right, but it does seem to go a lot quicker. You might find it hard at first if loading for an auto gun, but just follow the main way it's done and you'll be fine. Everyone has their little niches of how they do things.

[h8dirt]

I have shot a good amount of H&G 68's with moderate charges of TG and found it worked fine. I used it in 1911's and a Glock 21SF that I used for the action shooting sports. You will notice that it is "snappy" compared to some powders. I tried a lot of powders and settled in on WST. I prefer VVN310 but it just got too hard to find. Once you get in the swing of things, you'll find loading 45 ACP's to be a snap. Seat and crimp in two separate steps. And, as mentioned earlier, just get the OAL and crimp dialed in and you are good to go.

[plainsman456]

I just load and shoot.
Primers,brass makes no difference to me or the pistol.
It works.

[prs]

This makes no sense. Faster powders do better in low pressures rds like the 45acp. Faster powder work ok in high pressure rds like 9 & 40 if running minor loads, pressures below midrange.

Agree, I scanned a couple of rate charts and TG seems to fit 45ACP to a "T" in regard to burn rate. Since I have been using powder coat instead of traditional lube, I see way less smoke with any powder other than real black gun powder (boolits for which I do not powder coat, of course).

Rooster

[pworley1]

CCI primers are great, but I have not used any for years. My 45 acp loads still go bang when I pull the trigger no matter which primer I use.

[hickfu]

Agree, I scanned a couple of rate charts and TG seems to fit 45ACP to a "T" in regard to burn rate. Since I have been using powder coat instead of traditional lube, I see way less smoke with any powder other than real black gun powder (boolits for which I do not powder coat, of course).

Rooster

Good to hear, I powder coat my boolits so it will help keep the smoke down

[MtGun44]

Depends entirely on what you are doing. For IPSC or IDPA where reliable ammo is critical
and accuracy requirements are secondary, any primer, mixed brass, but be absolutely certain to
taper crimp adequately and set LOA to proper level, plus making 'major caliber' was critical.

For real target ammo where accuracy is the most important, all is secondary to getting tight groups, even
over function since alibis are permitted. There, same headstamp brass is critical, as is matched primers.
Boolit selection may be different - I found that 452460 was a bit more accurate in my match
loads than the H&G 68s that I use in IPSC loads. Also, I found notably better groups with Remington brass in
the couple match guns that I use, over all other brands tested. I use 4.0 gr of Titegroup in target
load, but 4.8 gr of the same powder in the IPSC loads.

No safety issues with switching primers, but may be some accuracy issues when you are going
for best groups.

Bill

[bobthenailer]

45 acp is one of the most forgiveing rounds that you can reload the ! The 9mm can be the most frustrating!
IMO i only load brass of the same brand in a particular load or batch.
For the 45 acp Tightgroup powder will work excellent with about any safe load !

For the 9mm you will find Power Pistol to be one of the best !
you can use TG but i have always gotten my best absulate accuracy with PP

I have switched primers in the 45 acp from Federal-150 which were the ones used to work up a very accurate less than MAX LOAD and switched to Fed-155 , CCI-300, Rem-2.5 and Win LP and have seen only a slight difference in accuracy at 25 yards shot from the bench with optics , off hand i dont think the difference would matter as much except to a Bullseye Shooter.

I usually don't switch primers once a load is worked up! but with a primer shortage you use what you can get to keep shooting!

[Love Life]

I buy primers as they go on sale. I switch primers willy nilly in the 45 ACP based off which box is next in line to be used up. In my current loaded rd bin there must be at least 3 different primers used in those loads.

Keep in mind that these are my blasting rds and long as they hit my Echo targets in the spots I want them to hit then I am happy. were I loading for max accuracy then I would do things differently.

[Sticky]

I agree with the comments on primers, use what ya got or can get these days. I do make adjustments if I am going from std to mag primers, but rarely do I need to, I have stocked up on what I need in the various cartridges that I load for. Personally I stick with LPP brass for my 45, so I don't get mixed up with different cases and I started getting them long before the SPP brass became available. Headstamps I sort by, but won't hesitate to mix them up when loading, the differences are quite minimal.

[dakotashooter2]

I'm suprised the CCIs are that much higher. Around here they are ususaly a couple bucks cheaper ($29 vs $33 and $35). As a matter of fact when I was in the LSG store I notice they had even come down in price by a couple buck whereas the others had remained the same.