Anybody shoot 155 grain .45ACP? Feedback please

[Engieman]

Have always shot/cast 185's or 200 grain lead bullets. Have had great success (love the caliber), but has always wondered about the 155 grain molds. Any experience or feedback? Most interested in accuracy, recoil, etc. for target shooting verse a plinking load. For those who cast 155's, any suggestions as to molds would be appreciated. Thanks

[fecmech]

I have a Saeco 160 gr bullet, I forget the number right now. I had wanted a low recoil target bullet but but this is not the answer. At 1000+ fps it is very accurate in my wad gun. The slowest I can go with sub 2" 25 yd accuracy is about 850 fps, below that accuracy deteriorates. I can get much better accuracy with less recoil running the old standard 185/200 gr SWC's in the 700-750 fps range. If you want to run fast with a little snap they work good.

[1845greyhounds]

I have the NOE 155 gr SWC. I love it. Light recoil and good accuracy. It's really nice to shoot out of my XDS. 230's hurt from the XDS, 155's make me want to shoot it. They're even more pleasant from a 1911.

NOE has these molds in-stock. I like the NOE mold. It makes good pills quickly with no sticking.
http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/index.php?cPath=41_157&osCsid=epm3pi5jallvhcj3pi9rl4cl83

[JSH]

I take it you are running a semi auto.
FWIW, I use an accurate 170 wad cutter in my 625. I tried some of the 155's with poor results no matter what. The full wadcutter has almost twice as much bearing surface as the 155.
Jeff

[BK7saum]

I have loaded and shot a few of the NOE 155s. I found that COL was very important for feeding. I was having numerous failure to feed and increases COL a bit. Now they feed flawlessly in my Kimber Eclipse Target II. Accuracy has been very good also.

[ioon44]

I shot a lot of 155 gr SWC from Magma molds through my Colt 1911 with a comp, really liked these for the mover stage in the NRA Action matches to cut down the amount of lead on the target. Accuracy will depend on the gun and bore fit.

[44MAG#1]

I don't have any feedback because I don't understand why one would want to use such a light bullet?
Unless one was very, very, very weak or one has a hand condition that would need a bullet that light.
Please clue me in as I may want to try something like that.
That bullet is equal to a 96 gr bullet in a 9MM Or a 141 gr bullet in a 44 Mag.
What will it do that a 200 gr bullet won't?
Please help me to understand.

[BK7saum]

About every 4th boil it is free!!!!!

[BK7saum]

A light load is easier for youngsters and newcomers to shoot. Target shooting / paper does not require a lot on mass to cut holes in paper.

[44MAG#1]

I'm talking balistically. I understand economy.

[BK7saum]

IMO, It serves no purpose outside of target shooting

[44MAG#1]

It would take someone that would be terribly recoil shy or weak or maybe an arthritic condition that couldn't handle a 200 gr at Bullseye Target velocities.
That I understand.

[1845greyhounds]

It's not always about balistics, as long as the accuracy and gun function are there, I cast for economy.

[wv109323]

I know a Bullseye shooter that uses them. I thought the reason would be to lessen recoil. He told me that in order to get the gun to function they had to be loaded to the same recoil level as the 200 gn bullets. That meant the 155 gn. bullet was travelling much faster than the 200 gn bullet. He felt the less "barrel time" was improving his scores.

[BK7saum]

I can follow his thinking. I have shot a S&W 52 38 spcl and the follow through was very important due to the barrel time of the HBWC.

[Griff]

It would take someone that would be terribly recoil shy or weak or maybe an arthritic condition that couldn't handle a 200 gr at Bullseye Target velocities.
That I understand.Recoil time/deflection is greatly reduced, improving shot split times, a consideration in speed shooting event. I don't use 'em in a auto-loader, as cycling is pretty much the limiter in split time speed, but in a wheelgun they are a vast improvement.

[Engieman]

Great feedback. I appreciate all of your insight and experience...sounds like I may try it. Shooting both a wheel-gun (625) and semi-autos.

[35remington]

If the gun is fixed sight they hit almost uselessly low. Deviation is great enough from heavier bullets that constantly wrenching your adjustable sights is a pain as well. Mine is the discontinued Lee 155 grain version. Too fast or slow and they do not group, and velocity variations are higher than with any other type which due to light weight and relatively shallow seating depth is to be expected.

But they do cut nice holes in targets due to the large wad cutting shoulder.

[ABJ]

See post #2. The 155/160 have to be pushed faster to maintain accuracy, and there is no saving's in recoil amount. The H&G 68 style, 200 grain with a target load is a very mild recoil and very accurate. Depending on the gun you might get the same bullet in 185 with 2/10 tenth's less powder to be accurate as well with a little saving's on recoil. Most Bullseye shooters start with 3.8 grains of Bullseye powder on the 185 and 3.9 to 4.2 on the 200's. These are light target loads and need a taper crimp applied.
Be careful and have fun, Tony

[bobthenailer]

I have the 170 gr Saeco 062 , was told by GAR a casting supply distributor that the 063 160 gr version was not as accurate as the 062 170 gr
In my various 45 acp handguns the 062 is just as accurate as the time honored Saeco 068 200 gr bullet to at least 25 yard.
I never tested for accuracy of the 062 past 25 yards but I would expect it to be pretty close to the 068 accuracy at 50 yards ? from plinking with the 062 a that distance the 062 has the same bearing surface and col as the 068 but the nose is thinned out !

[Boolseye]

I sometimes shoot the Lee 160 RF in .45 ACP. Shoots pretty good, quite accurate with 4.5 gr. BE. I prefer the 200s and 230s, though.