45 ACP Revolver Load - Red Dot / 255 SWC

[wtr100]

I've been shooting these bullets out of a Brazilian 1937 Contract S&W - using AA#7 and they shoot well. I even knocked down a white tail that the neighbor's boy shot and crawled into a thicket of Russian Olive / Wait a Minute stickers.

Anyway I'm using Red Dot to load 308 / 30-06 reduced cast and it's excellent - would it be possible to load 45 ACP with Red Dot and 255 cast swc? Sent a few requests to Alliant but no reply to date


thanks folks

[DanWalker]

I've used 4 grains of Red Dot under a 255 swc in my 1911 with no ill effects.
My current load is 4 grains of Red Dot and a 200 grain swc. Makes for lighter recoil for plinking.

[35remington]

I'd suggest if you're going to use Red Dot to keep things pretty light. Many 255's take up a lot of case capacity in the stubby ACP and this drives up pressures pretty fast. Of course, how much capacity depends upon the bullet and how far it seats into the case, so compare seating depth to standard 230 ball.

I'd say 4 grains would be a good plinking and practice load even with the 255, and I wouldn't necessarily increase it a whole lot.

I feel better about Red Dot when used with 230's and lighter and use up to 5 grains or so in the revolver (no way would I use that much with a 255) and here it shines as a 45 ACP powder as it gets high velocity for the charge weight - but, again, this characteristic means velocity goes up quickly with restricted case capacity like a 255 loaded ACP has.

If any powder could be considered "optimum" for a 255 grain bullet, Red Dot isn't it, but it's usable with careful loading, and it should be quite clean burning.

[lathesmith]

I also use RD for wheelgun ACP loads, and it works quite well for me. Your charge weight of 4 -4.5 grains for a 230-ish grain slug sounds about right, it don't take much. That's just a large enough charge that it meters thru my Auto disk measure pretty good, and seems to make a fairly uniform load.
lathesmith

[wtr100]

thanks folks - I think it might be best I just stick with AA7

trying to consolidate down to just a few powders or maybe once I shoot up th 255 ( they were given to me) gowith 230 lrn

[milltownhunter]

also a fun load to try in you 45 auto revolver is by useing 45 rim brass and loading 8 gr of blue dot under a 225 gr wc saeco #453 works very well in my s&w 625 and 25 pistols