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Thread: What is the best bullet for 45 ACP

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy
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    What is the best bullet for 45 ACP

    What is the best cast bullet for the 45 ACP? Bar none. If you could only have one bullet , what would it be?? This is from shooting tin cans to T Rexs. One cast boolit and one only.
    Last edited by jackley; 04-08-2008 at 04:27 PM.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master Adam10mm's Avatar
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    For doing what?
    "A man may not care for golf and still be human, but the man who does not like to see, hunt, photograph, or otherwise outwit birds or animals is hardly normal. He is supercivilized, and I for one do not know how to deal with him." - Aldo Leopold

    Live generously.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
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    The XPB if you are looking for factory loaded ammo, Cordon loads them and the Tarus Hex bullet is the same


    I set up the test the same way as last time, wet news print covered with 4 layers of denium





    Recovered bullets along with the pentration depths. The Remington JHP is the value Pack in 200Rd. boxes from Wal Mart. The 230 grain rem load chrono'ed 975 FPS, the Tarus Hex bullet was 1117 FPS, the Corbon was not chrono'ed, the Gold Dot by B.B was 969 FPS, and the 170 JHC by B.B. was 1536 FPS



    The last time that I performed this test the 230 grain JHP Corbon +P load, the hollow point pluged and did not open. This time the bullet fragmented and had VERY little expaansion..All pieces of the bullet were found together, (touching)



    The all copper bullet is extremely consistent in that it pentrates hard barriers very well even auto body doors





    The XPB loads are also very accurate as well


    Last edited by jwp475; 04-08-2008 at 02:56 PM.

  4. #4
    Boolit Buddy
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    Quote Originally Posted by freakshow10mm View Post
    For doing what?
    For doing everything. Just one bullet.

  5. #5
    Boolit Buddy
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    Good info jwp475.

    Thanks Jerry

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
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    I would probably go with the RCBS knock off of the H&G #68. Its been superbly accurate for me....100ft-lbs in the head beats 1000 in the ass.
    Some where between here and there.....

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
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    Results from a hard barrier test use Oak plywoood


    The Plywood




    The Weapons used in the test, right to left 4" Model-19, Springfiled 1911 with 10 round Chip McCormack magazine and a 4" Model-57 Smith in 41 Mag





    The rounds tested were 185 grain DPX, Buffalo Bore 230 Gold Dot +P, Hornady 230 grain XTP +P, in 45 ACP

    In 357 Mag the 145 grain Silver Tip and the 158 Gold Dot by Speer mwere tested

    In the 41 Mag the 170 JHC load by Buffalo Bore. This load does 1550 FPS from a 4" barrel S&W Mountain Gun


    The 230 grain XTP +P made it into the 3rd board, the DPX, the 230 B.B +P Gold Dot load in 45 ACP,and the 145 grain Silvertip in 357 Mag. made it into the 4th board and dented the 5th
    The 170 grain JHC in 41 Mag made it into the 5th board and dented the 6th and the 158 grain Gold Dot in 357 Mag penetrated into the 6th board


    Picture of front side of 4th board



    158 grain Gold Dot in 6th board. Notice the dent in upper ride of plywood from the 41 Mag




    Back side of 4th board



  8. #8
    Boolit Grand Master
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    "The last time that I performed this test the 230 grain JHP Corbon +P load, the hollow point pluged and did not open. This time the bullet fragmented and had VERY little expaansion."

    Actually, the bullet had quite a lot of expansion - so much so the bullet came apart. You're judging expansion by the diameter of the recovered pieces, which don't truly represent the whole. Since it separated into several pieces, the frontal area of the pieces adds up to more expansion than any of the other whole bullets.

    I'd rather have one of the other designs, though.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master
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    Since the pieces were all together and in line and the hole that the bullet made was very narrow, IMHO the expansion was minimal, the bullet simply fragmented (broke up)
    Last edited by jwp475; 04-08-2008 at 07:18 PM.

  10. #10
    Boolit Master crabo's Avatar
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    I think it would be the group buy BD45 that is almost as it's end. You stated an everything bullet,

    and so that means it has to be affordable (cast)
    it would need to feed well
    and it should have enough meplat to hit hard when hittin' meat. (whatever type of meat you are shooting at)

    This bullet should do it.

    Crabo
    Last edited by crabo; 04-08-2008 at 09:39 PM.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by crabo View Post
    I think it would be the group buy BD45 that is almost as it's end. You stated an everything bullet,

    and so that means it has to be affordable (cast)
    it would need to feed well
    and it should have enough meplat to hit hard when hunting

    This bullet should do it.

    Crabo
    I have the first incarnation and it is my choice in a 45 although it has only shot paper. Gianni
    [The Montana Gianni] Front sight and squeeze

  12. #12
    Boolit Grand Master
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    "Since the pieces were all together and in line and the hole that the bullet made was very narrow, IMHO the expansion was minimal, the bullet simply fragmented (broke up)"

    You were there; I wasn't, so you have the observation of the hole on your side.

    However, the most expanding bullets of all, varmint weight bullets in the various rifle calibers, also break up into fragments while producing in contrast a big wound channel, as do many of my .45 ACP hollowpoints. Point being, a broken up bullet is very often the most expanding bullet. Appearance is all I had to go on in your case; IME broken up bullets are very often at the end of big holes. Including pistol bullets.

    My vote for best all around .45 ACP cast bullet, which is what this thread is about, is the 230 FN designs like the 230 Lee truncated cone. Feed well, flat point for impact, shoots to the sights which can be regulated for just one weight if fixed, as most are in .45 ACP.

  13. #13
    Boolit Master

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    I really like the 230gr GI type of ball bullets, when I don't shoot jacketed, I shoot lead in the same shape and similar weight.

    I carry Hydra Shoks in all of my carry pistols. I don't know how well they work on people and I really don't want to find out.

    Jerry
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  14. #14
    Boolit Master

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    Lyman 452460 200 gr.SWC.

  15. #15
    Boolit Mold
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    i shoot 200gr SWC for everything. Titegroup powder.
    Ray

  16. #16
    In Remebrance


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    45BD Group Buy 6 banger mould. Load it up, load it down, it works, it feeds, it's perfect. Next on my list is hollow pointing it.

  17. #17
    Boolit Grand Master
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    One of these............the BD-45, The RCBS Cowboy 45, or the Lee 230 TC. Lyman #452374 feeds in everything I've tried it in, even a *** Auto-Ordnance 1911A1. The Glock 21 gets 230 grain W-W SXTs.

    I'm happy to say that I'm not limited to just one bullet.
    I don't paint bullets. I like Black Rifle Coffee. Sacred cows are always fair game. California is to the United States what Syria is to Russia and North Korea is to China/South Korea/Japan--a Hermit Kingdom detached from the real world and led by delusional maniacs, an economic and social basket case sustained by "foreign" aid so as to not lose military bases.

  18. #18
    Boolit Grand Master In Remembrance Four Fingers of Death's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ringo View Post
    i shoot 200gr SWC for everything. Titegroup powder.
    Ray

    I always found the 200Gn LSWC worked best in my 45's. Heck if it can get through 2 sheets of ply and possibly even one it going to stop someone.
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  19. #19
    Boolit Mold
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    With 200 gr swc I have shot dogs, dispatch deer (deer hit my van & I ran over its leg), livestock. All with in 25 yrds but all bang-dead. Mine is loaded with them as I write this.

  20. #20
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    The rerun of the BD-45 group buy is going now and we'd be happy to have a few more buyers. We are closing in on the 25 we need to finish the buy.
    Reloading Data Project - (in retirement)
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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
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LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
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