45 ACP fastest powders

[mickbr]

Gents just wondering if anyone has used powders such as Hodgon extralite for 200-230 grain loads? I found some obscure threads from a while back with folks experimenting, but wondered if it had become a little more mainstream since then? Also does winchester WAAlite still exist? I am also looking to try some titewad which Hodgon actually does list loads for. 2.8 grains at 684fps to 3.3 at 767fps, its faster than clays by the looks. Any other real fast burners folks use in their 45ACP's?

[sureYnot]

I use 4 grains red dot (promo) under a 230gn.

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[JBinMN]

Like sureYnot, I use Red Dot for 230 gr. quite a bit, TC/SWC & RN, but I run it at 4.7gr..

I bought some Promo to try, but have not yet used any. I will be running the test from 4.5 - 4.9 or 5.0 grains.

[Ed_Shot]

I use a lot of Promo (Red Dot equivalent by weight). I really like Promo 4.5~4.8 gr. under 200~230 gr. boolits in 45 ACP.

[jonp]

Like sureYnot, I use Red Dot for 230 gr. quite a bit, TC/SWC & RN, but I run it at 4.7gr..

I bought some Promo to try, but have not yet used any. I will be running the test from 4.5 - 4.9 or 5.0 grains.

I use Promo exclusively for that stuff.

[gwpercle]

I've reloaded 45 acp for longer than I care to admit (1967) .
I have never tried any of the powders you listed but have had good results from the following:
Titegroup
700X
Bullseye
AA #2
Red Dot
HP-38
All of the above powders work well in several 1911's and a Taurus model 455 revolver with a 2 inch ported barrel .
It's hard to beat Bullseye but Red Dot , 700X and AA #2 are contenders .
Gary

[GhostHawk]

Another Red Dot user here. In fact I have at least twice as much Red Dot stashed as all my other powders combined.

It just plain works.

[tazman]

I have used Titewad in several other cartridges but not in 45ACP as yet. No reason it would not work.
I even used it in 9mm with decent results.
Favorites for 45ACP are Bullseye, WST, and Titegroup in no particular order.

[Jedman]

I load the 45 ACP mostly with Accurate Nitro 100. It was a good 12 ga. target load powder when I use to shoot trap & skeet but also works great with the 45 ACP all bullet weights. The powder I have is 20 years old and now they have a Nitro 100 NF ( new formula ) but there is data for the 45 with it also.
It is usually at or near the top of the burn rate charts.

Jedman

[DukeInFlorida]

I really like Titegroup, for both cast and jacketed. Used to be Win 231 (both are usable for 9mm, .40, and 45 acp.) I had read somewhere that Titegroup burned cleaner, and after extensive testing, confirmed that it was true.

I use Red Dot and Promo (basically Red Dot without the red dots) for .38 sizes.

I'm NOT a fan of "designer" or fad type powders. The CFE line, for example (rifle and pistol), are fad/designer powders. Heck, just clean the gun more.

[Thumbcocker]

I run 231 exclusively in .45 acp

[jaysouth]

3.9 grs. of clays under a 200, 215 or 230 cast bullet is my standby. I am half way thorough my 2d 8 pounder. (over 20,000 rds)

[shell70634]

Old Accurate N100 for 9, 38 and 45. In 45 I use 3.7 gr under 230 RN lead and 4.0 under 185 SWC lead.

[gnoahhh]

I guess I'm a stick in the mud. I have relied on 4.0 grains Bullseye/200 SWC since Ford was still building the Pinto. I tried a few other fast burners recently and found performance to be about the same so I shrugged my shoulders and opened another can of Bullseye.

I've come to the conclusion that mixed brass has more of a detrimental impact on accuracy than powders do. I'm done with buying mixed range brass no matter how cheap it is.

[oldsalt444]

I've been shooting bullseye competition for decades and have used all of the above mentioned powders. None of them are bad, but my go to powder is WST for lead bullets and VV N310 for jacketed. Excellent accuracy with light charges.

[Reverend Al]

I've used a lot of W231, 700X, Red Dot, and lately Nitro 100 (the old formula for now and when it's used up I also have a keg of the new version to try). My old, late 70's vintage modified Government model Colt is my old IPSC gun fitted with a SS Bar Sto match grade hard fit barrel and solid bushing, a long link, and a bit of trigger work, and that old gun with an estimated 90,000 + rounds through it (all lead bullets of course) still shoots WAY better than I can hold it with anything I seem to feed it.

[Petrol & Powder]

I run 231 exclusively in .45 acp

I'm in the same camp, at least these days.

I did try several others in the past but HP-38 does the job and does it well.
Some folks swear by Bullseye and it's hard to argue with a track record of over 100 years.

[Alan in Vermont]

IIRC, the 45 ACP was originally loaded with Bullseye, somewhere in the neighborhood of 3.5-5.0 grs. behind the 230 RM "Ball" projectile. Works for me.

[Larry Gibson]

Same here using Bullseye....5 gr under any 195 to 230 gr cast always works for me. Has been for 60+ years.

[PowPow]

Ramshot Competition and VV N310 work well for cast 185gr and 200gr SWC. I ran out of Bullseye back when it was hard to find powders, so I was forced to pick up some alternates. I'd have to say that the Ramshot powder is my favorite. It shoots better for me than Bullseye, and it's cheaper than everything else out there (except maybe Shooters World, but their load data is lacking). The nice thing about the Ramshot powders (and other Western Powders in general) is they have really good cast boolit load data. This on its own is friendly to our community here, so I feel it's worth mentioning.

I do get really good results with my VV N310 .45acp loads, but VV's problem is price. I also worked up .45acp loads for 231, 700X, and Red Dot - all very good powders. The one powder that I have that I haven't tried in .45acp is CFE Pistol. I like it for 9mm though.