Soft shooting 45

[holsterguy]

Morning all!
As the title says, I’m trying to work up a load for 45 acp. Wanting a VERY low recoil. Thinking about a H&G 68 clone with a low charge of fast powder.
You guys agree? Should I stay at 200 grains, or go less, like 185 or so?
Thanks a lot

[Tatume]

45 ACP ammo loaded with 185 grain soft lead SWC bullets has noticeably less recoil than with 200 grain bullets. Accuracy of both is outstanding. With 185 grain 45 ACP ammo recoil feels softer than my 38 Special revolver with 158 grain lead SWC bullets, but the 45 is a bit heavier than the 38 too.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

I've used the 185 SWC with very good results in several 1911's and and XDS. I have also used the 155-160 grain SWC available from a few vendors. It is a little fussy about about overall length in some pistols but does provide very good accuracy and function with very mild recoil with a little development.

[oldsalt444]

What kind of gun? For my 1911 I use 3.8 WST and a 185 or 200 gr. SWC. I use a 12 lb. spring in that gun. In my S&W 25 revolver I use a 165 gr. full wadcutter over 3.5 WST or 3.2 Red Dot. Both are light recoiling and VERY accurate. Good luck.

[ShooterAZ]

I shoot the RCBS 45-185 SWC BB with 4.0 grains of clays. It cycles my 1911's with the stock springs, and is an accurate soft shooting load.

[holsterguy]

Thank guys! Old Salt- my only 1911 is a Rock Island.
Now all I have to do is find a dealer with a Lee mold in stock amidst all this insanity!

[gwpercle]

45 acp light Target Loads RCBS 45-200-SWC or Lyman 452460- 200gr. SWC or 200 gr. SWC H&G #68 .

4.5 grs W231 / HP38 = 808 fps
4.5 grs. Bullseye = 830 fps
4.7 grs. AA #2 = 832 fps
4.0 grs. Titegroup = 860 fps.
4.2 grs. Red Dot = 794 fps
4.0 grs. 700X = 824 fps

The above loads cycled reliably in a Colt Gold Cup and AMT Hardballer and were accurate .

Gary

[stubshaft]

Lyman 452389, 185 gr. over 3.5 Clays.

[Kosh75287]

I'm a major fan of 4.0/BullsEye/200 gr. LSWC or LRNFP. If this is "too light", substitute a 225 gr. TC or 230 gr. LRN. Only slightly more recoil, and tends to send steel plates down with more authority.

[Gunslinger1911]

For absolute lowest recoil the 155 is the bomb. Ya get a lot out of a pound of alloy too.
Stubby little sucker; as said can be seating depth sensitive. Skinny nose.
I had to drop the spring poundage with these, (I run a heavy spring for my normal loads)
Stock spring MAY work, a pound or 2 lighter may be the sweet spot.

[rintinglen]

MP H&G 68 HP clone, runs about 190 grains +-. Shoots great with a load of 3.5 grains of bullseye and a 13 LB reduced power spring.

[Kosh75287]

I think the 3.5/BullsEye/185 gr. LSWC load is/was, to the .45 ACP, as the 2.7/BullsEye/148 gr. HBWC load is, in the .38 Special. As far as I'M aware they're both the mainstay-loads of most shooters in that competitive discipline. I've also been told that a "slightly heavier" load is often used for the 50-yard stage, because the 185 gr. LSWC tends to shed velocity enough to create significant drop.
Now, whether this "slightly heavier load" consists of 4.0/B'Eye/185gr. LSWC, 3.5/B'Eye/200 gr. LSWC, or 4.0/B'Eye/200 gr. LSWC is something on which I have NO information. My BEST guess would be the last one listed, but I can imagine well-founded arguments for ALL of them.

[lotech]

You can tell that the 185s give slightly less recoil than the 200s, but I've never been able to get quite the accuracy with the 185s that I get with the 200s.

[gwpercle]

You can tell that the 185s give slightly less recoil than the 200s, but I've never been able to get quite the accuracy with the 185s that I get with the 200s.

Me Too !
Gary

[Forrest r]

H&G #68 bullet
3.6gr to 4.0gr of bullseye
3.5gr to 3.8gr clays
3.8gr to 4.2gr wst

I've used all 3 powders in the past for nra bullseye (1 handed)

[Rich/WIS]

Lee 452-200 that I milled the bevel off to make it a flat base, comes in at 190 grs with range lead/COWW and a little tin. Backed by 3.1 grs of Bullseye recoil is very mild. Shoot a Springfield Range Officer with a 10# recoil spring and 19# hammer spring. Completely reliable and low recoil. Also have a NOE 155gr mold and with the same load shoots fine although I may have to up the load to 3.5 grs of BE. I cannot tell the difference in recoil between these two loads and accuracy seems about the same.

[Martin Luber]

Lots of good advice but I would add that bullet bearing length and seating depth are critical, and the main reason why I get more, yes more, recoil with the lighter h&g 130 style 185 gr ( deep seat) bullet.

For a nice light comfy load, go with the h&g68 style, a 10# recoil spring ang a slower powder. 4.2-231, 3.6 WST, or 3.3-3.5 BE. Good luck

[joebaja]

If it runs in your gun, the Lee 160 RF over 5.0-5.5 gr of Bullseye is a peach. I have to seat them fairly deep, but they do run well in my PPQ 45