Fav 45 ACP load

[bjeffv]

This is probably a common load. I have flawless functioning with it. use 200gr H&G semi-wadcutter from lasercast, use 8 grains of Ramshot Silhoutte, and crimp/seat according to wilson combat specs.

Very good 1911 load, good accuracy, and reasonable value. Ramshot meters great in my progressive press.

[DragoonDrake]

I have been looking. Besides online where can you find ramshot. None of the stores around me will even order it.

Adam

[Dman4321]

5 grains of Titegroup! Love it, the powder is cheap (relatively) cycles the action well, and pushes every bullet i have tried with a good degree of accuracy.

[bjeffv]

I typically get mine from scheels all sports. I talk to the manager at the stores I go to and request that they stock a certain powder, if they know they will sell some they will typically stock it.

Is titegroup a flake powder? I used clays at first, I had sooooo many squibs it was ridiculous, I would catch it giving me half charges, but I obviously missed a few. Hence why I stick with ball, as it meters way better in a progressive press.

I also require the powder to be advertised as clean burning, my shooting sessions run 1000 rounds per gun, I used HS-6 once, and the gun would be too dirty to function by 500 rounds.

[bobke]

4.8 wst is good for about 825-830 in commander, 850-860 in baer monolith. very accurate in commander, pretty good in mono. 5.0 titegroup with montana bullet works lbt 200gr swc(which looks more roundnose to a degree) is very accurate in mono. every gun has it's preference.

[pdawg_shooter]

240gr rnfp cast over 8.3gr AA#4.

[Doby45]

4gr of Clays or Bullseye does great in 1911 RIA with a 200gr SWC..

[Char-Gar]

Boy am I getting old! I have never used any of the above powders except Bullseye. Which, by the way works great in the 45 ACP round in a 1911 pistol.

[KYCaster]

I typically get mine from scheels all sports. I talk to the manager at the stores I go to and request that they stock a certain powder, if they know they will sell some they will typically stock it.

Is titegroup a flake powder? I used clays at first, I had sooooo many squibs it was ridiculous, I would catch it giving me half charges, but I obviously missed a few. Hence why I stick with ball, as it meters way better in a progressive press.

I also require the powder to be advertised as clean burning, my shooting sessions run 1000 rounds per gun, I used HS-6 once, and the gun would be too dirty to function by 500 rounds.


I have to ask, what powder measure are you using? I've run lots of Clays through Lee and Hornady progressive presses and have never had an issue with inconsistancy.

Jerry

[j20owner]

5 grains of Titegroup! Love it, the powder is cheap (relatively) cycles the action well, and pushes every bullet i have tried with a good degree of accuracy.

What Dman says.

[bobthenailer]

You cant go wrong with BE in the 45 acp 3.5 up to 5.0 with the 200 gr bullet. chose your velocity!
Ive also used winchester super light [ disconued] with great results! another choise would be tightgroup or 231/hp38 . I would use a faster burning powder in the 45 acp instead of ramshot silouette as you use less powder and is more economical to use.
i think silouette is the same powder as WAP[disconued] it works better in the 9mm / 38 super type cartrages for med to fast loads.
BE is a small flake powder , WSL, TG, 231 are flatened ball . I never had a problem with any of these powders metring perfectly from any powder measure ive used them in ! possible 6 different measures.

[Ktom38-55]

IMR-7625 has been good for me with 200 SWC. It doesn't seem popular around here as I rarely see it mentioned but meters well and shoots well.

[bjeffv]

I have both an RCBS and a hornady powder measure for progressive presses. tried both. I struggled thru using a pound of clays and metering was very inconsistent. I could even kinda tell while shooting that some were borderline too hot or too light.

HS-6 is a ball it metered just fine, and I haven't had a problem 4000 fired rounds later with silhoutte. I like the loads to be about the same power wise as the personal defense rounds I use.

[Gunsmoke4570]

4.6 grs of Bullseye under a 185LSWC or 200LRN. Works great in every 1911 it has been put in. I use the 185 for those situations where accuracy is a premium and the 200 for everything else.

[white eagle]

I use 12.0 gr 2400 under a 230-250 gr boolits
Longshot is a tight second

[skeet1]

I use 4.4 gr. of Bullseye and the 200 gr. Lyman 452460 SWC. Shoots very well in my 1911.

Ken

[Carolina Cast Bullets]

I load 5.0 grains of HP38 with a 230 grain TC boolit that I make. Works for me so why try to fix it?

Jerry

[fatboy]

6.0 grains of Unique and a 230 grain lee RN tumble lubed boolit

[ChuckS1]

8.0 grains of AA #5 and a H&G #34 230 grain LRN.

[35remington]

I can't see using 8 grains of powder per shot when other powders will get the same velocity with much less charge weight. For high volume shooting and duplication of standard velocity loads it makes sense to use a lot less powder per shot.

For that reason I would bet pretty heavily that using 8 grains of Silhouette behind a 200 grain bullet is not at all a common load. Most reloaders of the 45 ACP prefer powders that use much less per shot.

I believe Ramshot Silhouette is the former Winchester Action Pistol (WAP). Ramshot continued to market it after Winchester dropped it from their lineup. I would classify it as a high performance powder for heavy loads, but uneconomical for most high volume shooting. There's no need to use that much powder when you could be using barely over half to three fifths of that.

But maybe you shoot this only occasionally? If you want good metering it's possible to find a ball powder that does well with much less powder yet still approximates defensive load speeds.

For ball equivalent loads with a 230 grain bullet, 4.8 of Red Dot for me. This flake powder meters very well in the Pro Auto Disk but may not in less capable measures. 850 fps with the Lee 230-2R in wildly mixed brass. Red Dot has high bulk so an accidental double charge fills a lot of the case making it easier to see.

4 grains of the same Red Dot gets 775 fps with a 190 grain HG 68 clone. Again, if you have a less capable measure than the Pro Auto Disk you may get less charge weight consistency than I do. If you want to go faster, 5.2 grains runs things up to 980 fps. This heavier load is still standard pressure.

If you like ball powder and modest charge weights for more shooting economy, try Titegroup. Only downside is it is so dense a double charge is harder to see.

If double charge detection is important to you, try WST. It's light colored so it's easy to see in the case and it's fairly bulky for a ball powder.

[yancey]

6 grains of unique and the lyman 230 grain Rn.

[bjeffv]

i shoot the 8 gr load as my standard. IDK the book was 7.6-8.4 grains for a load, I took the middle load. I go thru about a pound of powder a month, and it equates to 1k rounds. Myself, dad, and bro all shoot this same load, and reload together.

Our typical month is two range trips (my bro does 4), 1k reloads, 200 factory 45acp, and 500 .22lr. Gotta stay on top of our shooting ability, although compared to some this is not a lot of shooting.

The cost is only 2 cents worth of powder per round at 8 grains, for as good as its shooting for me I would hate to change my recipe to save a few tenths of another cent.

If it is not acutually made in montana or the u.s. I will probably switch once I run out of my stock pile. (some were saying europe?)

[ChuckS1]

Well, in my case, the 8 grains of AA #5 is the most accurate load for my hardball pistol. A couple of cents per round isn't significant.

[thegreatdane]

5 grains of Titegroup! Love it, the powder is cheap (relatively) cycles the action well, and pushes every bullet i have tried with a good degree of accuracy.


6.0 grains of Unique and a 230 grain lee RN tumble lubed boolit

Both of these are great.

[Catshooter]

I use 4.8 grains of Universal Clays under a current production Lyman 452424. I love it and so do my Smiths.


Cat

[Phat Man Mike]

the one that best works the RIA C/S I have at home. is 4 grains of bullseye with 230 TL lee RN :coffeecom

[Dale53]

I shoot a good bit of .45 ACP in both 1911's and my two Smith 625's. My regular target load is 4.0 grs of Bullseye or equivalent. When my present stock of open cans of powder is gone, then I will break the seal on an 8.0 Caddy of Titegroup.

For a heavy load ONLY to be used in the 625's is an NOE 250 gr Keith (clone of the Lyman 454424) with enough Unique to give me a chronographed velocity of 900+ fps (7.0 grs).

Dale53

[captaint]

Just for Titegroup, I load between 3.8 and 4.8 grains with the 200 gr SWC. The loads all shoot great. WW231 works well also. One of these days I'm going to get some Bullseye. enjoy Mike

[Bass Ackward]

I can't see using 8 grains of powder per shot when other powders will get the same velocity with much less charge weight. For high volume shooting and duplication of standard velocity loads it makes sense to use a lot less powder per shot.

For that reason I would bet pretty heavily that using 8 grains of Silhouette behind a 200 grain bullet is not at all a common load. Most reloaders of the 45 ACP prefer powders that use much less per shot.

I believe Ramshot Silhouette is the former Winchester Action Pistol (WAP). Ramshot continued to market it after Winchester dropped it from their lineup. I would classify it as a high performance powder for heavy loads, but uneconomical for most high volume shooting. There's no need to use that much powder when you could be using barely over half to three fifths of that.

But maybe you shoot this only occasionally? If you want good metering it's possible to find a ball powder that does well with much less powder yet still approximates defensive load speeds.

For ball equivalent loads with a 230 grain bullet, 4.8 of Red Dot for me. This flake powder meters very well in the Pro Auto Disk but may not in less capable measures. 850 fps with the Lee 230-2R in wildly mixed brass. Red Dot has high bulk so an accidental double charge fills a lot of the case making it easier to see.

4 grains of the same Red Dot gets 775 fps with a 190 grain HG 68 clone. Again, if you have a less capable measure than the Pro Auto Disk you may get less charge weight consistency than I do. If you want to go faster, 5.2 grains runs things up to 980 fps. This heavier load is still standard pressure.

If you like ball powder and modest charge weights for more shooting economy, try Titegroup. Only downside is it is so dense a double charge is harder to see.

If double charge detection is important to you, try WST. It's light colored so it's easy to see in the case and it's fairly bulky for a ball powder.



You picked the wrong cartridge for your handle.

[35remington]

Bass, we all dabble in cartridges across the spectrum. You just picked a better moniker than I did.

Not really questioning other's preferences in powder given the difference in tastes we all have......mostly just justifying how I go about things. At some point price gets combined with the other characteristics of the powder in arriving at a reasonable choice.

When I shoot the 45 ACP, I shoot it a lot. I tend to prefer those powders that have a lower cost per pound as well as a lower charge weight. I can't say that's too different from what a lot of other guys do, so at least I've got a lot of company.

[Le Loup Solitaire]

For a long time I have used 4.0-4.1 grains of Red Dot. It does well with 230 grain roundnoses and H&G #'s 68 and 130. Feeds well, no leading, and burns clean. The accuracy is good out of autos and revolvers. 3.5 grains of Bullseye also works very well and 4.0 grains does better in the wind if needed. LLS

[That'll Do]

My favorite load for a 200gr SWC (M&G 68 clone) is either: 4.0gr Clays, 4.5gr W-231, or 4.0gr Bullseye. I waver back and forth between the three, as the accuracy is the same with all of them (much better than I can shoot!:lol:).

For a 230gr round nose (I use the RCBS 45-230-RN), I use 5.0gr W-231. Works like a champ.

[Moonie]

I use Clays and Unique in my 45 loads, they both meter perfectly in my Lee progressive. I do not load light with Unique however but the Clays I load down to about 3gr without any issue (light progressive recoil spring allows my 1911 to cycle).

[truckboss]

6 grn. ww231 h/g 68 works for me.when i used to shoot ipsc this would get you to major.

[nicholst55]

Those of you shooting Bullseye in the .45 ACP are in good company. The original military load, or so I've been told (by the Army), was 5.0 grains of Bullseye with the 230 FMJ bullet.

I've used WAP, 231, 700X, Unique, Red Dot, Blue Dot, Power Pistol, HS-6, and probably some other powders to load .45 ACP. All of them worked well for the use I put them to. I've shot a bunch of the Lyman 452460 over 6.5-7.3 grains of Unique for a general purpose load, so I'd call that my favorite. Around 8.0 grains of Power Pistol behind a 230 LRN is a good load, too.

[Casting Timmy]

I really like using 231, I've tried titegroup and I didn't like it.

[375supermag]

Hi...
I use Bullseye in my .45ACP loads. I shoot 4.5grs under a cast 230gr roundnose bullet. I get excellent accuracy and perfect functioning out of both of my .45ACP pistols, a SA M1911A1 and a Colt Commander.
I use the same load in .45AutoRim in a 1917 revolver.

I have been tempted to try other powders, but why mess with something that works so well?

[izzyjoe]

i'm using 5- 5.5gr. of unique with a lee 230gr. it drops the cases right behind me, i don't have to hunt for them. at 6gr. there all over the place.

[Dframe]

I use fast powders Bullseye, HP-38 and sometimes 231 with a 200 grain lasercast round nosed flat point bullet. Works perfectly and feeds well.

[SPRINGFIELDM141972]

4.7 Unique and 230 grain lead.

[xringshutr]

Just like everyone else, I have tried a bunch of different loads in my .45's.

If it will feed, 4.5 gr of Red Dot has given me the best results in a couple 1911's and a Sig P250C using the Lee 200 gr SWC conventional lube groove bullet. Mixed brass and whatever primer I grab out of the stash. The only thing I don't like about the bullet is the bevel base in the Lube-a-matic. It shoots so darned well though!! One ragged hole at 15 yds. Legit sub 2" groups at 25 yds if I do my part. All standing, offhand. Try it, I think it should work well in most guns.

[358 Win]

For years I have been shooting Red Dot in a lot of handgun loads from the .38 Special, .357 Magnum, .44 Magnum and .45 Auto 1911-A1. Five grains of Red Dot with either 230gr hardball or lead in the .45 Auto does fine for me. Works the slide every time and accurate to boot. Shot so much .45 Auto in the Navy we used to sweep the brass on a pile and shovel it in the 5 gallon buckets. Ammo was free too!!!!!!!LOL
358 Win

[Thecyberguy]

Only one post in this thread talked about "clean burning".

I just got a 45 ACP carbine and have been trying a few things. I have the Lee 230 gr TC and have tried Bullseye and the mag, cases and gun get very sooty quite quickly.

Is this "normal" to have black fingers picking up 25 empties?

I am looking for accuracy out to 50 yards or so with the carbine and a cleaner burn. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[Shooter6br]

Universal or Unique for me 200 g HP milhec. Also my first 45 ACP mold Lee 230 TL

[Buddy]

I use 6.5gr of Unique with a Lee 200gr SWCTL. Mostly because I bought what I hope is a lifetime supply. I picked up 40lbs of it from a gs sellout about 3yrs ago.

[35remington]

If you're shooting a cast bullet with LLA or some other lube, get used to some degree of dirty.

You can clean up the powder, but not LLA, which is fairly smoky, as are many other lubes.

Several of the newer powders like Clays are fairly clean, but Clays lacks top end. Universal, Titegroup, WST are candidates.

But don't expect worlds cleaner with a cast, lubricated bullet.

[mtgrs737]

5.7 grs. of WW231 or HP-38 is what I have been loading for 20 years behind a 200 H&G style SWC. It has yet to disapoint me in any way.

[btroj]

The clean burning thing refuses to die. Some loads are messier or soldier than others but none are clean. Like 35 Remington said, the lube makes a bigger mess than the powder.
I have come to grips with cast loads as being messier than jacketed. I really don't care anymore as the gun stays clean enough to work for as many rounds as I can stand.

[mpbarry1]

I loaded up some 200 gr Lazercast SWC over 4.9 Gr of win 231. My buddy is wanting to shoot Bianchi Cup next year and I need a lot of practice. (More than i will probably get). Any thoughts on this load for BC? (no, I don't have a 38 super..lol). I have always loved 231, red dot too, but it is much dirtier.