What is the best bullet for 45 ACP

[jackley]

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.

[Adam10mm]

For doing what?

[jwp475]

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


http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d62/jwp475/TestingCarryAmmo001.jpg


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

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d62/jwp475/TestingCarryAmmo004.jpg

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


http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d62/jwp475/CardoorPenetration004.jpg


The XPB loads are also very accurate as well


http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d62/jwp475/Huntington1911AndDPSGoldDotAccuracy.jpg

[jackley]

For doing what?

For doing everything. Just one bullet.

[jackley]

Good info jwp475.

Thanks Jerry

[redneckdan]

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.

[jwp475]

Results from a hard barrier test use Oak plywoood


The Plywood

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d62/jwp475/HardwoodPenetration001.jpg


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


http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d62/jwp475/HardwoodPenetration002.jpg


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

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d62/jwp475/HardwoodPenetration007.jpg

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


http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d62/jwp475/HardwoodPenetration009.jpg

Back side of 4th board


http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d62/jwp475/HardwoodPenetration013.jpg

[35remington]

"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.

[jwp475]

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)

[crabo]

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

[MT Gianni]

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

[35remington]

"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.

[miestro_jerry]

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

[dale2242]

Lyman 452460 200 gr.SWC.

[Ringo]

i shoot 200gr SWC for everything. Titegroup powder.
Ray

[Bret4207]

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.

[9.3X62AL]

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.

[Four Fingers of Death]

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.

[Ringo]

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.

[wiljen]

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.

[walnutred]

Since your original question asked about cast boolits I have to agre with the 200gn SWC crowd. Though at this time I am using a Lee mold.