I`ve been using 700-X powder for reloading my S&W 1911 .45 w/230 LRN made from WW`s. I`m having good results. I would just like to hear everone elses favorite powders. This is the first powder I`ve tried with this new pistol. I would like to shoot for accuracy, not speed necessarily.
It used to be bullseye, now it's Clays.
Clean is the name of the game for 1911 and other browning type pistols, unburned powder grains in the locking lug area wear the gun and make it not work as long between cleanings, the cleaner the better, the best used to be bullseye, now it's clays.
Bill
Both ends WHAT a player
I found it written on Stone tablets when I was shooting bullseye.
3.5 grains Bullseye behind a 200 grain SWC, preferable like an H&G #68.
I have tried clays, it is cleaner, but doesn't seem to measure as well for me. To each his own.
Your gonna love that 45!
I bounce back and forth between Unique, and Bullseye. I guess I'll have to give Clays a try one of these days.
The new cleaner burning powders from Alliant are better then the old ones. Alot of the mess is the lube with cast bullet, this combined with the what residue the burned powder leaves a mess, in any type of handgun. I still love Unique and Bullseyes, but find myself using alot of Winchester 231, now that powder isn't too dirty burning.
Joe
For powder puff Bullseye loads, Bullseye or Clays both work great, particularly with the H&G #130 or Lyman 452460, (185-190 grainers). For more "normal" loads, which might be called upon to knock down a steel plate or ten, my last 16 pounds was titegroup. It looks like my next 24 pounds are gonna be surplus 231. Both of these pushing 200 grainers. For "serious" loads I like a casefull of Blue Dot behind a 230 grain BDacp. 'Course I'm biased. The main thing to get accuracy from a 1911 is volume. Somewhere in the next 5,000 rounds the accuracy will come. Find the front sight and squeeze! BD
There are lots of powders that work great in the .45. I am finishing up a keg of WW452 that I used to use for shotgun, it meters great, is real clean, but isnt produced anymore, its probably my favorite for the .45. I shoot .45acp in IDPA, ISPC, and SC competitions and go through lots of powder. I used 231 for almost 10 years, meters real well, I went to Clays, which I couldnt believe how much cleaner it is than 231, when I finish out the 452 I'll be back with Clays. Now if we could find a clean burning lube.....
I have been using Bullseye in the 45 ACP since about 1961. I have never tied up a pistol with powder or lube residue. I think all this stuff about clean burning powder and it's benefits is just a bunch of horse feathers.
If you clean you pistol, as you should, it will give you no poblems with Bullseye. If you don't take care of your pistol, then you can't expect it to take care of you, no matter what powder is in the case.
A few years ago, when my 452 powder ran out, I went to Winchester
Super Target in 12 gauge and 45 Auto. Loved it then and now. The recoil even feels different from the faster powders, much softer. The load I used in those days always burned clean, functioned well, and measured well. It also made major caliber with consistent velocity.
pecos
Charger,
I always used Bullseye, and like you it never gave me any problems....Clays is just a bit cleaner, and gives you more rounds to the pound. 4.3 grains of Clays does what 5.0 of bullseye does, and it fills the case more.
I tried every other powder there was at 4.0 grains of bullseye velocity and they all left unburned powder, that was before they came out with clays. 231 at that velocity was one of the dirtiest of them,must be it cleans up at higher velocities and pressures.
Bill
Both ends WHAT a player
700-X is a good .45 powder. The longstanding bullseye record (I believe 2680) was shot with it. I have shot them all extensively in testing and have settled on 3.6 of Clays behind a 200 Gr. flat based H&G 68 using a 13 lb. recoil spring on a scoped gun with a Kart barrel. I am working with it in my unscoped gun I just had built and it looks like I will be going down to about 3.0 of Clays in that gun with a 12 lb. spring. WST gives extremely low SD and lighter recoil than the rest. Tightgoup, while acurate, seemed to have the most recoil. Bullseye gave the most "blast" but recoil was on par with Clays.
Beau
At one with the gun.
well i'll be different. i shot 45acp in ipsc. a 230 rn at 790/800 fps. it took 4.6 gr of AA2. metered excellent and with the surplus version(102) available it would appear to be inexpensive too.
only accurate rifles are interesting
Just reading through all the posts in this thread, what strikes me is the wonderful flexibility and tolerance the .45 ACP cartridge allows.
It simply WORKS with almost any reasonably-qualified powder we care to use!
I've been handloading the round with cast bullets for about forty years now, and a wide variety of powders and burning rates have been used in my loads. They all reliably functioned the various guns, they all gave at least decent accuracy, and they all were useful powders in other cartridges as well, which last is important when living at the end of a multi-thousand-mile supply line in the far North.
I do cherish the .45 ACP....thanks, John Moses Browning!
Regards from BruceB in Nevada
"The .30'06 is never a mistake." - Colonel Townsend Whelen
Bullseye,Bullseye,Bullseye for me in the .45 and .38. A few years back I owned a Ransom Rest and tried 700x,231 and BE in my .45 and K38. They all shot very well but Bullseye is slightly better in my guns so it is what I load. Clays was not around at the time so it did not get in the trials. Nick
I too use AA#2 surplus for a really inexpensive round in IDPA shooting. Other action pistol shooters at my club like Promo. Clays is also popular. Malfunctions come mostly from bad brass (amerc) or people new to reloading (operator errors).
Like Horton the Elephant..I am faithful..100%. I don't fornicate and fool around with strange and different powders. When I started loading for handguns in the late 1950's, Bullseye, Unique and 2400 were the powders of choice and IMHO still are. I have flirted with AA5 and AA5..but have made no deep commitment to them.
It takes years to know the ins and outs of a good woman and a good powder. I am not looking for surpises in my powder or my woman. So I will stick with The Beloved Redhead, BE, Unique and 2400 and the rest of you yae-hoos can chase after strange women and strange powders.
Just don't say the old man didn't warn ya!!!
Charger
Don't feel alone as those powders you mentioned are my favorites too and I still use them almost exclusively.
Joe
Well I have been re-reading "Sixguns by Keith" and when 2400 hit the streets Elmer was quick to test and embrace it.
Alliant has been playing around anyway and Unique and the others soon will not be what they once were.
I have not yet stocked pistol powders in 8lb kegs so it is decision time....and for buying in bulk Clays and Universal will replace Bullseye and Unique for me, I will still stock the old favorites in 1 lb containers.
Bill
Both ends WHAT a player
This may be surprising , but I got my best accuracy with HP38 in 45ACP. I use to load Bullseye and AA#5, but as I now get department issue rounds i don't really reload the APC much anymore.
Originally Posted by Ken O
Ken, I have an unopened 8# keg of WW452 and was wondering if I could find a good load for some of my pistol calibers; would you mind sharing your favorite .45 ACP loads with this powder?
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