*****POWDER FOR THE 45 ACP*****
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318 Posts
For handgun I use nothing but Accurate powders. Hear is a link to there reloading data.
I hope this helps.
http://www.accuratepowder.com/data/Accu ... cation.pdf
I hope this helps.
http://www.accuratepowder.com/data/Accu ... cation.pdf
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606 Posts
I don't know if the XD pistols can handle power variations or not.... I shoot 1911s, where a quick swap of the recoil spring will accommodate different loads.
All I shoot is 230 grain pills.... hollowpoints for serious stuff or round nose for target work.
I use Hodgdon Longshot for the butt-kickin' hollowpoint loads, along with a 20 lb recoil spring. Hodgdon Universal Clays for the "Standard" loads with cast/plated roundnose bullets, with a 16.5 lb recoil spring, and Hodgdon International Clays for the "Mouse Fart" loads, along with a 14 lb spring. Check the Hodgdon website for the particulars.
All I shoot is 230 grain pills.... hollowpoints for serious stuff or round nose for target work.
I use Hodgdon Longshot for the butt-kickin' hollowpoint loads, along with a 20 lb recoil spring. Hodgdon Universal Clays for the "Standard" loads with cast/plated roundnose bullets, with a 16.5 lb recoil spring, and Hodgdon International Clays for the "Mouse Fart" loads, along with a 14 lb spring. Check the Hodgdon website for the particulars.
Let me see what I have under the bench...
I seem to have Alliant Bullseye, Red Dot, American Select, Unique, Power Pistol, and Herco; Hodgdon Titegroup and Universal Clays; Winchester 231 and WSF; and some RamShot Zip. In the past I've used Alliant's Green Dot, Herco, and Blue Dot; Hodgdon Longshot and HP-38, Winchester Action Pistol and IMR 700X, 800X, and SR 4756.
The 45 ACP is pretty forgiving in powder choices, I just pick a loading that gives me something in the 800-850 fps range and try it. I most frequently use powders that double for my shotshell usage as they are also the least expensive unless I find a clearance sale or there is a rebate. I do quite large runs when I load, a 5 gallon bucket is generally a goal so cost and efficiency are large factors in my powder choice.
I have little loyalty to primers as long as they go "bang" and are not expensive. I have all the major brands and a number of lesser known ones. I work up loads every time I change powders and/or primers so I am not overly concerned in that regard. As I may run a couple thousand or more primers in an operation, doing a little testing with every lot is not a big deal in the big picture.
I seem to have Alliant Bullseye, Red Dot, American Select, Unique, Power Pistol, and Herco; Hodgdon Titegroup and Universal Clays; Winchester 231 and WSF; and some RamShot Zip. In the past I've used Alliant's Green Dot, Herco, and Blue Dot; Hodgdon Longshot and HP-38, Winchester Action Pistol and IMR 700X, 800X, and SR 4756.
The 45 ACP is pretty forgiving in powder choices, I just pick a loading that gives me something in the 800-850 fps range and try it. I most frequently use powders that double for my shotshell usage as they are also the least expensive unless I find a clearance sale or there is a rebate. I do quite large runs when I load, a 5 gallon bucket is generally a goal so cost and efficiency are large factors in my powder choice.
I have little loyalty to primers as long as they go "bang" and are not expensive. I have all the major brands and a number of lesser known ones. I work up loads every time I change powders and/or primers so I am not overly concerned in that regard. As I may run a couple thousand or more primers in an operation, doing a little testing with every lot is not a big deal in the big picture.
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63 Posts
AA #5 is a powder recommended for the 45 ACP, use a lp primer. I think there are a lot of powders to fill this load. The problem will be if you want to shoot bullets other than 230 fmj.
Jim
Jim
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13 Posts
Just got some tite group to do my first reloading for 45 acp I have winchester brass (new) hornady 230 grain fmj rn bullets federal 150 primers that I will be shooting out of a 3" colt defender. Has anyone worked up loads for tite group out of a 3" barrel?
I had a Springfield Ultra Compact which was a similar gun. The loads I found to work well with Titegroup ran in the area of 850 fps in a full sized 5" gun. I use that as a reference as that is what is used in the manuals. In my particular gun running speeds much slower began to affect feeding and ejecting so I kept them up there. Others may find much different results with slightly lower velocity being more pleasant to shoot.
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Anybody used titegroup out of a 3" barrel?
That Ultra Compact had a 3" barrel and the loads using Titegroup listed in manuals as giving roughly 850 fps in a longer 5" barrel worked very well in the shorter 3" barrel of my gun. If I used powder weights much less than that mentioned, I began having problems feeding and ejecting rounds. I seldom give actual powder weights as it is not uncommon for me to mistype, transpose, or in other ways print out an incorrect weight which could create a problem for others. Look in a manual or the powder manufacturer's website and the info should be readily found.
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Ok so barrel length should not have much affect on the loads?
I just wanted an idea of where performance would/should be for a starting load. I'm just looking for a load that will duplicate (within reason) factory 230 fmj loads. As I don't have a chrono
Thanks
I just wanted an idea of where performance would/should be for a starting load. I'm just looking for a load that will duplicate (within reason) factory 230 fmj loads. As I don't have a chrono
ThanksBarrel length can have a very large impact on velocities, the shorter the greater that impact can be. It can also depend ont he particular gun as some are "faster" or "slower" than others, even when compared to those from the same manufacturer. I had a rather large drop in velocity with my short barreled gun compared to factory or reload data but I didn't let it worry me any. I just kept the velocity at the point the gun operated properly and didn't mess with anything afterward.
Factory velocity for the 230 gr FMJ bullet is a nominal 850 fps in standard (non +P) loads as fired through a 5" barrel. There are no nominal factory rated velocities for shorter barreled guns as far as I know, except for very rare, probably non-existent, incidents the velocity will be notably lower when fired through shorter barrels. Find a load that does 850 fps in a manual as they also use a 5" barrel as a standard and you will be as close as you can get to "factory" velocity with a short barreled gun.
A warning though, many factory and manual velocities are determined with a Universal Receiver with a barrel with a minimum specification chamber and bore. This will often give higher velocities than standard guns can safely achieve and may not be representative of "real world" performance. The best bet is to buy an inexpensive chronograph or borrow one and fire a few of the normal factory loads you would use. Compare those velocities to that of your chosen load and see if you can replicate it without getting high pressure signs or running over the maximum charge. Then again, if whatever load you are using seems "good" just load and shoot that one.
Factory velocity for the 230 gr FMJ bullet is a nominal 850 fps in standard (non +P) loads as fired through a 5" barrel. There are no nominal factory rated velocities for shorter barreled guns as far as I know, except for very rare, probably non-existent, incidents the velocity will be notably lower when fired through shorter barrels. Find a load that does 850 fps in a manual as they also use a 5" barrel as a standard and you will be as close as you can get to "factory" velocity with a short barreled gun.
A warning though, many factory and manual velocities are determined with a Universal Receiver with a barrel with a minimum specification chamber and bore. This will often give higher velocities than standard guns can safely achieve and may not be representative of "real world" performance. The best bet is to buy an inexpensive chronograph or borrow one and fire a few of the normal factory loads you would use. Compare those velocities to that of your chosen load and see if you can replicate it without getting high pressure signs or running over the maximum charge. Then again, if whatever load you are using seems "good" just load and shoot that one.
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Great info!
Thanks much for your sharing your knowledge
Thanks much for your sharing your knowledge
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Thanks to Ugly Dogs advice and tutelage I worked up some loads that are hitting same point of impact as factory 230 FMJ's ended up being 4.7 Grains for me :lol: Now I really have to look at a progressive press
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Re: re: *****POWDER FOR THE 45 ACP*****
With an additional toolheads (about $15 each), an additional powder die (about $10 each), and a "caliber conversion kit" (about $15), for each additional caliber, you can leave your dies adjusted and mounted in the toolhead... all you do is switch the toolhead and shellplate, move and recalibrate the powder dispenser, and you're loading a new caliber. About a 5-minute process.
"Retired Grunt" huh? I was an 11B myself..... Infantry NCO academy at Fort Benning after AIT at Fort Polk, then a year in 'Nam as a LRRP with the Big Red One.
Go straight to a Dillon 550 and never look back.Retired_Grunt said:
With an additional toolheads (about $15 each), an additional powder die (about $10 each), and a "caliber conversion kit" (about $15), for each additional caliber, you can leave your dies adjusted and mounted in the toolhead... all you do is switch the toolhead and shellplate, move and recalibrate the powder dispenser, and you're loading a new caliber. About a 5-minute process.
"Retired Grunt" huh? I was an 11B myself..... Infantry NCO academy at Fort Benning after AIT at Fort Polk, then a year in 'Nam as a LRRP with the Big Red One.
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11C myself... 21 years! all data tells me Dillon is the way to go thanks for confirming :lol: High Angle Hell :twisted:
BTW: Thank you for your service
BTW: Thank you for your service
the thing about the 45 is so many powders work well. If you see it listed for your bullet weight in a reloading manual, it will most likely perform good. The round is a tack driver so this adds to this equation.
I do notice that my new short barrel Kimber SIS ultra likes the rounds a little hotter. Meaning i find the slide not fully locking up the next round in the chamber, not every round mind you. This must have to do with the stronger type of recoil springs that the shorter barrel 45s often have.
At first i thought the pistol just had to break in a little more. But now i think other wise. So i am reloading a little on the hot side for this one. Which really works out well, considering the shorter barrel will give less velocity than a 5 inch type model will (full size).
yesterday at the range i had came up with this conclusion by using both 230 grain FMJ in two different loads. One load had 5 grains of bullseye and the other 6.3 grains of win action pistol. bullseye load was not fully cycling all the time, which kind of upset me a little bit because i like this load alot.
by the way win action pistol is now sillouette from Ramshot, same powder. Also just read H38 (Hodgon) is the same powder as 231 (winchester) winchester is selling off some of thier powder rites or are merging so to speak. This practice has been going on for years. Hercules did it with bullseye back in the late 60s i think.
If you look at load data for a given load you will see the same grain weights across the board for both powders. This is often the first sign of the merging or selling :wink: process to another powder firm.
Sometimes you can get these powders at a reduced cost, i di this with win action pistol a couple of winters back. I was able to grab 4 1lb canisters i could have or should have bought the whole case. I think i paid 5 dollars a can. I had to go back to a the older Lee manual to find some load data. i noticed the newer book did not have it. Make a long story short i seen loads at different weights with the same amount of powder for the two. I emailed customer service or contact to Ramshot powder company. A representative was nice enough to email me back telling me yes that they now have the rites to this great powder. and it is now under the sillouette name.
I did go back to the range for the rest of that case of powder, but someone beat me to it. So discontinued does often means it was sold to one of the other powder companys. Average person tends to think that something is wrong with the stuff. In my case the owner of the gun shop was hearing that his customers could not find loading data in the revised (new) loading manuals. so as not to have the stuff laying around forever in his stock he decided to have a sale.
My advice is keep and buy older reloading manuals when you can, besides i like being well read for this reloading hobby of ours.
Take care everyone, happy reloading, Jack
I do notice that my new short barrel Kimber SIS ultra likes the rounds a little hotter. Meaning i find the slide not fully locking up the next round in the chamber, not every round mind you. This must have to do with the stronger type of recoil springs that the shorter barrel 45s often have.
At first i thought the pistol just had to break in a little more. But now i think other wise. So i am reloading a little on the hot side for this one. Which really works out well, considering the shorter barrel will give less velocity than a 5 inch type model will (full size).
yesterday at the range i had came up with this conclusion by using both 230 grain FMJ in two different loads. One load had 5 grains of bullseye and the other 6.3 grains of win action pistol. bullseye load was not fully cycling all the time, which kind of upset me a little bit because i like this load alot.
by the way win action pistol is now sillouette from Ramshot, same powder. Also just read H38 (Hodgon) is the same powder as 231 (winchester) winchester is selling off some of thier powder rites or are merging so to speak. This practice has been going on for years. Hercules did it with bullseye back in the late 60s i think.
If you look at load data for a given load you will see the same grain weights across the board for both powders. This is often the first sign of the merging or selling :wink: process to another powder firm.
Sometimes you can get these powders at a reduced cost, i di this with win action pistol a couple of winters back. I was able to grab 4 1lb canisters i could have or should have bought the whole case. I think i paid 5 dollars a can. I had to go back to a the older Lee manual to find some load data. i noticed the newer book did not have it. Make a long story short i seen loads at different weights with the same amount of powder for the two. I emailed customer service or contact to Ramshot powder company. A representative was nice enough to email me back telling me yes that they now have the rites to this great powder. and it is now under the sillouette name.
I did go back to the range for the rest of that case of powder, but someone beat me to it. So discontinued does often means it was sold to one of the other powder companys. Average person tends to think that something is wrong with the stuff. In my case the owner of the gun shop was hearing that his customers could not find loading data in the revised (new) loading manuals. so as not to have the stuff laying around forever in his stock he decided to have a sale.
My advice is keep and buy older reloading manuals when you can, besides i like being well read for this reloading hobby of ours.
Take care everyone, happy reloading, Jack
Dear "wwb "
Don't know what you've been smokin'; The Dillion Conversion Kits ain't $15:
Current cost is $41.95 + SH.
Check it out at:
http://www.dillonprecision.com/#/conten ... ersion_Kit
You're right 'bout the 550B; a good ma-cheen.
Uglydog.
You are right about the 800 ft/sec range. And for practice 200 g. is much more comfy than the "full house" 230 FMJ's
Lester
Don't know what you've been smokin'; The Dillion Conversion Kits ain't $15:
Current cost is $41.95 + SH.
Check it out at:
http://www.dillonprecision.com/#/conten ... ersion_Kit
You're right 'bout the 550B; a good ma-cheen.
Uglydog.
You are right about the 800 ft/sec range. And for practice 200 g. is much more comfy than the "full house" 230 FMJ's
Lester
Re: re: *****POWDER FOR THE 45 ACP*****
I have a Para Wart Hog, and took some hand loads I had for a full size 1911 that was 5.9grns of titegroup under a 185grn HP. In my oppionon this combination performed excellet. I will post pics of the 15 shot group when I get home tonight.Retired_Grunt said:
Re: re: *****POWDER FOR THE 45 ACP*****
Here is the target i mentioned i would post... Also I added the bullets I recovered out of the ground, the one on the far right was shot into a piece of hard wood. Did these hollow point not expand due to over crimping? ThanksRetired_Grunt said:
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