Powder for .45 ACP? (High bulk?)

[bogie]

Okay - I know a certain shooter who is getting ready to load for the .45... What powder can be used so that a double-charge will be readily apparent?

 

[Poodleshooter]

Unique or Universal Clays are both suitable. Probably others as well.

 

[Calif. Hunter]

Blue Dot. Herco. (But those aren't what I use - I use Titegroup and a double charge would seem obvious to me since it fills so little of the case.)

 

[MoNsTeR]

Clays and 700-X.

You can cross reference load charts with the Lee Auto Disk manual (http://www.leeprecision.com/instruct/data/AD2302.pdf), which correlates charge weights with volumes, to find a powder with the bulk you're looking for.

 

[mparris71]

.45

AA #5 measures well also.

 

[Paul "Fitz" Jones]

Best powder

The best powder for my 45 in 185 gr., 200gr. amd 230 gr. was always ww231. A double charge is caused by not reading the instructions for your loader more than once and inattention to what you are doing when charging your cases no matter the kind of machine.

Tt takes 9 to 10 grains of bullseye to ruin an issue GI 45.

Pay attention to what you are doing.

Paul Jones

 

[bogie]

Well, I know that people get stupid occasionally, and since the guy is starting out, and we want to ensure that he maintains possession of all fingers, eyes and facial features, I'm wondering if there are any loads where the powder will actually spill out of the case if double-charged. I mean, _my_ favorite powders for the .45 are Unique and surplus AA5, but they don't really fill the case all that well.

 

[Mike Irwin]

Unique is probably the highest bulk powder that's commonly used for .45.

 

[MoNsTeR]

Using the density data in the Lee chart I linked above, I've made spreadsheets of loads sorted by volume. I have complete charts in 9mm and .38Spl, but have only completed a page for 230gr FMJ for .45ACP.

Based on powder makers' listed max loads, the top ten bulkiest powders in descending order are:
IMR SR4756
IMR 800-X
VV N350
Alliant Blue Dot
Accurate S1000
VV N340
Accurate #7
Alliant Red Dot
Alliant Herco
Alliant Green Dot

In case anyone wondered, the bottom five (bulkiest to densest) are:
Alliant Bullseye
Winchester 231
Accurate #2
Hodgdon HP-38
Hodgdon Titegroup

A double charge of Titegroup occupies almost exactly the same volume as a single charge of SR4756.

 

[Calif. Hunter]

That is why I only use Titegroup and only 1 charge weight in .45 ACP - I know what the charge looks like and a double charge is pretty obvious. I've tried a lot of powders, and Titegroup is economical, clean burning and accurate - it measures almost like a liquid.

 

[cheygriz]

My loads fit your description, but they may not be for you. I shoot most of my .45 loads in a Glock 21, with a heavier than normal spring.

My powder of choice for .45 ACP is HS-6. My loads are +P. They are fairly clean, quite accurate and hard hitting.

HS-6 bulks up very well, but it's very slow burning and requires +P pressures to burn cleanly and consistently.

If you don't want to load +P, try Unique, Power Pistol or Universal.

 

[Kimber Kid]

bogie, what you didn't tell us is your friend using a single stage or a progressive loader and are they practice loads? Using a powder that overflows the case with a double charge is expensive as it takes more powder for a single charge. Powders this slow are usually not well suited for the 45 ACP. The problem with fast burning powders is they can be spikey and pressure can spike suddenly without any warning even with a single charge. If single stage reloading is whats going on. Throw all the charges and while in a reloading block simply inspect each case under a good light. For progressive I keep a flashlite handy when using my Dillon. A double charge will most often occure after a problem in the process, a primer didn't fall or a split case was discovered, etc. Something that disrupts the rythum. While reloading the operator shouldn't be distracted, and sober is a good idea as well. The 45 ACP is a low pressure round and this fact has saved a lot of bacon and guns. A recoil buffer is a cheap piece of insurance.

 

[1badmagnum]

I have been using wc820 surplus powder from jeff at gibrass

10 grains under a 230 grain speer jhp using cci 350 magnum primers.

this charge fills the case more than half full and the performance is just as good as titegroup except that titegroup uses less powder,but at $10 per pound the wc820 is very versatile.