Want to Start Building a 45ACP "Woods" Load

[Catshooter]

You're welcome Johnny. The only experience I have with a round flat bullet is a 240 grain design called a BD 45. Was a group buy off of CastBoolits. Excellent bullet. The way it is designed is just as soon as the bullet starts curving out of the case it's diameter starts reducing. So I doubt it would engage the rifling. The BD doesn't. Probably work, but there's only one way to find out and that's try.

I know just what you mean about what a fine field pistol the 1911 is. I used one for years, for both carry and field. I've gone to a Smith & Wesson Shorty 45. It is wonderful, but they tend to be scarce & expensive.

I say go for the 1911, despite the nay-sayers. Try it! You might not like it, but it may serve you very well.


Cat

 

[OregonJohnny]

I say go for the 1911, despite the nay-sayers. Try it! You might not like it, but it may serve you very well.

My S&W 1911 was the first gun I ever bought myself. I own many other handguns, but I always come back to the 1911, since it fits my hand so well, and spits out that nice fat .451 bullet!

I think a steel-framed, full-size 1911, with a stainless finish, shooting heavy hardcast .45 caliber bullets is just about the perfect semi-auto general purpose field pistol. My hand has never liked Glocks, and a new 10mm 1911 is out of the question at this point, so I'd like to experiment in trying to make my old trusty S&W 1911 a decent trail gun.

 

[grubbylabs]

I still think you are on the right path and will soon find what you want. After shooting my 44 and 45 cal cast bullets side by side, I think you will have plenty of gun. Like I said my 270 grain bullet going around 1,200 fps penetrated just as far as my 45 cal 230grainers did at just over 800fps and 10 yards closer. They are shoulder less and have the same profile of a hollow point.

 

[35 Whelen]

Hey Johnny,
Like PapaG I have one of the old 45 Auto magazines that were printed back in the early '80's. They had an article on heavy bullet loads in the 45. About the time these magazines came out, Dad gave a Colt Series 70 Gov't Model.
I quickly set about trying these loads. I even ran a few Hornady .458" 300 gr. HP's through a .451" sizing die and loaded them! But the load I finally settled on was a 255 gr. Keith SWC with a forgotten charge of Blue Dot (seems like it might have been 8.5 grs. Start at about 7.0 and work up). At any rate, the load ran this bullet something over 900 fps and muzzle flip was quite noticeable. It was however extremely accurate. I remember one particular 100 yd. group that was right around 7". Not bad for a bone stock Colt.
Regarding feeding, I polished the ramp of my pistol which helped some, but the best thing I did was install a stout 20 lb. spring which eliminated all my feeding issues.
And by the way, my Colt survived my teenage experimental handloading years including my short passion with really heavy bullets, and is as tight and accurate today as it ever was. For those who think these loads will wreck a 1911, I'd remind them that these aren't everyday plinking loads, rather something a fella would shoot in developing, them carry them only for use in an extreme situation. And besides, 1911's are tough handguns.

35W

 

[Ridgerunner665]

On Alliant's online reloading guide, for standard 45ACP, they state 8.1 grains of Power Pistol will move a 230-gr. TMJ at 916 f/s from a 4.4" barrel. So from a 5" 1911, that might do 925-950.

Alliants top end loads on the website are +P...I was told that via email by Allaint when I was researching 45 Super. (also, Speer supplies their reloading data)

And the 230 TMJ you mention above...That bullet is easy to get going fast, its because of the jacket...DO NOT use data for that bullet with another bullet of the same weight...I got that info from a custom ammo maker (weshoot2)

If you want heavy bullets to move fast out of a 45acp....find you some Power Pistol, and use that Hornady flat point you mentioned above...work up slow, but 7.6 grains of Power Pistol will get you all the power and penetration you need from a 45acp.

 

[OregonJohnny]

If you want heavy bullets to move fast out of a 45acp....find you some Power Pistol, and use that Hornady flat point you mentioned above...work up slow, but 7.6 grains of Power Pistol will get you all the power and penetration you need from a 45acp.

Yeah, I'm thinking the Hornady 230-grain FMJ-FP is a good compromise between straight line penetration and proven weight and feeding profiles for .45ACP semi-auto platforms (not to mention the amount of load data compared to the heavy bullets).

All my local shops carry the XTP and the FMJ-RN. I'd have to order the FMJ-FP online, which makes it a little costly.

 

[Catshooter]

Johnny remember that when you're near/at the top you don't want to swap jacketed for lead. The hardest lead is way softer than the softest copper. Lead bullets operate at lower pressures than jacketed, all else being equal.


Cat

 

[Paladin38-40]

215 grain cast SWC .452

Take a look at Magnus #807 Bowling Pin bullet http://www.magnusbullets.com
"Yes they feed" so says Magnus.

I am using them in a .45 Colt revolver, but have not tried them in my 1911 yet. I can say the accuracy is good.

 

[OregonJohnny]

Johnny remember that when you're near/at the top you don't want to swap jacketed for lead. The hardest lead is way softer than the softest copper. Lead bullets operate at lower pressures than jacketed, all else being equal.

You got it, I'm always careful about triple-checking my data and making sure I'm using the exact components that the data states.

Take a look at Magnus #807 Bowling Pin bullet http://www.magnusbullets.com
"Yes they feed" so says Magnus.

I am using them in a .45 Colt revolver, but have not tried them in my 1911 yet. I can say the accuracy is good.

That's definitely a unique bullet. No defined crimp groove, a very small tapered front driving band - but only 225 grains. If it were more like 250 grains, it would be close to perfect for what I'm looking for.

So now it begs the question - does anyone cast a 250-260 grain .452 bullet, either SWC or RNFP, without a crimp groove, specifically designed for the .45 ACP?

 

[Catshooter]

"So now it begs the question - does anyone cast a 250-260 grain .452 bullet, either SWC or RNFP, without a crimp groove, specifically designed for the .45 ACP? "

You can!


Cat

 

[grubbylabs]

If you go to the castboolits web site you could possibly find some one willing to sell or share some bullets.

For casting I got set up to cast my first bullets for under two hundred I think.

I bought a Lee 20# bottom pour pot $65.00

Lee mold $20.00 Midway does have a Lee 255 grain mold listed that might work for you

Lee sizing die $20.00

You can also order a custom mold from a maker in Utah for about $100.00 depending on what you want. If you send an email to Tom at Accurate molds and explain to him just what you want and how you intend to use it he will help you design or pick a mold that will suit your needs.

By the way, it only costs me about 2.50 per box of 50 for my 45 and 44mag plinkers. I use just under 6 grains of Unique in both.

 

[zeke]

Have gotten 850 fps from 5 in 45 with the Lee 255 lrnfp and unique. The Lee bullet has a lesser dia in front of the cannulure, allowing it to be seated out further than the standard 255 lrnfp cowboy mold. This is largely dependent on how your particular barrel is throated. The Lee bullet has a rather large meplat. Would be very wary going over 5.5 grains unique, even with the longer COL possibly allowed by the LEE bullet. While the load was very accurate, wouldn't be using it for a target load unless you drop the velocity down to about 780 fps.

The BD 45 230 grain is another good option, although the first version's meplat may large enough to cause feeding difficulties. Seem to recall other 225-230 lrnfp available in the past?

You can also throat a barrel (talking aboiut extending the lede (spelling) to the rifling from chamber), allowing 255 grainers to be seated out further.

Just an opinion, but it worked for me.