What powder do you suggest for 45 ACP for a new reloader?

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I've got to vote for the old standby, Unique.:D Maybe rcmodel will chime in here, he's been reloading forever, and he swears by Unique. I've been loading 40 S&W with Unique, my only pistol powder, the stuff works!:)
 
I like W231 it meters excellent in all three measures I have. I have a lee auto disk pro on a turret, Hornady LNL, and a RCBS Uniflow. Becareful of Bullseye because it only meters well in the Uniflow powder measure which means single stage reloading for me if I use it. I mainly have the single stage RCBS setup just for more precision rifle loads. My handgun rounds usually get loaded through the Hornady or the Lee Turret.
 
i have loaded a lot of rounds of 45 acp with aa#7. but i have tinkered with a few other powders as well. some burn cleaner, but aa#7 seems to give me the best velocity. i am honestly not a good enough shot to determine how much difference (if any) a powder has on accuracy.
 
I use Unique for a few reason. You can bet just about any one who sells powder will stock it unless they are sold out. It is fairly cheap. It burns real clean. Lastly safety if some how you manage to accidently double charge 6.5-7gr of unique your case will be filled all the way to the top and I dont think the bullet will seat.
AA7 works good for 45ACP+P type loads because it burns a little slow for standard 45ACP loads.
 
6g Unique 230g FMJ. Unique is a great powder when used to near max. Light loads tend to be dirty. I like Unique for all pistols to 44 mag. You can use it for nice medium +357/44mag loads as well as 38'and 40's. It pretty much covers all the bases. There are powders that can push the 45 faster than unique but for every day shooting, IDPA, and having fun at the range, and training why beat up your gun?
 
power pistol

200 gr lswc
7.3 gr power pistol
cci large pistol primer
love the fireball muzzle flash!!!
 
I too was wondering why no one mentioned accurate arms #2.

I plan on firing my reloads from my taurus pt 145. Its barrel is just over 3 inches.

My bud who reloads suggested AA#2 over AA #7.

any opinions?
 
Well Im going to start :)
Reason being I used it on 9mm & 38super in the past.
I also notice it is right below bullseye on the burn rate charts.
I loved Bullseye for 45 target but it was always so dirty I stopped using it.
Now that I am going back to reloading after years off I want to get one powder for 9mm & 45 so I thought AA#2
We Will see
 
AA #2 works very well in .45 ACP with plated bullets. It's very clean, accurate, and gives really good ES & SD numbers. Meters like a dream.
 
I have just started loading for the .45, my first load is 5.3 grs. Unique pushing a 230 gr. Cast RN. It works awesome in my new .45 Witness Match,
not one hiccup out of the box.
Floydster:)
 
lone-gunman, Don't care when you started it, apparently it's such a good topic it just keeps on goin' and goin' and goin'!!:D Matter of fact my local is out of hp38 and win 231 (been out for 2 weeks now) and reading this thread helped me pick another to load with! thanks!

aj b
 
Here are my results with AA#2 in .45 ACP:

3" barrel, 230 gr. Win RNFMJ

4.5 gr, 699 fps, SD=10 fps, IDPA power factor=160655
5.0 gr, 765 fps, SD=9 fps, IDPA PF=175950
5.5 gr, 818 fps, SD=9 fps, IDPA PF=188178
6.1 gr, 885 fps, SD=7 gps, IDPA PF=203550

5" barrel, 230 gr. Win RNFMJ

5.5 gr, 865 fps, SD=12 fps, IDPA PF=199027

Currently working on loads for LRN.
 
i went ahead and placed my powder orders for a little variation..

lb each of AA#2, bullseye, red dot, titegroup, w231

Figure i can try and learn which one my lil pee shooter likes best :)
 
Standard to full power loads use Unique or powder with similar burn rate like Universal, SR7625 or AA#5. For target loads go with something faster like W231, Hp38, Bullseye, Red Dot, Green Dot, Clays, AA#2, Zip, etc.

I've tried Power Pistol in the .45 but it never did anything Unique didn't do better. Its great for high pressure 9mm for which it was designed but IMO not so good in the lower pressure .45 acp.
 
45acp loads

Hey Guys, new here, but I've been reloading awhile...I shoot plates, and target mostly, and I will agree with 95% of the crowd that NOTHING shoots softer than clays...until NOW...I have been playing with Trail Boss, and it is a plate shooters dream...if you think Clays is soft, you gotta try Trail Boss...It prefers a heavy Bullet..230 grain with 4.5gr of powder, or 5.2-5.4 gr of powder with a 185gr...no possible chance of a double charge as it fills the case completley...If you don't try it, you are missing out....simply unbelievable.
 
New to this as well, and started out with Hodgdon HP-38 because I couldn't find W231. They are supposedly identical. After a few hundred rounds with HP-38, I switched to W231 and found that it looks the same, meters the same and burns just as clean. My reloads with 5.3g to 5.5g of either powder under a Zero 230g FMJ leave less residue than factory WWB and Blazer Brass 230g FMJ.

I'm reloading .45 ACP for about half the cost of factory ammo at WalMart. It could be cheaper if I cast my own, but that's not an option due to my polygonal barrel and a range that doesn't allow non-jacketed ammo.
 
+1 on Titegroup. I used to use W231, but this is more accurate and cleaner. No real complaints either way. I also use Unique, but for other rounds.

I've found that Titegroup is fine for both 9mm and .45.
 
Hello all. Not only new to reloading, but, as you might also notice or have noticed, I'm new to this forum as well.

And Lone gunman, glad you asked this question as I'm new to reloading.

I will be loading Hornady .451 230gr. HP-XTP (got 1000 of them for only the shipping, $21.95 when I bought the Hornady LNL AP Press).

I bought only a pound of Unique and up until this thread, didn't think twice about it and unless something happened or came up, planned on buying more. But now, now, it looks like I'll be needing to also try W231. If I were to or if I ever decide to load lead bullets, I'll then try Bullseye.

Another thing I'd like to ask is, what primers are you guys purring behind your preferred powders?

You guys using CCI? Winchester? Remington? Something else maybe? Anyone using a magnum primer? Now, remember, I'm new to reloading and am pretty much teaching myself. But I have read magnum primers can be used and can work in and or with some applications/recipes.

Look forward to your input and replies regarding the primers.

Again, Lone Gunman, thanks again for asking the question way back when...
 
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