What powder do you suggest for 45 ACP for a new reloader?
- Thread starter Lone_Gunman
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LiveLife
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LeadSpitter, welcome to THR.
For 230 gr 45ACP, I use 5.0 gr of W231/HP38 (same powder) with Winchester LP primer (during the primer shortage, I have also used Wolf LP primers with good results).
For 230 gr 45ACP, I use 5.0 gr of W231/HP38 (same powder) with Winchester LP primer (during the primer shortage, I have also used Wolf LP primers with good results).
I also use Bullseye for 45ACP with good results, but for lead 230 gr RN and 200 gr SWC/RN bullets, I prefer 5.0 gr of W231/HP38 and the load produces no leading in barrels shooting Missouri Bullets at 18 BHN.
Fishslayer
Member
Wow. 4+ years for this thread. Somebody's been using the "search."
I started loading last year & found Bullseye has lots of data available and the powder itself is also available locally. Something to consider here in the People's Republik. I don't like the idea of spending $20 hazmat fee for a few pounds of powder that's probly backordered anyway.
Bullseye's been around longer than this thread... or ME, for that matter...
The downside is the same as one of the upsides. It's a dense powder, a little goes a long way. This means you can also let a double charge slip by if you're not paying attention.
I started loading last year & found Bullseye has lots of data available and the powder itself is also available locally. Something to consider here in the People's Republik. I don't like the idea of spending $20 hazmat fee for a few pounds of powder that's probly backordered anyway.
Bullseye's been around longer than this thread... or ME, for that matter...
The downside is the same as one of the upsides. It's a dense powder, a little goes a long way. This means you can also let a double charge slip by if you're not paying attention.
RealGun
Member
When I had the same question, the answer was "whatever was available locally" that showed a proven load in one of the manuals. Buy one pound and go from there. The really popular stuff will be sold out, most likely, but there are many powders that work well. I also followed advice from sales people but was on full alert trying to judge whether they would know. Turns out both were reloaders themselves and well accustomed to substituting powders based on availability.
Another baseline is the mil standard load of 5.0 gr of Bullseye. That is actually what I use and enjoy working with from a reloading perspective. I had to special order it in quantity, 8 pounds of Bullseye and 8 pounds of Power Pistol. I am not planning to pay another hazmat fee for a long time but it took me a while to be confident of my choices.
I am sure there are other good ones, but again it was partly what was available to special order. I will never use W231 for example, because it is too popular and hard to find. I am not tied to the pet loads for lead bullets, so I can let others chase W231.
Another baseline is the mil standard load of 5.0 gr of Bullseye. That is actually what I use and enjoy working with from a reloading perspective. I had to special order it in quantity, 8 pounds of Bullseye and 8 pounds of Power Pistol. I am not planning to pay another hazmat fee for a long time but it took me a while to be confident of my choices.
I am sure there are other good ones, but again it was partly what was available to special order. I will never use W231 for example, because it is too popular and hard to find. I am not tied to the pet loads for lead bullets, so I can let others chase W231.
LiveLife
Member
Powder Valley currently has W231 ($116/8 lbs) and HP38 ($108/8 lbs) in stock (same exact powder).
If you reload, you can check with other reloaders at the range and do a group buy to decrease the HazMat/Shipping cost 2, 3, 4 or more ways. Most will jump at the offer as they can order the powder(s) they want/need.
With about $12 shared cost of HazMat/Shipping cost, 8 lbs of HP38 came to $120 or $15/lb.
If you are unable to locate W231/HP38 locally, I have been recommending Green Dot as a close substitute with the recoil/accuracy comparable to W231/HP38 (you just need to use 0.2-0.3 gr more per round, but it costs less). I find that Green Dot is readily available at just about all the gun/reloading supply stores and like W231/HP38, meters very well.
If you reload, you can check with other reloaders at the range and do a group buy to decrease the HazMat/Shipping cost 2, 3, 4 or more ways. Most will jump at the offer as they can order the powder(s) they want/need.
With about $12 shared cost of HazMat/Shipping cost, 8 lbs of HP38 came to $120 or $15/lb.
If you are unable to locate W231/HP38 locally, I have been recommending Green Dot as a close substitute with the recoil/accuracy comparable to W231/HP38 (you just need to use 0.2-0.3 gr more per round, but it costs less). I find that Green Dot is readily available at just about all the gun/reloading supply stores and like W231/HP38, meters very well.
Redneck with a 40
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I'd go with unique, very versatile powder that you can't go wrong with. Its a little on the dirty side, but so what, you clean you're guns right?
Hondo 60
Member
From Hodgdon: Titegroup, W231 or Universal
or AA#5.
Started using Titegroup for .38 special, .357 Magnum & 45 Colt because that's what the store had.
or AA#5.
Started using Titegroup for .38 special, .357 Magnum & 45 Colt because that's what the store had.
LeadSpitter
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Thanks for the welcome and input bds.
Yea, I think I'm going to also pick me up some W231. Like I said, I already have a pound of Unique, so, I know I'll be using it as well. But, I want to find something that works well in my SW1911PD and my service model XD, both of which are obviously ,45acp.
This reply is to fishslayer. FWIW- I don't know who, why or when this thread was resurrected from the deep murky depths of the archives, but when I googled "best powder for .45acp", it was one of many that came up, and I just clicked on it. lol
Again, for fishslayer, after further review, I guess I'm the culprit who resurrected this thread. LMAO Like I said, I googled "best powder for .45acp", and it came up and I clicked on it. I started reading, got to the end of the posts and had to chime in. Didn't even think to or bother to look at the date. lol
So, I'll take the lashings. lol
Yea, I think I'm going to also pick me up some W231. Like I said, I already have a pound of Unique, so, I know I'll be using it as well. But, I want to find something that works well in my SW1911PD and my service model XD, both of which are obviously ,45acp.
This reply is to fishslayer. FWIW- I don't know who, why or when this thread was resurrected from the deep murky depths of the archives, but when I googled "best powder for .45acp", it was one of many that came up, and I just clicked on it. lol
Again, for fishslayer, after further review, I guess I'm the culprit who resurrected this thread. LMAO Like I said, I googled "best powder for .45acp", and it came up and I clicked on it. I started reading, got to the end of the posts and had to chime in. Didn't even think to or bother to look at the date. lol
So, I'll take the lashings. lol
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The Bushmaster
Member
Another powder that does well with the shorter barrels on .45 ACP's is WSF. 185 grain JHP bullet over 7.7 grains works very well in my 3" .45 ACP
Leadspitter, I've put about a thousand rounds down range with my SA XD45ACP 5" using varying charges of Unique and the 230gr LRN "Softball" from Missouri Bullets. In those 1k rounds, I tried a full spectrum of charges...so low they were stovepiping to so high that I won't repeat them here for liability's sake I was never able to fully eliminate leading sadly. I just picked up a pound of HP38 from a local retailer and hope to see better results.
Although Unique shot accurately and reliably, in conjunction with the lube MBC uses on their bullets, I had *a lot* of fouling and "gum" in my slide. A freshly cleaned gun would be fouled so badly after 100 rounds that my chamber indicator would be stuck in the "chamber loaded" position until I dropped it's pin and used a pick to clean out the crap. Yuck!
I was never able to fully eliminate leading sadly. I just picked up a pound of HP38 from a local retailer and hope to see better results. Although Unique shot accurately and reliably, in conjunction with the lube MBC uses on their bullets, I had *a lot* of fouling and "gum" in my slide. A freshly cleaned gun would be fouled so badly after 100 rounds that my chamber indicator would be stuck in the "chamber loaded" position until I dropped it's pin and used a pick to clean out the crap. Yuck!
Twenty years ago I would have said Unique. Period.
Now, I would say 231/HP38 or AA2.
I have had squirrely pressure spikes with Clays and TightGroup as I approached max. Be careful.
Other powders that have been good are Competition, WST, PB, Zip, and AA5.
If you want to work more with ball loads (military duplicate loads), I would look at WSL, Unique, Universal, N330, Power Pistol, and Silhouette (was WAP)
Now, I would say 231/HP38 or AA2.
I have had squirrely pressure spikes with Clays and TightGroup as I approached max. Be careful.
Other powders that have been good are Competition, WST, PB, Zip, and AA5.
If you want to work more with ball loads (military duplicate loads), I would look at WSL, Unique, Universal, N330, Power Pistol, and Silhouette (was WAP)
gunslinger720
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use unique for target loads in a 44 mag I can see but for hunting loads Unique will never get you to velocities for distance or larger game than a smaller animal. I've been shooting the 44 mag for Hunting and Target also and with 19.0 grains of 2400 behind a 240 grain Hornady hp-xtp, a 240 grn Gold dot or a Hard cast Keith style SWC ( all depending on what game I'm going for) but H-110, Win. 296 (now alliant) LiL Gun, AA #9,Blue Dot or even Imr 4227 is by far hunting Powders over unique. God forbid you come upon a black or Grizzley Bear as all you'll do is piss him off. I started Reloading in 1972 and have an entire room in my home devoted to loading with manuels going back as far as 1965 ( My Step Father was a commercial reloader with star Progressives all through the basement. I just have Dillons and Rockchuckers ( for testing loads I'm Developing) but Honestly for target I can agree that Unique is a decent Powder for 44's but for Hunting I'd rethink my decision about unique, and I use and have used just about every make and model of 44's with the longest bbl being a 7 1/2" Ruger BH but have settled on a good S&W 629 Classic but for heavy and dangerous game I take the Ruger super Redhawk as with my loads the smith will wind up parts in my hand if my hand is still there LOL I'm honestly not trying to look like a know it all but I'd hate to see you go hunting and run into something that the unique won't penetrate and hit vital organs before it gets too close to you as even wild pig (Boar) takes a hell of a lot of penetration to put down and I found that out first hand
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gunslinger720
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good Powder for the 45 auto
I tried using 231 and unique for the 45 auto but I was also loading the 40 S&W and 10mm in my Delta Elite and was having real good luck with velocities and accuracy so I tried using Pistol Power in the 45 auto in my Para Ordenance PXT 1911 SSP and whether it was a 185 SWC or a 230 Grn Speer Gold Dot the velocities were good and the accuracy was just as good. Since that I found its pretty good in most calibers I tried it in. Some better than others but still good. I've been using it for the last few years and I'm very happy with it use a good manuel and work up slow and I'm sure you'll be surprised at just how good it is
I tried using 231 and unique for the 45 auto but I was also loading the 40 S&W and 10mm in my Delta Elite and was having real good luck with velocities and accuracy so I tried using Pistol Power in the 45 auto in my Para Ordenance PXT 1911 SSP and whether it was a 185 SWC or a 230 Grn Speer Gold Dot the velocities were good and the accuracy was just as good. Since that I found its pretty good in most calibers I tried it in. Some better than others but still good. I've been using it for the last few years and I'm very happy with it use a good manuel and work up slow and I'm sure you'll be surprised at just how good it is
Skip_a_roo
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