favorite powder for 45ACP

[old semperfi]

my two main powders that i use for pistols is unique first and then 2400.these two pistol powders will load almost anything up to magnum rounds. old semperfi

[artabr]

Titegroup. Blue dot for high octane loads.



Art

[LesterPTelestrat]

Couple of observations I'm looking for clarification on... Max load for HP38 using either 230 grn LRN or FMJ shows 5.3 grains in all of the recipe's I've seen. There are a few posts out here where folks are pushing 5.4. I know it's not much over, but everything I've read or heard says never exceed the never exceed ratings.... :-)
Also, I just used up a pound of HP38 and went to buy some more and could only find WIN231. Having read that these are identical powders it didn't really matter to me. However I found that the WIN231 is a ball powder and the HP38 is flake. Is that common knowledge? Or was there a recent change in WIN231.

[redwing carson]

Winchester 231 is a good choice in the .45 ACP. You will find 231 has a wide range of uses when reloading for handguns.

RC

[gun-nut]

Originally Posted by Kevin Rohrer

Unique. It works in almost any pistol.

I agree! Unique seems to be a little more forgiving if you are + - 1/2 a gr.

[JLA]

Originally Posted by LesterPTelestrat

Couple of observations I'm looking for clarification on... Max load for HP38 using either 230 grn LRN or FMJ shows 5.3 grains in all of the recipe's I've seen. There are a few posts out here where folks are pushing 5.4. I know it's not much over, but everything I've read or heard says never exceed the never exceed ratings.... :-)
Also, I just used up a pound of HP38 and went to buy some more and could only find WIN231. Having read that these are identical powders it didn't really matter to me. However I found that the WIN231 is a ball powder and the HP38 is flake. Is that common knowledge? Or was there a recent change in WIN231.

a max of 5.3 in the .45ACP using 230 gr projectiles is listed in the hodgdon data site, I developed my load using Lyman 49th, where a max of 5.8 is listed ofr both lead and jacketed, I found superb accuracy at 5.2 to 5.6 so to extrapolate the OCW for that data I used 5.4 and aint looked back, it has served me well for a few years and will continue to do so til i run out od HP-38/W231, where I will develop a load using titegroup (which I have already kinda been experimenting with). Then about a year ago, A handloader issue popped out with an article labeled "The Year of the 1911" by Mike Venturino, where he claims 5.4 grains under any jacketed or cast 230 gr. projectile in the .45ACP is his GO TO load for any type of shooting, he also claims that 5.0 gr of bullseye is an equal performer with the same bullets...

[LesterPTelestrat]

JLA, thanks for the info. I had worked up my loads with HP38 to 5.0 grains and they seemed light compared to most anything I've shot before. (Using 230 grn FMJ's.) Just basing this on recoil, I don't have a Chrono yet.

[robertscheib]

+1 for Win231 - I load 5.0/5.1 grns behind HSM 230grn copper coated RN lead bullets. My Springfield 1911A1 "GI Spec" really shoots well with this formula.

[noylj]

What do you want to do?
Bullseye competition (or target/plinking): keep the load light. Use Bullseye, Solo1000, AA2, or 231/HP38. I find that 231/HP38 and AA2 are great to very good in all my pistols.
Some action pistol competition: Accuracy seems to be of, at most, tertiary importance. This is where people go with clays, titegroup, and wst. These shoot abysmally in all my guns, but they do hit the target at 25 yards.
If you want to go go a military ball equivalent load, most any powder will work, but I like wsf, Unique, and Silhouette.
The thing about the .45 is that almost any pistol powder will work well enough. It is a very forgiving round.

[oldgunfan]

Anyone tried WST in 230grn FMJ ? I've had good results with WST in 185grn JSWC and 200grn LSWC. My go to is the old 5.4grn W231 in 230grn load's.

[ryan42]

I use titegroup 4.5 grains for 230gr fmj works great.

[218bee]

Unique....That has been my "go-to" .45acp powder since 1972. Don in SC

[dbach]

I prefer Hodgdon Universal.

6 grains under a Berry's Plated 230 grain Round Nose.

[Bigr Bang Thry]

Big fan of SR-4756 and UNIVERSAL

[cpttango30]

I use titegroup only for my plinking loads. 5 gr under a 200 gr Rainer..

[PanhandlePop]

The only powder that doesn't seem to work in the 45 acp is talcum powder. I've used Unique, Bullseye, WSF, AA5, Power Pistol and I'm sure others I don't recall. All were fine for range use. For the last couple of years I've been using mostly 231.

[Bud0505]

Unique for me. 5.5 grs, 230 gr LRN. 1.25 COL.

Bud

[whip]

Unique or Bullseye are my best. Unique is my number 1.

Powder that doesn't work well: A few years ago I found myself with an 8lb keg of Reddot I acquired in a trade. I found a load listed in my old Hornady manual for .45 auto and loaded up a few rounds. The result was ok accuracy but everytime I pulled the trigger I got hit by chunks of unburn't powder. It was an extremely dirty powder in my .45. I only tried it on the one occasion but I sure would not reccomend it.

[norahc]

W231 works good for me.

[RockyMtnDan]

Over the last year I've been using 5.4 grains of Universal under a 230 gr. Berry's plated bullet and have been happy with the results. I was originally using Clays but the flakes didn't meter well in my powder measure. I recently purchased some AA5 to try and am looking for a load that will push a 230 Gr. bullet at around 850 FPS. Any suggestions?

[JLA]

I dont have my manuals handy, might PM Carver, hes an AA powder man.

[noylj]

Bullet Weight Powder Weight Velocity Note P.F. COL
Carroll L-RN 230 AA5 7.0 829 Max 191
Bull-X L-FN 230 AA5 7.2 833 192
Meister L-RN 230 AA5 7.2 849 195 1.230
MCB L-RN 230 AA5 7.7 852 Start 196 1.230
MCB L-RN 230 AA5 8.5 968 Max 223 1.230
HP-XTP, FMJ-RN, HAP, FMJ-FP 230 AA5 7.1 700 Start 161
Win FMJ 230 AA5 7.5 848 195 1.240
Nos FMJ 230 AA5 7.8 816 Start 188 1.250
Nos FMJ 230 AA5 8.0 885 Max 204 1.240
HP-XTP, FMJ-RN, HAP, FMJ-FP 230 AA5 8.3 850 Max 196 1.230
Nos FMJ 230 AA5 8.5 810 186
Nos FMJ 230 AA5 8.7 927 Max 213 1.250

[RockyMtnDan]

Noylj, Thanks for the list!! I will be rolling some before the weekend to take to the range.

[Archie]

Originally Posted by springerbuster

...reloading ... 9mm. I am looking for a good powder for 45ACP.

I liked Unique for .45 ACP for years. Nearly twenty years ago I switched to WW231 because I got a deal on an eight pound keg of it. Both work well.

What powder do you use for 9x19mm? That powder will probably serve and keep your logistics simpler.

[American Leader]

I agree with Redwing, WW231 works great for many applications. Just look at your reloading manuels, good all around handgun powder.