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Favorite loads for .45 ACP ?

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fortyshooter
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Favorite loads for .45 ACP ?

Post by fortyshooter » Sat Oct 19, 2019 10:22 am

Since I use Unique for most of my reloading in revolver/pistol calibers it's my base load for 230 gr. 45 ACP being 6 gr. of Unique with a plated bullet.
I do use Alliant 2400 for hotter .44 Mag and .45 Colt loads and have used Power Pistol in .45 ACP.

What improvements do the other popular powders like Red Dot,Bullseye, and others offer over Unique?
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Re: Favorite loads for .45 ACP ?

Post by clovishound » Sat Oct 19, 2019 10:24 am

My go to load is a 200 grain cast or coated SWC over 4.5 grains of Trail Boss. It is very accurate, very soft recoil.
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Re: Favorite loads for .45 ACP ?

Post by Rifletom » Sat Oct 19, 2019 10:58 am

I've loaded with "Clays" and that is wonderfully accurate and soft shooting. Universal also works very well. All my .45acp loads are 230gr LRN coated. And you're right, Unique is hard to beat. I use it for my .45 Colt Henry. 250gr LRNFP coated and 8.0gr Unique. Fun!
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Re: Favorite loads for .45 ACP ?

Post by clovishound » Tue Nov 12, 2019 12:55 pm

Rifletom wrote:
Sat Oct 19, 2019 10:58 am
I've loaded with "Clays" and that is wonderfully accurate and soft shooting. Universal also works very well. All my .45acp loads are 230gr LRN coated. And you're right, Unique is hard to beat. I use it for my .45 Colt Henry. 250gr LRNFP coated and 8.0gr Unique. Fun!
Unique may be hard to beat, but it's hard to meter. Universal is similar to Unique in many ways, but meters decently. I like Hodgdon's data website much better also.

One of the things I like about the 200 grain Trail Boss recipe is that it has a lot of "cushion". It's a full grain over minimum and a full grain under maximum. It cycles reliably through my Springfield Range Officer equipped with the stock weight recoil spring. Still has very low recoil for a .45 ACP.
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Re: Favorite loads for .45 ACP ?

Post by Mistered » Tue Nov 12, 2019 1:02 pm

I was shooting some this weekend I loaded with 5 grains of Tite Group and 200 gr Laser Cast SWCs.
I thought I was out of them and found a jar hidden in my reloading stuff.
I normally load with 6 grains of Unique but I have a can of the TG powder I haven't used much so I thought I'd give it a try.
Very accurate, soft recoil and very clean burning.
TG burns hot so that is no doubt the reason for the clean burn.
As far as the accuracy part of it I attribute to the Laser Cast bullets. The 200 gr. SWC has always been the most accurate bullet my 1911 has ever shot.
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Re: Favorite loads for .45 ACP ?

Post by BigAl52 » Tue Nov 12, 2019 3:35 pm

Ive used 6 of unique for mine along with 231. I also have had great accuracy with the 200gr SWC. Even in my 625 revolver its the most accurate.
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