Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Col Cooper's .45acp Load?

Hello,

I have read that Col. Cooper advocated a flat nosed 230gn load for the 1911 Government.

I have a 230gn flat nosed mold on the way; I'm wondering if anyone happens to know the velocity at which the load he liked was driven? I'm wanting to say it was over 900fps, but don't remember for sure.

Thanks,

Josh

Josh, who makes the 230g flat nose mold?

Hello,

Lee makes it. It is unfortunately a tumble lube design, but it should work.

Thanks!

Josh

I have had some pretty phenominal success with tumble lube bullets in 38 Spl at target velocities. Also used some in 45ACP, but IIRC, they were 200 gr SWC. Been years.

I've read just about all of his books, and as I recall it, he carried standard 230 grain military ball.

Cooper particularly liked a 230 grain FMJ truncated cone flat point made by Hornady - which is long out of production. I don't think he had a passion for anything much over standard loading velocies in the .45 ACP, so 850- 900 fps would be in the ballpark.

Clint Smith (Thunder Ranch) who worked at Gunsite under Cooper uses standard military load in most of the articles that I have read.

From an article written by John Taffin:



Link to article

Most sources would put that load at about 1000 fps. with pressures in the +P range.
My own testing has shown the 230 gr. FP Hornady does not impact much harder than the standard round nose stuff. A little but not nearly as much as a good SWC doing 950 plus.
The better hollow point loads also hit much harder than the FP/RN loads and penetrate plenty for most self defense uses. If you need to shoot through stuff like windshield glass, then stay with the 230 gr. HP's like the Federal Hydra Shok or the WW white box HP's. E

Veral Smith/LBT makes a wonderful 230 g LFN mold. I've cast thousands of them and they are easily the easiest mold I have to cast from. Using air cooled wheel weights, I have pushed mine upto about 990 fps in my 5" Ed Brown Special Forces. Accuracy is great and have never had a malf.




I have been selling the bullets over on Gunbroker for the past year but am a bit burnt out on casting them and not getting the pleasure of shooting them, so I've stopped for now.

Alan

As I recall, he liked 5 grs. of Bullseye for the 230 gr. jacketed RN and FP bullets. E

230 grain ball ammo does not carry the endoresement of the high speed-low drag mall ninja crowd and yet it did so well in how many wars????

It did well because the competition were/are the pointed .38 Long Colt loads and the 9mm ball rds. The military, to this day, uses that miserable RN FMJ stuff for their issue ammo.
All you need to do to see the difference is to shoot water jugs with them, then go over to a good HP designed for the .45 ACP for a comparison.
I will not shoot anything alive with any of the RN FMJ stuff, even squirrels. Wadcutter ammo does far better. E

Great looking bullets! If I get back into the .45 business, I'll be pestering you for a run of those!

I have this mould too. I told Veral I wanted the best performing live target mould design he made. He only asked three questions: what diameter, which alloy & what weight.