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From Barnes Loading Manual


*The Barnes #45185 185-grain XPB bullet has a slight taper on the base to prevent bulging case
wall once the bullet is seated. Only a slight amount of case mouth belling is needed prior to
seating the bullet in the case.


Bullet Weight: 185 gr Case Trim Length: .888" S.D. 0.130



Bullet Style: XPB Primer: WLP B.C. 0.167
COAL: 1.235 Barrel Length: 5"
Case: Winchester Twist Rate: 1:16"
Charge Velocity Charge Velocity
Powder (grains) (fps) (grains) (fps)

Silhouette 6.1 844--- 6.8 938
Longshot 6.0 848--- 7.0 979

That bullet will blow a hole that both Ronnie Milsap and Ray Charles could piss through at the same time.

I'm presently carrying Speer 185 gr Gold Dots in my Kimber and my Springfield Champion, wonder if it would be worth the change

From you above post Bea, I dont bell my cases at all with the 185 Barnes, a slight ID deburring of the case works well for me, holds the bullet damn tight, dont want any set-back issues.

The little 185 Gold-Dot is a fine bullet, dont think a crackhead or car door could tell the diffrence.

I've also found almost no case mouth belling is needed with the Barnes TAC-X bullets.
They out penetrate other hollow point designs because they open with gaps between the petals. E

From the Lee Data, 45 ACP

A bulging case at the bullet base is not always a bad thing. In fact sometimes it is a better thing.

Ramshot's loading data is alot different. Their maximum load with their Silhouette powder is 6.1 grs. to start and a maximum of 6.8 grs. with a cartriage overall lenth of 1.235 inches. That gets you 938 fps. If you increase the overall cartriage lenth to 1.256, you can go to 1017 fps. at 20,366 psi. E

I prefer it.

I do too.

I had the chance to try my new load on a small blacktail.
I was concerned that the all-copper bullet wouldn't expand at such low velocities (I know- .45 is big enough!), but Barnes' skiving (or whatever) worked well.

55 yards, uphill, quartering to.
Entered low inside shoulder, exited (under hide) middle vert and halfway back behind off shoulder. I neglected to check for broken ribs on either side.
Still weighs 185 grains, expanded to .771.





I guess I'll carry it with good confidence.

They work very well IME.

Let there be light, young Mac-Rabbit.

I revisited the scene of the crime. Broken rib going in, not out.

Why not use a good, modern powder instead? Like Longshot or Silhouette?

Grats, Macrabbit. Glad it has worked out for you.

Hey, Gunner (or anyone else), have you shot anything with the .40 cal version of those bullets?

I want to use a good, old powder like Unique.
I have a supply, I use it in a number of cartridges, and I want to keep my varieties to a minimum. A choice.

Yessir SOTG, the 140 TAC-HP's at 1200 flat work.

That is a pity, now I'll have to run some down and try them.