Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns .45 ACP pet loads needed

got an STI Tactical 5.0 with a full rail coming next week. I haven't loaded .45 in many, many years. Not sure what the twin recoil spring in the STI will let me shoot as far as "match" loads. PLease give me your favorites. Don't want to spend a ton on dies, I hear the Lee are very good, are they?

I have many loading manuals but I like to know what's workin best for my fellow shooters.

As far as "defensive" loads I will go with factory stuff.

I have found this guy's data to be very reliable: http://www.reloadammo.com/45loads.htm

As for me, I shoot 230gr cast lead bullets by Penn Bullets over 4.5gr of Titegroup. I also use 4.5gr of Titegroup for 230gr plated hollow points by Rainier. I really like Titegroup. It's accurate, meters perfectly, cheap, and burns clean. It's a win/win/win/win.

I also like 4.0gr of Clays behind a 200gr LSWC. It's not as clean-burning, but I'll bet I'm not the only guy here that shoots that bullet/powder combo.

I use 4.4grs. of Titegroup with a Montanna Gold CMF or HP bullet for my XDM 45acp. Like you said very accurate and clean burning.

I use 5-5.5 unique with lswc 200gr,230 rn and 5.3-5.5 w231 with plated or jacketed 230 gr. these loads shoot well out of several 1911's.these are accurate target loads in my guns.

I've got some Unique, trying to decide now between Bullseye, 231 and Titegroup.
The STI has a double recoil spring, I need to make sure it will function with light loads 750 FPS+/-
Looking at the Sierra 230 FMJ and 200 Flat top Matchkings to start with.
Trying to stay away from lead, am I making a mistake? Hate cleaning lead out of barrels.

230 gr Lazercast w/7.3 gr Ramshot Silhoutte.

Are the lazercast fairly clean? Do they "lead" allot?

+1. I use Unique for lots of other things (shotguns especially), and have a bunch of it so it's handy; it's also been accurate.

I have shot probably 2500 of them and never had a leading problem. Yes, they are very clean. I'm sure you would like them.

6-7G Of unique with a 200g SWC is a great load if your gun will shoot the SWC.

9.6g of AA#5 with any 185g Jacketed HP is very accurate

7.6-8.0g of AA#5 with a 230g cast is very accurate

8.0g of AA#5 is very accurate and fast with the 200g SWC

I swore off Bullseye and 231 because it is so dirty.

+P loads with jacketed loads of AA#5 with 185 and 200g HP are very accurate.

AA#5 is a very clean powder, accurate over a wide spread.

Currently using HP38 because I got an 8# box for $50 at a gun show. It is a bit sootier than some of the newer powders, but it is a classic in the .45 ACP. For 230 grain lead I load 5.2 or 5.3 grains. For 200 grain lead I load 5.6.

Thanks guys, now AA#5 has entered the picture. I like the idea of it being cleaner.

Buzz,

One other thing to consider is how much you intend to shoot. If you shoot a fair amount, you can save money by shooting a powder that uses lighter loads. For example:

If a load uses 9.6 grains of powder per round, a pound of powder (7000 grains) will give you 729 rounds.

A load that uses 7.3 grains of powder gives you 958 rounds per pound.

And, a load that uses 4.5 grains per round gives you 1555 rounds per pound of powder.

Granted, it's a small consideration, but one to keep in mind. For me, I do most of my shooting indoors at 25 feet. At that distance, practically every powder is accurate enough. Clean burning is more important to me as is the price. I settled on Titegroup because it burns clean and here in WA it's only $20 per pound. Every other powder is $24 to $27 per pound.

So my powder cost is only $0.01286 per round, which of course is $12.86 per thousand rounds. A $25/lb powder using 9.6 grains costs you $0.03429 per round, or $34.29 per thousand. I will shoot about 3000 rounds this year (and that's only a fraction of what some guys here shoot in a year), and I'll save about $20-60 (depending on what loads you compare to) by simply using a cheap powder that uses lighter loads to reach a desired velocity.

I'm not criticizing anybody else's choice of powder or load, and am certainly not looking to start any conflict, I'm just relaying a perspective that you might (or might not) find useful.

Good luck!

Makes sense, thanks Wade

I've found Waders' Titegroup load to be an effective target load and it works well for Steel competition. Years ago, I read Ken Waters work with 7.0 grains of 800X. I've found that load with 230 gr. FMJFP bullets and 225-230 grain bullets to be great for hunting deer. In fact, I've found that charge of 800X to work well with about any bullet in the normal weight range for the .45acp.

Bought a pound of Tite Group today, ordered some dies and Sierra 230gr match bullets. I'll give it a shot.

Just curious - what are you paying for powder and primers in your area?

I guess I'm showing my age, but I settled on Unique as my all around handgun powder years ago. It works well in just about anything and allows savings buying large containers. I've use 5-7grs.(depending on the desired power level) with a 230 lead round nose hard cast bullet.

$17.99 at Cabela's. Primers I've had for a long time. I have Unique, I load in my .44 special. I'm sure I'll spill some in my .45 cases, see how she works.

Hello
I don't know how well my hand load would work in a Bottom Feeder, but I do know that it work's Very well in my Revolver chambered in .45 ACP as is shown. The load consist's of a 200 Grain Wad cutter Rainier Bullet on top of a Powder charge of 4.0 Grain's of Accurate Arm's # 7 Powder... TheGeneral.