Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns .45acp / Barnes 185 / Unique ??

Thanks. That's the sort of info I'm looking for.
Not to be sniffy, but what's the basis for your statement?

And don't call me Opie!

Personal experience when I couldnt locate any PP or Longshot powders, the Unique load shot just fine with more than exceptable accuracy albeit a bit dirtier burning than the other two.

Load was fire in both a Springfield Trophy Match and a Les Baer Custom Carry.

Thanks.

How did you get to 7? Stepped up, or simply chose?
Done with 'official' data, or your own calculating?
What makes you say it's +P? (I expect anything going that fast from a .45 should be considered +P; I'm just asking for your reasoning.)

(Please say that you didn't fire it in a second gun because the first one blew up. )

Guessed, ran 6.5 grs with 230 gr Gold Dots for decades, called it +P because Barnes runs the same bullet [185 X] at or around 975 fps with their load data.

No blowups, not even close, have taken the 1911 platform with heavier springs to 1200 fps with 230 gr FMJ-FP bullets in 45 Super Brass.

Thank you very much.

Yo welcome.

I got a response to my email from Ty Herring.
He could offer nothing with Unique. He added an attachment, a page of loads for 160 and 185 bullets, "revised 01/10/2011", that I suppose is from their printed manual.

Sorry, safariman-- no data for #9 there, either.

Dang, saw this poat and thought you were gonna report excellent functionality and accuracy from the 7 gr Unique load.

SM, IMHO AA-#9 is a bit to slow for the 45 ACP, AA-#7 is mucho perfect with 230's.

Thanks guys, right now AA#9 (3lbs of it! ) , H110, and Unique plus some Lil Gun is all I have on hand for handguns. Usually, one of those wil get me a decent load and AA#9 totally rocks in a 10mm auto. Time to add a few more gunpowders to my pistol ammo shelf and selections.

macrabbit, what other powders did Ty have on his revised pages for that bullet? Which ones hold the most promise for velocity? Wondering what others powders to put on the shelf, pending location of same. Longshot is on my short list for 200+gr 10mm loads, what for the Barnes 185's is the question of the day.

MARK

I won't post a copy of the page (there were copyright-style warnings in the corporate fine print at the bottom of his email), but highest velocities (all +P) were achieved with Power Pistol, A-#5, Titegroup, and Zip. The two shown in the site's data are not on the list, but neither was quite as fast.
160's topped with HS-6 and Silhouette.

Thanks! I will try to get a copy of that update of my own. Much appreciated!

I compared the Barnes data for all their listed powders with those same powders for 'regular' 185's in three other manuals, looked at velocities, maxes, and powder weights.
I think gunner500 had it right.
I intend to start at 6.5 gr. of Unique and step up until I reach 1000 fps. or a max of 7.0, with accuracy.
Half a grain should be worth a little more than 50 fps., so 6.5 might have me there already.

(What could possibly go wrong? )

Even with the rifle bullets, Barnes data and other similar weight bullet data is different. The longer bearing surface (mitigated somewhat by the new bands or relief grooves) and the natural 'stickyness' of pure copper VS gilding metal used in most other bullets throws a lot of curves into the mix that must be accounted for. Then there is the fact of less room for gunpowder.

It was trying to run the old original Barnes X bullets at 3800-3900fps from long barreled long throated custom 257WBY's that got me into Moly Coating. I still do it because I am a total velocity whore, but it is less neccesary than it used to be. I don't moly my 338 or 416 Barnes bullets, for example.

I understand.
My figures take into account the various "lessnesses" of Barnes' figures vs the others.
6.5 gr. of Unique (my starting load) is some 23% less than a Hornady's max with their 185 gr. bullet.

More importantly what percent is it compared to the Hornady 230 grainer.

11%

And so now I checked all the other manuals' 230 gr. loads against Barnes' 185 data. Pretty much, they are equivalent.
So I think I'm still on a sensible right track. Utmost would be for me to drop my starter a few tenths lower than 6.5.

I appreciate the second opinions.

First trial is over:
I loaded five rounds with 6.5 grains Unique, seated to 1.235".
Average velocity was 949 fps.

Will next try 6.8, with some extras for testing grouping.

(40 bullets per box-- BAH!)

I quite agree....BAH ! Keep in mind that Barnes bullets penetrate really well. Even at 949 fps., they should do well on anything. And you have less recoil.
If you can find some Ramshot Silhouette that would give you more, but only to 1017 fps. BTW, Ramshot found by going to an overall catriage lenth of 1.256, instead of 1.235, they could keep pressures down to 20,336 psi. E

I've not tested such an OAL, but the 1235 seems to fill the magazine pretty well already.

I tested 6.8 grains of Unique, averaged 1001.25 fps.
That'll do for me. These are "compliance" loads, not my regular stuff.
They shot reasonably well, and to about the same POI at 25 yards.
Looks like I'm good to go.

Thanks, everyone, for your assistance.

Great news 'rabbit, seems your ready.