New to 45 ACP

CSHS · Jun 16, 2018

I know this is a frequent thread. I read all similar ones for the last 5 years.

My planned load is 230 gr plated round nose from Everglades, 6.0 gr CFE pistol and 1.200 COL.

Haven't seen any comments on CFE pistol for the 45. I'd like to use it since I have it on-hand for my 9mm.

Appreciate any inputs on the powder or general advice on 45 reloading.

As always, thanks in advance for the expertise.

R

BradMacc82 · Jun 17, 2018

.45 is relatively forgiving to load, so I don't think you should have much trouble getting going. For a plated round, about the only thing that could hang you up, is getting the flare right - and at worst, that should only take a small handful of 'dummy rounds' to get dialed in.

Per Hodgdon, for a 230gr lead round nose round - start is 5.4gr, max is 6.2gr at 1.200", 230gr FMJ flat-point is 6gr start, 6.8gr max. For a plated round, I'd start on the lower end and work it up myself. Especially not knowing what type of handgun you plan on loading for.

I have no personal experience with CFE Pistol (or CFE in general), so I'm not of much help there. Titegroup and 231 have been my 'go-to' powder for .45acp, and I have had 0 reason to deviate from them, for .45acp, they do exceedingly well IMO.

wabbit · Jun 18, 2018

I don't know what type of gun you have but I have a 1911 Government model made by RIA. The gun sometimes have rounds hanging up on the feed ramp when I reloaded to 1.200" OAL, but has fewer feeding problems when I shortened it to 1.175". Maybe it's just my gun, but I thought you might want another input.

CSHS · Jun 19, 2018

Thanks for the info

trickg · Jun 19, 2018

A powder to try, mainly because if the lore I've read is correct then it's the original powder for the load, is Bullseye. 5.0 gr under that 230 gr RN would be just about right.

Rockzilla · Jun 20, 2018

BradMacc82 said:
.45 is relatively forgiving to load, so I don't think you should have much trouble getting going. For a plated round, about the only thing that could hang you up, is getting the flare right - and at worst, that should only take a small handful of 'dummy rounds' to get dialed in.

I have no personal experience with CFE Pistol (or CFE in general), so I'm not of much help there. Titegroup and 231 have been my 'go-to' powder for .45acp, and I have had 0 reason to deviate from them, for .45acp, they do exceedingly well IMO.

^^^ This... 231 has been my go to for years, from punching holes in targets to knocking bowling pins off tables. Throw in a little Bullseye once in a while. Bullets are cast H&G 68 style 200gr. SWC, or using Zero 185gr. JHP for punching holes, plus other things, or some other cast bullets from MiHec molds ( Penta Points or hollow points) only other thing is playing with N310 powder currently.along with CCI-300 primers...
If your going to shoot a lot buy in BULK. also beware there are two different primers being used, Small Pistol and Large Pistol, try your best to keep them separated it will save you same aggravation in the long run.. Small Pistol brass I normally use to "shoot and lose" they load about the same.. Ahhh yes and taper crimp them, this round head-spaces on the mouth...

-Rock

splatt · Jun 20, 2018

CFE pistol works well in 45 acp, 6.0 to 6.2 is about right for 230gr plated.
Start your loads a bit lower and work up, I found the higher loads gave me the best accuracy. Use a mild taper crimp with plated bullets.

CFE is not my favorite for 45, though I do use it but not always. Prefer WST or 231.
Few years back when you couldn't find ANY pistol powder, you could get CFE so I did find some good loads that worked as a backup.

trickg · Jun 20, 2018

231 seems to be a favorite powder of a lot of people. I shot up some old reloads my Dad had made with 45 ACP that were loaded with Hodgdon HP38, which from what I gather now, is actually the exact same identical powder as W231. That was the direction I was originally going to go - I figured that if my Dad, who probably forgot more about reloading than I'll ever know, liked it, then it would be a good way for me to go too, so I ordered some. Unfortunately there was a SNAFU and Midway USA's supplier for HP38 didn't deliver according to schedule, so I went with my backup plan - Bullseye - which I have been very happy with as a pistol powder.

Bolts Rock · Jun 20, 2018

I used to run Red Dot back in the day because I also used it for shotgun. Now I run Titegroup under 230 LRN and 200 LSWC.

Uncle Duke · Jun 20, 2018

Bolts Rock said:
I used to run Red Dot back in the day because I also used it for shotgun. Now I run Titegroup under 230 LRN and 200 LSWC.

Red Dot is still a good powder in 45 and 38 both if it'll meter for ya.

Bolts Rock · Jun 20, 2018

Uncle Duke said:
Red Dot is still a good powder in 45 and 38 both if it'll meter for ya.

It works it just leaves a lot of unburnt powder. Titegroup is much cleaner.

august1410 · Jun 20, 2018

For .45 ACP, I'm a Bullseye guy. I have loaded between 5.0 and 5.3 grains under a 230 grain bullet for a number of years with great success.

Neutron · Jun 20, 2018

august1410 said:
For .45 ACP, I'm a Bullseye guy. I have loaded between 5.0 and 5.3 grains under a 230 grain bullet for a number of years with great success.

+1

ADCOLE · Jun 20, 2018

For me CFE is my preferred power of choice. I've used Titegroup and I found it to be a too dirty for my liking.

Clippers69 · Jun 20, 2018

45 acp load

I have been reloading 45 ACP for a while now and find that WST works with 200 lswc for me. I went to WST when there wasn't any powder available such as Bullseye and Titegroup, W231, etc. I find that 4.7 grains of WST and a 200 grain lead swc seated and crimped with the seating die work for me. I seat the bullet just below the edge and crimp lightly on the seating die. I found that if I crimp with a Lee FCD that it sizes the bulled down to a fmj diameter. I don't get the accuracy because it was crimped too much. I am still using WST and find that it works fine. I do get some smoke but I think most of that is the lube on the bullet. I am going to switch to coated bullets and see how that works. It is supposed to not lead the barrel and reduce or eliminate any smoking.

Pinecone · Jun 21, 2018

I started reloading with Bullseye, as it was the cheaper per round.

But I found it very dirty. So I switched to Unique. Cleaner, worked well.

Switched to 231 and have not looked back. Clean, meters well, does the job.

H&G68 clone for paper. I still have some Speer 200 grain flying ashtrays for pins.

I need to work up a low recoil load for steel. 230 round nose and Titegroup seems like the way to go.

PowPow · Jun 21, 2018

I've been loading my h&g68 clones with ramshot competition. It's between n310 and bullseye on burn rate charts. I find it is a bit softer than bullseye and easier for me to manage during timed & rapid fire. Ramshot competition is also way cheaper than n310! ($10+/lb less) My fmj 230gr loads usually go with 231. I use CFE pistol for my 9mm, but I've not tried it in 45.

Rockzilla · Jun 21, 2018

Pinecone said:
H&G68 clone for paper. I still have some Speer 200 grain flying ashtrays for pins.

Speer 200 JHP the old ones by chance. The ones that look like craters on the moon thru a telescope.just one big hollow point...picked those up many years ago and use for special loadsit's a shame they aren't like that anymore, have a few boxes of the Speer Lawman ammo with that same bullet in them. Find N310 to burn good for 45. Bullets.com had a bunch of it during their going out of biz sale really cheap ..notice I said had.
Been favoring the Zero bullets here lately, shoot great from the rest, with N310, cheaper than Nosler 185's

And I see where Freedom Munitions and Parent company Xtreme bullets filed Bankruptcy..so will see how that pans outs, used some of their bullets.

-Rock

Magnumite · Jun 21, 2018

In 45 ACP my experience has been the bullet will have more effect on how dirty a load is than the powder itself. If Bullseye and Unique were loaded to the same velocities with jacketed or plated bullets in 45 ACP, I always found Unique to be dirtier simply because it is not working in its actual pressure range, Bullseye was is in its working range and burns cleaner. With lead loads, both are dirty and Unique really fills the air with a cloud to look through on a fast string of fire. In 44 Magnum loaded to midrange power, the Unique lead bullet loads burn cleaner simply because it is in a higher pressure range though still not as clean as with a jacketed or plated bullet. Both powders have worked well for me and are still my go to light and midrange powders. I don't foresee any change in the future when they are available. I have noticed a good bit of CFE and Titegroup users in this and other threads, so I may give those a try.

CSHS · Jun 21, 2018

Again, thank you. A lot of good information, I appreciate it.

New to 45 ACP

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