Looking for a powder recommendation for .45 ACP

[Hoon]

I have a short barrel .45 that doesn't cycle reliably with light loads. With most decent factory ammo the pistol is 100% reliable, but i cooked up some reloads with 4.8g of Titegroup (max charge) under a 230gr ball, and i'm seeing occasional FTEs, casings ejecting in my face instead of sideways, etc. The slide is not cycling fast enough with this load, which is only rated a little over 800fps. I haven't bothered to chrono it, as it's unreliable and therefore how fast it's moving is irrelevant.

I have a few ideas for powder...possibly Bullseye.

Thoughts?

 

[cockpitbob]

Here's good, old thread on the topic.
http://www.northeastshooters.com/vbulletin/threads/8353-45Auto-Powder?highlight=tightgroup

 

[mrmags]

I use bullseye, unique and tight group. All with great results

 

[mac1911]

Any chance of a lighter spring?

 

[Knob Creek]

Clays, Bullseye, 231

 

[willbdavis]

HP-38

 

[Golddiggie]

My father used to use Bullseye for his 1911 race gun. I worked with a friend (who has/had a reloading business in FL) to come up with a winning recipe for my 1911 (wide-body). We ended up selecting Winchester 231 powder for that round due to not needing to use much to get the desired velocity range and reliable cycling of the pistol.

Personally, I would make up several sets of rounds with a powder starting at the low end of the powder charge scale then increasing by about .2 grains until you hit the top end of the scale. Do 10 rounds per charge level so you can get a decent test group. Once you get a the pistol to cycle properly, focus on round accuracy. There are some resource out there that will help you narrow things down a bit, but experience counts for a good amount.

 

[Rockrivr1]

Win 231 w/ 230gr Berry's

 

[Dan S]

Perhaps your extractor needs a bit more tension.
Otherwise, HP38 and 231 are the same powder, Clays if you can find it (doubtful) ClayDot, Red Dot, IMR 700X will all work.

 

[swampy]

Try a slower burning powder like HP38/Win231, AA#5, Unique, IMR800X, or Power Pistol. I've found slowing down the powder burn helps fix FTEs in short barrel SA pistols.

 

[gerrycaruso]

I also use Titegroup. Lee says the max is 4.8 and Hornady says 5.2 with jacketed and 5.3 with lead.

 

[afajvan]

Win 231 w/ 230gr Berry's

^^^THIS !!^^^^

 

[Gammon]

Perhaps your extractor needs a bit more tension.
Otherwise, HP38 and 231 are the same powder, Clays if you can find it (doubtful) ClayDot, Red Dot, IMR 700X will all work.

+1 on the extractor. My favorite powder is 231.

Test the extractor. If the slide locks back on the last round, you probably have enough energy to properly cycle the gun.

 

[KTech2316]

I run W231 exclusively in .45. 230g Berry,5.3G 231,1.21 OAL. Cycles in all of my .45's flawlessly.

Problem is finding 231 can be tough.I haven't seen it anywhere in over a year....Starting to panic...Down to my last 12lbs!

 

[EddieZoom]

Problem is finding 231 can be tough.I haven't seen it anywhere in over a year....Starting to panic...Down to my last 12lbs!

D&L in Warwick had a cornucopia of Win231 & HP38 recently. Picked up some after Christmas.

I haven't been *back* to reloading very long, but it feels to me like the tide is starting to turn for component availability...

 

[DW357]

D&L in Warwick had a cornucopia of Win231 & HP38 recently. Picked up some after Christmas.

I haven't been *back* to reloading very long, but it feels to me like the tide is starting to turn for component availability...

Also Glenn's in Reading, MA just got in some HP-38 yesterday.

 

[jpm]

Also Glenn's in Reading, MA just got in some HP-38 yesterday.

North Reading

 

[IPSC_DRL]

OP is in RI so D&L would be MUCH closer.

Bullseye, Unique, and W-231 are all great for .45 ACP. Alliant Blue Dot will also work. Check with Bulls-eye shooting supplies in Woonsocket, he usually has a pretty good stock of powders.

 

[one-eyed Jack]

Been using W231 5.5-5.6 gr for my .45 subguns and 1911 for 35+ yrs with good results. 230 gr rn, taper crimp to .460/.465. Jack.

 

[*chris*]

I use Unique under a 230gn roundnose.

Chris

 

[Chet0729]

I have good luck with Bullseye

 

[maxreloader]

Win 231 is my favorite for both 230 fmj and 185 jhp.

 

[Bendad97]

Power Pistol or Bullseye, Unique as well.

 

[Hoon]

Thank you all for your recommendations.

I'll see if i can hunt down some 231 at D&L...if not i'll give Unique or Bullseye a try.

As for the extractor/recoil spring, the gun runs perfectly with most factory ammo, but FTEs with limp wristed shooters. Personally i don't have any issues even with 1 handed and/or rapid shooting, but it seems like half the people who have shot it have somehow found a way to induce FTEs. Given that it is 100% reliable in my hands with the vast majority of ammo i've run through it, i'd rather not start changing parts if i can adjust the load. I shot 600rds of winchester white box without 1 malfunction, put my reloads in (230gr FMJ, 4.8gr titegroup, Win brass, 1.23" with factory crimp) and got an 8-10% FTE rate.

I like Titegroup for 9mm, but behind a 230gr ball i think the rapid burn rate means the charge has to stay very light to prevent a pressure spike, and it just doesn't seem to generate enough energy for this application.

 

[Winchester73]

I shoot 3.6-3.9 grains of Titegroup over a 200 grain LSW bullet through a Colt Commander. I love it, there is minimal recoil, zero FTE's, etc...

 

[Hoon]

I grabbed some HP38 today, will be testing tomorrow. I'll report back with results.

 

[M1911]

Clays, Bullseye, 231

I never tried Clays, but I've used Bullseye and 231 for 45 ACP. I've also used WST. All worked fine. Of the three, I think I prefer WST. All for 230 gr RN plated.

 

[Hoon]

The only bullets i had were 185gr Speer FMJs. I loaded 100rds with 5.7gr of HP-38 (5.9 listed as max).

The felt recoil was extremely light, but somehow the gun ran 100%. I did have a few casings eject straight upward, but nothing like the issues i was having with Titegroup.

I think HP-38 loaded near max with 200-230gr loads will function about the same as the factory loads i've typically used with this pistol.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

Clays, Bullseye, 231

A bit off topic, since the OP is asking about 45, but Clays is a tricky powder with the Fotay - even a slight overcharge can lead to incredibly high pressures in the 40.

 

[Jedman]

WST