185 or 230gr in 3 inch 1911.
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Wildalaska
Moderator
I use 230 ball
WilditsenoughformeAlaska
WilditsenoughformeAlaska
What range do you think that you are going to engage your target? is the question that you have to ask your self. for short range under 10-15 yds the 185 will do the job. for longer ranges you might want to use the heavier bullet since it will retain more energy down range. But they both hit hard That is why I wish the Corps would go back to the .45
Sir William
New member
A frien says 165 JHP +Ps are all that has been reliable.
IZinterrogator
New member
I don't know, Speer's short barrel Gold Dot ammo is 230 gr. and not even +P. You'd think they would have done extensive testing to ensure reliability before introducing it to the market. Of course, YMMV.
I somehow doubt the accuracy of that statement, I feed my OACP a steady diet of 230gr hardball (Winchester white box) when target shooting, and do you know what happens? It travels fast enough to go through big metal boxy CD players from the '80s that don't work anymore. And keep in mind, we're talking from the '80s. They don't make stuff that solid anymore. I could take a solid shaft of wood and continuously jab such a CD player all day and it wouldn't penetrate the outer casing. I'd put my money on the idea that the same idea is true of humans, and I would thus bet my life on 230 hardball in any .45 with a 3 or 3.5" barrel.michael t said:
I use 230 grn GDHP in my Defender, very similiar to your weapon. I get my best accuracy with this load, velocity has little to do with my choice. In a gun roughly the size of a Makarov, though thicker, I'll take a .45ACP 230 over a .380(or 9mm, 9x18 etc) of any weight any day. Mine doesn't shoot the lighter bullets as well as the heavy's.
On the other hand, mine shoots +p's pretty well, but you definitely know you've ignited something in a 24oz gun. Control (for me) is about like a 3" K-frame .357. Not overly severe, but not for a newbie either.
I'd use whatever load my gun shot best (and I could control best), and not worry about velocity.
On the other hand, mine shoots +p's pretty well, but you definitely know you've ignited something in a 24oz gun. Control (for me) is about like a 3" K-frame .357. Not overly severe, but not for a newbie either.
I'd use whatever load my gun shot best (and I could control best), and not worry about velocity.
My experience is the lighter JHP bullets in the 3" will expand better than the heavier bullets in the 3" barrel. The lost FPS from th 230 gr is made up plus some in the lighter round. You need the speed to get good expansion. But what the heck heavy clothing on the BG will probably clog up the hollow point any way.
poortrader
New member
I usually carry Speer 200gr +P JHP in my Ultra Carry. I just bought some Corbon 230 +P, but I haven't tried them out at the range yet so I still keep the Speer's.
Some real numbers...
When I chrono-ed some 230gr loads in my PT-145 (which has a 2-point-something inch barel,) I was only getting about 700fps. The classic .45acp ballistics are a 230gr. bullets at 850fps, right? 700 just felt low to me.
So I use a load with a 185gr. that chronos at about 900fps. I just feel a little better about 185gr at 900fps than I do about 230gr at 700fps. Reliable and accurate in my pistol.
When I chrono-ed some 230gr loads in my PT-145 (which has a 2-point-something inch barel,) I was only getting about 700fps. The classic .45acp ballistics are a 230gr. bullets at 850fps, right? 700 just felt low to me.
So I use a load with a 185gr. that chronos at about 900fps. I just feel a little better about 185gr at 900fps than I do about 230gr at 700fps. Reliable and accurate in my pistol.
Although I don't carry my 3.25" CS45 as often anymore ... my lightweight G26/27 and my slightly smaller CS9 are much more "pocket holster friendly" than the CS45 ... I mostly used Winchester RA45T, and occasionally some Speer 230gr GDHP. Both seemed to function well and shoot accurately in my little pistol.
Once, when I loaned my CS45 to some other staff running some limited chrono and gel testing one day, the standard pressure 230gr T-Series load produced 802fps and the 230gr +P T-Series produced 839fps out of my little gun. Who knows what it might've revealed if further testing had been done, like say 50 recorded shots from a couple of different production lots, although I certainly wouldn't be surprised to see some wider variation ... or not. Who knows?
These two shots done using 4-layer denim covered gel didn't dissuade me from considering using the T-Series ammunition in my short-barreled CS45. You can guess for yourself which is the standard pressure and which is the +P load ... which only had 37fps difference between them in these two test shots. (The standard pressure round did 13"/.76 and the +P round did 12"/.77 for those two shots.) Clickable images ...
Naturally, there's no way to know how each and every bullet is going to perform under any and all circumstances, no matter how similar, nor are there any guarantees that any loads will produce the same velocities on any given day, even fired out of the same gun.
I tend to favor the heavier 230gr JHP/BHP bullets at standard pressures, myself.
I certainly can't make this decision for someone, else, though. Everyobdies got to do their own research and studying, and make the best informed decision that can for themselves ... unless the decision is made for them by someone else, like if they're issued specific ammunition and required to use it.
Enjoyable to discuss for the sake of friendly discussion, though ...
Once, when I loaned my CS45 to some other staff running some limited chrono and gel testing one day, the standard pressure 230gr T-Series load produced 802fps and the 230gr +P T-Series produced 839fps out of my little gun. Who knows what it might've revealed if further testing had been done, like say 50 recorded shots from a couple of different production lots, although I certainly wouldn't be surprised to see some wider variation ... or not. Who knows?
These two shots done using 4-layer denim covered gel didn't dissuade me from considering using the T-Series ammunition in my short-barreled CS45. You can guess for yourself which is the standard pressure and which is the +P load ... which only had 37fps difference between them in these two test shots. (The standard pressure round did 13"/.76 and the +P round did 12"/.77 for those two shots.) Clickable images ...
Naturally, there's no way to know how each and every bullet is going to perform under any and all circumstances, no matter how similar, nor are there any guarantees that any loads will produce the same velocities on any given day, even fired out of the same gun.
I tend to favor the heavier 230gr JHP/BHP bullets at standard pressures, myself.
I certainly can't make this decision for someone, else, though. Everyobdies got to do their own research and studying, and make the best informed decision that can for themselves ... unless the decision is made for them by someone else, like if they're issued specific ammunition and required to use it.
Enjoyable to discuss for the sake of friendly discussion, though ...
I carry WWB 230gr. JHP's in my Glock 30 and they get 880 fps out of that short barrel. That's a little longer barrel, 3.78".
They expand okay, but I still wouldn't take a chance that they wouldn't overpenetrate.
You'd have to chrono a few loads out of your gun to see how much the velocity actually drops with your barrel.
They expand okay, but I still wouldn't take a chance that they wouldn't overpenetrate.
You'd have to chrono a few loads out of your gun to see how much the velocity actually drops with your barrel.