Best AA powder for the .45acp

B

BJung

New member
What is your experience on the best powder for your .45acp? This is mine experience so far:

VVN310 sucks. I've tried it on 185gr Nosler JHP, 230RN, and 200SWC. Not good for me. I'm going to burn it up in my 38-148wc and my 3-150swc loads.

Bullseye is perfect. Great groups in everything. My 45-230rn and 45-200swc loads will use this. I don't like Unique, it throwing it sounds like using corn flakes.

AA2 does well. Only used this for .45-185gr Nosler JHP. I could use Bullseye but AA2 does well, is clean, and I can use the Bullseye for the my lead bullet loads. ( I use AA2 for other calibers ).

AA5 not so good. Only used for the .45-185gr Nosler JHP. Maybe it's my shooting..

My question is, will AA5 start to outshine AA2 for full power 230gr JHP bullets? I can use Bullseye and Unique to extrapolate possible performance by burn rate. But, as anyone here compared AA2 and AA5? Faster burning vs slower burning?
 
For me, 231/HP38 gives me the best 25 and 50 yard accuracy in my .45 Autos. Next would be Red Dot/Bullseye/AA2.
N310, TiteGroup, and Clays are way down the list.
Even if 231/HP38 is the best in all my .45 Autos, does not mean it will be best in yours.
One thing though, you can pretty much start with Bullseye and know that you will be getting almost all the accuracy any .45 Auto can give.
 
My question is, will AA5 start to outshine AA2 for full power 230gr JHP bullets?
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As a slower burn rate powder, AA5 is more at home with heavy, full power loads in the .45 ACP. For more normal loads and light bullet loads, I use Bullseye, AA2, and W231.

Don
 
USSR said:
As a slower burn rate powder, AA5 is more at home with heavy, full power loads in the .45 ACP.
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But ".45 ACP" is a cartridge, not a firearm. 1911s come in several barrel lengths. If AA5 is a slower burn rate, would it be fair to suggest that it might not be the better choice in shorter 1911s like Commanders, Officers ACPs, and Defenders?
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by USSR
As a slower burn rate powder, AA5 is more at home with heavy, full power loads in the .45 ACP.

But ".45 ACP" is a cartridge, not a firearm. 1911s come in several barrel lengths. If AA5 is a slower burn rate, would it be fair to suggest that it might not be the better choice in shorter 1911s like Commanders, Officers ACPs, and Defenders?
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Never said it was a firearm. Having a barrel length of an inch or two longer or shorter, doesn't change the pressure generated by the combustion of the powder, and most powders operate best when the pressure is in a suitable range. This is much more the case when using faster burn rate powders than AA5 when using light bullets and not full power loads.

Don
 
burbank_jung,

Doesn't matter, with handguns determine your powder by the weight of your bullet and the pressure level you want to operate at.

Don
 
I sure burned a lot of AA5 when I first started loading 45acp. But the powder shortage of 2008 forced me to try something different. AA5 is a top choice for performance loads with 45acp.
Now that Western powder has been sold to Hodgdon, I may have to find something to replace Silhouette.
 
"...Bullseye is perfect..." Yes, it is. It's why I use it almost exclusively for everything.
I think it's AA5 for my .41AE. Don't play with that much as .410" cast bullets are basically not available here. Jacketed aren't common either and far too expensive.
"...an idea of what works...." That works in other people's firearms. Not necessarily yours.
 
I tried AA5 in my FNX45T and it shot "ok" functioned fine but the group consistency was not as good as my go-to load of 4.8 gr of Win WST with the 230 gr RN . I recently found some AA2 that I plan to use for .380 auto , but it's on my test radar as well for 45 acp .
 
I tested AA2 vs AA5 with Nosler 45-185 JHP bullets and AA2 was better. When I acquire some 45-230GD Speers, I'll do the same comparison.
 
AA#5 for all my 230 gr. jacketed hollowpoints. I use Unique for jacketed round nosed. AA#5 shoots well in Glocks, Colt 1911's, and Kriss Carbine. Use AA data on-line. I woudn't try AA#2 for 230 gr. higher velocity loads. I think it's too fast? I shoot mostly Hornady 230 XTP's with Rem. 2 1/2 primers and very accurate for me. Shoots a little better in some pistols than others.
 
I am guessing that AA5 will start to shine in 230gr bullets too. Yet, I am wondering if it depends on the bullet. For example, I found a good load for .357-158gr GD with Blue Dot, but the same loads did not perform well with Nosler and Winchester 158 JHP bullets.
 
Both AA#2 and AA#5 will work with a 230gr bullet. Only difference is, if you load both with max loads you will get more velocity with the AA#5. As for accuracy, it could go either way depending upon the load and what your gun likes.

Don
 
Clays is one of the best for target loads in 45. Fast like bullseye. This is not universal clays or international clays. Just Clays. They should shoot the person in charge of naming powders at hodgdon.

AA#5 is for heavy 45 and #7 is too slow. That one is for 9mm, 38 super, 357 mag.
 
"Clays"
"International" Clays
"Universal" Clays

It's unfortunate the three (very different) powder share the same surname.
No end of trouble for new/just-starting handloaders
 
I've been loading 45 ACP since October 1984. I have three guns chambered for 45 ACP. All three are full-sized 1911's. Here's my compare/contrast:

VVN310 sucks. I've tried it on 185gr Nosler JHP, 230RN, and 200SWC. Not good for me.
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I use VVN310 for very light 200LSWC's. It works well. It's the (relatively) cleanest burner that I've tried when turned down to these low pressures. I'm running only 3.2 grains and it chronographs at 678 f/s. This fodder is for my oldest 1911 that is only fed this ammo with a 12lb recoil spring.

Bullseye is perfect. Great groups in everything. My 45-230rn and 45-200swc loads will use this.
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Bullseye is perfect for 45 ACP. This is among the most tried and true, thoroughly confirmed combinations in handloading.

I don't like Unique, it throwing it sounds like using corn flakes.
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I don't like Unique either - because of its metering properties. I quit using it decades ago; save for a few #'s I got ahold of out of desperation during the shortage of '13. It does however, perform great in 45 ACP with 230g jacketed bullets, pumped up to max pressure. It really shines there. Among its best uses.

AA2 does well. Only used this for .45-185gr Nosler JHP. I could use Bullseye but AA2 does well, is clean, and I can use the Bullseye for the my lead bullet loads. ( I use AA2 for other calibers ).
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I have never used AA2 for 45 ACP; but have used it extensively in other calibers. I like it for light weight plated or jacketed bullets in 38 Special and 9mm.

AA5 not so good. Only used for the .45-185gr Nosler JHP. Maybe it's my shooting.. My question is, will AA5 start to outshine AA2 for full power 230gr JHP bullets?
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Yes. :)

I can use Bullseye and Unique to extrapolate possible performance by burn rate. But, as anyone here compared AA2 and AA5? Faster burning vs slower burning?
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Kind of, but not directly. Here's the deal with 45 ACP: Compared to other pistol calibers, propellants tend to run slower in the application. For instance, surprising performance can be attained with 230gn bullets using the very fast Bullseye. Using lighter bullets (</= 200gn), there isn't hardly any reason to use anything other than fast propellants (Bullseye, W231, AA2, etc.). Once you get into the 230 grainers, then your intermediates become practical to use - but only when turned up good n stout. 45 ACP likes fast powders ;)
 
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