Best all around Powder for .45 ACP

Geese, I'm ready to try WST.
I like W231 because it crosses over well with other cartridges I reload for :confused:
 
i use unique mostly because I can use it for my other loads (there are decent .32 acp, .357, and .380 loads).

I haven't noticed it being any more dirty than winchester white box or remington/umc. Some people say it is. I may try universal when I run out of this lot, just because I hear it compared favorably.

My 1911 LOVES 185gn FMJ over 7.5 gns of Unique. Im not sure why, but my XD eats 230s better.
 
My 1911 LOVES 185gn FMJ over 7.5 gns of Unique.
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I have a Marlin Camp 45 that shoots extremely well with Nosler 185gr jhp's with 7.5gr of Unique. My 1911 also does well with it.
 
Jammer Six said:
The differences I've noticed are two: older powders tend to be much dirtier, but have a huge following because back in the day, they were all there was. So 231, Unique and Bullseye have hordes of folks who swear by them.

But Titegroup is, for my jacketed stuff, cleaner, faster and more accurate.
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Titegroup is not an "all around powder" for 45ACP. It is a "Specialty" powder. Just because many match shooters use it to make power factor they could not with other powders does not mean it's a good powder for a new reloader to start off with. Titegroup burns fast and hot with spikey pressure curve and narrow load range. Is it accurate? Oh heck yes for my 9mm/40S&W loads in my pistols/barrels but I spent a lot of time getting to those loads and I would not recommend to others due to pressure variations in different pistols/barrels.

You'll often see me recommend W231/HP-38 (same exact powder but HP-38 costs less) that is moderately fast burning but slower than Titegroup with broader load range that's more forgiving for a new reloader. Even at lower mid-to-high range load data, W231/HP-38 will produce accurate target loads and burn relatively clean (compared to other powders in the same mid-to-high load data range). It is cleaner burning than Bullseye with less recoil pulse but Bullseye loads are accurate. It is a flattened small ball powder and like other ball powders, meters very consistently (particularly in Lee Pro Auto Disk with less than .1 gr variance). Unlike flake powders (Bullseye/Unique), W231/HP-38 is coated which also help lubricate the Auto Disk operation surfaces.

For 200 gr Lead SWC bullet, 5.0-5.5 gr of W231/HP-38 produces very accurate loads and is like bread-and-butter, peanut butter-and-jelly, etc. I like clean burning and accurate WST for 45ACP also, but if you are loading other calibers like 9mm/40S&W, W231/HP-38 is hard to beat for producing accurate and moderately recoiling target loads.

For me accuracy is everything and holes on target speak volumes.

From Hodgdon load data - http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp
155 gr Lead SWC W231/HP-38 .451" OAL 1.230" Start 6.0 gr (998 fps) 13,400 CUP - Max 6.7 gr (1112 fps) 17,100 CUP

155 gr SFIRE W231/HP-38 .451" OAL 1.220" Start 5.6 gr (944 fps) 13,800 CUP - Max 6.2 gr (1057 fps) 16,700 CUP

180 gr Lead FP W231/HP-38 .452" OAL 1.140" Start 5.0 gr (778 fps) 11,300 CUP - Max 6.0 gr (950 fps) 16,800 CUP

185 gr Hornady JSWC W231/HP-38 .451" OAL 1.135" Start 5.0 gr (762 fps) 12,000 CUP - Max 5.9 gr (906 fps) 15,800 CUP

200 gr Lead SWC W231/HP-38 .451" OAL 1.225" Start 4.4 gr (771 fps) 11,000 CUP - Max 5.6 gr (914 fps) 16,900 CUP

200 gr Speer JHP W231/HP-38 .451" OAL 1.155" Start 5.2 gr (794 fps) 12,700 CUP - Max 5.9 gr (906 fps) 16,700 CUP

230 gr Lead RN W231/HP-38 .452" OAL 1.200" Start 4.3 gr (699 fps) 12,200 CUP - Max 5.3 gr (834 fps) 16,900 CUP

230 gr Hornady FMJ FP W231/HP-38 .451" OAL 1.200" Start 4.2 gr (751 fps) 13,800 CUP - Max 5.3 gr (832 fps) 16,800 CUP
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For economy, although Promo's larger than Unique flake size doesn't meter that well, 200 gr Lead SWC with about 4.0 gr of Promo also produces very accurate and mild recoiling yet clean burning target loads (I said "about" 4.0 gr as my Pro Auto Disk will throw with .2-.3+ variance. As to load data, Alliant states to use Red Dot load data by weight). For me, Promo is also becoming a good general purpose powder as it has produced very accurate 45ACP/9mm lead loads using 2004 Alliant Red Dot load data.
 
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I may try universal when I run out of this lot, just because I hear it compared favorably.
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I used to use Unique in 8lb containers like there was no tomorrow. But after hearing guys suggest it enough on this forum, I finally decided to give Universal a shot and have never looked back since. It meters better, burns cleaners, and fills virtually the exact same role as Unique in my needs.

That experience also taught me the value of challenging the old "If it ain't broke don't fix it" mantra I'd said so many times. It might not be broke, but that doesn't mean it can't be improved. So now I'm a little more open to trying new things, at least to see if there is a benefit to be gained. In some instances there's no real benefit to me, so I return to what I know. But I try at least to not be so narrow minded so as to not even consider that there's still some things I can learn and ways I can improve.

That said, 231 is a powder I keep coming back to no matters what else I try. It meters exceptionally well and is also so versatile that it's hard to beat. Not that there aren't other good powers out there, but I've yet to find anything fill the same void as 231 and improve on it at all.
 
Bullet Manufacturer

Hello All,

The reload data for a specific powder also lists specific bullet makes. Accurate, as an example, lists three makes along with three types. The only match for my .45 ACP bullet, a 200 gr, JRN from Power Bond Bullets, is just the bullet weight. Neither the type nor the make match. Same goes for the W231 load data, which lists only two types for a 200 gr bullet, a JHP and an LSWC.

My question then is, does the make and type matter when reloading? If so, I guess that means I have to find a powder that lists those details. I would think that as long as I use the reload data for my bullet weight and make sure the overall length is correct, that I would be ok.

My second question regards the primer type. After reading about them for about a week, it would appear that the only thing that matters is the size. All my brass takes a small primer. I also noticed that the Accurate reload data lists a Federal 150 as the primer make. How important is it to use this listed primer? Am I able to use any small primer or must I use the type that is listed in the reload data?

Thanks very much. Please be gentle, I am a first time reloader.
 
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The only component I substitute (and then it's like for like) brand names is bullets.

Brass, primers and, obviously, powders all make a difference in both pressure and velocity between manufacturers.

I don't like 231, and recommend Titegroup across the board in .45 ACP.
 
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Thanks for the reply JammerSix.

So if I understand, you are saying that I can substitute any bullet for any brand as long as I use the load data for the weight of the bullet. Is this true even though the load data is for a 200 gr JHP? My bullets are JRN.

And, that I can use any small primer with any powder.
 
In loading manuals, there is usually a number called a ballistic coefficient.

That number is used to compare the flight characteristics of one bullet to another, and is, in my opinion, the best way to compare one bullet to another. (Assuming the material, lead, jacketed or plated is the same.)

Smaller companies (like a lot of the one or two man companies that produce lead bullets) frequently don't produce either data or manuals, and then the best way (again in my opinion) is to measure the weight, diameter and length of the bullets, and keep styles and type (jacketed, plated, lead) the same.

For .45 ACP, there's not going to be any problem finding data for a 230 grain JRN-- it's probably the most common round loaded. The other super common bullet would be the semi-wadcutter. (SWC). You can find all sorts of listings for those in 200 grain, in plated, jacketed and lead.

The last method I would use would be to substitute styles. I might do it when I've made a hard search, but so far, I've always managed to find the same style-type-weight, particularly in .45 ACP.

Sometime you might need to buy a different manual, and if, for instance, you're loading Hornady bullets, then the Hornady manual is guaranteed to list exactly the bullet you're loading.

Another approach is to buy one of the big manuals (Hornady, Speer, Federal) and then buy exactly the right components to match one of their listings. That's probably the most conservative approach, but in reloading, conservative habits are good habits in my book.

And no, I said that changing brands of primers or changing brands of brass changes both pressure and velocity.
 
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I'm going to purchase a Lyman manual. Hopefully I'll be able to reload my 200 gr bullets.

Thanks very much for all the info.
 
45 powders

I have tried many. There are so many "right" answers for this question.
W231/HP38 is excellent. Universal is excellent.
 
Greendot can always be found in the back of the shelves. Knock the dust off the containers and enjoy it.

Also Hp38/w231
 
HP38/231 is my choice also. I use it in 9mm, 40 S&W, 38 and have used it in 45 Colt. Meters well and consistent for me.
 
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I'm going to pick up a pound of each of the powders you guys are using. What primers do you recommend for the .45 ACP and these powders? My brass takes a small primer.
 
My preferred powder for .45 is WST (Winchester Super Target). It burns cleaner then W231 does. It is also a little faster burning. It measures well in most powder measures as well. I have used AA5 and W231 for .45 but WST seems to work the best.
 
For 40 years.....Unique. Just as good in .40 S&W.

Other powers like 231 do it pretty well, too, but not any better in my personal experience. I prefer the Unique recoil, the Unique density, the Unique Accuracy, and especially the Unique versatility. I may be old fashioned, but experience accounts for something.
 
The reason Bullseye, Unique and 231 have such large followings is because forty years ago, they were the only reasonable choices.

That is no longer the case, and the compromises made with both those powders are no longer necessary.

While good results can be achieved with patience and anything that fits in the case, better results can be achieved sooner with a powder tailored to the mission.

Of those three old powders, Bullseye is the only one I like for .45 ACP, and I don't like it as well as Titegroup.
 
I use Bullseye in the .45ACP, but I've always used Bullseye in the .45ACP. I've never seen a reason to try anything else. It works for me.
 
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