Colt Officers ACP & Winchester 185 Silvertip?

AR BLACK

New member
I have a Colt 1991A1 Officers Model, and am looking for "the right load." This pistol has a 3.5 inch bbl.

I just bought the following ammo to test:

Winchester 185 gr Silvertip
Federal 165 gr Hydra-Shok
Federal 230 gr Hydra-Shok

I'll go to an indoor range later this week and compare the three types. If the range has some Cor-Bon 185 grain I will buy a box and test it also.

What's the deal with the Silvertip? I guess it is not a jacketed bullet, Winchester web site says 1000 fps (5"bbl).

Does anyone shoot a 3.5" bbl 45, and what's your favorite personal defense ammo?

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Blackie
NRA, GOA, ISRA
 
We use the Hydra Shock 230 gn in all our 45s including Officers ACP, CCO, and Commander.

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acp Mikey
 
In my full size guns i shoot the 230 hydrashocks
In the defender I shoot the Corbon 165 @ 1250fps
i always go to a lighter bullet in the smaller guns to make up for the velocity differance.


killer45auto
 
One of my 1911s is a Colt Commanding Officer's Model. It's a full size Commander frame with an Officer ACP slide and barrel, the same as your pistol. For me the Winchester Silvertip is the most accurate defensive load in this pistol. The 230 gr Hydra-shok is a very close second. All else is so-so. Although the Winchester is the most accurate, I use the 230 gr Federal Hydr-shok. All my defensive 45's shoot this reliably and accurately enough. In addition training ammo shoots very close to the point of impact with all pistols so I don't have to keep a bunch of different loads for five pistols. Although the 45 ACP Silvertip appears to have no jacket, it actually does have one. It's made of an aluminun alloy which tends to give it a jacketless appearence. If you are selecting a carry load for only one pistol try to go with the lighter, faster ones. Test the load in your gun for reliability after breaking it in. Also keep in mind it will probably shoot to a very different point of impact with practice 230 gr. ball. If you reload this is not much of a problem as you'll be able to duplicate the ballistics of your defensive load.
 
I've had good fuctioning and accuracy with the Cor-bon 200 grain h/p load in my Officer's ACP.

Good Luck...

Joe


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