Preferred 45acp powders?

C

chris in va

New member
I managed to get some Bullseye last store visit but the stuff is tough to find. Haven't seen any Clays anywhere, so any other suggestions on the faster side?

I shoot powdercoated 160 and 200gr and haven't had any cycling luck with slower powders like Universal in my CZ.
 
Bullseye is the classic powder. Red Dot is in a similar burn rate range, but not very clean, IME. Vihtavuori N320 and and Solo 1000 and Winchester 231 and HP38 (231 and HP38 are the same powder differently branded) are more common 45 Auto powders all in that same burn rate range. Clays is faster than any of the abive, and Vihtavuori N310 is similarly in speed to Clays.
 
A while back, I bought some Hi-Skor 700-X. It's a fast burning and clean powder as well. Performs quite well in 45 acp, in my experience.

The drawback to this powder is that it does not tend to meter consistently through the Uniflow powder dispenser. This powder is in a flake form.

Bayou
 
If you have Bullseye, then you really haven't a need to look further for most applications in 45 ACP. Especially with the lighter bullets you mentioned.
 
Bullseye is the beginning and end for light target/ plinking loads for the 45ACP.

Clays and red dot work well too. 231 is a bit slower, and tends to do well with midrange to higher end loads for 45ACP

700 X is OK but, as mentioned above, meters terribly at very light charges in both my dispensers.
 
Powders from faster to slower , relatively speaking:

Clays
Tightgroup
700X
Bullseye
Red Dot
N320
WST
Zip
Green Dot
231
SR-7625
N340
Unique
Universal

I have found Red Dot , Bullseye and 700X quite useful in 45 acp .
Red Dot and 700X were my last finds sitting on the dealer's shelf.
These 3 powders measure just fine in my Lyman 55 measure and they can be used with a dipper for accurate charging. At times I use dippers when I don't want to reset my measure, I have discovered the charges are quite consistent when dipped.
Gary
 
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Like I said the slower powders like Universal don't function well in my CZ, lots of horizontal stovepipes. Those mostly cleared up with Bullseye, and unfortunately BE is scarce so trying to find something similar. I'll keep an eye out for Red Dot.
 
The "Classic" powders for the 45 ACP are Bullseye and Unique. Bullseye is the original powder, used in the 1910 developmental cartridges and in countless cartridges since then. Unique was very popular, but I think W231 an outstanding powder and I have shot kegs of the stuff. It works very well with the three bullet types I use, 230 LRN, 200 LSWC and 230 FMJ's

I am not a particular fan of ball powders but I did end up with a keg of AA#5. While it shot well, for all the ballyhoo about throwing better, it did not produce better standard deviations or extreme spreads. Also, the little tiny balls roll out of the powder bar on my Dillion 550B and I have to periodically clean the powder bar as they jam up the mechanism.

Green Dot is a powder worth experimenting with. I bought 2 lbs of estate sale powder and it turned out to be very accurate and functioned my pistols just fine.


Code: 
[SIZE="3"]

[B]Kimber Custom Classic[/B]

 230 FMJ (GI)  5.5 grs W231 Mixed Brass WLP			
OAL 1.265" taper crimp .469					
4-Sep-05 T = 92 °F						
						
Ave Vel =782.5					
Std Dev =22.64					
ES	87.93					
High	822.9					
Low	735					
N =	28

230 FMJ (GI)  5.5 grs W231 Mixed Brass WLP OAL 1.265" taper crimp .469"		
8-Jan-06	T = 61 °F  
Ave Vel =802.9				
Std Dev =17.8				
ES =	53.67				
High = 	831.1				
Low =	777.5				
N =	9				 
				 	
				
			
					
230 LRN 7.0 grs AA#5 lot 12599 WLP  Mixed Military OAL 1.245" taper crimp 0.469"
	27 Feb 2010         T = 48 ° F			
					
Ave Vel =788	fps			
Std Dev =17				
ES =	76.3				
High = 	827.5				
Low =	751.2				
N =	13				
					
					
					
230 LRN 7.5 grs AA#5 lot 12599 WLP  Mixed Military OAL 1.245" taper crimp 0.469"
	27 Feb 2010         T = 48 ° F			
					
Ave Vel =829	fps			
Std Dev =20				
ES =	63				
High = 	863				
Low =	800				
N=	15				
					
					
230 LRN Valiant 7.8 grs AA#5 lot 12599 Mixed brass WLP (brass)	
16-May-09	 high 83  °F		OAL 1.250" taper crimped 0.469"

Ave Vel =874.7				
Std Dev =16.3	 	 	 	
ES =	78.33				
High = 	916.4				
Low =	838				
N =	30				
					
					
230 LRN Valiant 8.0 grs AA#5 lot 12599 Mixed brass WLP (brass)	
16-May-09	 high 83  °F		OAL 1.250" taper crimped 0.469"
Ave Vel =890.2				
Std Dev =11.48	 	 	 	
ES =	40.44				
High = 	911.8				
Low =	871.4				
N =	16	

230 LRN 4.5 grs Green Dot lot 178 WLP  Mixed Military OAL 1.245" taper crimp 0.469"
	27 Feb 2010         T = 48 ° F			
					
Ave Vel =708	fps			 
Std Dev =12				 
ES =	40				 
High = 	727				 
Low =	687				 
N =	9				
	accurate, little high, mild recoil		
					
230 LRN 5.0 grs Green Dot lot 178 WLP  Mixed Military OAL 1.245" taper crimp 0.469"
	27 Feb 2010         T = 48 ° F			
					
Ave Vel =802	fps			
Std Dev =19				
ES =	61				
High = 	841				
Low =	780				
N =	15				
	 				
230 LRN 5.5 grs Green Dot lot 178 WLP  Mixed Military OAL 1.245" taper crimp 0.469"
	27 Feb 2010         T = 48 ° F			
					
Ave Vel =873	fps			 
Std Dev =30				 
ES =	88				 
High = 	922				 
Low =	834				 
N =	11	[/SIZE]

I use the military specifications as a guide for my ammunition. Even though I am showing data of velocities higher than 800 fps, I don't recommend them. I try to tailor my loads so the bullets are going just at 800 fps. Which was the original velocity of the 1910 cartridges. Later the average velocity got bumped up to 820 fps, as evidenced by this National Match ammunition.

 
I use Green Dot quite a bit. It meters well in my Dillon measure, but data is hard to find, I had to E-mail Alliant, but it works well, and it's not hard to find..

The slower powders work quite well in full power loads. I've had very good luck with HS-6 and Power Pistol, but they require a very stiff load.
 
For light bullets I like VV N310, Clays, Bullseye, Titegroup.
Titegroup is not my favorite because of the tiny charges, but it always seems to deliver the accuracy and it's usually easy to find.
 
I did my first reloads with Accurate#5 - I couldn't get Unique at the time. Don't know how it compares to any other powders, but 7.4 grains shoots 230 grain RN powdercoated lead at 840 fps out of my 4" XDS.
 
With 200gr LSWC, I've had the best luck with Titegroup and Bullseye, in that order. I've also used Win 231 and Unique, but best results with 1st two powders mentioned.
 
For light bullets I like VV N310, Clays, Bullseye, Titegroup.
Titegroup is not my favorite because of the tiny charges, but it always seems to deliver the accuracy and it's usually easy to find.
Click to expand...

Other than the "Clays," I could have written that. ^^

45 ACP is a bit of a different animal than other chamberings. In general, propellants behave slower than one might expect. Loaders routinely drive 230's to 800 f/s using Bullseye, for instance.

W321/HP-38 is my personal all-around three-decades-long favorite for 45 ACP. I use it for all bullet weights - lead and plated.

While trying to figure out how to burn up the four pounds of TiteGroup I regretably purchased last year, I discovered that it works quite well under plated bullets with the ol' 'ACP (200 & 230). 45 ACP came through for me so I didn't end up with four pounds of very expensive lawn fertilizer (44 Special too).

Nitro 100 and VV310 are both remarkably well behaved and useful in 45 ACP. They're pretty much the fastest powders out there; and yet, show some versatility with 45 ACP. I do recommend staying with light bullets (200 max) with them though.

Max velocity is the only time I ever reach for intermediate speed powders with 45 ACP. Power Pistol for 200's, and HS-6 for the heavies.
 
N320, 231, Power Pistol, Red Dot, Green Dot, Tin Star, Bullseye, Titegroup, SR4756, all have worked very well in my pistols with no difficulty working up very accurate loads.

I don't use jacketed bullets in my pistols and revolvers, or my .45 Colt carbines.
 
Powders from faster to slower , relatively speaking:

Clays
Tightgroup
700X
Bullseye
Red Dot
N320
WST
Zip
Green Dot
231
SR-7625
N340
Unique
Universal
Click to expand...

Ask a hundred different people to rate powder speeds, and you'll get a hundred different answers.

For me, Titegroup is slower than even W231 and belongs much further down the scale. If TiteGroup was any slower, I'd classify it as an intermediate speed powder. Red Dot has a bit of slowness to it and is thus, very close to W231. And Bullseye is faster than 700X.
 
I don't load anything lighter than 185grs, so can't help on those, powder for 185's up to 250's though in no particular order, AA #2, #5, Bullseye, Universal, Unique, and CFE Pistol. Of them all however, Bullseye, AA-2 and Unique usually cover all my needs.

I am sure I have tried a couple of others like 231 or WST or something in the past just don't guess it was any better than what I was already loading or I would remember it.

Also if your looking for AA-2 and can't find it, there is a report of a VERY similar powder to it at this link, Looking for AA-2?

I cannot say one way or the other as I haven't tried it. I am set on powder for the time being. If I wasn't though I would certainly give it a try at least. If it is close to AA-2 it should work as well as Bullseye but a bit cleaner.
 
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