The Mighty .45 ACP

otasan

Moderator
I use my two Springfield Armory M1911A1 .45 ACPs for bowling pin shooting in NH. I use cast 255gr SWC handloads doing 870 FPS. Next match is 28Oct2017.
 
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heavy .45 acp loads

I worked up a load using 250 gr LRNFP's, mostly because I had stumbled into a quantity of them at a fair price. My load is a bit behind yours in velocity, but does consistently exceed 800 fps by a fair margin. I shoot same from a SIG P220...not in competition of any kind, just a heavy GP load. I'd use it in the G21, but Herr Glock says no lead through their barrels.

My guideline for my heavy bullet load was the Speer Manual, which gave loads for a jacketed 260 gr JSP bullet. No pressure signs and the LRNFP's seem entirely safe in my pistol. I can detect a slight increase in recoil over the standard 230 gr ball load, but find it entirely shootable.
 
Funny thing....I went the opposite direction once w/the .45 acp, just to see if I could do it.

I was curious as to how low I could go & still have 100% functionality.

I loaded down a lot to somewhere in the 11,000 psi range & w/stock 16 # spring I was able to put together a real "puff" load.

I'd have to add "Versatile" & say, The Mighty and Versatile .45 acp!
 
"Funny thing....I went the opposite direction once w/the .45 acp, just to see if I could do it."

I recently experimented the same way: wanted to see how low the charge could be brought using the standard recoil spring (18.5 lbs in a SR1911) and 230 grain RN. My standard load is 4.7 grains of 700-X, 1.23" COL, and 0.468" crimp.

Loaded some @ 3.6, 3.8, 4.0, and 4.2 grains. Result - below 4.0 grains, cycling was unreliable. At 4.0 grains, cycling was totally reliable, but cases sort of just "popped" out rather than smartly ejecting. And @ 4.2 grains, cycling and ejection were fine.

Just FYI...
 
Ooh, good reminder. I was thinking on doing a bowling pin league this winter, should start working up a cast load.
 
I will cop to my 1911-A1 .45 ACP bias right up front. However, objectively, the 1911-A1 in .45 ACP has to be considered the greatest handgun ever invented. Even the great Peacemaker did not enjoy a fraction of the 1911-A1 handgun dominance.
 
I love shooting bowling pins, but I've not been to a match in years.

I'd occasionally use my .45 Springfield Milspec, but most of the time I'd use either my S&W Model 58 in .45 Magnum, my S&W Model 1917 in .45 ACP, or my S&W Model 24-3 in .44 Special.

I never have taken my S&W Model 25-5 in .45 Colt to a match. Will need to do that one of these days.
 
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