You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
what 45 ammo do you carry?
- Thread starter griffin12aaa
- Start date
Derbel McDillet --
The first quote you posted was aimed strictly at 9mm loads. The second was a general statement based on a variety of calibers -- 9mm, .40 SW, and .45 acp. The Hornady Critical Duty round did okay in .45 acp.
Having said that, my favorite .45 acp loads are standard pressure, 230 gr. loads in Federal HST and Speer Gold Dots. There is some good data showing ballistic gel test results at ATK's website (they make both loads): http://le.atk.com/wound_ballistics/load_comparison/load_comparison.aspx.
Up until a year or two ago, ATK had documented gel test results performed at and before a number of different law enforcement agencies using both HST and Gold Dots and compared them to a smattering of rounds from other manufacturers (HST and Gold Dot fared very well). They are no longer on ATK's website, possibly because some of the results were starting to get a bit dated as other manufacturers have improved their own loads.
My third choice of defensive round in .45 acp is Remington Golden Saber because I have not yet had a .45 (mostly 1911s) that didn't function well with the round.
The first quote you posted was aimed strictly at 9mm loads. The second was a general statement based on a variety of calibers -- 9mm, .40 SW, and .45 acp. The Hornady Critical Duty round did okay in .45 acp.
Having said that, my favorite .45 acp loads are standard pressure, 230 gr. loads in Federal HST and Speer Gold Dots. There is some good data showing ballistic gel test results at ATK's website (they make both loads): http://le.atk.com/wound_ballistics/load_comparison/load_comparison.aspx.
Up until a year or two ago, ATK had documented gel test results performed at and before a number of different law enforcement agencies using both HST and Gold Dots and compared them to a smattering of rounds from other manufacturers (HST and Gold Dot fared very well). They are no longer on ATK's website, possibly because some of the results were starting to get a bit dated as other manufacturers have improved their own loads.
My third choice of defensive round in .45 acp is Remington Golden Saber because I have not yet had a .45 (mostly 1911s) that didn't function well with the round.
Derbel McDillet
Moderator
The first quote you posted was aimed strictly at 9mm loads.
It addresses wound ballistics research in general.
The Hornady Critical Duty round did okay in .45 acp.
The second paragraph is the most important - "...The Hornady CD loads simply do not work as well as other options when looked at in aggregate. Is it better than an FMJ? Yes, but the CD are not as good as many other options, so I cannot recommend them for general use."
Also from the same thread:
I have not put up the glass testing yet, but there were issues with it, as well as some failures to expand during the 4LD testing. The CD loads penetrate deeper than needed, don't crush as much tissue as they could, and are not as sharp on the leading edge as other projectiles.
cerberus65
New member
Ball. For slow rounds like .45 ACP, .380, and .32 ACP I want penetration.
Derbel McDillet -- But general statements really don't mean a lot when you are looking at a specific load in a specific caliber. I really like Speer Gold Dots but not for every caliber; specifically, not for .380. All we are talking about here is .45 acp, not 9mm or .40 SW or any other caliber.
Jammer Six
New member
Reloads.
What is the type of ammo youcarry and why ?
I use 230gr Golden Sabers because they look like business. But I don't think any top shelf hollow points would perform much differently. They're all good.
I use Winchester PDX1 230gr Bonded JHP. Glad I haven't had to use them, but I chose them off of basic research of terminal ballistics, and that they retain most (almost all) of their mass after impact. They might not be the 'best' but seem to be consistent in their expansion etc.
Microgunner
New member
I've got a whole bunch of Winchester Black Talon left over from back in the day.
That's what all of my .45ACPs are loaded with.
That's what all of my .45ACPs are loaded with.
Two main points: the ammunition works in your gun and it shoots to your sight setting. If your 45 ACP ammunition does both of these things you're not going to be hurting too much.
I'd caution against using one kind of ammunition for practice and something far more expensive for carry that is rarely shot and rarely rotated. I'm not saying that you shouldn't practice with something cheaper than an expensive factory high performance ammunition that you use for carry, but if you do at least use the expensive ammo enough so that you know what it will do.
I carry bullets I cast from an RCBS copy of the old Lyman 452374 design. This bullet works reliably in all of my 1911's. I've shot enough things with these bullets over the years to know what to expect from them.
I've been assured that there are much better bullets out there than the ones I cast myself, but it has been close to forty years since I've put much effort into shooting things with jacketed pistol bullets. Even if I did I might not learn too much. It is not every day that I have the chance to shoot something big with a pistol, and results on small game and varmints, my usual pistol targets, will tell me only so much.
I'd caution against using one kind of ammunition for practice and something far more expensive for carry that is rarely shot and rarely rotated. I'm not saying that you shouldn't practice with something cheaper than an expensive factory high performance ammunition that you use for carry, but if you do at least use the expensive ammo enough so that you know what it will do.
I carry bullets I cast from an RCBS copy of the old Lyman 452374 design. This bullet works reliably in all of my 1911's. I've shot enough things with these bullets over the years to know what to expect from them.
I've been assured that there are much better bullets out there than the ones I cast myself, but it has been close to forty years since I've put much effort into shooting things with jacketed pistol bullets. Even if I did I might not learn too much. It is not every day that I have the chance to shoot something big with a pistol, and results on small game and varmints, my usual pistol targets, will tell me only so much.
buck460XVR
New member
Montana Gold 200 gr JFPs over 6.3 gr of W321/HP38 shoot the best outta my 5'' Government. Guess what I use?
Derbel McDillet
Moderator
But general statements really don't mean a lot when you are looking at a specific load in a specific caliber.
See my first post.
I did. I was responding. I guess we're just not on the same page.See my first post.
Normally 230 grain Golden Saber, because it feeds well, expands well & I have it on hand. I have and will carry WW/USA 230 JHP, Ranger and Hydra Shock. The HST loads work well in 40 and I'd use them in a 45 w/o worry.
Beating around the farm, the pistol is loaded with ball or lead-bullet reloads. I don't swap them out when I need to run into town for something.
Beating around the farm, the pistol is loaded with ball or lead-bullet reloads. I don't swap them out when I need to run into town for something.