what 45 ammo do you carry?
- Thread starter griffin12aaa
- Start date
KeeperOath
New member
My Wintertime 45acp Carry Load:
For me, it's the Remington 230gr Golden Sabre in my Tripp Cobra Magsazine stuffed up the butt of my McCormick Commander. It's all sweet and it all works.
If not the McCormick, then it's my Kahr TP45 stuffed with the same load. It's also sweet and it may just work a bit better. Love my Kahr 45.
For me, it's the Remington 230gr Golden Sabre in my Tripp Cobra Magsazine stuffed up the butt of my McCormick Commander. It's all sweet and it all works.
If not the McCormick, then it's my Kahr TP45 stuffed with the same load. It's also sweet and it may just work a bit better. Love my Kahr 45.
Deaf Smith
New member
One thing about a .45 ACP handgun is usually anything except maybe 185gr SWC target ammo is good.
Yes even the 230 gr. punkin' ball ammo ain't bad.
So most JHPs, be it 165 to 230 do decent jobs.
It's only when you go down to 9mm that you need to look hard a the ammo you use.
If I was to use one of my 1911s I'd use DPX I guess just so I'd be 'green'.
Deaf
Yes even the 230 gr. punkin' ball ammo ain't bad.
So most JHPs, be it 165 to 230 do decent jobs.
It's only when you go down to 9mm that you need to look hard a the ammo you use.
If I was to use one of my 1911s I'd use DPX I guess just so I'd be 'green'.
Deaf
Mike Irwin
Staff
I don't carry a .45, but I do use 230-gr. Remington Golden Sabre in my 4506 and my 1911 when I am using them as house guns.
FairWarning
New member
Federal HST +P 230. Totally satisfied with the performance in my gun.
I personally wouldn't go below 200 gr for defense ammo. Just my preference for the caliber.
I personally wouldn't go below 200 gr for defense ammo. Just my preference for the caliber.
filthy phil
New member
Federal hst 230 gr (just ordered more last night from ventura munitions)
Win t 230
Speer gdhp 230
Why? the "experts" say those are best
Win t 230
Speer gdhp 230
Why? the "experts" say those are best
bledsoeG19
New member
Hornady custom 200gr XTP. Feels just like my pet load which is a 200gr LSWC over 5 gr bullseye. Not exactly blazing but you definitely know you sent something down range.
deputy tom
New member
Golden Sabre 230 gr. for carry, ball or my reloads for range work. YMMV. tom.
Jammer Six
New member
I stopped carrying Golden Sabers after replacing my carry ammo and taking the old ammo the range after about 13 months.
Out of 100 rounds, two failed to fire.
Out of 100 rounds, two failed to fire.
185gr Golden Saber JHP +P rounds....
I got a $28.00 box of 25 Remington Golden Saber 185gr +P JHP a few weeks ago in PA during a business trip.
I was very upset with the overall QC of the .45acp ammuntion. I highly doubt Id buy any Golden Sabers in any pistol caliber any time soon.
I used Remington Golden Sabers often in .40S&W & 9x19mm often in the 1990s/2000s but the new pistol rounds look awful.
Clyde
I got a $28.00 box of 25 Remington Golden Saber 185gr +P JHP a few weeks ago in PA during a business trip.
I was very upset with the overall QC of the .45acp ammuntion. I highly doubt Id buy any Golden Sabers in any pistol caliber any time soon.
I used Remington Golden Sabers often in .40S&W & 9x19mm often in the 1990s/2000s but the new pistol rounds look awful.
Clyde
shooter1911
New member
Colt Series 70 1911-230 gr Golden Saber Bonded or Standard, because it feeds reliably in that particular gun.
S&W M&P 45C-Currently HST, but it will feed anything.
S&W M&P 45C-Currently HST, but it will feed anything.
The ammo I carry will depend on which 1911 I'm using.
The 4" Springfield Champion does well with Speer Gold Dot 230gr +P, 230gr Hydrashok and 230gr Federal HST.
The 4" Colt Combat Commander seems to prefer 230gr Federal Hydrashok.
My S&W 1911Sc hates Speer Gold Dots of any kind, but runs fine on Federal HST 230gr (and the +P version). It also digests 230gr Hydrashok easily.
My Kimber Compact Royalle (officer's model size) performs beautifully on 200 grain +P and will eat the Hydrashoks too, though the 200gr seem more accurate.
This means that the carried magazine contains the ammo each gun likes best while spare magazines usually contain 230gr Hydrashok. The difference in accuracy isn't very significant as all of them will hold 8 shots into the black at 25 yards.
The Kimber poses the only exception, but it's magazines are specific to the size of the gun.
My general rule is any .45 pistol a barrel length under 4" should be using either a 185 or 200 grain projectile for expansion velocity while 4" and longer guns should use 200 to 230 grain bullets for their mass.
The 4" Springfield Champion does well with Speer Gold Dot 230gr +P, 230gr Hydrashok and 230gr Federal HST.
The 4" Colt Combat Commander seems to prefer 230gr Federal Hydrashok.
My S&W 1911Sc hates Speer Gold Dots of any kind, but runs fine on Federal HST 230gr (and the +P version). It also digests 230gr Hydrashok easily.
My Kimber Compact Royalle (officer's model size) performs beautifully on 200 grain +P and will eat the Hydrashoks too, though the 200gr seem more accurate.
This means that the carried magazine contains the ammo each gun likes best while spare magazines usually contain 230gr Hydrashok. The difference in accuracy isn't very significant as all of them will hold 8 shots into the black at 25 yards.
The Kimber poses the only exception, but it's magazines are specific to the size of the gun.
My general rule is any .45 pistol a barrel length under 4" should be using either a 185 or 200 grain projectile for expansion velocity while 4" and longer guns should use 200 to 230 grain bullets for their mass.
Brotherbadger
New member
Speer gold dot. I've been thinking about switching to hornady critical defense though.
Rifleman1952
New member
I've used most of the major name brands. My Springfield XD-45 has a 4" barrel, and with a 4" barrel or shorter, I think it better to use a +P round in 230 gr, or a lighter 185 gr in standard pressure. At the moment my XD has Speer Gold Dots in 185 gr. They perform flawlessly and I feel very confident using them.
my turn
In my personal 45s I load a 230g non-bonded Remington Golden Saber at 815fps (yes I load my own personal social ammo).
For those in doubt I recommend defaulting to the most recent Winchester 230g JHP offerings.
Whatever is chosen MUST BE TESTED in the specific intended launch platform; no exceptions.
In my personal 45s I load a 230g non-bonded Remington Golden Saber at 815fps (yes I load my own personal social ammo).
For those in doubt I recommend defaulting to the most recent Winchester 230g JHP offerings.
Whatever is chosen MUST BE TESTED in the specific intended launch platform; no exceptions.
This cannot be over emphasized.
Even if someone tells you that the latest Federspeer-Remichester super blammo hollowpoints feed flawlessly
in the exact same model gun you have, it may not work in your gun at all.
Even if someone tells you that the latest Federspeer-Remichester super blammo hollowpoints feed flawlessly
in the exact same model gun you have, it may not work in your gun at all.
This can not only be fatal, but damned embarrassing. In a CCW training class in Nevada, one guy said he "exclusively" used Speer Gold Dots in his Brazilian-made pistol. But on the range, it failed to feed any round from the magazine without at least a good whack on the back of the slide. WWB ball ammo ran fine as did some Hydrashok ammo I let him try. Fortunately he learned his lesson on the range, in safety.