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The load I prefer to use in .45 apc is using a different bullet. I use Montana Gold 185 grain jacketed hollow point with 5.2 to 5.4 grains of WST powder. I do vary the OAL depending on the pistol. Most of my loads have 5.3 grains with an OAL of 1.210. This is with a standard large pistol primer. This is my preferred load for my SA Range Officer.
The Montana Gold bullet is not designed to expand. It is made to be accurate. It does that well. I find loading jacketed bullets to be easier to get right compared to lead or plated.
When I was working up a .357 mag load I wanted to use up some mag. primers I bought by mistake. The powder I was using didn't require a mag primer and very few do. I liked the load so much I went out and bought more mag primers. My savings by using less powder, because of the change in primer, isn't much. I figure it is about $1 per pound of powder used. I know I can use mag primers if I can't get standard primers. I just have to back off the powder and work it up again slowly. I have read several reports of using small rifle primers in pistol loads. I would do that only as a last resort. Large rifle primers probably won't work in pistol loads.
I haven't had much trouble finding WST powder even now. It burns clean and works well. Large pistol primers seemed to be one of the last primer sizes to leave the shelves of most places. Montana Gold has had their ordering web page down for a while now. My guess is they are just not taking orders until they get caught up shipping bullets out. I also think it may take a few more weeks before they start taking orders again. I'm hoping this summer things start to return to normal for getting components. I only need some more bullets in the future to continue loading.
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