The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Looking for WIN 231 185 gr loads for .45 ACP

mmb713 · June 3, 2011, 08:56 PM

I was told by the folks at Xtreme Bullets to use Speer's data for jacketed bullets with their plated bullets, although just about any bullet company's data should work. I have the One Book/One Caliber pamphlets for all of the cartridges I reload (in addition to several full manuals, which are indispensable) so I can easily compare from manufacturer to manufacturer to come up with reasonable starting points when loading plated bullets. None of their data is seriously different from the next and all the starting points are safe from one bullet of the same weight to the next. The 45 Auto is a forgiving round so compare a few loading manuals' data with W231 and 185 grain bullets. OAL is going to be mostly a matter of what will chamber and feed into your gun reliably. I would start with the recommended OAL of a similar profile bullet in Hornady, Sierra or Speer's manual. If you can, chrono your loads as you work up. This will tell you if you start to stray into dangerous territory, although if you just stay below everyone's max loads you should be just fine and have some good target and plinking loads. Good luck.

June 3, 2011, 08:56 PM	#6
mmb713 Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2011 Location: Salt Lake City, UT Posts: 421	I was told by the folks at Xtreme Bullets to use Speer's data for jacketed bullets with their plated bullets, although just about any bullet company's data should work. I have the One Book/One Caliber pamphlets for all of the cartridges I reload (in addition to several full manuals, which are indispensable) so I can easily compare from manufacturer to manufacturer to come up with reasonable starting points when loading plated bullets. None of their data is seriously different from the next and all the starting points are safe from one bullet of the same weight to the next. The 45 Auto is a forgiving round so compare a few loading manuals' data with W231 and 185 grain bullets. OAL is going to be mostly a matter of what will chamber and feed into your gun reliably. I would start with the recommended OAL of a similar profile bullet in Hornady, Sierra or Speer's manual. If you can, chrono your loads as you work up. This will tell you if you start to stray into dangerous territory, although if you just stay below everyone's max loads you should be just fine and have some good target and plinking loads. Good luck.