.45 cal 'Copper' bullets - 0.452" Suitable in ACP?

Wyoredman · January 2, 2013, 11:02 AM

I just bought another box of stuff at a local auction. It contained some bullets that were not labeled. They appear to be a copper plated SWC of sorts. I weighed them and they are 230 grs. They measure at a diameter of 0.452".

I have always used 0.452" cast bullets in my 1911, but the jacketed bullets have always been 0.451". My question is, are these bullets OK for .45 ACP, or should I only use them in .45 Colt?

I wish I knew the manufacturer, but they were just in a plain brown box!

Hammerhead · January 2, 2013, 01:33 PM

Never heard of a 230 grain SWC. 200 or 250, but never 230. The .452" diameter shouldn't be a problem for either caliber with such soft bullets.
I would cut into one just be sure they're plated.

Wyoredman · January 2, 2013, 01:54 PM

Yeah, I supose they are more of a Flat Point type than SWC. I just don't know the manufacturer? Anyhow, thanks for the reasurances. I will cut one in half and look. Thanks.

m&p45acp10+1 · January 2, 2013, 03:12 PM

Make a dummy round. See if it chambers, and extracts without getting sticky. If so work up a load from the starting load carefully working up. If you have a .45 Colt then load them in that. It will shoot them just like any other.

Misssissippi Dave · January 2, 2013, 07:07 PM

When you look at the base of the bullet do you see lead or does the jacket evenly cover that as well? Jacketed bullets normally have a base you can see the lead. If they are plated then I don't see a big problem using them. Have you slugged the barrel of your pistol to see what size it is yet? It might make a difference if you have a barrel that is on the tight side.

Edward429451 · January 2, 2013, 11:12 PM

They'll be fine. Just start with a starting load and work it up. You may need less powder to get your target velocity. Pressures will rise quicker with a fatter bullet.

Wyoredman · January 3, 2013, 11:01 AM

Well, I cut one in half and it is plated lead. Also, I was incorrect in my first post, as they are 250 gr not 230gr. I think I am going to just use them as .45 Colt bullets and forget about using them in the .45 ACP, they are too heavy anyway.

Thanks for the info and replies.

Wyoredman · January 23, 2013, 12:08 PM

I loaded these bullets in my .45 Colt with 17.4 gr 2400 and a WLP primer to an OAL of 1.600".

I came to this starting load after looking in my Lyman 49th, Hornady, Sierra and Speer manuals. They all had different starting loads for 250-260 grain jacketed bullets using 2400, so I averaged the starting loads from the manuals to come up with this starting load of 17.4 gr.

At the range I shot 3 - 6shot groups at 15 yards off hand. All the groups were < 3" which is about as good as I can shoot a revolver.

There were no extraction problems and no pressure signs. I did not shoot them over a Chrony, but the recoil was fairly stout.

No leading or copper fouling was seen after these 18 shots!

I am going to shoot some of these loads over my chrony this weekend. What velocities would indicate a high pressure? I am curious because I want to increase the charge a bit. Looking at several sites on the net, I see where people haved loaded quite a bit more 2400 under 250gr jacketed bullets in the .45 Colt.

Ozzieman · January 24, 2013, 06:18 AM

Remember one thing, copper plated bullets are not made to take more than lead. I wouldn’t push these more than 1000 FPS.

jj320 · January 24, 2013, 07:55 AM

i know berry plated bullets advise using mid range load with there plated bullets

RickB · January 24, 2013, 06:36 PM

No problem shooting .452". Probably no problem shooting .454", if the rounds will chamber with a bullet of that size.
More than a few people load 250-260 grain bullets in .45 ACP, as driven a low velocities they can be sufficiently powerful with low recoil. Not all .45 bullets of that weight are shaped for good feeding in auto pistols.

m&p45acp10+1 · January 24, 2013, 07:30 PM

As for the plating of Berry's bullets. I run the .41 mag, and 9mm luger ones at full jacketed velocities. No problems out of either.

Wyoredman · February 4, 2013, 10:25 AM

45 Colt
250 gr jacketed flat point
17.4 gr 2400
WLP
COAL 1.600"

Shot these loads over my chronograph this weekend. They averaged 1004 fps at 15' from the muzzle. Pretty stout recoil in my BlackHawk, but easy extraction. Going a bit faster than the Lyman 49th got out of their test BlackHawk.

January 2, 2013, 11:02 AM	#1
Wyoredman Senior Member Join Date: September 6, 2011 Location: Wyoming Posts: 1,350	.45 cal 'Copper' bullets - 0.452" Suitable in ACP? I just bought another box of stuff at a local auction. It contained some bullets that were not labeled. They appear to be a copper plated SWC of sorts. I weighed them and they are 230 grs. They measure at a diameter of 0.452". I have always used 0.452" cast bullets in my 1911, but the jacketed bullets have always been 0.451". My question is, are these bullets OK for .45 ACP, or should I only use them in .45 Colt? I wish I knew the manufacturer, but they were just in a plain brown box! __________________ Go Pokes! Go Rams! Last edited by Wyoredman; January 2, 2013 at 11:46 AM.

January 2, 2013, 01:54 PM	#3
Wyoredman Senior Member Join Date: September 6, 2011 Location: Wyoming Posts: 1,350	Yeah, I supose they are more of a Flat Point type than SWC. I just don't know the manufacturer? Anyhow, thanks for the reasurances. I will cut one in half and look. Thanks. __________________ Go Pokes! Go Rams!

January 2, 2013, 03:12 PM	#4
m&p45acp10+1 Senior Member Join Date: May 3, 2009 Location: Central Texas Posts: 3,930	Make a dummy round. See if it chambers, and extracts without getting sticky. If so work up a load from the starting load carefully working up. If you have a .45 Colt then load them in that. It will shoot them just like any other. __________________ No matter how many times you do it and nothing happens it only takes something going wrong one time to kill you.

January 3, 2013, 11:01 AM	#7
Wyoredman Senior Member Join Date: September 6, 2011 Location: Wyoming Posts: 1,350	Well, I cut one in half and it is plated lead. Also, I was incorrect in my first post, as they are 250 gr not 230gr. I think I am going to just use them as .45 Colt bullets and forget about using them in the .45 ACP, they are too heavy anyway. Thanks for the info and replies. __________________ Go Pokes! Go Rams!

January 23, 2013, 12:08 PM	#8
Wyoredman Senior Member Join Date: September 6, 2011 Location: Wyoming Posts: 1,350	Range Report - I loaded these bullets in my .45 Colt with 17.4 gr 2400 and a WLP primer to an OAL of 1.600". I came to this starting load after looking in my Lyman 49th, Hornady, Sierra and Speer manuals. They all had different starting loads for 250-260 grain jacketed bullets using 2400, so I averaged the starting loads from the manuals to come up with this starting load of 17.4 gr. At the range I shot 3 - 6shot groups at 15 yards off hand. All the groups were < 3" which is about as good as I can shoot a revolver. There were no extraction problems and no pressure signs. I did not shoot them over a Chrony, but the recoil was fairly stout. No leading or copper fouling was seen after these 18 shots! I am going to shoot some of these loads over my chrony this weekend. What velocities would indicate a high pressure? I am curious because I want to increase the charge a bit. Looking at several sites on the net, I see where people haved loaded quite a bit more 2400 under 250gr jacketed bullets in the .45 Colt. __________________ Go Pokes! Go Rams!

January 2, 2013, 01:33 PM	#2
Hammerhead Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 2004 Location: Minnesota Posts: 2,432	Never heard of a 230 grain SWC. 200 or 250, but never 230. The .452" diameter shouldn't be a problem for either caliber with such soft bullets. I would cut into one just be sure they're plated.

January 2, 2013, 07:07 PM	#5
Misssissippi Dave Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2009 Posts: 1,411	When you look at the base of the bullet do you see lead or does the jacket evenly cover that as well? Jacketed bullets normally have a base you can see the lead. If they are plated then I don't see a big problem using them. Have you slugged the barrel of your pistol to see what size it is yet? It might make a difference if you have a barrel that is on the tight side.

January 2, 2013, 11:12 PM	#6
Edward429451 Junior member Join Date: November 12, 2000 Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado Posts: 9,494	They'll be fine. Just start with a starting load and work it up. You may need less powder to get your target velocity. Pressures will rise quicker with a fatter bullet.

January 24, 2013, 06:18 AM	#9
Ozzieman Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 2004 Location: Northern Indiana Posts: 6,117	Remember one thing, copper plated bullets are not made to take more than lead. I wouldn’t push these more than 1000 FPS. __________________ It was a sad day when I discovered my universal remote control did not in fact control the universe. Did you hear about the latest study.....5 out of 6 liberals say that Russian Roulette is safe.

January 24, 2013, 07:55 AM	#10
jj320 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2013 Location: hobart,in Posts: 119	i know berry plated bullets advise using mid range load with there plated bullets

January 24, 2013, 06:36 PM	#11
RickB Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2000 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 8,518	No problem shooting .452". Probably no problem shooting .454", if the rounds will chamber with a bullet of that size. More than a few people load 250-260 grain bullets in .45 ACP, as driven a low velocities they can be sufficiently powerful with low recoil. Not all .45 bullets of that weight are shaped for good feeding in auto pistols.

January 24, 2013, 07:30 PM	#12
m&p45acp10+1 Senior Member Join Date: May 3, 2009 Location: Central Texas Posts: 3,930	As for the plating of Berry's bullets. I run the .41 mag, and 9mm luger ones at full jacketed velocities. No problems out of either. __________________ No matter how many times you do it and nothing happens it only takes something going wrong one time to kill you.

February 4, 2013, 10:25 AM	#13
Wyoredman Senior Member Join Date: September 6, 2011 Location: Wyoming Posts: 1,350	45 Colt 250 gr jacketed flat point 17.4 gr 2400 WLP COAL 1.600" Shot these loads over my chronograph this weekend. They averaged 1004 fps at 15' from the muzzle. Pretty stout recoil in my BlackHawk, but easy extraction. Going a bit faster than the Lyman 49th got out of their test BlackHawk. __________________ Go Pokes! Go Rams!

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search