Looking for a good cheap load for .45acp plinking ammo

imq707s · March 1, 2008, 12:09 AM

I've decided that in addition to the .223 and .308 rifle loads that I've been reloading for years....I'm going to start reloading some .45acp for my 1911. With ammo prices getting upwards of $30 for 100rds of .45acp...I think I should be able to reload for close to half the price of store bought ammo.

I'm thinking about ordering one of the Lee 4-die carbide die sets....but I have no idea where to start with bullets, powder, and primers.

I'm not looking for competition ammo....just some inexpensive plinking/range ammo for my 1911. I would like to stick with 230gr bullets if possible.

What's the most cost effective (best deal) for .45 acp loads? Can someone give me some specifics on bullets, primers, and powder....and the place the has the best deals on the stuff?

Any info related to reloading .45acp would really help me out.

Thanks !!

T. O'Heir · March 1, 2008, 12:53 AM

A cast 230 grain RN or FP with 4.5 grains of Bullseye and any large pistol primer will do nicely. Nice, civilized, target load that shoots extremely well out of my Colt. Talk to your local gun shop about cast bullets. I always buy them at at gun show, by the 1,000.
The only thing that the .45 absolutely requires is a taper crimp. It's more of a feeding aid than anything else. Otherwise, loading them is no big deal. The cases don't stretch much either.
Mind you, if you're getting 100 rounds for $30, you're doing well. Factory ammo can run that much for 50 up here.

imq707s · March 1, 2008, 12:59 AM

I can get the WWB ammo for $30 for 100rds....but I think I can reload them for around $15 for 100.

firechicken · March 1, 2008, 09:07 AM

My plinking/target load for my 45 ACP is a 200gr SWC over 231 with a WLP primer. I buy the bullets locally for $30/500 (.06 ea), primers are $2.50/100 (.025 ea), and powder costs about $16/pound (.011 ea for 5.0gr). That's .096/round or $9.60/100.

katana8869 · March 1, 2008, 09:29 AM

Quote:

A cast 230 grain RN or FP with 4.5 grains of Bullseye and any large pistol primer will do nicely.

+1. This is my standard load for my .45 pistols.

Hawg · March 1, 2008, 09:29 AM

I can get WWB for 28.00 per hundred or Blazer for 26.00. I just got a mold and dies are coming. I'll buy a few more boxes of WWB for the brass.

Edward429451 · March 1, 2008, 10:37 AM

Wait'll he finds out that if you buy a 45 mould and cast your own that you can get the price of 100 45's down to <$5.00

Even with 3 cent match primers.

snakyjake · March 1, 2008, 07:41 PM

Edward429451,

Do you have any quality references/links to get started in molding? Are you talking about just lead, or how about doing metal jacket?

Hawg · March 1, 2008, 07:52 PM

Here's a good article on it. http://www.outdoorlife.com/article.j...ID=0&adid=T700

Edward429451 · March 1, 2008, 09:25 PM

I was talking about casting lead bullets. It's pretty easy once you're set up for it. There's a lot of little stuff to know and a couple hundred bucks worth of stuff to buy, but then the price of loaded ammo just goes through the floor.

Here's the best forum I know of to learn and ask questions about it:

http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/cmps_index.php

I also swage my own jacketed bullets for 45 but it is an entire seperate operation and a heck of a lot more expensive to get into vs casting. Swaging allows you to make your own match grade bullets but a lot slower and more expensive.

For the price of setting up to swage one single caliber of jacketed bullets you could set yourself up to mould a dozen different bullets or more casting.

Hawg · March 1, 2008, 11:38 PM

Quote:

a couple hundred bucks worth of stuff to buy

A melting pot, a mold, beeswax, ladle and some lead will get you by, say 90-100 bucks total. I started casting with a bean can held by a pair of pliers on the kitchen stove.

W. C. Quantrill · March 2, 2008, 09:50 AM

And if you are not objectionable to second hand, you can pick most of that stuff up at auctions, yardsales, and pawnshops for almost nothing. That allows you to find out if you really want to do it before you invest a lot of money.

I studied the books, made a list of the minimums, then cruised the weekend yardsales and auctions, and then topped it all off with a pawnshop find, and I was set to cast and load with press, dies, pot, mould, scales you name it and my total outlay was less than $100 for that first caliber. I doubt that I was more than two months accumulating all the things. At one yard sale, I got a whole box of things for $10 which included a new unused MEC press, dies and everything needed to load shotgun shells. I dont load shotgun shells so I gave it to a good friend who does for his birthday. I have since added nice toys as life improved.

You can invest as much in the hobby as you are willing to spend is my point. I still have and use the original things I bought that started out with someone else. If you take any care of them at all, they do not wear out.

March 1, 2008, 12:09 AM	#1
imq707s Senior Member Join Date: August 31, 2000 Posts: 179	Looking for a good cheap load for .45acp plinking ammo I've decided that in addition to the .223 and .308 rifle loads that I've been reloading for years....I'm going to start reloading some .45acp for my 1911. With ammo prices getting upwards of $30 for 100rds of .45acp...I think I should be able to reload for close to half the price of store bought ammo. I'm thinking about ordering one of the Lee 4-die carbide die sets....but I have no idea where to start with bullets, powder, and primers. I'm not looking for competition ammo....just some inexpensive plinking/range ammo for my 1911. I would like to stick with 230gr bullets if possible. What's the most cost effective (best deal) for .45 acp loads? Can someone give me some specifics on bullets, primers, and powder....and the place the has the best deals on the stuff? Any info related to reloading .45acp would really help me out. Thanks !!

March 1, 2008, 12:53 AM	#2
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	A cast 230 grain RN or FP with 4.5 grains of Bullseye and any large pistol primer will do nicely. Nice, civilized, target load that shoots extremely well out of my Colt. Talk to your local gun shop about cast bullets. I always buy them at at gun show, by the 1,000. The only thing that the .45 absolutely requires is a taper crimp. It's more of a feeding aid than anything else. Otherwise, loading them is no big deal. The cases don't stretch much either. Mind you, if you're getting 100 rounds for $30, you're doing well. Factory ammo can run that much for 50 up here. __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

March 1, 2008, 09:07 AM	#4
firechicken Senior Member Join Date: April 17, 2006 Location: Savannah, MO Posts: 224	My plinking/target load for my 45 ACP is a 200gr SWC over 231 with a WLP primer. I buy the bullets locally for $30/500 (.06 ea), primers are $2.50/100 (.025 ea), and powder costs about $16/pound (.011 ea for 5.0gr). That's .096/round or $9.60/100. __________________ The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. - Edmund Burke

March 2, 2008, 09:50 AM	#12
W. C. Quantrill Senior Member Join Date: February 11, 2008 Location: No Man's Land Posts: 354	And if you are not objectionable to second hand, you can pick most of that stuff up at auctions, yardsales, and pawnshops for almost nothing. That allows you to find out if you really want to do it before you invest a lot of money. I studied the books, made a list of the minimums, then cruised the weekend yardsales and auctions, and then topped it all off with a pawnshop find, and I was set to cast and load with press, dies, pot, mould, scales you name it and my total outlay was less than $100 for that first caliber. I doubt that I was more than two months accumulating all the things. At one yard sale, I got a whole box of things for $10 which included a new unused MEC press, dies and everything needed to load shotgun shells. I dont load shotgun shells so I gave it to a good friend who does for his birthday. I have since added nice toys as life improved. You can invest as much in the hobby as you are willing to spend is my point. I still have and use the original things I bought that started out with someone else. If you take any care of them at all, they do not wear out. __________________ NRA Life Whittington Center Life

March 1, 2008, 12:59 AM	#3
imq707s Senior Member Join Date: August 31, 2000 Posts: 179	I can get the WWB ammo for $30 for 100rds....but I think I can reload them for around $15 for 100.

March 1, 2008, 09:29 AM	#6
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,188	I can get WWB for 28.00 per hundred or Blazer for 26.00. I just got a mold and dies are coming. I'll buy a few more boxes of WWB for the brass.

March 1, 2008, 10:37 AM	#7
Edward429451 Junior member Join Date: November 12, 2000 Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado Posts: 9,494	Wait'll he finds out that if you buy a 45 mould and cast your own that you can get the price of 100 45's down to <$5.00 Even with 3 cent match primers.

March 1, 2008, 07:41 PM	#8
snakyjake Member Join Date: February 21, 2008 Location: Western WA, USA Posts: 34	Edward429451, Do you have any quality references/links to get started in molding? Are you talking about just lead, or how about doing metal jacket?

March 1, 2008, 07:52 PM	#9
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,188	Here's a good article on it. http://www.outdoorlife.com/article.j...ID=0&adid=T700

March 1, 2008, 09:25 PM	#10
Edward429451 Junior member Join Date: November 12, 2000 Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado Posts: 9,494	I was talking about casting lead bullets. It's pretty easy once you're set up for it. There's a lot of little stuff to know and a couple hundred bucks worth of stuff to buy, but then the price of loaded ammo just goes through the floor. Here's the best forum I know of to learn and ask questions about it: http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/cmps_index.php I also swage my own jacketed bullets for 45 but it is an entire seperate operation and a heck of a lot more expensive to get into vs casting. Swaging allows you to make your own match grade bullets but a lot slower and more expensive. For the price of setting up to swage one single caliber of jacketed bullets you could set yourself up to mould a dozen different bullets or more casting.