Can you reccomend me a good powder for 45ACP please

[DiscoRacing]

I prefer titegroup...its one of the cleanest burning..and all my handguns are polished

[Lavid2002]

I will have a parkerized finish and I dont care about aesthetics... I have heard that bullseye has a lubricating factor in it which explains the soot. I prefer functionality over aesthetics. Is there any truth to this?

Thanks : D

-Dave

[Powderman]

I haven't heard that; don't know if it's true or not.

That being said, I use a variety of powders for the .45 ACP.

I use Clays and HP38 for my target and practice loads. They're both reasonably clean burning.

For jacketed bullets, I have used Unique and Herco; both have given very good performance.

For high performance loads, I use Power Pistol.

That being said, the cleanest powders I have ever seen are in the VihtaVouri line. Almost no fouling at all!

[darkgael]

Bullseye was the best - about 100 years ago. Honestly, some people need to get with the times. Bullseye keeps selling sort of the way RCBS Rockchuckers keep selling - via ignorance. There are many, many, MANY, better formulations available today (This is 2010, not 1898).

That is, frankly, a silly comment. "Better formulations"? Better in what ways? Use less? Push the bullet better? Meter better? Cleaner (always have been cleaner propellants)?
Selling "via ignorance" - what people know about Bullseye is that it works and works well. There is a great deal of collective and accumulated experience behind the choice to use and the recommendation to use Bullseye. If there is any ignorance involved, it is that ill-considered comment.

Choices: I prefer Bullseye (5.0 grains and a 230 grain bullet duplicates factory ball ammo) but I have used many other "formulations":
W231 - HP38 - Titegroup - Unique - AA #2 and #5 - SR 7625 - Clays - Universal Clays.....all good.
Pete

[Blue Grass]

I use AA#2 and AA#5 for .45ACP, .38Spl and .357 Mag loads. It's clean and meters well. Trai Boss also works well in cast .45ACP loads. Just about any listed powder will work pretty good in .45ACP. It is one of the least finicky rounds you can load.

[grubbylabs]

For you bullseye fans what charge do you put under a

185 JHP

200 Plated RN

230 HP

Might go and get some bullseye and I have all of those bullets ready to load.

[noelf2]

Can you reccomend me a good powder for 45ACP please

+1 on Unique. I use it for 45ACP and 45LC. By the way, your not Pennsylvania Dutch are you? You talk like my kin :

Recommend me a good powder..
Throw me out the window my hat..
Throw the horse over the fence some hay..
Etc...

[87samurai]

I've been using Titegroup and WST lately-very clean ,soft shooting and as accurate compared to 231, Unique,and Bullseye at "middle of the road" loads.

[Jumping Frog]

If you are like me, cost also figures into the equation since one of the reason I got into handloading was to be able to shoot more for less money.

The variables that matter to me include:
- cost
- how well it meters
- how accurate
- how cleanly it burns

Since cost is one of the factors, I did an analysis where I looked at powder cost per hundred rounds for .45 ACP 200 gr LSWC bullets. Powder prices are recent prices at Powder Valley, Inc., and reflect the largest size cannister sold (4#, 5# or 8#).

Sorted from least expensive to most expensive. These cost calculations assume MAXIMUM published loads for powder charge/round.

Cost/100 = $0.77 Alliant Red Dot ---> 4.5 grains; 831 fps.
Cost/100 = $0.79 Alliant Bullseye ---> 4.6 grains; 807 fps.
Cost/100 = $0.80 Ramshot Competition ---> 4.3 grains; 896 fps.
Cost/100 = $0.83 Hodgdon Clays ---> 4.3 grains; 888 fps.
Cost/100 = $0.93 Alliant Unique ---> 5.4 grains; 790 fps.
Cost/100 = $0.98 IMR 700-X ---> 5.3 grains; 921 fps.
Cost/100 = $0.99 Accurate S1000 ---> 5.3 grains; 952 fps.
Cost/100 = $1.00 Hodgdon Titegroup ---> 5.4 grains; 957 fps.
Cost/100 = $1.05 Winchester WST ---> 5.1 grains; 910 fps.
Cost/100 = $1.08 Hodgdon HP-38 ---> 5.6 grains; 914 fps.
Cost/100 = $1.09 Accurate No.2 ---> 5.8 grains; 939 fps.
Cost/100 = $1.16 Winchester 231 ---> 5.6 grains; 914 fps.
Cost/100 = $1.28 Hodgdon Universal ---> 6.3 grains; 962 fps.
Cost/100 = $1.29 Vihtavuori N310 ---> 4 grains; 892 fps.
Cost/100 = $1.31 Ramshot ZIP ---> 6.2 grains; 997 fps.
Cost/100 = $1.34 IMR Trail Boss ---> 5.5 grains; 816 fps.
Cost/100 = $1.38 Winchester WSF ---> 6.7 grains; 970 fps.
Cost/100 = $1.45 IMR PB ---> 5.7 grains; 915 fps.
Cost/100 = $1.46 IMR 800-X ---> 7.7 grains; 958 fps.
Cost/100 = $1.49 Winchester AutoComp ---> 7.2 grains; 914 fps.
Cost/100 = $1.64 Vihtavuori N320 ---> 5.1 grains; 958 fps.
Cost/100 = $1.65 Ramshot True Blue ---> 7.8 grains; 990 fps.
Cost/100 = $1.78 Ramshot Silhouette ---> 8.4 grains; 1071 fps.
Cost/100 = $1.78 IMR SR 7625 ---> 6.9 grains; 952 fps.
Cost/100 = $1.79 IMR SR 4756 ---> 8.2 grains; 966 fps.
Cost/100 = $1.80 Accurate No.5 ---> 8.7 grains; 1025 fps.
Cost/100 = $1.87 Hodgdon HS-6 ---> 8.4 grains; 907 fps.
Cost/100 = $2.12 Vihtavuori N340 ---> 6.6 grains; 1039 fps.
Cost/100 = $2.38 Accurate No.7 ---> 11.5 grains; 1022 fps.

Personally, I tend to use Clays a lot because it is inexpensive, clean-burning, and accurate in my gun. It meters acceptably well in my powder measure. It doesn't provide the fastest bullet speed, but I am using it for making holes in cardboard and paper, not putting meat on the table.

[Sidewinder72]

231 burns cleaner than Bullseye. I switched and never looked back. I get better groups on 231 than I did with bullseye. Just me.

[Slamfire]

Bullseye was the best - about 100 years ago. Honestly, some people need to get with the times. Bullseye keeps selling sort of the way RCBS Rockchuckers keep selling - via ignorance. There are many, many, MANY, better formulations available today (This is 2010, not 1898).

Go ahead and play with some Bullseye. After you get a little experience you'll switch to a good powder

God I feel old!

I understand the reformulated Bullseye is cleaner, I have shot the stuff and 60's vintage Bullseye and don't know what the clean fuss is all about.

I shoot outside and I am not shooting against a clock. What ever stuff is in the air is out of the way when I pull the trigger again. I know my W231 puts junk in the air but I don't read of people complaining it is dirty.

I understand the "clean" burning powders reduce residue by burning hot. Makes sense, better burn through higher temperatures. But I don't want or need hot.

[zxcvbob]

Titegroup sucks with cast bullets. Maybe it's OK with jacketed bullets, I dunno. I seldom use those.

Jumping Frog, you left out Alliant Promo. It will be the hands-down winner as far as cost goes. (you use Red Dot load data, but Promo is slightly less bulky so you have to readjust your powder measure or use a smaller bushing)

[kiwi56]

I use either ADI AP70 (otherwise known as Hodgdon Universal Clays) or Winchester Super Field.

[Jumping Frog]

Originally Posted by zxcvbob

Jumping Frog, you left out Alliant Promo. It will be the hands-down winner as far as cost goes.

Yes, it is $0.66 per hundred, but I didn't include it because I only included powders where the manufacturer published a load for .45 ACP 200 gr LSWC. It was a decision on my part to stick only to published loads because you never know who will read and misuse information on the internet.

Alliant is still stuck only publishing loads for 12 gauge (so far). If I saw them publishing in writing that you can safely use all Red Dot load data, then that would be different. However, the only statements I have seen said, "Promo has the same burn speed as Red Dot, but is more dense, thus requiring a smaller bushing to obtain the same charge weight."

Either way, your basic point about cheap is correct. Have you used it, btw? How does it meter? I've steered clear of the other "Dot" powders because of metering issues.

[Nate1778]

Tried some AA#5 yesterday, I think I am really going to like the powder. 200 grain LSWC with 8 grains makes for a snappy load, I like it.

[zxcvbob]

Yes, I've used it. It measures exactly like Green Dot, and I haven't had any trouble with it in *my* powder measures (yours might be different.) It's one of my favorite powders with cast bullets. Promo gives exceptional accuracy, with typical Red Dot less-than-spectacular muzzle velocities -- but that's what I usually want for target shooting.

It was the first 8-pounder of powder I ever bought, and after 5 years of using it extensively, I think I've used a couple of pounds maybe because the charge weights are low.

(it also works well for gallery loads in .30 rifles)

[hoistfixer]

I use IMR Hi-Skor 800x and obtain excellent results.

Though I must be missing something as I've not seen anyone else mention it even remotely.

If anyone else has used it and decided on a different powder - what are/were the reasons behind such a decision?

[Scorch]

I have loaded for 45ACP for (let's see now, don't want to give away my age or anything ) 32 years. I tried a few powders until I found Unique, and then quit looking.

I have loaded:
* Bullseye- too little powder in such a big case, too much likelihood of a double charge
* Red Dot- yuck! Lots of unburnt powder, pasty mess from carbon mixed with bullet lube.
* Green Dot- it works OK, but it's hard to find any other cartridge to load with it
* Unique- works the best, IMO, and is truly versatile. A little sooty, but when you are loading lead bullets most of your mess comes from the lube anyway. I use it for every pistol cartridge I load. I have loaded it in 22 Hornet, 30 Carb, 32ACP, 380 ACP, 9X19, 38 Special, 357 Mag, 40 S&W, 41 Mag, 44 Mag, 45 Colt, 45 ACP.

I have not loaded, but I have had good accuracy with:
* Universal- similar to Unique, but a bit cleaner.
* Win 231- very clean, good powder, but a little expensive.

[Lavid2002]

By the way, your not Pennsylvania Dutch are you? You talk like my kin :

Recommend me a good powder..
Throw me out the window my hat..
Throw the horse over the fence some hay..
Etc...

No : )

Southern NJ, I just missed a "the" in there somewhere

[zxcvbob]

Green Dot- it works OK, but it's hard to find any other cartridge to load with it

One of the great things about Green Dot is when the local gun shop is out of all other powders, there will be a dusty canister of Green Dot on the shelf -- and maybe with an old price tag. (it's like looking for C-cell batteries right before a hurricane or major blizzard, the stores will still have 'em when they are out of everything else.)

Green Dot works pretty well in .38 Special and in 9mm, but I like Bullseye better for both. But I'd be happy to use if if that's all I had available. (it should be OK in .45 but I haven't tried it)

[RWNielsen]

I use IMR Hi-Skor 800x and obtain excellent results.

I have some of this stuff. Loaded some .357 and .44 mags with it. How the heck do you meter it? It's like black corn flakes

[CrustyFN]

Titegroup was my go to powder in 45 and 9mm for a few years. Then I tried some WST. WST is accurate, very clean and meters very good in my measure. I won't be using much TG any more.

[old_folks]

I am wondering what that certain post was about slamming Bulls Eye and RCBS Rockchucker users??
Had a wise ol' man tell me once "you never bad mouth another man's wife, guns, and dog, and not necessarily in that order". Sounded like good advise to me at time, and still does. He would probably have included reloading equipment in that.

[WESHOOT2]

If forced to stock only one for 45 ACP it would be W231 / HP38.

Alternatives I've tested that work almost as well:

Bullseye (very 'accurate')

Nitro 100 (lowest felt recoil)

700X (meters fer crap)

AA2 / AA2 Imp (or 'modern' AA2)

AA5

Power Pistol (needs at least a 16lb recoil spring, ay?)

Universal (accurate, but some experience significant velocity deviations)

Unique (meters worse than 700X )

N350 (too expensive for fun)


There are many fine choices, but for ease I recommend W231/HP38 and Bullseye.

[LouisianaMan]

I hadn't really started my own research yet, but was thinking Bullseye was supposed to be a good choice. Maybe that's just because it's been considered a good choice for a hundred years, or something unimportant like that. . . .Also, seems like I've read recommendations by a guy named Ed Harris, who thinks very highly of that powder's wide range of capabilities. After all his years in the profession as a tech for American Rifleman and Ruger, he may just be focused on old junk, ya know?

As for me, I'm a history guy anyway, so old is a good thing. I've liked Unique for 45LC, except that my RCBS Flowmaster (I thin kthat's the name) doesn't meter it as reliably as I want. It does great with Win231, and I'm sure will do fine with Bullseye.

I'm glad to get into loading 45AR/ACP, and I appreciate the work others have done to figure it out.