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Old June 2, 2002, 10:04 AM   #1
Sidetracker
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Light or heavy bullets for .45acp?

Has anyone used either light (less than 185gr.) or heavy (over230gr.) bullets in a .45acp? I'm just curious if there is an advantage to one or the other?
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Old June 2, 2002, 10:26 AM   #2
clown714
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all i use is 230gr.LRN with a charge of unique.
good results in all my(4),45's 3"-5"bbls
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Old June 2, 2002, 10:32 AM   #3
MADISON
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Light or heavy bullets for .45acp

For steel plate matches or double and multiple match shots down to 155 grain [Little or no recoil] would be OK. For personal defense I would a 230 JHP.
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Old June 2, 2002, 10:46 AM   #4
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165 gr. +P

For person defense, I use CorBon 165 gr. +P in an all steel OM. Why? Less recoil=faster recovery time + 1050 fps out of the short OM barrel. Also, (Hopefully!) less chance of overpenetration and endangering someone half a mile away.

I used to carry Federal Hydra-Shok 165 gr "Personal Protection" loads, but I had occasion to cap an attacking Rottweiler with one. Result - Total penetration through the chest from top to bottom, with no evidence of expansion. So I switched to the CorBon +Ps. What good would a 230 gr. bullet coming out of the short barrel at Fast Pitch Softball speed have done me? Overpenetration ... FURTHER!


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Old June 2, 2002, 08:45 PM   #5
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I used 255gr LSWC bullets for IPSC matches. Fired at low velocity, the recoil impulse was gentle and the heavy bullets retained their momentum and did a great job on the poppers.
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Old June 2, 2002, 09:13 PM   #6
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I used to use 155 lead SWCs for IPSC many moons ago. The idea of course was to have minimal recoil while still making the power factor. They fed fine, and provided adequate accuracy (never shot them on paper for groups or anything that I remember) out of a couple bone stock 1911s.
I loaded some 255 Lead SWCs after reading an article by Paco Kelly on sixgunner.com. They worked, but I never shot anything other than paper with them.
I have shot quite a few 185s out of my Officers Model. It knocks the crap out of a coyote. Every one I ever shot was knocked off it's feet and didn't even try to get back up even if my shot placement was poor and a second finishing shot was required. That doesn't tell you much other than the fact that it is a hell of a coyote round.
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Old June 3, 2002, 12:50 AM   #7
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I use 230 grain FMJ or copper plated bullets for plinking for my full size .45 ACP pistols. I try to duplicate the feel of the tried and true Federal Hydrashok 230 grain standard pressure JHP load.

I use 185 grain plated bullets for plinking when I use my compact .45 ACP pistols, in order to duplicate the feel of the Remington classic 185 grain JHP load I carry.
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Old June 3, 2002, 07:18 AM   #8
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The Aguila .45 IQ factory load with its 117 grain alloy bullet at 1450 fps is interesting if you want to try some ultra light bullets in the .45. It gives perfect reliability and good accuracy in an accurized 1911 and a Star Firestar. Very impressive! As far as I know they do not offer the bullets as reloading components.
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Old June 3, 2002, 06:51 PM   #9
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The 255 gr. SWCs work very well on bowling pins. Momentum seems to work better than energy, and heavy for caliber bullets will always win out for momentum.

I tend to lean the other way for defense, and the 165 gr. Corbons work well. I think of them as an already expanded equivalent to a 357 158, and then they get even bigger.
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Old June 4, 2002, 01:00 PM   #10
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To each his own. Personally, I've never felt the need for bullets lighter than 185 or heavier than 230 in the .45. I like the Remington 185+P for a defensive load and the 230 hardball (or LRN) for general purpose shooting and plinking.
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Old June 5, 2002, 01:51 AM   #11
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"... I switched to the CorBon +Ps. What good would a 230 gr. bullet coming out of the short barrel at Fast Pitch Softball speed have done me? Overpenetration ... FURTHER!"

Pampers, you lost me on that one.
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Old June 5, 2002, 07:09 AM   #12
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Sensop,

Exactly my point. The Federal totally penetrated without expanding. Several "experts" told me that, had I used 230 gr bullets, which exited my OM at circa 600 fps, that I'd have been better off. My question to them was "How would greater overpenetration have helped?"

As an asside, the Rottweiler lived. Several more of the "experts" said that I should have double-tapped him. My reply to that? "WHAT! And save his owner all those nice Vet bills?"


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Old June 5, 2002, 09:55 AM   #13
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Nothing lighter than 185 here - - -

I did use some .45 Colt bullets--250 LRNFP and 265 LSWC in experiments some years ago. I, too, was thinking of bowling pin matches, figuring the heavier, slower bullets would have greater momentum. Decided early on that the SWC had the additional benefit of the sharper edged to dig in with an off-center hit. I used fairly stout charges of Unique powder. Reliability was good but I wandered off to some other project. My main use for heavy bullet .45 ACP loads is in revolvers.

This being the H&R Forum, I certainly don't wish to discourage (fairly) sane experimentation in formulating new and different loads, but I'll throw in a few General Thoughts from an Aging Reactionary:
I feel the 1911 was designed around the 200 to 230 gr. bullets and works VERY well with these. I see little point in getting too far afield, either heavier or lighter. No matter what you do, the .45 ACP will never shoot as flat as a 9x23 or .357 SiG, nor as powerful as a .44 Mag or heavy .45 Colt load. So, why argue with a load/pistol combination that EXACTLY fulfills design parameters? You dispose excellent reliability, efficient design, good power, compact and easy-to-control pistol, handily hanging in a holster to meet unexpected hazards. A long, heavy .454 for hunting, a P32 for maximum concealment, an XP 100 for steel silhouettes, a high cap race gun for certain matches--All these do a better job for specialized chores. A standard sort of .45 auto or .357 revolver will give you a better chance of getting home safely.

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