According to an article in the November 2001 American Rifleman, the .45 caliber 225 grain Powerbelts are a good balance of muzzle velocity and downrange energy. They also determined that the 175 and 150 grain Knight red-hot bullets (Barnes X) are so close in terms of trajectory that one may as well shoot the heavier 175 grain bullet. They also were big on using five 30 grain Pyrodex pellets. Hope that helps. Roskoe