loads for the .45 ACP
 

I looking to see who has pet loads for the .45 ACP. I am currently using 6.1 gr of Herco but I'm thinking of trying something else. I was looking at the manuals and I see that AA#2 gives decent velocity with minimal pressure (I use this in my 9mm) but my local shops don't carry Accurate powders and my last trip to Cabelas they were out of it.
I'm shooing 230 gr either Berrys or Rainier RN bullets.

In my Sig, P-220 I load the 230gr XTP on top of 8gr Power Pistol with an average of 918+- 3 fps and pretty darned accurate.
In the Colt 1911 I load up a little heavier 260gr Speer Mag JHP on top of your same Herco powder at 6.8 grains. Velocity out of this pistol averages 850+- 2 and is absolute hell on a hog scull :D BUT you need to manage your grip well as that load has a little bit of a buck to it.

The other 2 .45's I can't remember off the top of my head what I load them at but I think it's pretty close to the P-220. Same bullet but I think just a touch less on the powder.

Auto pistol cartridges are pretty simple for me - if I can't do it with Unique and Power Pistol, I probably don't need to do it. Same with Revolvers - if I can't do it with H110/W296 or HP-38/W231, I don't do it. Throw Bullseye in there for good measure.

Got lots of pistol powders on the shelf, really wanna find a load where I like CFE Pistol, 800-X, Herco, HS-6 AA7 type powders, but for how I shoot, Unique, Power Pistol, W231, and W296 cover pretty much all of my handgun work

I honestly never heard of Power Pistol powder. I'll have to check it out. Thanks

It's an Alliant powder. Very consistent, or so it has been for me for a great while now. It's a fairly fast powder and not all that expensive.

Track you down some Herco for heavy pills Mercy. You will find it does quite well with the bigger boys. Better than Unique for my 260gr pills. At least out of my Colt anyway. That's the only .45auto I load up the big boys in. The others just don't like heavy pills.

How about CFE Pistol powder? I've seen that on the shelves and wondering if anyone has used it.

Haven't tried it. Probably never will. I have other things to worry about other than cleaning copper fouling. It's not like it's difficult to get copper fouling out anyway. If you heat your pistol up enough to worry about severe buildup then maybe it would be of some use but it just doesn't trip my trigger. I heat mine up a little when practicing double tap but not so much as to worry all that much.

I have most of an 8lb keg of Herco hanging around. I was happy shooting Unique under 230's when I got it, never did get it to shoot as well as Unique. Fast forward a handful of years, I tried some Power Pistol, it seems to give me as much speed as I want, and matches Unique for accuracy. Like I said, I really WANT Herco to shoot for me, just never have had it shoot as well as Unique or PP.

It's a lot slower than the AA2 you're used it, a lot slower than Unique of Power Pistol for that matter. It falls just below AutoComp on most tables, so slower than HS-6 and AA5. I've played a bit with both CFE Pistol and CFE 223, not sure I've seen the reduced fouling they promise, but then again, I guess I haven't ever complained much about fouling. Nothing wrong with it, lots of speed with heavies, but like Herco and 800-X, my Unique bar was set pretty high for accuracy.

People who think copper fouling is bad must have never fired solid lead bullets. :D

Have you tried it under some big 260's? It's actually the only one I use Herco with is a 260gr pill. Seems to be a little slower on the curve and really puts some good energy behind the big 260's. I've loaded Unique in all my 9mm for a good while now. All ranges of weight. Power Pistol in MOST of my ranges of .45's with Unique under the little 185's and Herco in the big boys. My old Colt aint too picky about bullet weight but she is a little sassy with powders.

For lead and coated lead target/range loads it's tough to beat WST. It's clean, very accurate, soft shooting and meters ok.

For high velocity SD JHP loads I like Silhouette. It produces top velocities without +p pressures and is coated for low flash.

I only have one handgun of each caliber (except .44 mag) so I find a load and use only that one. I shoot 124s in the 9mm, 180s in the 40S&W and 230s in the 45ACP.
For my 44s I shoot Win 296 with 240 gr and 300 gr bullets and my short barreled .44 gets fed 265 gr lead hard cast bullets.

Unique used to be my favorite .45 ACP powder. It might be the best powder for this cartridge, but it meters like corn flakes.

Now I use Power Pistol and Titegroup. Titegroup might be the most accurate.

Check out this site: http://www.realguns.com/loads/45auto.htm

Power Pistol and Bullseye are my go to powders for 45 ACP. I shoot 200grn LRN and the pistols will shoot the loads FAR better than I ever will be able to!!!!
I use H110/Win296 for my 44's, Lil Gun in my 460 with 225 Horn SST's, Blue Dot in my 357's, and Bullseye in the 38's.

bullseye is my favorite 4.7 grains with most any of the 200 gr bullets. they only ones that give me jams are SWC in all my 1911 guns,but when they do go through they are deadly accurate

Power Pistol sounds interesting in .45. Always used unique.

I have used Unique as well in my 45's, but was dirty. I switched over to Bulseye. Between 4.7grns and 5.2grns. Each pistol had a different liking it seemed. But I would load 3K to each of my pistols and store in a 5gal bucket for my dad and I to shoot Bullseye matches with them. We cast our own bullets from wheelweights picked up from the local tire stores and farm shops. We would spend an entire weekend casting between myself, dad and my brother. We would melt and block mould the lead during off times.

Thats something I need to do this winter. I have a lot of WW and lead left from the BPCR days. Have all the stuff to size and lube. Just need to do it when it cools off a little.

We would melt the lead over a gas burner to one side while we were BBQn. We would be sitting outside anyhow and would melt the lead in bulk and make bulk blocks for later use. 2 birds, 1 stone!!! Back then, we made the melter from a hot water heater orfice and car rim with rebar top to hold the pot. Still have and use. Worked great.

Leaded burgers! YUM :D

Herco for 240xtps. Unique is too dirty.

I use blue dot real clean burn

NOT ON THE SAME HEAT SOURCE, SILLY!!!!! And yes, lead burgers, they REALLY drop out fast!!!!!