.45 ACP Questions- New Caliber for Me

June 03, 2018, 10:24 AM

In pistol, I have only reloaded 9mm and use Xtreme plated bullets with Power Pistol. I now want to start reloading .45. I have a Dillon 550 and plan to order everything from them to reload .45. I have a few questions before I start buying things.

Is there any reason to buy a different die than the three die set from Dillon?

I am thinking of reloading with Xtreme or Berry’s plated bullets since they will be for plinking only. If I go with the plated bullets, is it better to get .451, .452, or does it matter?

Does anyone have a preferred powder for .45 using Dillon 550?

I would appreciate any load recipes for using plated bullets. I am thinking of going with 200gn bullets.

I would appreciate any other advice as well.

June 03, 2018, 10:41 AM

rduckwor

quote:
Originally posted by StorminNormin:
In pistol, I have only reloaded 9mm and use Xtreme plated bullets with Power Pistol. I now want to start reloading .45. I have a Dillon 550 and plan to order everything from them to reload .45. I have a few questions before I start buying things.

Is there any reason to buy a different die than the three die set from Dillon?

I have used the Dillon dies without issues for about ten years.

I am thinking of reloading with Xtreme or Berry’s plated bullets since they will be for plinking only. If I go with the plated bullets, is it better to get .451, .452, or does it matter?

I don't use plated, but load naked lead. I had a size issue a couple of year ago with Mo Bullets which were somehow defective and caused failure to feed due to the somewhat enlarged case neck caused by an underswaged bullet. I have since gone to CB bullets (0.451) and that resolved my issue.

Does anyone have a preferred powder for .45 using Dillon 550?

I use WST when I can get it or W231. WST is cleaner in my experience.

I would appreciate any load recipes for using plated bullets. I am thinking of going with 200gn bullets.

Again, naked lead 200 Gr LSWC, but 4.5-4.6 Gr WST and roughly the same for W231 give me between 870-900 fps in a 5" 1911.

June 03, 2018, 01:11 PM

StorminNormin

quote:
Originally posted by rduckwor:
quote:
Originally posted by StorminNormin:
In pistol, I have only reloaded 9mm and use Xtreme plated bullets with Power Pistol. I now want to start reloading .45. I have a Dillon 550 and plan to order everything from them to reload .45. I have a few questions before I start buying things.

Is there any reason to buy a different die than the three die set from Dillon?

I have used the Dillon dies without issues for about ten years.

I am thinking of reloading with Xtreme or Berry’s plated bullets since they will be for plinking only. If I go with the plated bullets, is it better to get .451, .452, or does it matter?

I don't use plated, but load naked lead. I had a size issue a couple of year ago with Mo Bullets which were somehow defective and caused failure to feed due to the somewhat enlarged case neck caused by an underswaged bullet. I have since gone to CB bullets (0.451) and that resolved my issue.

Does anyone have a preferred powder for .45 using Dillon 550?

I use WST when I can get it or W231. WST is cleaner in my experience.

I would appreciate any load recipes for using plated bullets. I am thinking of going with 200gn bullets.

Again, naked lead 200 Gr LSWC, but 4.5-4.6 Gr WST and roughly the same for W231 give me between 870-900 fps in a 5" 1911.

What OAL are you using?

I am thinking of maybe using Bullseye. I am seeing people on other forums saying they use OAL for the Xtreme 200gn RN that range from 1.235"-1.265" and some under 1.235". Of course most then don't say what powder or what charge they are using.

The Lyman Handbook says for 200gn lead at 1.235" for W231 to start at 5.4 and max at 6.1. For Bullseye start at 4.9 and max at 6.0 with Bullseye as potentially most accurate at this OAL.

Then it says for 200gn lead at 1.161" for W231 to start at 4.0 and max at 6.0. For Bullseye start at 3.5 and max at 5.6 with W231 as potentially most accurate at this OAL.

I guess a question I have is that if I am using a 200gn plated round nose, should I have a longer OAL than what the book shows for flat end lead? The book shows a 225gn lead round nose and has the OAL 1.272" and for Bullseye to start with 4.0 and max 5.0.

I am thinking of going with the Xtreme 200gn round nose at either 1.235" or 1.265" OAL and start with 4.2gn of Bullseye and work up to 6.0.

I know things will make more sense for me when I can load some dummy rounds at different OAL and see how they chamber in my gun, but I am just trying to get an idea of loads and it stinks I don't see data listed for a 200gn plated round nose out there.

ETA: ....or maybe I just buy 230gn plated round nose and go with the load data in the Lyman book for 225gn lead.

June 03, 2018, 02:49 PM

GT-40DOC

I have a 650 press and load a lot of 45ACP brass. The Dillon dies work just fine for my reloading needs. I shoot "softer" loads in my 45cal handguns, as it is more comfortable/fun/and quite accurate. I load Xtreme bullet 185gr plated flat point and Xtreme 200gr plated RN bullets.

Xtreme 185gr PFP......3.6gr Bullseye....OAL 1.166

Xtreme 200gr PRN......3.8gr Bullseye....OAL 1.250

You will most likely need to use lighter recoil springs for these rounds to function 100% in you guns......These rounds are all shot in my 1911s.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: GT-40DOC,

June 03, 2018, 02:58 PM

StorminNormin

quote:
Originally posted by GT-40DOC:

Xtreme 200gr PRN......3.8gr Bullseye....OAL 1.650

Is 1.650" OAL a typo?

June 03, 2018, 03:28 PM

45 Cal

cant help much,red dot for 25 years,cast 230 for about the same time.
I started coating with red from harbor freight years back.
Five grains was my load till I started coating with the powder.
Had to up it to 5.2 cause the 1911's were failing to cycle

June 04, 2018, 09:45 AM

Expert308

I shoot a lot of 200 LSWC in .45ACP, going back to when I was shooting IPSC in the 80's. Full power loads then, mostly lighter ones now. I use RCBS dies but there's nothing wrong with Dillon's. Bullseye, 231, HP38, WST all work well, as will others. It's a pretty forgiving cartridge, just be careful to avoid double charges - it's easy to have one if your handle-cranking rhythm gets out of step. My OAL with that bullet is, I think, 1.26.

June 04, 2018, 11:06 AM

Bigboreshooter

An old school round that works very well with old school powders. I use Bullseye, W231, and Unique mostly in 45, but I have used IMR 4756 and Power Pistol with good results as well. I just use the "standard" loads from any good reloading manual. Never seen the need to push any handloads into +P territory.

I've loaded all kinds of bullets in 45 over the years, including hard cast lead, jacketed, and plated. I load plated bullets almost exclusively these days.

June 04, 2018, 01:48 PM

GT-40DOC

quote:
Originally posted by StorminNormin:
quote:
Originally posted by GT-40DOC:

Xtreme 200gr PRN......3.8gr Bullseye....OAL 1.650

Is 1.650" OAL a typo?

Yes it was....thanx for catching it(brain fade).

June 04, 2018, 06:19 PM

jackimoe

Im using mostly plated myself and some jacketed but no 200 grain stuff.

My 230's that I've shot recently and chronographed:

230 grn Berrys plated at 1.250 with 5.0 grains of Red Dot gave me 841 fps average out of a Les Baer 5 inch 1911

Same load and gun but Xtreme 230 grain rn gave me 859 fps.

Same gun and xtreme 230 bullet with 5.1 grns of Bullseye gave me 836fps.

4.6 WST and the same Xtreme plated bullet gave me 757fps through the CZ 97

These were all thrown from the measure on my Dillon 650 so they could be high or low by a couple tenths. Just food for thought.

There is an article in one of the current or semi-current Rifle magazines on 185 grain target loads usin Zero, Nosler and Sierra bullets with good chrono data.

June 04, 2018, 07:10 PM

StorminNormin

quote:
Originally posted by jackimoe:
Im using mostly plated myself and some jacketed but no 200 grain stuff.

My 230's that I've shot recently and chronographed:

230 grn Berrys plated at 1.250 with 5.0 grains of Red Dot gave me 841 fps average out of a Les Baer 5 inch 1911

Same load and gun but Xtreme 230 grain rn gave me 859 fps.

Same gun and xtreme 230 bullet with 5.1 grns of Bullseye gave me 836fps.

4.6 WST and the same Xtreme plated bullet gave me 757fps through the CZ 97

These were all thrown from the measure on my Dillon 650 so they could be high or low by a couple tenths. Just food for thought.

There is an article in one of the current or semi-current Rifle magazines on 185 grain target loads usin Zero, Nosler and Sierra bullets with good chrono data.

Thanks for the info. I wish I could afford to get everything I need sooner than later to start reloading this round. It will be $200 just for equipment to get the Dillon ready and that doesn’t count bullets, primers, and powder. Once I do start to reload, I will definitely post my best loads with velocity.

I am definitely still looking for all info so I can gleam a little from everyone’s experience.

June 04, 2018, 08:21 PM

RIC.45

I had really good results with 4.7 of WST under a 230 gr JRN @ 1.256 oal out of my P220. I don't have a chrono so I'm staying well within the published limits.

Rick

June 04, 2018, 09:00 PM

StorminNormin

quote:
Originally posted by RIC.45:
I had really good results with 4.7 of WST under a 230 gr JRN @ 1.256 oal out of my P220. I don't have a chrono so I'm staying well within the published limits.

Rick

Great info, thanks.

June 15, 2018, 04:44 PM

fredj338

For 200gr plated, for me doesn't get much better than 4.8gr of WST under any 200gr shape. OAL will vary with the bullet, but 1.240"-1.250" works for most.

June 15, 2018, 06:26 PM

StorminNormin

quote:
Originally posted by fredj338:
For 200gr plated, for me doesn't get much better than 4.8gr of WST under any 200gr shape. OAL will vary with the bullet, but 1.240"-1.250" works for most.

Thanks Fred.

June 18, 2018, 02:04 PM

fredj338

I also use 0.452" bullets. They are basically a soft lead bullet with thin plating.

July 22, 2018, 09:53 AM

chansen92

quote:
Originally posted by StorminNormin:
In pistol, I have only reloaded 9mm and use Xtreme plated bullets with Power Pistol. I now want to start reloading .45. I have a Dillon 550 and plan to order everything from them to reload .45. I have a few questions before I start buying things.

Is there any reason to buy a different die than the three die set from Dillon?

I am thinking of reloading with Xtreme or Berry’s plated bullets since they will be for plinking only. If I go with the plated bullets, is it better to get .451, .452, or does it matter?

Does anyone have a preferred powder for .45 using Dillon 550?

I would appreciate any load recipes for using plated bullets. I am thinking of going with 200gn bullets.

I would appreciate any other advice as well.

To my knowledge it does't matter what press you put the powder in. I like IMR700X for a good all around powder. In your case I would use the load data in YOUR manual for cast bullets. I would not use anyones load data unless I compared it to an up to date manual first.

July 22, 2018, 02:50 PM

KMitch200

The last batch of 200s I loaded on my 550 were:

200gr Xtreme plated
Rem, Win or Fiocchi case
Win or CCI primer
Win 231 - 5.4
OAL - 1.241

Accurate, cycles both Glocks and my 1911s. Haven't chonographed them, I load for comfort and accuracy.
Shoots softer than factory loads which is what I prefer.
When I run out of Xtremes I use the same load with Berry's 200s.

July 23, 2018, 08:18 AM

henryaz

Personally, I prefer FMJ bullets over lead, and especially over plated. You can buy them from Precision Delta for approximately the same cost as plated, as long as you order 2,000 or more (the price goes down per 1,000 once you move up in quantity). And I've always preferred the old standard, 230gr RN, even when I used to load lead.

I find HST to be an excellent powder for this heavy bullet loaded to major power factor, which is somewhat below the ball velocity. With 230gr, you only need 720 fps to make it major PF. And I have yet to find a stock gun that won't shoot this load. I use an OAL of 1.250 for 230gr.