SIGforum
Winchester 231 for 45 ACP?
January 28, 2023, 07:06 PM
walker77Winchester 231 for 45 ACP?
Would Winchester 231 work good in 45 ACP?
I haven't loaded the round in years. I think I was using Unique.
January 28, 2023, 09:15 PM
92fstechI use HP38, basically the same thing as 231. Works ok...had to get up near max to get even close to a complete powder burn, and it's still messy. My meter hates it, too. When I finish up my current supply I'm switching back to Unique.
January 28, 2023, 10:32 PM
Expert308I shot many thousands of rounds of .45 ACP 200gr LSWC's back when I was shooting IPSC stuff, all loaded with 231 to major power level. I never had any issues with it. I don't recall what the charge weight was. Unique is good too. IIRC it was quite a bit smokier, but that could have been the lube on the bullets I was using. It was about 35 years ago now.
January 29, 2023, 08:29 AM
Flash-LBUnique changed the formulation somehow so it was cleaner a number of years ago and it's not bad these days.
231 will work fine for .45 ACP.
January 29, 2023, 09:09 AM
Chris OrndorffI’ve used 231 since the early ‘80s for lighter loads in .45.
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"Owning a handgun doesn't make you armed any more than owning a guitar makes you a musician." -Jeff Cooper
January 29, 2023, 09:38 AM
maxwayneI have used 231 for .45acp and 9mm for many years. I have had no problems with it.
January 29, 2023, 09:59 AM
GustoferRed Dot and Unique here. Both work well enough for me.
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January 29, 2023, 11:19 AM
mark60I've loaded a lot of 45 with W231 and don't have any real complaints. I've got an 8# jug unopened and a couple 1# I'm working through.
January 29, 2023, 01:14 PM
walker77I appreciate everyone's help.
I may load up a few rounds from 231 and unique to see which I like best.
January 30, 2023, 10:50 AM
RodfacWin 231 (equivalent to HP38 in current manuf.) is my go-to for .45 ACP loads. With 200 gr LSWC's, I load 5.0 to 5.2 gr. for 800 fps out of my 1911's and an ancient Smith model 1955 Target.
With hard ball, 230's, I up the load to 5.4 - 5.5 gr to match the government military load. Both are superbly accurate in my guns.
I don't like Unique (affectionately known as "flaming dirt" by some) in the .45 ACP for it's +- 0.2 gr charge variance with my measures. 231 or HP38 meter exceptionally well.
Best regards, Rod
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Politicians, Preachers, Educators, Journalists and Community Organizers are beneficiaries, not defenders of our freedoms.
February 01, 2023, 06:14 AM
sourdough44I like Win-231/Hp-38, use it with various handgun loads.
Hodgdon had a fairly recent comparison, calling HP-38 ‘older technology’. I like Titegroup also.
https://www.hodgdonreloading.c...ng-powder-efficiency With some reloaders, Titegroup gets disparaged as a potential of a double charge. That can be true with many, it’s also slower on most charts than Bullseye, another older school powder.
I try to bridge the gap between old favorites, but willing to try new powders. The last few years, availability factors in heavily. I will say, 4-8 pounds of Titegroup lasts a long time.