.45ACP self defense loads

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MrGee

New member
Gentleman,

I am currently researching new self defense loads for the .45acp short barrell...(currently shoot a 4 inch M1991A1 Colt).

I am looking for anyone who might suggest loads that chamber and eject without any problems...FTF or FTE. Have had problems in the past with my Colt on failure to feed with Large Diameter Hollow Point rounds. Any information on OAL of case/bullet and specific load information would be especially helpful.

Would like to shoot carry a 185-200 gr. JHP round that mushrooms and stops effectively. Have read posts with success with Cor-Bon, Glaser and Speer Gold Dot ammo.

Anyone with any successes or lessons learned on failure would be helpful.

Thanks and Happy New Year,
RichG,...
 
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drail

Moderator
A load that will feed and eject in your gun has much more to do with your gun and magazine than the load. Most feed problems in semi autos are caused by the magazine releasing the round too early or late or extractor tension. A magazine designed to feed ball rounds will have problems with SWC or HP bullets. If the gun will feed ball rounds 100% but chokes on other types of rounds it needs to be tuned by a pistolsmith that understands what's happening.
 
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9Para

New member
Consider your choice ammunition, and shoot at least a box of each of it. That's how you get an initial idea of the feed reliability. Depends a lot on the gun,so you really have to shoot it yourself.
 
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mavracer

New member
If I was makin a bet I'd bet on Remington Golden Sabers they probably have the best profile in terms of closest to round ball. They have a more rounded profile with a relatively small opening. In my experiance this leads to less feeding problems. Corbon DPX with the Barnes bullet would probably be the least likly to feed with its truncated cone profile and that giant cavity (I don't know how they managed to put a 1/2" hole in the end of a .45 bullet LOL) however they fed fine in my old AMT Backup and my Hi Standard Crusader Compact (officer's model size) which both have a reputation for not being reliable with JHPs.
 
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murphjup

New member
I carry 200 GR +P Speer Gold Dots in my 3" Colt 1911...

Figure they make up a little bit of velocity for the shorter Barrel.

:)
 
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KyJim

New member
Gold Dots are my favorite bullet but I do have a pistol or two that don't like them. For them, I have found the Remington Golden Saber 185 gr. +P to work. No matter what you use, however, you will need to test them with your gun.
 
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dosjoel

New member
Federal HST

HST +P for me.

I'm shooting a Colt government and Sig P220 carry. The HST has the best and most consistant expansion profile according to some research i did a couple months ago. Its also relatively easy on the pocketbook.
 
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Jim Downey

New member
Yeah, pretty much what drail said in #2 there. Try different things, see what your gun likes to eat, go with that.

Me, I like the CorBon DPX 185gr for my Para Carry 12 (3.5" barrel), and it likes those.

Jim D.
 
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dinsmore83

New member
another plug for Remington Golden Saber 185gr, they shoot really well out of my 4in XD45, no failures, and good accuracy.
 
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jeffatus

New member
That's the nice thing about shooting 45acp. Even if you are using FMJ, it is still likely to stop the bad guy.

I am the same way though, I bought expansion bullets because it will make the bad guys deader :cool: I can't remember the name of them, but they are hollow points with very soft metal inside (cover) to help reliability/feeding....so I guess they technically wouldn't be called hollow points..:confused: Maybe one of the more knowledgeable folks here can fill in the blanks. I will see if I can dig up my bullets as well.
 
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MrGee

New member
first up thanks to all the replies...

........ great info
Thanks for the response...it much appreciated. I have had a "few" failures over several thousand rds. through my original Colt mag....and other purchased mags. Hopefully, as many as others who shoot as much as I do! I may have "overstated" my percieved failure rate....it certainly is not as chronic as it may have sounded. Early on, I had 2 specific failures with JHP ammo...and since then, as you can imagine, I have really been "shy" around wanting to carry it for self defense. Someone once told me those specific bullets where seated to deep in the case...and the OAL was too short.

Since those early failures, and as you suggested, I have had a gunsmith tune my mags/ejector as best as possible.. Everything seems to be in the best tuned shape it can be.

I have been punching alot of paper with FMJ 230gr rds. and wadcutter lead with little to no problems. I have purchased another 1911 for target and will now carry my 3.8 inch Colt as a conceal carry. Assuming I have problems behind me... can you suggest any loads, specs, that you have had success with? What I want to do is buy a box or 2 of factory (or reload to any specs) and start cycling them through my gun, just to make sure I feel comfortable with them.

I have read some of these posts and the FPS seem to be fairly slow comparable to the factory stated FPS on some of the HP and +P loads. I am assuming the factory tests for FPS were done in a 5 inch barrel.

2 questions..

If you take a factory stated JHP round at 1050 fps from a 5 inch barrel... and then fire it from a 3.8 or 4 inch barrel....how many FPS will be lost by the shorter barrel??

IF, Unique powder with a +p 200 gr. JHP were loaded, How many grains of Unique would be a +p load for a 200 gr. JHP??

Many thanks again
 
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tomwalshco

New member
Hollow points and exotic bullets are more important in the smaller rounds. A .45 is kinda like hitting somebody with a bowling ball whether the finger holes are drilled or not...
 
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MTS840

New member
A .45 is kinda like hitting somebody with a bowling ball whether the finger holes are drilled or not...
Click to expand...

Just as with any other handgun caliber, unless the .45 hits something vital inside the body, there is no reason why an attacker can't continue to fight.

He's not going to know "it's a .45" when struck with the bullet. He may fall down, he may give up, run away or press the attack. He may show no reaction at all at being shot.

The .45 is just like any other service caliber handgun bullet. To be effective, you have to hit something vital.

Regardless of the caliber you carry, find one that feeds effectively in your gun and keep shooting as long as the threat remains.

A number stamped on your slide is no guarantee of stopping power.
 
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tomwalshco

New member
The Ft Hood scumbag was hit 4 times and I guarantee you it was with 9s. Do you think he'd be laying in a hospital now if he was hit 4 times with .45 FMJs? He'd be dancing with virgins right now....
 
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varoadking

New member
The Ft Hood scumbag was hit 4 times and I guarantee you it was with 9s. Do you think he'd be laying in a hospital now if he was hit 4 times with .45 FMJs? He'd be dancing with virgins right now....
Click to expand...

Maybe...and it certainly does appear as though she has a Beretta 92fs in her holster...
 
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MTS840

New member
The Ft Hood scumbag was hit 4 times and I guarantee you it was with 9s. Do you think he'd be laying in a hospital now if he was hit 4 times with .45 FMJs? He'd be dancing with virgins right now....
Click to expand...

If shot placement and penetration was identical, why would it be fatal with a .45 if it wasn't with a 9mm?
 
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