Best bullet grain for .45?
- Thread starter Drjones
- Start date
Most 45's were "designed' to shoot the 230 gr ammo, and I think the best 230 gr load out there is the hydra-shock. Gold Dots, Golden Sabers, Fail-Safes are all good too.
However, I mixed up a wicked hot (not +p but close, load) mix of 200 gr Hornady flat nose fmj and 9 grain of AA#5. I've never seen a commercial load that comes close to that one.
Most of the 185 gr stuff on the market shoots significantly higher from point of aim on my fixed sight handguns.
However, I mixed up a wicked hot (not +p but close, load) mix of 200 gr Hornady flat nose fmj and 9 grain of AA#5. I've never seen a commercial load that comes close to that one.
Most of the 185 gr stuff on the market shoots significantly higher from point of aim on my fixed sight handguns.
Depends on the barrel length of the gun.
Speer Gold Dots, 230grain +P are good for shorter barrel 45s, in that you need the extra power to push them faster out of a shorter barrel. A certain range of velocity is needed in order to open up the bullet.
If you go too fast, the bullet opens up too soon, and you lose penetration.
Speer Gold Dots, 230grain +P are good for shorter barrel 45s, in that you need the extra power to push them faster out of a shorter barrel. A certain range of velocity is needed in order to open up the bullet.
If you go too fast, the bullet opens up too soon, and you lose penetration.
juliet charley
New member
That is why a lighter bullet is contraindicated in a shorter barrel weapon. While they may have a greater velocity than a heavier bullet, they lose more velocity proportionally and have a greater chance of dropping below the needed velocity range to provide adequate expansion.
Mike Irwin
Staff
"That is why a lighter bullet is contraindicated in a shorter barrel weapon."
Question is, at what range does that happen?
Or, the bigger question is, does that really matter for the purposes for which most of us carry handguns -- short range personal protection?
If you're going to be expecting to be shooting at longer ranges, which is quite frankly somewhat hard to justify with a civilian CCW-type gun, my way of thinking is that you should already be carrying a longer-barreled weapon.
Just food for thought...
Question is, at what range does that happen?
Or, the bigger question is, does that really matter for the purposes for which most of us carry handguns -- short range personal protection?
If you're going to be expecting to be shooting at longer ranges, which is quite frankly somewhat hard to justify with a civilian CCW-type gun, my way of thinking is that you should already be carrying a longer-barreled weapon.
Just food for thought...
At one point in time the 230gr JHPs had trouble with expansion. The big and slow bullet theory doesn't work real well for hollowpoints that need speed to expand especially since the bigger the HP the more force/speed it takes to expand it. I think the current HP designs have alleviated this problem though.
Paul Fitz Jones
New member
Retired Saeco Salesman
As the top salesman of California Saeco bulletcasting company til the death of the founder and sale of the company to back east, in the thousand of 45acp bullet molds I sold the 180 grain swc lead was for highly accurized weapons, the standard bullseye target bullet was the 185 gr #130 for many decades, The H&G 200 grain is very popular for combat shooters and in the 50 yard bullseye range and the 230 grain RN sold the least. The top seller today is the Saeco 068 200 gr SWC
Ca-Saeco made the most accurate 4 cavity with handles Competition Winning molds and I have some of each weight in my personal collection that I am selling for low prices. Send for a list of my remaining mold collection coffeyn1@juno.com
The attachment is what a mold looks like as an example
As the top salesman of California Saeco bulletcasting company til the death of the founder and sale of the company to back east, in the thousand of 45acp bullet molds I sold the 180 grain swc lead was for highly accurized weapons, the standard bullseye target bullet was the 185 gr #130 for many decades, The H&G 200 grain is very popular for combat shooters and in the 50 yard bullseye range and the 230 grain RN sold the least. The top seller today is the Saeco 068 200 gr SWC
Ca-Saeco made the most accurate 4 cavity with handles Competition Winning molds and I have some of each weight in my personal collection that I am selling for low prices. Send for a list of my remaining mold collection coffeyn1@juno.com
The attachment is what a mold looks like as an example
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I Cheat
Along Tamara' s thinkin' Gunsmith orders big, a few of us split the order. Winchester 185 STHP always works. Got some 230 gr favorites too.
Range: we still like the 200 gr bullet from Montana bullets we load up...'nuther 20k bullets just came in. Most of us that split order learned looong time ago, get the reliable part figured, and at Defense distance...its the shooter not the bullet.
Along Tamara' s thinkin' Gunsmith orders big, a few of us split the order. Winchester 185 STHP always works. Got some 230 gr favorites too.
Range: we still like the 200 gr bullet from Montana bullets we load up...'nuther 20k bullets just came in. Most of us that split order learned looong time ago, get the reliable part figured, and at Defense distance...its the shooter not the bullet.
trapshooter
Moderator
I like the Hornady 200gr XTP's, in front of Blue Dot. A nice compromise between velocity and energy. Easy to load. Yes, I carry reloads...mine, or factory ammo. But I like consistency, and I am more consistent than the factory, and I don't load hot. I don't load for anyone else. They only work in my weapons, no others. Mas Ayoob aside, I'll take my chances, since I don't CCW (check my state).
OTOH, like Tam, if I see a deal (either components or factory rounds), I am free to change my mind. I usually don't mess with sight adjustment when switching around, I move my POA instead. (I keep them set for my own load). It usually boils down to the difference between top, center, or bottom hold, at acceptable handgun ranges anyway.
OTOH, like Tam, if I see a deal (either components or factory rounds), I am free to change my mind. I usually don't mess with sight adjustment when switching around, I move my POA instead. (I keep them set for my own load). It usually boils down to the difference between top, center, or bottom hold, at acceptable handgun ranges anyway.