.45 ACP reloading tips

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

Hey guys, I've had a stash of 100 Hornady 185 XTPs laying around for years that I got on a "get loaded" promo. I have two .45 pistols and plan to start reloading for them. I have hundreds of once fired brass cases and was wondering if straight wall pistol brass manufacturer is as important as for bottleneck rifle cartridges? The brass I have is mixed and in a big zip loc, and I'm not opposed to sorting it out if it would make a difference. If not, is there a reliable and consistent powder that ya'll would recommend for the 185 XTP out of a 5" government model 1911 and old school Sig 220?

 

[Steve300xcw]

99% of my brass was picked up in rockpits or given to me by folks that dont reload. Its all mixed.

45ACP runs both large and small primer. Pick a size and cull the rest. I like the small primer as thats normally your blazer brass etc which is the cheap shit that most folks leave laying

I've been running universal for both my 45acp's as well as 44 loads. Probly not your powder to use if you wanna hot rod things.

Also if you start shooting much, those xtp's an such get spendy. I sure like my 200gr SWC's https://www.summersenterprisesllc.com/product/hi-tek-45-200gr-452-swc-nlg-500-ct-box/

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

99% of my brass was picked up in rockpits or given to me by folks that dont reload. Its all mixed.

45ACP runs both large and small primer. Pick a size and cull the rest. I like the small primer as thats normally your blazer brass etc which is the cheap shit that most folks leave laying

I've been running universal for both my 45acp's as well as 44 loads. Probly not your powder to use if you wanna hot rod things

Thank you sir, and I'm not looking to hot rod, but need them to perform in self-defense scenario. Universal isn't listed in the Hornady app for the 185, and would you mind sharing your starting load?

 

[Steve300xcw]

I burned a lot of unique before that. Only switched when I couldnt get anymore of it.

For defensive loads, honestly I'd go pickup a box of factory ammo.

I'll dig through my notes this evening and see what I was loading

 

[RockAndSage]

For general practice and all-around shooting, there's no problem at all in mixing brass, and .45 ACP is pretty forgiving with the variety of powders you can put into it. I've always used Winchester 231, but there's a ton you could choose from. The level of shooter someone would need to be to get any accuracy benefit from uniforming pistol brass would have to be pretty stratospheric, along with a gun that had pretty tight match tolerances. So, in practical terms, an absolute non-issue.

I separate "practice and all-around shooting" from anything defensive related though. If you wanted to hunt prey animals with handloaded XTPs, no problem. And mixing brass, same, all good. But dangerous game or defensive, no way in hell would I ever use handloads in a semi-auto, if factory ammo is available.

 

[Steve300xcw]

Thank you sir, and I'm not looking to hot rod, but need them to perform in self-defense scenario. Universal isn't listed in the Hornady app for the 185, and would you mind sharing your starting load?

I wouldnt get hung up on 185's just because you have a box of them on the shelf.

You're right though, its not in the book. Is for 200gr cast, which is what I mainly load. Did spot this.

 

[Vern400]

I use Winchester 231 powder.
I like large pistol primers in a large pistol.
For practice ammunition I don't sort.

For Carry ammo I'm picky. I head stamp sort, load it to high end of the range, test for limp wrist FTF and run a Lee factory crimp dye on every round and gauge every round. I probably shouldn't use my own ammunition for defensive use. I could see a lawyer going after intent.. but that's what I do.

 

[waspocrew]

As stated above, watch out for large vs small pistol primer. Pick one and go with it. I had a lot of large pistol primers, so that’s what I go with.

I use Unique powder, Silhouette was ok too.

I’ve loaded a lot of plated projectiles, they are much cheaper. Also, a taper crimp is your friend.

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

I was digging around my bench and found a jug of HS-6 and some H-110. Back in the day I reloaded some 45LC for handgun season in Iowa. I also have some Winchester large pistol primers leftover. Sounds like it may be best to use the 185s for practice and maybe a backyard whitetail with my landowner tag if I can get them to shoot. Thanks for all the suggestions on brass too. I’ll dig out 100 with large primers, give them a tumble and find a set of dies to get going. Looks like Lee has a carbide 3 die set that’s reasonable. I appreciate ya’ll!

 

[Steve300xcw]

Also, a taper crimp is your friend.

 

[Vern400]

I was digging around my bench and found a jug of HS-6 and some H-110. Back in the day I reloaded some 45LC for handgun season in Iowa. I also have some Winchester large pistol primers leftover. Sounds like it may be best to use the 185s for practice and maybe a backyard whitetail with my landowner tag if I can get them to shoot. Thanks for all the suggestions on brass too. I’ll dig out 100 with large primers, give them a tumble and find a set of dies to get going. Looks like Lee has a carbide 3 die set that’s reasonable. I appreciate ya’ll!

Get the four die kit

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

Get the four die kit

I don't have a turret press, as a result, 4 dies would require each case to go through 4 distinct steps. Does the included seating die not have a crimp function like rifle dies? The seating die in the 3 die set says it is adjustable from slight taper to full roll crimp. Is that good enough for practice and possibly hunting rounds? After lots of feedback, I plan to purchase factory defensive ammo

 

[Steve300xcw]

You can get away with a 3 die set. I have loaded a pile of ammo that way. That 4th step makes it nice though. You can always order that later if you find the need.

 

[Vern400]

I don't have a turret press, as a result, 4 dies would require each case to go through 4 distinct steps. Does the included seating die not have a crimp function like rifle dies? The seating die in the 3 die set says it is adjustable from slight taper to full roll crimp. Is that good enough for practice and possibly hunting rounds? After lots of feedback, I plan to purchase factory defensive ammo

You don't have to use the factory crimp die. I loaded some 185 grain 45 ACP bullets and a few of them wanted to start crooked. Maybe I didn't open the cases up enough. Anyway it created a small bulge and those wouldn't gauge, nor would they feed. I got the factory crimp die, crunched them through and they all fed and worked fine. It was like three per 100. I've pretty much used it ever since. I do have a number of cartridges that I reload that I have never owned a factory round for. I figured I might as well get real good at quality control.

 

[Steve300xcw]

Have you loaded for semi-auto pistols before?

 

[Slickhill]

The Lee FC die can, not always but possible, cause issues should you ever use cast or plated bullets.

I shoot a good bit of 45, both ACP and AutoRim from 1911 and revolvers. Primarily 200gr SWCs, H&G 68 is the gold standard for a reason. I prefer just a standard taper crimp die, set your crimp to put the case mouth at .472” or so and make minor adjustments if they won’t plunk in your chamber.

I sort brass only by primer pocket size and disregard brand as long as it’s brass. I still have some old surplus brass from the 70’s or 80’s that’s been reloaded a bunch of times and going strong.

I used Bullseye until I couldn’t get any during one of the first scares. Went to PB and it was outstanding, then it was discontinued. Unique next because I had a bunch, it’s better for +P type loads than the faster powders but it’s gone for the time being. I bought heavily into PowerPistol when Unique became scarce, it’s excellent for +P 45 loads and a bunch of other handgun cartridges I load from 32-45, of course it’s impossible to find now too. 700X was good for target loads but it’s extinct as well. If I had to pick a readily available powder that’s pretty economical and easy for target loads right now I’d suggest a few pounds of WW231. HP38 is the same thing but it was $5 higher per pound when I bought some 231 a few days ago.

I’ve never used a 185XTP on game. But 185,200, and 250 grain SWCs with a flat nose kill the shit out of pigs at 900-1050fps out of the old 45. I’ve used the 200 the most and it will shoot through a 200lb pig and leave a 1”-1.5 wound channel like he’s made of styrofoam.

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

Have you loaded for semi-auto pistols before?

No. Just an SA revolver.

 

[Sapcut]

I just got a 1911 .45. I do not plan to reload but rather sell 125 casings if there is an interest or value.

 

[buffybr]

I've been reloading .45 acp ammo and casting bullets for it since 1970. My casting records show that I have cast 9,181 .45 acp bullets. I started casting with a Lyman 2 cavity #452460 mold that dropped 220 gr bullets, and now I mostly use a Lee #542200 6 cavity mold that makes 210 gr bullets.

I load these 210 gr bullets in front of 5.9 gr of Universal powder (the same powder that I use to load .38 and .44 Spl, and for my 9mm pistols). I have an 8 llg keg of Unique for when I run out of Universal.

I do all of my pistol reloading on my Dillon 450 turret press wirh RCBS and Lee carbide sizing dies.

With all lead flat base bullets you need to slightly flare or bell the mouth of the cases to allow the bullets to easily seat in the case. This flare has to be taken out of the case before you load it into the pistol or it will not load easily. A properly adjusted bullet seating die easily does this, and I only use a 4th crimping die on my .357 and .44 mag cases.

.45 acp brass is very common on the ground at our range and I'm a brass scrounger, but I've picked up so many that now I mostly only pick up the ones that I shoot.

I HATE the .45 acp cases with the small primer pockets. If I bring any of these home I'll smash the case mouths with a pliers and they go into the brass recycle bucket.

I'm not a great pistol shooter, but I'm happy when I can keep all of my pistol bullets on my 9" gong shooting off-hand at 25 yards. I don't sort any of my pistol cases by headstamps.

 

[Steve300xcw]

No. Just an SA revolver.

You can get away with a lot more when loading for a bolt gun or a revolver. Pay attention to the OAL and the crimp.

Pull your barrel and make sure your rounds drop in without issue. Worth loading up a few dummy's to get things dialed in.

You will also feel really dumb if you go all mass production. Only to learn that that coffee can full of 45 ammo you loaded on a stupid single stage press, doesn't actually run in your gun