Good News! I am going to town next week and will be able to get to a gun store and get somme powder. So what powder should I get specifically for 250 - 255 gr boolit in the 45ACP case. It is in a Taurus 5 shot revolver and I think it will be able to handle a pretty stout load. I don't think I will be able to find much in Anchorage besides the standard IMR, Hodgdon or Alliant numbers.
Thanks,
350mag

The only powders I have used in a 45, are Unique, Red Dot, and Blue dot. I use Blue Dot with the Lyman "cowboy" 250 grainer out of my SIG. It's a handfull, but I reckon it's good enough for "close encounters" of the personal kind. If you are refering to dealing with Brown Bear, IMHO anything short of having wheels and a firing lanyard ain't big enough.
krag35

Ken, for many years I followed the crowd and used Hercules Unique as the best all around powder, and it is still a good one. Due to the death of a good friend, I inherited several powders that I had not tried before, and I have been working my way through them for the last 3-4 years. I have discovered that Hercules, now Alliant, Green Dot powder to be superior to Unique as the all around powder. It will do everything you could want in the .45 ACP cartridge, but its special place is the cases that are half full or less. I think I remember that you are also reloading for the .45 Colt cartridge. I have now tried it for mid velocity loads in the 45 Colt, the 44 mag and special, the 41 mag, and the 357 mag. And several rifle cartridges as well. Nothing I have ever tried is less sensitive to position in the half empty case. I am not talking about full bore loads here, rather the more pleasant and much more usefull handgun loads in the 1000 fps range, which should be attainable in the .45 ACP in a strong gun. And of course the .45 Colt. I am not trying to grind an axe here and I would probably never have tried this powder in a thousand years had it not been given to me. It really works good for mid velocity loads in all of the big revolver cartridges and also in the auto series like the 45 ACP. The prices on the old cans would make anyone who is a reloader cry. I hope that you can find it there in the Alaska outback. Sounds like you are having a great adventure.

Good evening from duke.

I use 700x in my 45acp loads. It burns clean and is economical. I've only shot it with bullets up to 230gn out of an auto though. It's too bad you can't get some WC820 in the 8lb jug. sounds like it would work great for a bunch of your guns. I've tried blueDot in my 45colt and it was dirty. It works great in the 357mag though.

bluedot or unique. Unique can be more usefull for different weights of bullets. Unique is a good all around powder.

Unique...why do you think they call it unique? And it's really good now that Alliant changed it to cleaner burning.

Joe

I've used Win 231 and AA#5 in .45 ACP with the 200 gr SWC with good results. Versatile, clean burning and both meter well through a measure. Jake6

Thanks for all of the suggestions, but I am not really looking for a versatile powder for lots of Boolit weights and in other cartriges. I already have HS-6 that works fine for medium loads in most of my pistol cases, and I have 296/H110 for hot loads in my 45LC. So I don,t mind getting a powder that will be specifically used for heavy boolits in 45ACP in a revolver. I will only be using cast boolits no lighter than the Lee 255gr at this point.

Ken,

Check out the discussion under the topic of "Top loads for 45 AR Bisley" lower on this page.

http://www.nookhill.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=19;t=000980

Regards,

Ken,
From another thread on this site. Actually from "Hunting" "Handgun Hunting" "45 acp and hunting loads"

quote:

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Originally posted by TXPO:
I have a 1911 that I built specifically for hot 45 ACP loads that I carry while farting around the property or hunting. I run a 255 SWC (45 Colt bullet) over a healthy charge of HS-6 and get consistant 1000+ fps velocity. I have taken several hogs here in Texas with it but haven't taken a deer yet. This load is a PENETRATOR! I shot a hog on the King Ranch a couple of years ago, about 150-175 pounds, head-on. Bullet entered just to the left of her jaw, entered her neck and I later recovered the bullet under the skin at the back of her off-side ham....that's a LOT of hog! I also shot a 250-300 pounder behind the shoulder and got complete penetration...I actually heard the bullet smack a tree after the shot

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Regards,

[ 09-14-2003, 00:06: Message edited by: C1PNR ]

Ken , in the American RiflemanFeb. 1979 reloading page 18 , the tech staff ( C.E.H) has a good selection of loads for 45 ACP using Blue Dot powder, with 250 gr. to 300 gr. boolits. 300 gr tops out at 7.1 gr. for 740 fps and 13,300 cup.These are all lead boolits.

Well it looks like I need to try some more stout loads of HS-6 since I have it on hand and maybe pick up one of the Dots either green or blue. I have used the red variety in the 45ACP for years. 5 gr with a 200gr swc. A great rabbit load. Any other suggestions?
thanks,
350mag