Hello
I am in search for a good powder and load for 185 gr 45 ACP loads. all information appreciated.
Old Timer

Old Timer

For bullseye and just plinking I've found that 4.5 grains of Bullseye or 231 works well with 185 to 200 grain bullets.
Jim

Bullet: Nosler 185 Grain JHP
Powder: 9.2 grains of AA-5
Primer: CCI-300
Case: Winchester
Firearm: FireStar 45, S&W 645, Colt 1911A1
Velocity: 1006 FPS @ 15' from muzzle

Arkypete's load works with a number of other fast burning pistol and shotgun powders too, for plinking. I don't have any Bullseye or 231 on hand, but use Scot Nitro 100 and Accurate #2 similarly. (4.5 grains of the former, 5.0 of the latter.) Data's on the http://accuratearms.com/ website. Steve's load is a hotter defense load.

185 gr Sierra HP
8.0 gr Power Pistol
Fed 150 primer
Win case
OAL 1.215
Vel 970 fps from a 5" kimber

A very clean burning High Performance Powder. I did the spring change in my s-st 5in. springfield and using fed-150primers-45 super starline brass can got to 11.3gr-185gr golden saber-1385av.fps-1in-gp. Better than using my 4&6in Ruger S-Six 357
185gr-150 fed primer
8.6grs
+ploads-9.1

Old Timer: Of all the powders I've played with, I like Accurate Arms #5 the best. I shoot 185gr exclusively, both cast and jacketed. I run the cast at a little under 1100fps with 9.7gr and Hornady XTP at the same speed with 10.2gr - both 5" barrels. WLR primers. In my opinion, AA#5 is THE powder for .45acp.

[ 11-27-2003, 21:42: Message edited by: dla ]

in my sig I found that 4.7g of bullseye is the min I can load and still have it cycle reliably with 185g jacketed round.

but my sig also has a fairly stiff factory spring.

for punching holes in paper I usually use 5.0g of bullseye. it gets the round down range good enough for me.

0) 45 acp................. 185 gr. 7.6 gr. AA#5 jams w/stock Patriot
spring
1) 45 acp..................185 gr. 10.2 gr. AA#5 1100 fps 18,000psi
2) 45 acp +P...............185 gr. 10.8 gr. AA#5 1200 fps 21,700 psi
3) 45 Super................185 gr. 12.4 gr. AA#5 1312 fps 28,000 cup
4) 460 Rowland............ 185 gr. 14.5 gr. AA#5 1500 fps 38,800 cup
5) Easy extraction ........185 gr. 15.0 gr. AA#5 1868 fps 35kpsi *rifle
6) Case starts to stretch..185 gr. 15.2 gr. AA#5 1886 fps 37kpsi *rifle
7) difficult extraction ...185 gr. 16.0 gr. AA#5 1956 fps 42kpsi *rifle
8) primer falls out .......185 gr. 16.5 gr. AA#5 1998 fps 45kpsi *rifle
9) accurate heavy bullet...230 gr. 13.0 gr. AA#5 1662 fps 52kpsi *rifle

I use 6.2 grains of Red Dot with 185 grainers in the .45 Auto for my max load (around 1000 - 1100 fps) and 5.5 for a lighter version. Both cycled fine in a S&W 4566.

Thanks to all that responded,
You all sure came through, now to buy some powder . I have noticed that several suggested AA 5 would this powder be effishant also for 200 and 230 grs??
Old Timer

Yes,AA#5 works great with all 45acp (non +p) and any LP primer. This is my powder of choice for 45acp up to 230 gr. bullets .
Best,Dyno

[ 12-04-2003, 18:08: Message edited by: Dyno ]

AA#5 is the highest density - burn rate product, and so is the most likely to get a double charge.

It does not get the velocity of Power Pistol.

It does give me accuracy, burns clean, and is easy to meter.

I load 7.2 grains of Unique with the Sierra 185 HP.

Bob257