I am new to loading, I have loaded 1500 rounds of .45 ACP. I am pleased with the results of the load I developed. Its easy to shoot, feels like the recoil is milder than the factory stuff I was shooting. The powder measures consistent thru the cheaper Lee measuring device.

The Recipe
WLP, 230grn Berrys Plated RN Bullet and 5.1 grn of IMR PB.

However it seems to be a dirty powder. I had noticed when going thru all my empties some are cleaner than others. The CCI and Federal are still bright inside and their primer pockets were cleaner. The dirtier stuff seems to be the Remington and the Winchester stuff.

The leads me to believe that some powders, primers or combos of the two must burn cleaner than others. Does anyone have suggestions? I would prefer the ball type powders because of the consistency of the throw from my Lee.

This load is mild compared to the cheap factory ball a

Apparently I didn't proof read the first post.....

This load seems to kick less then the cheap .45 ACP 230 grn ball ammo you can get at wally world. I would like to think that its easier on my gun.

I have had excellent results with Clays

What brand of primer do you prefer?

Whatever is US made and is cheapest. Typically I buy CCI and Winchester.

I am also looking for a cleaner burning powder and Universal has been recommended to me. I'll get some as soon as I go thru the 9lbs. of Unique I have.

quote:

Originally posted by Blackhawk83:
I have had excellent results with Clays

clays is the cleanest I have ever used.

buckeyeshooter
one of us
Posted 13 January 2012 15:17 Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by Blackhawk83:
I have had excellent results with Clays


clays is the cleanest I have ever used.

that is what i use when i reload for 12 gauge target loads and dove loads. very clean in shot guns..

Different cases leading with different capacities leading to different pressures and the lower pressure rounds (Ie from the same charge of powder in a larger capacity case) burnig less completely and producing more soot possibly?

It happens in rifle cartridges when the pressure is very low.

I'm sure one of the more experienced members will be along to correct me.

I been shooting the following load for years, very clean, accurate and makes USPSA major:

WLP
200 gr LSWC
4.2gr Vihtavuori N-310
Starline brass

All of my reloads have produced "dirty" cases, no matter what the manufacturer of the case. I think I will try clays. I commonly see it in the manuals and if I don't like it I will burn it up with my 12ga.

I've used American Select with receipes from the Alliant Web site and found it to be very clean. I found it to be an excellent powder for my shotgun loads and I wondered if it would work in hanguns and found that Alliant listed loads. Clean burning and mild to shoot...see their Web site for more info and loads,

good luck

Paul

I get excellent results for 45 with AA#5,AA#7 and Bullseye. They all measure great through a Lee Pro Disc measure. I'm going to try some AA#2 next.

In the .45 acp and other cartridges as small as 9mm:

Three shooter/loaders loading/shooting the same cartridge through the same gun but loading to different pressures will get three different results as far as cleanliness is concerned.

It's interesting that this subject comes up so much more often with regard to handguns than with rifles. IMHO the most important question is what load is most accurate for my gun? It seems that accuracy expectations are dramatically reduced when dealing with handguns.

Anyway, if you load plated bullets or lead bullets, you will be loading to lower pressures than with jacketed bullets and any powder will produce more soot in that situation.

I've found (by accident) that the faster powders like Clays or W231 or N-110 leave less reside, but did not give me the same accuracy--defined as shooting the same size groups in the same place on target over at least 5 shooting sessions) as using slower powders that filled the case better--like HS-6 or N-340--although these powders will be a bit "dirtier." In addition, loading to fill the case better will also reduce or eliminate the chance of a double charge.

Cleaning my guns is just another part of shooting. The 1911s I own are some of the easier guns to get clean. Once you have good cleaning tools and chemicals, it not all that bad--better than scrubbing floors any day.

By far the cleanest powder I have shot out of a 45 ACP is Solo 1000 with 200 gr jacketed bullets, you may want to try that sometime as well.

I do remember trying PB in 45 ACP once a long time ago ... was REALLY dirty!

Common IPSC load is around 5.0 gr of WW231. Bullseye is also often used. Both burn a lot cleaner than PB.

I use 4.4grs. of Hodgdon Titegroup with a 230gr. Montanna Gold CMJ using CCI 300 large pistol primer in my Springfield XDM 45 auto. Seems to shoot clean and very accurate.

I got a pound, I mean 14oz of clays, I will get a pound of ww231. I will try both of these when I am done prepping brass.

In response to amamnn:
The degree of accuracy that I want is an 8inch paper plate at 15 of my paces. Shot it this manner: Gain sight picture, squeeze trigger, gun recoils, re-gain sight picture, squeeze, repeat until mag is empty. No pausing no thinking, just shoot.

As long as the holes are on the plate I am pleased. Sometimes my groups are 3inch sometimes they cover the entire plate.

When its time to clean the piece I have found with PB and 800X the weapon was extremely dirty. To the point I had to take a small bronze brush to the bore and chamber. I keep my weapons cleaner than most, probably over clean. I base my claim on what I have seen from others.

And do I have chemicals and are they expensive, just ask my wife. She would roll her eyes. The cheapest gun oil/cleaner I have is CLP. The priciest it Quick Clean Guns, which I think is great. But all this aside I want my loads to shoot at least as clean as factory Rem UMC. If I can get as clean as the factory Federal loads in the red box I would be very pleased. Those cases eject from my 45 shiny.

I don't want the hours I have spent cleaning guns back, it was well spent, almost as good as shooting them to make em dirty.

I've used Nitro 100 and Titegroup for 45 ACP and Titegroup is plenty clean for me.

I am NOT a Clays fan or TG. Clays gets really wierd as you approach max & max w/ Clays doesn't get you into factory equiv loads. TG, burns too hot & occupies too little space for my liking. I have run maybe 8-10 diff powders in the 45acp, nothing runs better than WST. Maybe VV310, but just too pricey for the amount of 45acp I shoot.

I've used 4.5 grains of Bullseye or 231 with a copy of the H&G #68, except mine weighs around 215 grains. My bullets are sized .452 and made of wheel weights with just a bit of tin.
I've polished my powder thru case expander where all I get is a bit of flaring on the case mouth. When I seat the bullet there's a bit of expansion below the case mouth.
The bullet has a death grip on it, so the powder gets a real good start.

Jim

quote:

Originally posted by fredj338:
I am NOT a Clays fan or TG. Clays gets really wierd as you approach max & max w/ Clays doesn't get you into factory equiv loads. TG, burns too hot & occupies too little space for my liking. I have run maybe 8-10 diff powders in the 45acp, nothing runs better than WST. Maybe VV310, but just too pricey for the amount of 45acp I shoot.

I tried WST but could not get as good grouping with it out of my gun. Tightgroup has better results for me.

Have you tried alliant power pistol powder? I use it in my 45acp and 45 colt loads, burns clean, little to no excess gas discharge, cycles my 1911A1 like a champ @ 8 grains (eight grains) under a 230gn fmj projectile.

I am loading some clays tonight. I have not tried any of alliant's products. I would be interested if its a ball powder, they meter better out of my lee measure. I will be at my favorite store Saturday getting some dies and I would try this one, the price is in my range.

Does anyone know if alliant power pistol is a ball type powder?

Its a flake, meters very well.

I tried Clays this weekend and it was cleaner than my previous loads. I picked up some WW231 and will try that next.

Another vote for clean burning STANDARD CLAYS powder from Hodgdon.
You might want to look at how you taper crimp. I know that until I learned how to taper crimp properly I too was complaining about dirty powder.

I have used many of the above powders, WW231 and American Select were favorites of mine but I was told about AA-#5 with any cast 200 swc and that was the one for me.

http://www.accuratepowder.com/load-data/

Enjoy your .45acp pistol.

burgie