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I recently acquired a Para Ordnance in .45 ACP and would appreciate recommendations on a reduced load that would be appropriate for my wife, who is new to shooting. I'm looking for a load strictly for range work, not for personal defense. Can I get some suggestions regarding bullet (brand/weight), powder, charge, and so forth? I suppose we'd need something strong enough to cycle the action--but would prefer to throttle back as much as is reasonably possible. She's short and of fairly slight build and I don't want to discourage her with unpleasant recoil. Thanks for your help! LTC, USA, RET Benefactor Life Member, NRA Member, SCI & DSC Proud son of Texas A&M, Class of 1969 "A man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what's a heaven for?" Robert Browning | ||
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My wife is 5 feet tall and what I call weak. She shoots her J-frame competently but she won't pick up my 629 with 300 grainers at 1200 fps. She has shot all of my 1911's at one time or another and the first time she picked up my Glock 21 (standard sized frame of course) she did extremely well with it. She is not an avid shooting enthusiast. I require her to practice. My point is, 45 acp is low pressure and the recoil is not sharp. It is much more user friendly than say, 40 S&W. Load up (or buy) some 200 gr. semi-wadcutters. She should do fine. | |||
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Lee sells a real nice 230gr RN cast bullet mold. Load 'em just as much as you need to for recycling. Hard cast won't lead a gun up either. Red Dot or such turns out well for light loads. I shoot ACP in a big Blackhawk and it's a pip sqeek in it. For a real popper I load Colts for it. George "Gun Control is NOT about Guns' "It's about Control!!" Join the NRA today!" LM: NRA, DAV, George L. Dwight | |||
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I use VihtaVuori N340 for light loads, but I'm betting that other powders are cheaper where you live. No point in giving bullet recommendations; what's available here is different too. But wouldn't you be doing your wife a greater service having her practice with factory loads in a caliber she can handle, perhaps 9mm? _________________________________ AR, where the hopeless, hysterical hypochondriacs of history become the nattering nabobs of negativisim. | |||
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Most 1911s will cycle 200 gr cast SWCs. You may need to install a lighter recoil spring (or just an old one you didn't throw away) but I find 4.3 to 4.5 gr 231 (same as HP38) to my liking. Also use this load in the pre-70 National Match, and it shoots. If you want to stick with 230 gr cast RNs, most will cycle with as little as 4.5 gr 231 and a standard recoil spring. This load is very soft, but you can increase to over 5.1 gr if you want real snappy. You need to up the charges if you are using jacketed bullets. Do not forget. Agree with Joe, the .45 ACP recoil impulse is not as sharp as even a 9mm. To be fair a G21 weighs more than a G19. This is veering a bit OT, but those old enough to remember the HP White tests know low-pressure oldies like the .45 and .38 Spl are easy on guns, too. | |||
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4.4grs. of Titegroup with a 230gr. FMJ or CMJ bullet. | |||
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Red dot, bulleye start at the minimum work up until it cycles properly. | |||
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I located some 200 gr semi-wadcutters from an outfit called Ventura Munitions, 250 count for $88.99 + $17.44 shipping, $106.43 total. It's remanufactured ammo and all their reviews are extremely positive. Does that sound like a decent price? Works out to about 42.5 cents a round. LTC, USA, RET Benefactor Life Member, NRA Member, SCI & DSC Proud son of Texas A&M, Class of 1969 "A man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what's a heaven for?" Robert Browning | |||
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+1  As usual just my $.02 Paul K | |||
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I load my own with my own cast bullets for around 2.50 a box or 50.00 dollars a thousand. Not counting time. But then I am working on primers I brought for 1.2 cents each 8lb kegs of powder at 10 dollars a lb and lead I got for free or 20 cents a lb. | |||
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I use the 185 grain H&G semi-wadcutter and 4.1 gr of Bullseye. A very mild and pleasant load to shoot. My GF and my daughter both prefer the 1911 and they both shoot this load quite well. I use Rogers better Bullets at $42 per 500 https://www.kingshooters.com/185gr-hg130-p-25571.html NRA Benefactor. Life is tough... It's even tougher when you're stupid... John Wayne | |||
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3.5 grains of bullseye and 200 swc will reliable cycle in most guns...if not just add .1 grns until it does. Mike Legistine actu quod scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.  What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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Of late I have been using 180 swc's in my old 1911 with 5.1 gr. of W231 (about 750 fps). They shoot very well and cycle with a standard recoil spring. C.G.B. | |||
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For Bulk heads I haven't noticed any difference among Missouri, SNS, Falcon (now out of business) or Ibeje. I haven't tried Bayou and only used Oregon for my 44-40. Some folks like plated or coated. Xtreme plated is a bit more money. The lead are all about $110-120 per 1000 shipped CONUS. You are looking at about $8/50 reloaded | |||
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200 SWC 4.0 = ww231 4.0 = bullseye (can go lower) 5.5 = titegroup (hotter than a bullseye load) 5.2 = 700x | |||
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A classic Bullseye pistol 50 yard load is the 200 gr H&G 68 cast bullet with 4.0 grains Bullseye. The 25 yard rapid fire load was 3.5 grains Bullseye with the same bullet. I found an article by Clark recommending the 3.5 grain load in the early 1950's, so it probably predated the article. The classic "ball" load was a 230 FMJBT with 5.0 grains Bullseye. That load dates back to the development cartridges of 1910. This will push a 230 FMJ just at 800 fps. You can push a 230 LRN at the same speed with 4.5 grains Bullseye. | |||
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I use 6.5gr of Unique or 7.0gr of power pistol with 230RN. | |||
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For a 200gr LWSC I had 3.8 to 4.0gr of Bullseye produce good groups and was not harsh. Working with 200gr plated bullets today (Rainier and Berry's) I was using 4.8 and 5.0gr of Titegroup, and it seemed to be very tolerable. But then again, if she is new to shooting, something like a medium size 9mm may be more pleasant - my Glock 19 has less felt recoil with factory 9mm's than my 45's and is still lighter to hold than an all steel 1911. Compact 9mms are not so pleasant to shoot, though. Just an opinion. sputster | |||
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I've bought exactly 2000 rounds of Winchester 230 gr fmj (ball) at Walmart for around 40.3 cents per round. That includes Kommiefornia's 9.75% sales tax, out the door. | |||
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Regardless how small she is you wouldn't want her to suffer. Use a full power load in a vital place and she'll go down humanely. | |||
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Several commercial casters sell the HG-68 (200gr), or the 130 (185gr). Either loaded over the above listed loads of Bullseye are great loads. One of the better things about BE is you'll get around 1600'ish rounds out of a pounds depending on just where you settle. My wife is 5' on a good hair day and does well with them as do my older two of Rhee grandsons at 10 & 15yrs old. Mike / Tx | |||
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