I am getting more concerned with ammo availability and found some 45acp today on Ammo to go.com. I bought 2000 of the Remington 230gr ball. It comes in bulk and I am assuming remington may not be so dirty and the brass should be decent. Question, what is the best brass to buy in live rounds for future reloading. Second, can someone guide me in what is best to do with a Dillon, etc. progressive set up. I think it makes a lot of sense now to start to reload again but I do not know much about the best of the best progressive reloaders. Feel free to post ideas to this or PM me. Thanks a lot from a returning reloader. I specifically want to know best and cleanest powders, bullets, etc. Any ideas appreciated.

Larry

I use Aliant Power Pistol in my 45ACP with 200 grners but as far as brass is concerned Win and Rem is what I use with a light crimp

Larry,
I have settled on using Accurate #5 as my powder of choice.
Winchester cases or GI if you have a source.
I have convinced MYSELF that there is no reason to not shoot lead in my 4 pistols. I have had no feeding issues with both a 185 gr. SWC, and a 200 gr. FNRP from a local producer. At 45ACP velocity you don't need a gas check.

Have fun,Doug

Dillon in my opinion is the best. for bullets I only shoot laser cast. I live 5 miles from them and they have been very good to the posse shooting team.I shoot 185's 230's and 250's out of my 45. For brass Ive shot every brand there is. I even reloaded cci aluminum cases before..So if you can find it reload it.If im going to compete I go through my 5 gallon bucket and look for the same headstamp.But I dont think it would matter it just makes me feel good. as for brass. The winchester win clean brass with the huge flash hole can be loaded just like any other brand of cases.

I reload just about any boxer primed brass on my Dillon 550 with Clays and Lee TL 200 grain LSWC rolled in Alox and could.nt be happier. I think 45 ACP is the most forgiving pistol rnd to reload.
They will remove the center from a paper plate at 25 yards which makes me and my youngest daughter smile.

Merry Christmas

I have been using mostly Winchester brass lately as I have practiced around a lot of people that like to shoot it and leave the brass. Also using Speer brass which works as well - the 45 ACP is fairly easy to work with, so a lot have worked well. My favorite powders for power and reliability have been Power Pistol and AA#5, and have usually used 185gr and 200gr cast and jacketed bullets. After shooting in a class where I only used factory 230gr ball, I am starting to look at the FMJs again.

Almost any brass is fine. A while ago some of the Bullseye guys (who think that 3" at 50 yards is starting to get iffy)compared accuracy between new brass and random range pickups and found little to no difference. Obviously avoid the aluminum blazer and the new "green" ammo with small primer pockets.

Dillon is by far the most popular choice for progressive presses. Look at their website; they have four basic levels of presses with increasing speed and cost. All will load perfectly good ammo.

You got a couple of good suggestions for loads. The key is to make sure that the bullets will feed in your gun. I am partial to the lasercast 200g H&G 68 copy and the Zero 230g JHPs.

As someone said, 45 ACP is prety easy to load for

I don't know if one can wear 45acp brass out. I shoot 230 lee cast bullet with herco powder at right around 800 fps.

The brass a mix of what ever I can find seems to go forever. Until I lose it.

I have loaded thousands of 45acp with the Dillon 550 with no problems. Any brass military or commercial has always worked for me. I prefer clays powder as it is clean and inexpensive and easy to get.

I load any brass except the small primer stuff.
4.5gr of Red Dot topped with either 200gr LSWC or 230gr LRN & whatever primers are available.
It's more accurate than I am.

Win or Rem are fine. One maker I avoid is S&B because of the rim configuration.

Most of the lead bullet re-sellers/makers are using/sourcing from the same machine and molds to the point it's actually hard to find a 185 or 200 SWC that is different.

230JRN - Unique 6.5gr - dups military ball.


Rich

I shoot Federal or Remington bullets for brass. I buy Starline brass, can get 50 for pretty cheap through MidwayUSA. Can't remember the price. I shoot 230gr Hornady XTP, 5.5 W231 and Remington large pistol. I've bought range brass and it had all sorts of different brass and they all shot fine and I tossed the small primer ones aside.

In 45ACP I have found Remington brass to be a little better than the others. They seem to run through my sizing die easier and are less likely to have a bulge in the outside case wall. I tried PowerPistol powder in the 45 with 230 grain bullets and the accuracy dropped off, so I went back to W231 which always worked very well. W231 is not dirty when compared Unique but there are probably maybe some powders that burn slightly cleaner.

I use w231 and cast 200 gr SWC bullets. Any brass except the small primer stuff is ok, but WW is my preference.

I use two powders in the 45acp.
(1) 4.4grs. Titegroup, CCI 300 primer and a Montanna Gold 230gr. CMJ or HP bullet.
(2) 8.0grs. AA#5, CCI300 grimer and a Montanna Gold 230gr. CMJ or HP bullet. Both COL at 1.270"
Have loaded some Speer Gold Dots and HSM plated bullets with these load too. Works well in in my Springfield XDM 4.5".