Looking for better powder for 45acp 230gr lead - Page 1

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Looking for better powder for 45acp 230gr lead

Posted: 10/29/2014 2:35:11 PM EDT

I have been using 800-X and 700-X because of the FPS and at the time it was all I could really find. The problem I'm having and maybe its just me but it is some dirty powder!! I have also notice that it does not burn all the way as I'll find large flakes in the barrel. I'm using a HP lead cast boolite. I would like to find a powder that is not as dirty but still is a fast round for the 45 acp. Thanks for the help and advice.

Posted: 10/29/2014 2:59:17 PM EDT

[#1]

I have used WW231 forever
It's a little dirty too, but not bad, certainly not as bad as Unique.
Years ago, I competed in the Texas State Action Pistol Championship in Dallas. The smoke produced during a string was very annoying and actually interfered with shooting.
I live and shoot in the panhandle where the wind blows ALL THE TIME, and never expected such an annoyance. The locals laughed and asked if we were using 231. They had abandoned it because of the smoke issue.

Posted: 10/29/2014 4:14:41 PM EDT

[#2]

CFE pistol and Win 231 are my go-to orders for 45ACP.

Posted: 10/29/2014 4:23:18 PM EDT

[#3]

WST is my hands down favorite of many years.

Posted: 10/29/2014 5:11:23 PM EDT

[#4]

True Blue if you can find it. I run it with my 200gr cast loads with great success. I'm averaging 841 FPS using a 7.6gr load.

Posted: 10/29/2014 5:31:31 PM EDT

[#5]

Bullseye 5.0 col 1.25

Posted: 10/29/2014 6:03:02 PM EDT

[#6]

W231 smokes? It is also dirty IMHO, much more so than Accurate #5.

V

Posted: 10/29/2014 6:04:41 PM EDT

[#7]

Quote History

Quoted:

True Blue if you can find it. I run it with my 200gr cast loads with great success. I'm averaging 841 FPS using a 7.6gr load.

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True Blue or Clays is what I use.

Posted: 10/29/2014 6:25:50 PM EDT

[#8]

It may be dirty, but Unique worked for me for years.

AA#5 works, but isn't as accurate for me Unique. Maybe not as dirty either.

I've used Bullseye, it works, too.

Used some Red Dot. It's okay.

I've got to clean it anyway so I don't pay much attention to one being dirtier than the other.

Posted: 10/29/2014 8:00:02 PM EDT

[#9]

Clays is pretty clean but don't try and hot rod it . I have used a lot of it over the years for plate shoots with mild loads in my 1911 .
When you load the clays to the same velocity as say bullseye you would swear the clays is recoiling much less. Something to do with peak pressure and slide speed I guess .

I have also used a fair amount of the "dirty stuff " bullseye , and unique . Dirt will taper off some as the load gets closer to max but the 45 acp is a pretty mild cartridge and it will soot some.

Most of the smoke and some of the soot is from the waxy lube burning off. plated bullets or something like the coated Bayou bullets will help with that .

I have been using up my stockpile of powder the last couple of years and instead of doing the chaseing around to find powder in these crazy times I have been trying to use what I have. A couple of months back I cracked open a 12lb keg of 700X that I got (for free) from a old gent who had given up trap shooting . I guess for a heavy duty trap shooter a 12 lb keg is normal but for the 4.5 or so grains I am using in 45acp it is going to last quite a while . I was tossing together a couple of different loads , one cast for my 1911 and a plated bullet for my glocks. I have to say I was very pleasantly surprised at the accuracy of the 700X

Posted: 10/29/2014 9:03:10 PM EDT

[#10]

A couple of things...first the lube has a lot to do with the smoke and such.

Consider that there is no Clays, International Clays, and Universal Clays as the plant has had issues ie fire.

The best powder for lead would N310 or N320.

Next consider going to HiTek coated bullets.

Posted: 10/29/2014 9:18:09 PM EDT

[#11]

My vote is for Ramshot Silhouette. You can load to 900+ fps and still have a decent safety margin on the powder load. It's fairly clean, low flash and enough is used that a double charge would be very evident. Works for me....

Edit: Opps lead bulets eh? Not sure how that would work. My loads were all jacketed.

Posted: 10/29/2014 9:19:31 PM EDT

[#12]

If you are looking foe "Speed" the look to Silhouette.

It offers the Highest Velocities in a 45 ACP while staying below +P pressures.

Posted: 10/29/2014 10:32:16 PM EDT

[#13]

45acp and lead,,,, WST for over 20yr

Did the Accurate 5 thing in 1989-92 era for USPSA,, charge weights kill a bottle of #5 real fast..

10" 45acp Uzi pipe, 800X at top end make them go 1080 here in the past

Posted: 10/29/2014 10:41:23 PM EDT

[#14]

bullseye is what I like best.

Posted: 10/29/2014 10:47:22 PM EDT

[#15]

For cast bullets....two words.

Trail Boss

Posted: 10/29/2014 10:57:26 PM EDT

[#16]

N340 is very clean-burning, and gives reasonable velocities.

Posted: 10/30/2014 6:21:14 AM EDT

[#17]

Quote History

Quoted:
My vote is for Ramshot Silhouette. You can load to 900+ fps and still have a decent safety margin on the powder load. It's fairly clean, low flash and enough is used that a double charge would be very evident. Works for me....

Edit: Opps lead bulets eh? Not sure how that would work. My loads were all jacketed.

View Quote

Silhouette works great with lead as well, I'm just running the 200gr bullets with 8.4gr's and getting an average 871 FPS out of my XD45 Service. I'm a fan of the Ramshot powders, I run more True Blue than anything.

Posted: 10/30/2014 8:18:05 AM EDT

[#18]

I use coated bullets instead of lead now but I prefer Bullseye or Red Dot. WST is okay too but I couldn't find it for awhile so I started using the others.

Posted: 10/30/2014 5:52:48 PM EDT

[#19]

Quote History

Quoted:
WST is my hands down favorite of many years.

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THIS

Posted: 10/31/2014 7:17:38 AM EDT

[#20]

Quote History

Quoted:

THIS

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Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
WST is my hands down favorite of many years.

THIS

Third.

Posted: 10/31/2014 11:22:59 AM EDT

[#21]

Silhouette works fine with lead bullets. I've loaded thousands of .38 special with home cast 158 gr SWC's and a hefty charge of Silhoutte for a nice +p type plinking round. I'm still working on a 4 lb bottle of Bullseye in 45 acp, but when that runs out I'll be using Silhouette.

Posted: 10/31/2014 1:00:39 PM EDT

[#22]

I use Titegroup for most of my cast boolit shooting the lube is what causes most of the smoke; my $0.02

Posted: 11/1/2014 9:36:26 AM EDT

[#23]

I have always used 231 but I finally ran out and haven't seen that powder for over a year. I was
able to pick up 3 lbs of CFE pistol and it will probably be my new 45 powder next time a load.
I'm sitting on 1000 rounds of 45 and don't really shoot it that often so it will probably be a few months
before I get around to setting up 45 again.
I have an 8lb jug of Red Dot that has kind of been my emergency go to powder if all else fails.
Now if I could only find some recipes for 2028 in pistol rounds. I have 16 lbs of that powder.

Posted: 11/1/2014 9:56:27 AM EDT

[#24]

I trust unique. I've also used titegroup in .45, too, but I still prefer unique more.

Posted: 11/1/2014 10:03:49 AM EDT

[#25]

I've used bullseye, but it was pretty dirty IMHO. It fouled up my loaded chamber indicator in my XD45 after only a few hundred rounds.

I switched to HP38, same as W231, and although it does seem to smoke a bit, I absolutely love the powder. I shoot my best groups with HP38 and don't intend to switch.

Most of my smoke complaints are when I was using lead and the smoke was mostly from the lube. In jacketed it wasn't bad at all.

Posted: 11/3/2014 12:46:51 PM EDT

[#26]

Quote History

Quoted:
I have always used 231 but I finally ran out and haven't seen that powder for over a year. I was
able to pick up 3 lbs of CFE pistol and it will probably be my new 45 powder next time a load.
I'm sitting on 1000 rounds of 45 and don't really shoot it that often so it will probably be a few months
before I get around to setting up 45 again.
I have an 8lb jug of Red Dot that has kind of been my emergency go to powder if all else fails.
Now if I could only find some recipes for 2028 in pistol rounds. I have 16 lbs of that powder.

View Quote

Look on Casboolits forum for pistol powder substitutes: one member used 20/28 with good success using Unique starting loads