First time reloader

[dhaase30]

I just purchased my first loader, a Dillon Square Deal B, and am looking for powder brand and weight combonation advice. I am going to be loading .45 acp. Thanks.

[retarmyaviator]

Do search in the section specific to 45 cal. You should turned up a great deal of information there.

For me I like to choose the bullet weight and type first, then work on choosing the powder.

Edited June 27, 2012 by retarmyaviator

[Hi-Power Jack]

If you're just getting started - your best approach is to read

all of the .45 reloading blurbs here for the past few months.

There's another posting right now about "why not WW231 for .45"?

You should start there.

You need calipers, scale and a chronograph to reload -

if you're going to reuse the brass - you need a tumbler.

After you set up the SDB, you'll need to set the powder charge

and the seating depth (OAL of the cartridge).

To purchase bullets, you need to decide which weight you want

to shoot (185, 200 or 230), and whether you want lead, coated

or jacketed bullets - you'll find sources of each in these

discussions also.

Then pick a powder - WW231 works well, as do others.

Then start by seating the bullet to the recommended OAL -

if you tell Dillon which bullet you're planning on using, they

usually set that for you at the factory. They'll also set the

crimp for you - don't mess with that, or you'll need to spend

some time learning about setting crimp.

Then, select a low amount of powder - the bottom of the recommended

amounts - for the type/weight of bullet you're using.

Then load up ten or so, and fire them thru your chronograph -

Then, you start making the eternal adjustments to customize the

ammo to your gun and your shooting preference.

That's when the fun begins

You might put .45 acp in the heading of this posting so the readers

will know which caliber you're thinking of reloading

Edited June 27, 2012 by Hi-Power Jack

[John Wayne]

Welcome and you'll love your Dillon. I wish I had started out on one. Good advice from the other posters. I try to shoot as cheaply as possible and use 230 grain lead bullets with 4.4 grains of Winchester 231 powder. Find a local bullet caster and you will save big bucks. Have fun.

[Hi-Power Jack]

Good advice from the other posters. I try to shoot as cheaply as possible and use 230 grain lead bullets with 4.4 grains of Winchester 231 powder. Find a local bullet caster and you will save big bucks.

If John Wayne recommends this load, I'd DO IT Pilgrim

But, you might want to start at 4.1 grains and work up

slowly with a Chronograph.

[Kyle O]

Take your time, don't load more than 10 or so at a time, until you have fine tuned your load. Otherwise,

- may not work in gun

- may not make powerfactor

- may be too hot

- crimp may be off

- bullets may tumble, or be horribly inaccurate.

These are just some of the things that can go wrong (and have for me) it's easy to get carried away at the press. And if you've loaded 200 rounds, then you've got 200 "duds" so to speak.

Also, don't buy "bulk" of anything yet until you get a load developed. For all of the reasons above and more.

Personally for .45acp I use 230gr ball, and Clays....works great (for me).

Good luck, read a lot.

[noylj]

Loading for fun or competition? Is competition action pistol (speed is critical and accuracy a far second) or Bullseye (accuracy paramount, with speed a far second)?

For action pistol (or hard ball loads for Bullseye), 230gn L-RN or FMJ-RN would be top choices. Look to Precision Delta 230gn FMJ-RN ($130/1000).

For cast lead 230gn L-RN, look to mastercastbullets.com for their 14 BHN bullet ($64.07/1000 plus S/H).

For almost any other use, all I use are 200gn L-SWCs, either Precision Bullets 200gn swaged and moly-koted L-SWC, mastercastbullets.com 200gn L-SWC, or Precision Delta 200gn swaged L-SWC. All are VERY accurate. These bullets are all extremely accurate in almost ANY .45 Auto.

Plated SWCs have been very inaccurate in my guns and I simply don't even consider them.