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Bullet Style/Weight for USPSA in .45 Single Stack


CKing866

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I recently started shooting in USPSA (.45 Single Stack) primarily using Winchester "white-box" 230 grain full metal jacket roundnose. Rather quickly, I concluded that reloading will ease the financial pain of feeding my new habit. I picked up a used Dillion Square Deal and am in the process of setting it up to reload and deciding on an initial bullet/powder/primer combination.

I've reviewed several reloading manuals which list dozens of load combinations, but am wondering what type and weight of bullets are considered best suited for my intended use. I'll be using the rounds in a Kimber Team Match II. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

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Cheap 230 grs. and the 4.0 grains of clays is a nice load. Bullseye is a good powder for 45. Some say it is dirty. But I shoot lead and pretty much everything seems about the same amount of dirty to me. I liked the can of 231 I picked up. Went back to get more and it was all gone. So I just went back to Bullseye.

Edit for spelling.

Edited by leas327
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Bear creek 200gr semi wad cutters..

They make the most clean and perfect holes..

If your gun doesn't feed those well, then 230gr lead round nose from bear creek is a great one too.

Cheers!

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I have long been using Hornady RN fully encapsulated 230 gr bullets, not cheap, but the have no exposed lead and are super accurate and feed great, but...

I am playing with Bayou Bullets RN 230 gr and they seem to show a lot of promise

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Copper jacket in 45 is a huge waist of money..

You can get a killer Molly load and shoot twice as much..

I would go with Molly over lead becuse the grease on lead bullets makes allot more smoke..

Bear creek is crazy acurate :)

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Thanks to everyone for their replies. It seems like the consensus is that I wouldn't be out of line using 230 grain round nose. For my initial run, I have Hornady 230 grain FMJ round nose ($$), but will probably try some of the 200/230 grain moly-coated round nose right after that. My 1st lb of powder is Accurate No.2 but will try some of the others you all have mentioned. Thanks again. I'm sure I'll be back with more questions.

Edited by CKing866
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Update: I just ran through my 1st 15 rounds of reloads using 230 grain Hornady RN with 4.7 grains of Accurate No. 2. Everything functioned and I'm frankly amazed at the consistency of the shots. Recoil is really light compared to factory ammo so I'm not sure it will make major, but it sure was fun. Next step: find someone with a chronograph I can borrow. Thanks again guys.

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Try some 200gr LSWC, more shoot them than 230s. The following makes some nice bullets at good prices.

http://www.bulletworks.com/

Agreed. I shoot 200gr SWC over 4.8grs Bullseye or 4.8grs Winchester Super Target (WST).

I cast my own from a custom mould but lots of companies make fine bullets.

200gr SWC over 4.8 WST is what I've been shooting, feels softer to me than 231 I had been using and cleaner, less smoke.

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I have owned 5 different .45 acp 1911's and one of those had 3 different barrels in it. Without a doubt the most accurate bullet in every one of them was the H&G 68 LSWC. The worst part of buying bullets is when you have to pay the shipping. The serious hobby casters/small business casters that are at almost every gun show in the US use Magma molds most of the time. Magma has a H&G clone mold and it is very popular. Sometimes if you buy in quanity, these guys will cut a pretty fair deal. If you are going to use lead, you can't go wrong with Clays, Solo 1000 or WST.

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Thanks for the suggestions on bullet manufacturers. I'm checking them out. I've looked for Bear Creek, but can't find them for sale anywhere. It appears that Bear Creek may have gone out of business. Does any one know anything about that?

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Great. Thanks for the information.

Bear Creek doesn't have a web site. They are in business. Call him at (209) 874-4322

I find it best to call early in the morning west coast time. Leave him a vm if he doesn't answer.

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Next step: find someone with a chronograph I can borrow.

You might have to buy your own chrono. I'm about to get one. People who are happy to let you shoot their guns seem to be reluctant to let you use their chronos.

The saying around here is that there are two kinds of chronographs, those that have been shot and those that are gonna get shot. They don't want you shooting their chronos.

:mellow:

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Ha! I never thought about that, but I see their point.

Next step: find someone with a chronograph I can borrow.

You might have to buy your own chrono. I'm about to get one. People who are happy to let you shoot their guns seem to be reluctant to let you use their chronos.

The saying around here is that there are two kinds of chronographs, those that have been shot and those that are gonna get shot. They don't want you shooting their chronos.

:mellow:

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