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What is the best powder and load for a 185gn .45acp


rustybayonet

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I just traded a fellow at work a med. FR box of .40 S&W and some .38spc. For 2 coffee cans of .45acp. He felt bad he didn't have more so he added a new box of 500 185 hp's. I have never used 185's in the old colt government, so wondering where to start.

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Start with your 200gr load and go up from there. There are also many recipes to be found online at the various powder manufacturers.

Clays, e3, WST and other similarly fast powders are the ticket for accurate 185gr loads in the 750 to 820fps range.

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Normally I shoot 230gn. I have 500 free 185gn hp. Since there are only 500, and then I go back to 230gn, I thought it a waist of time to work up a load for a round I never shoot. I have manuals and a variety of powders. I thought since I only have a few bullets, someone may have a load they liked and I would try it out.

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If I had a load I liked, do you have the same chamber, lot of powder, bullet, cases, and primers and load to the same COL?

If not, my pet load could be too light or too heavy for your gun.

So, having said that, here are some loads I like for Bullseye competition:

185gn Nos. JHP and 5.4gn 231/HP38

185gn Nos JHP and 4.2-5.0gn AA2

185gn Rem. JSWC/Spr TMJ Match and 3.5-4.5gn Bullseye

Those should all be OK, as they are below Major, so you can work up or just have fun.

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Take this for what it is worth based on the following:

-I have used multiple primers (WLP, Fed 150, CCI 300)

-I don't have a chronograph

-I shot these out of a Glock 21

-Most of the brass was once shot, not trimmed to length

-COL was 1.2"

-I am new to the forum but not necessarily new to hand loading

That being said: I like using Unique for hotter loads. I've found 7.6 grains over Hornady XTPs and Remington Golden Saber HPs (both 185 grains) fun to shoot and more accurate than I am and that they cycle well in my Glock. However, I am just plinking/loading for fun and not for competition/accuracy.

Hope this was somewhat helpful...

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Two or three years ago, I had a customer get a bunch of 185 Noslers for a steal. He paid me to do his load development. With the powders out there (N-320, WSF, Titegroup, 231/HP-38, and AA #5) , I was getting Extreme Spreads in the 75-140 fps for a 10-shot string. I sought advice from a well-known commercial loader. I tested some of his loads and saw even worse ES'es (like 130 fps). I arranged a conference call between me, the loader, and a World IPSC Champ. He was seeing the same thing in his efforts.

I finally figured out that we were all fighting a Loading Density issue. The little bit of powder needed didn't fill up enough of the case, so erratic ignition resulted.

The best load that we got was with Hodgdon Clays. We got the ES down to 55 or so. I didn't try Unique, because it's not a powder that I stock for anything else.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Although I no longer use either Nosler JHPs or N310, the following load produced stunning accuracy when I did (in the summer).

RP brass, WLP, 4.0gr N310, Nosler 185gr JHP.

I no longer use VV N310 because it is extremely temperature sensitive. A hot load at 85 degrees barely cycles the slide at 30. I now use Alliant e3 for all loads that previously used N310 in 45. e3 is not at all temperature sensitive, fills the case better and records much better SDs over the chrono. I'm not the world's best bullseye shooter, but I find it just as accurate as N310.

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Do you have any idea what brand 185gr JHP you have? I've used PD and Zero...and they're not interchangeable. For whatever reason, the Zeros need more powder to match the velocity of the PDs. You also didn't give a target velocity. I've loaded the Zeros anywhere from low 800s to over 1000fps.

At the lower end...depending on who's bullets they are, 5gr or slightly more WST should get you minor PF loads. 5.5gr Red Dot / Promo should get you up into major PF. I load them to right around 1.200-1.210"

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  • 4 weeks later...

I just tried a new load this weekend. RP brass, WLP, 3.7 e3, 185gr Rainier Plated HP. Stunningly accurate, but a tiny bit sluggish in my 1911 with 14lb spring. I bumped it to 3.8 for the next test.

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  • 1 year later...
On 6/16/2016 at 1:18 PM, rustybayonet said:

Maybe I should stick with my unique. I have my 230 dream load. It might do good with the lighter bullet if I find the right combination?

I just loaded up some Sierra 185gr HP's with Unique 7.3 gr , 1.212 OAL. Speer load data. They shot and cycled perfect in all of my 45's, I'm working on some Golden Saber 230 gr HP loads now. Same powder unique 6 gr, 1.235 OAL. The 185's were very accurate and am hoping the 230's will work out good also. Not chronoed yet , to much rain.

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