45ACP Loads: A compilation

The old bullseye-L archive on google groups is no longer accessible but luckily I saved some of the posts that discussed load info. Neil (NSK), who sells reloads, is one of the sources. Use at your own risk, many variables result in an accurate round from YOUR PISTOL.


One of the key takeaways is that almost all the popular powders can push the bullet to X-ring precision, but it's the shape/consistency of the bullet (especially the base of the bullet) that seems to affect precision the most. So just use whatever powder you have and like.

(I don't know why Nosler (and the clones) 185gn JHP are more precise than other bullets. Maybe someone else can chime in with the "why". )

Anyways here they are:

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200gn LSWC (and surprisingly the loads are the same for 185gn)

4.2 Titegroup (best groups per NSK)
4.0 BE (next best per NSK)
4.2 WST (tied with BE and Titegroup per NSK)
3.9 Clays (one of Masaki's test loads)
3.8 VVN310
4.2 VVN320
4.6 W231
4.2 AA#2
3.8 BA10
4.5 HP38
OAL: base to shoulder .928" +/-.002"
Primers: CCI, Federal, WLP (WLP and CCI were more consistent per NSK)
Crimp: .469" -.002" (set with the tallest case we could find per NSK)
Cases: Starline

Swaged lead bullets, are demonstrably more consistent and precise than cast bullets in general.
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185 LSWC HP (Precision Delta - Star Replacement) 4.0 grs N310; 4.2
grs Titegroup; 3.9 grs Clays; 4.2 grs WST. (All per NSK)
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(One of the versions of the famed Marine load)
4.1 gr VV N310
(recent versions may use 4.4 grains)
185 gr Nosler JHP

New Winchester primed brass

1.20" overall length

approx 800 fps

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*HARDBALL LOADS*

It is said that faster burning powders are "better" than slower. And 820fps is "ideal".

(Again the below is per NSK)
Long Line (New Brass, Starline, preferred):
4.2 grs VVN310 (Not in any particular order)
4.2 grs Clays
4.6 grs BE
4.8 grs of Titegroup
4.7 grs S1000
5.4 grs W231
4.8 grs WST

Short Line (reloaded)
4.2 grs Titegroup (Not in any particular order)
3.8 grs Clays
4.0 grs BE
4.6 grs W231
Spec:
OAL: 1.265" Nominal
Crimp: .470" Typical (.469 works well per NSK)
Primer: WLP (hottest ignition per NSK)

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Personally, I use 185gn Swaged LSWC from Magnus Bullets. 4.1-4.2gn of WST for the long line. No real allegiance to WST, but that was the first powder I ever bought and just stuck with it to keep things simple. I'm not that picky brass, and keep it simple with just newish Federal (or once fired match brass from hardball) brass.

For hardball, I use my stash of military match ball ammo Federal 1971 for the long line, and 4.0BE or 4.4WST for the short line.

Have fun everyone.
Cary

good info, too bad a lot of great info was lost forever

I tested 45 combinations using 5 powders and 3 bullets and then some different loads of each and the one piece of data i noticed was the Standard Dev of velocity was the lowest for Bullseye powder and it also was 3 out of my top 5 smallest groups.

If one does an external ballistic calculation for POI for the range of velocities, one finds that the theoretical group size of the larger SD is not significantly greater than the smaller SD.
I have tested Bullseye in at least 10 different .45 Autos and it has never been accurate in my testing. Obviously, it is very accurate in many guns, but I don't seem to own one. My .45s do best with 231/HP38 and AA2. Solo 1000 has been good, but not nearly as consistently good as the 231/HP38 and AA2.
It would be great to have a Ransom rest and a 50 yard range available when ever one wanted.

Maybe your shooting the wrong bullet.

Well for over 40 years bullseye shooters have shot, tested and won matches and set national records with bullseye powder so i would say if your gun will not shoot accurately using it then its your bullet or your gun.

DavidR wrote:Well for over 40 years bullseye shooters have shot, tested and won matches and set national records with bullseye powder so i would say if your gun will not shoot accurately using it then its your bullet or your gun.

Hercules must have done something right!!!

What part of "I have tested Bullseye in at least 10 different .45 Autos and it has never been accurate in my testing. Obviously, it is very accurate in many guns, but I don't seem to own one." was hard to understand.
I have tested my own cast bullets in H&G #68 and RCBS 45-201-SWC. I have tested 185gn and 200gn bullets from Zero, Precision Delta, Precision Bullets, Penn, mastercastbullets.com, MasterBlaster, and many others that don't exist any more. In all my guns and all the various 200gn and 185gn bullets, Bullseye has remained a flop. Obviously, it is doing GREAT for others, but not for me.
Of all the bullets I have tested, the home-cast RCBS 45-201-SWC has been the most consistently accurate over a wide range of powders and charge weights.
I guess my point is not to assume that the load that works great for 90% of the other shooters will work well for you. Also, trigger time to me is more important than the "miracle" load.

Most bullseye guns have Kart or other match grade barrells, and bullseye does very well. What are your guns accurate with if not with any of the above bullets or powder? Or have you ever found a load that shoots 2'' at 50 yards in your guns?

noylj wrote:What part of "I have tested Bullseye in at least 10 different .45 Autos and it has never been accurate in my testing. Obviously, it is very accurate in many guns, but I don't seem to own one." was hard to understand.
I have tested my own cast bullets in H&G #68 and RCBS 45-201-SWC. I have tested 185gn and 200gn bullets from Zero, Precision Delta, Precision Bullets, Penn, mastercastbullets.com, MasterBlaster, and many others that don't exist any more. In all my guns and all the various 200gn and 185gn bullets, Bullseye has remained a flop. Obviously, it is doing GREAT for others, but not for me.
Of all the bullets I have tested, the home-cast RCBS 45-201-SWC has been the most consistently accurate over a wide range of powders and charge weights.
I guess my point is not to assume that the load that works great for 90% of the other shooters will work well for you. Also, trigger time to me is more important than the "miracle" load.

You have claimed at least 10 guns 14 different bullets and you didnt give a charge weight range of Bullseye powder you are using. But it seems to me that with that many different variables you would have come up with a load that would fall in the 90%. 10 guns, 14 different bullets, a variable of 2 grains in 1/10 increments, with 10 shots of each load, would be around 28000 rounds you would have to shoot. You seem to be achieving your goal of getting in more trigger time, if you can get away from the reloading machine long enough.

So what load do you use to shoot bullseye and what are your scores?

I think the main take away is you need to test. The perfect load in my gun may not work for you even if we have the same set up. It could get you close and this is where you have to start testing. I did lots of research looking for starting points then I loaded 5 rounds of 4.0, 4.2 and 4.4. Tested them. When 4.2 has a large group and 4.4 looks good then the next step is to load 10 rounds of 4.3, 4.4, 4.5 and test them.