New Shooter Advice

Howdy everyone, I've only been to 3 bullseye matches and I enjoy it a lot. I have a mark 4 and a Springfield 1911. Currently, I don't plan on shooting .45 in competition until my .22 only score is consistently high, but I like to shoot it every so often during practice. Today I shot some 185 SWC and noticed a good difference in recoil compared to 230 ball. The .45 wears me out fast, anyone have any advice on getting used to the recoil? Also, I haven't gotten into reloading yet, but I've been collecting my brass. Any advice where to get started with reloading?

I used a Dillon Square Deal B for many years and got excellent results.  A 200 grain LSWC over 4.0 grains of Bullseye is reliable, mild load that shoots well in most pistols.

Good plan to focus on the .22. That said you should shoot the .45 some also so the recoil isn't a shock to you. 
If you are new to reloading I would suggest starting out with a single stage press. A basic low cost Lee will due. Dillion 750 progressive is a good tool used by lots of shooter. But, starting with a single stage lets you learn what each step does. Lots of the tools used when starting out will still be useful when you get to a progressive; scale, calipers, reloading manual, tumbler. Buy Dillon carbide dies and then when you get that 750 you can still use the dies ($$). 
Please, always wear eye protection when reloading. 

Good luck 
Arthur

First, yes the lighter target loads will certainly shoot softer than 230 grain ball ammunition when talking about felt recoil. Lots of us shoot 200 grain LSWC or 185 grain either LSWC, LSWCHP, JSWC or JHP bullets. Popular powders are but not limited to Titegroup, Bullseye, WST, Vihtavuori, just to mention a few. Usually we’re shooting somewhere in 750 fps range +/-.

Is your Springfield 1911 still stock or has the gun been rebarreled by a bullseye pistol smith? If it is stock then even with our lighter match loads the gun will still recoil quite a bit. Once you get into a gun that’s been fit together right, it should be easier to manage and not beat your arm up so fast.

Something you can do is exercise using dumbbells, or elastic bands and push-ups. You don’t need to do a bunch to totally change your physical appearance or anything like that. But building the body up some will help with recoil management and recovery. The days where I PT less or not at all I feel loose behind the gun.

So target loads will recoil less and you’ll be able to get used to that easier than 230 ball… PT a little bit to build up your upper body… and one last thing, don’t shoot fast in practice. Don’t burn it down and end up only getting 30 minutes. Pace your self. Remember that a 2700 isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon. Work with that in mind.

Keep doing what you’re doing with the 22. Learn the fundamentals.

My 1911 is still stock, it is a range officer with a fiber optic front sight.

First of all welcome to the forum and to bullseye shooting. Glad to have you here and on the range.
I would focus on the .22 shooting. I put my 45 away for a while and I enjoy the matches a lot more. Not saying I won't go back, but as a rule we all shoot better when recoil is not involved.
Your scores will reflect this, and there is a division for it.

Welcome again and happy shooting.

Welcome to the game!
Rule 1: Be Safe and Have fun

Recoil of the 45 wearing you out?
-Handloaded Target loads are generally lighter recoiling than factory 
-Light strength and conditioning helps as well. Cardio is also important.

Reloading Advice:
-45 brass comes in small primer and large primer. Most prefer large primer.
-buy components in bulk when possible
-don't rush when reloading, take your time

Most reload on a progressive press (it is also how I started), but starting on a single stage has some good arguments. For Projectiles, I like 185 LSWCHP bullets from Zero, but Brazos also has good SWC lead bullets. For Jacketed bullets Zero, Hornady, and Nosler are good. Cost of Jacketed projectiles is higher and in reality it doesn't have appreciable difference in accuracy. For powder I mostly use Bullseye, but I have some load development in progress with other powders as availability can be a challenge (see buy in bulk). Other powders I have had good success with (in no particular order) Titegroup, PowerPistol, WST, and n310.

General advice:
Starting with your 22 is a good place to start, however don't fear the 45! Yes it has more recoil but the fundamentals are the same. When people start getting good it is relatively common for 45 scores to be higher than 22. In general equipment doesn't buy you points, working on developing (and following) a shot process does far more for your score than a new gun, dot, ect. Start working out a shot process with your 22, but don't forget to apply it to your 45.

Again welcome, don't forget Rule 1. Hope to see you at a match someday.

I've used a Dillon Square Deal B and it works really well. For a dependable load, try a 200-grain LSWC with 4.0 grains of Bullseye.

I started loading on a Lee turret press. It is like a single stage, but rotates to each station. I have since gone to a progressive, but still use the turret from time to time. It is very simple to use and set. 

The 200 gr. Swc over 4.0 of bullseye shoots great in my range officer

Benno,

Re' starting reloading. To start with you do not need to buy an expensive press. Look for a good quality used press (almost any brand. Lee are economical, Dillon have fantastic factory support). Look for local offers on Craigslist, etc., or gun club notice board, pawn shop, etc. You can get an adequate digital scale off eBay very cheaply - very important.

Take it slow and steady initially. Then as your Bullseye journey progresses you will accumulate knowledge and can then decide on whether to upgrade your equipment and sell on your old stuff, most likely with very modest net cost.

Loads of good info on this forum re' 45ACP - search old posts. If you are not far from Brazos, go visit them, buy some bullets, they might even know someone local with a press for sale - call them!

Lots of active Bullseye shooters in Texas - go to a match/league - shake hands and listen!

Even if you start out with a single-stage press, eventually you'll want a progressive because of the volume of ammo that you can load in a short period of time. If you or your wallet prefer to start with a single-stage press, I suggest that you get a kit, which includes most, if not all of the equipment you need to start reloading. Stick with the tried and true brands, i.e. Lee, Lyman, RCBS, Hornady and Redding. Avoid cheap China made reloaders like Smartreloader. If you are a little mechanically adept and can read and follow directions well, you can jump in with both feet with a progressive. I like Dillons. Depending upon your wallet, you can get a Square Deal. It is a little smaller than the other machines, so some might say it is harder to load on. It does take proprietary dies, which limit you to their dies and only pistol. Having said that, many bullseye shooters have used them with great success. The Dillon 550 is bigger; takes any standard reloading dies from various manufacturers and you have the ability to load rifle, if you want to. The Dillon 650 (older) and 750 (newer offering) can really speed up your loading process, especially when equipped with a case feeder. Whatever you choose, I suggest that you get a good reloading manual. The front section will explain the reloading process. It is good to get a good understanding before you attempt to load your first rounds. For loading .45 ACP match ammo, you can actually get better advice about what smokeless powders are suitable and which bullets are best from this forum than you can get from reloading manuals.

I have a single-stage Forster Co-Ax for all rifle reloading and for de-priming and sizing pistol rounds. The first pistol press I bought is a Ponsness-Warren P-200. It is a turret-style press with a tool head that holds two sets of dies. It's easy to use and makes very consistent rounds (great for accuracy testing), though it is not particularly fast. I also have a Lee Load Master. For that I bought the aftermarket handle, and aftermarket tool heads as the factory ones I encountered were junk. With any progressive, since you are priming, dropping a powder charge (with a case-activated spring-loaded feeder), seating, and sizing/crimping on each pull of the handle, you need a very rigid mounting surface...one that does not move at all when you are pulling the handle.

My go to machinces for pistol caliber reloading are my Dillon 650XL and 550 machines
I am able to load several hundred rounds per hour of .45 ACP target loads, etc. with excellent results!

Benno, Welcome to Bullseye!
Great idea to concentrate on 22!
Be sure to dry fire your 45 Regularly. Daily if possible.
Bryan

Don't shoot against anyone but yourself!!!!!!!!!!!!