Most popular bullet and powder loads for 45 acp...?

the Forum: What is your favorite load for bullet and powder in the 45 acp pistol at 25 and 50 yards?

arh, 2700 shooter, retired

Everything you need is right here;
https://www.bullseyeforum.net/t1209-pet-loads-of-top-shooters-loads-from-the-past

Lots of guys  like to mix it up.  One load and bullet for 25 and another for 50.  I like mine simple.   My Dillon 1050 is set up to load the Magnus Bullet Company 200 grain bullet over 4.0 grains of Bullseye.  Hotter than it absolutely needs to be?   Could be...

I use 3.7 grains Bullseye or 3.7 grains Alliant Red Dot in my 1917 Colt revolver.  I can go hotter, but then it is not as accurate. 

Lance, Rockford, IL.

You may already have a great resource, which is "The Pistol Shooters Treasury" by Gil Hibert!  It's a collection of articles on (mostly) Bullseye pistol shooting from the 1930's-1970's which includes loads.  Many loads haven't changed for the 1911.

However, the price for this once $5.00 book(let) has grown to over $50.00.  I would be much more comfortable if the increase in price was part of royalties to the Hibert family, NRA, or USA Shooting but I think the price is a reflection of what the market will bear.  Still, it's a good resource and with modern powder substitutes is still useful for developing a .45 acp load.

Here is a chart for modern powder substitutes: https://www.bullseyeforum.net/t2279-powder-cross-over-equivalent-chart

I've yet to find a 'drop-in' load from any chart or by copying someone else, but many are great starting points.  FWIW, I use 3.3gr BE over a 185 LBN, 1.10" OAL (although I measure and seat on the barrel headspace) with a 0.469" crimp and large pistol primers.  Brass is random head stamp.  I have not damaged a case yet and some have been reloaded over 10 times.  All things considered, my hand load tolerances aren't as precise as I'd like but it doesn't seem to make much difference for my 25 yard indoor (or 50 ft indoor) shooting.

Edit: it would be much better if Pistol Shooters Treasury was available for download, like the AMU training manual or the USMC training manual.  Not that people wouldn't still see what they want to see, but the information would be readily available.

I have Gil Hebard’s Pistol Shooter’s Treasury, read it, and find a lot of it dated.  Some of it very dated.  Particularly the loading information.  The basics of pistol stance, grip, position adjustment, trigger control, dry firing, sight alignment, etc. can all be found elsewhere with better explanations and illustrations.  There is a large portion of the book dedicated to PPC revolver shooting.  Not very useful in our game.  

The loading info is fine for what it is, but remember, most of the powders listed in the book are either no longer made or have switched manufacturing plants, sometimes more than once.  (Seen any P-5066 lately?).  The vast majority buy their cast bullets and designs have changed.  The big three ammo companies seldom make pistol match ammo if they make it at all.  With the dropping of the ammo, the bullets went too.  Tastes in bullets have also changed.  We now load JHPs rather than FMJ SWCs.  

So with all of that, is this booklet worth 50 bucks?  Or would the money be better spent on an AMU pistol guide and the USMC manual?  https://www.amazon.com/Pistol-Marksmanship-OFFICIAL-Guide-U-S/dp/1505270537/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1505270537&pd_rd_r=HSAJM0WKXPW5VVRJ4H6V&pd_rd_w=V7ctY&pd_rd_wg=WjjxJ&psc=1&refRID=HSAJM0WKXPW5VVRJ4H6V&dpID=51q2XKVqYPL&preST=_SX218_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=detail

https://www.amazon.com/U-S-Marine-Corps-Training-Manual/dp/1422052958/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1522250944&sr=1-2&keywords=USMC+pistol+training

Most of gils load info in the book for 45 acp was for guns with open sights and will not run many dot sighted guns.

Lyman 200 gr lswc bb.  Alliant Bullseye powder, 3.8 gr, Starline brass, WLP. 

Fired in Vintage  1970s Colt  GC.

4.2 TG 200 Gr SWC 1.25