.45 off the shelf question

If I continue with bullseye, I will probably be adding a 1911 .45 at some point.   Reading all the hand load threads here, I slink away thinking "if I don't hand load then I should just stick with the .22!"

But I don't want to take on hand loading (lack of space and time, not knowing if I will stick with it, past experience hand loading .38 spcl, etc.) nor buying a ransom rest.  So I'll need to have a plan to select ammo for the learning phase of having a .45.

I am looking for recommendations on what off-the shelf, reasonably priced ammo I should consider using.  Another factor is wanting to minimize recoil to avoid aggravating an elbow injury.   Since guns/barrels make a difference to which ammo is accurate, let's just assume a Springfield RO with the factory barrel. 

For initially learning the feel of the pistol and the phase of getting all the shots on the paper at 50 yds?   looking for cheap $/round
For next phase of getting consistent, tighter groupings (acknowledging they will be larger than hand loads)?  medium priced $/round
For matches? I'm willing to pay a bit more $/round but would prefer staying away from $150-$200 per 180 shots for a CF/.45 section of a match.

Sounds like time to cement some friendships.
I have a couple friends who will bring either chocolate or pizza in order to have access to my press & supervision.

I would try Neil at NSK sales for very good quality Bullseye ammo.
http://www.nsksales.com/


Another excellent source would be Atlanta Arms.
http://atlantaarms.com/45-acp/

Either of these two sources would serve you well.  There may be more of them out there that I'm not aware of and doubtless others will let you know who they are.

I would avoid the ammo you normally find at most stores.  They're set up to sell to the pleasure/blaster shooter and don't cater to those of us that prefer accuracy & dependability over velocity and recoil.  Nearly all of the over the counter ammo is too fast, your most accurate loads will not be at the top end of the speed charts, at least for the 45.


Just remember to save your brass, you just never know when the reloading bug will bite.

Al

+ on NSK
++ on Atlanta Arms

How about Federal Match or Classic until I can consistently get all shots on the paper?  I think I can find them locally in 185 and 230 gr and the FPS are listed as being lower.

Reconsider reloading, even if you have something as menial as a Lee hand-held press.
Cast Lead bullets: about $50/500 shipped= $.10 each
Primers, bought retail store: $4/100 = $.04 each
Powder, bought retail store: $40/lb  (7000 grains at 4gr/round yields 1750 rounds)  = $.023 ea.
Brass=range pickup to start=free
$.163/round = $8 a box of 50.  When you buy powder and primers from distributors, or in group buys, or at places like Perry, the cost can drop to less than 15 cents a round.

But, be warned, you will spend as much as ever, just shoot twice as much. 

-Ron

More like 5x as much considering the price of the ammo he is looking at. 6 boxes of ammo ($40.00 per box) would pay for the entire set up and the first 300 rds. After that it is all gravy.

Len

Roze 185 swc(lead) 1000 CT $314

Aprilian wrote:

For initially learning the feel of the pistol and the phase of getting all the shots on the paper at 50 yds?   looking for cheap $/round


For next phase of getting consistent, tighter groupings (acknowledging they will be larger than hand loads)?  medium priced $/round

http://www.rozedist.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=RZD&Product_Code=R703-A&Category_Code=ZBA-45ACP

For matches? I'm willing to pay a bit more $/round but would prefer staying away from $150-$200 per 180 shots for a CF/.45 section of a match.

http://www.rozedist.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=RZD&Product_Code=R723-A&Category_Code=ZBA-45ACP

I agree with Jim. Zero ammo from Roze Distribution. I've used their yellow box reloads for distinguished revolver.

Go for the reloading, you may find that you enjoy it take satisfaction in shooting bullets you made yourself. If it don't work for you then you can always sell the reloading stuff.

You don't buy a Ford GT to decide if you want to drive.

Buy the ammo suggested to decide if you want to stick with it. Most have sandbags, very, very few have chronographs and ransom rests.

My reloading equipment stayed stored for 30 years due to time and space restraints.

james r chapman wrote:You don't buy a Ford GT to decide if you want to drive.

Buy the ammo suggested to decide if you want to stick with it. Most have sandbags, very, very few have chronographs and ransom rests.

My reloading equipment stayed stored for 30 years due to time and space restraints.

Sorry Jim, I am not following.   Are you saying reloading is like a Ford GT and bullseye shooting a 45 with factory ammo is akin to just driving?   If so, based on the above comments related to price, the GT is far cheaper and I'd like one please.

What ammo did you shoot while your reloading equipment was stored?

Christopher Miceli's signature states that his high service pistol score came from Winchester White Box

EIC best 267-3  (Winchester white box 230 FMJ)  

Not sure the price in your area or how the recoil might affect your elbow though.

If you don't have the time and space to reload, I'd just stick with the .22 until things change, unless you have deep pockets. If you want to buy ammo, then Zero reloads are hard to beat for the money and they are easy to deal with. Here is a link for good ammo. It is priced per 1,000, so it comes out to just over $15.00 per box of 50.
http://www.rozedist.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=RZD&Product_Code=R703-C&Category_Code=ZBA-45ACP

No. I'm saying buy the ammo first to see if you even want to shoot the sport. Then, if you decide to continue, and have both the time and the space, take up reloading.

Then you have to decide which you want to invest heaviest in. The gun that will take you as far as your abilities let you, training which will raise your abilities, or reloading.

Even if you don't like the sport, reloading equipment sure comes in handy for all sorts of other rifle and pistol shooting sports besides BE. I've had the same Dillon 550B press for >35 years and I've never worn or broken a single part. Its churned out hundreds of thousands of rounds. I just couldn't afford to shoot without reloading.

I thought pretty much the same way about time and space, and yes there was a time when life was too busy when my kids were young when that was true. I didn't have much time for any other personal pursuits either.  Now I find I have plenty of time for reloading but still not enough time for shooting!  As for space, you'll just have to make that space when it hits you.  I find it a rewarding past time and much less frustrating than fly tying, which was what I used to do in my reloading space.

Aprilian, golf balls. Wish I could have reloaded them.

Aprilian wrote:For initially learning the feel of the pistol and the phase of getting all the shots on the paper at 50 yds?   looking for cheap $/round
For next phase of getting consistent, tighter groupings (acknowledging they will be larger than hand loads)?  medium priced $/round
For matches? I'm willing to pay a bit more $/round but would prefer staying away from $150-$200 per 180 shots for a CF/.45 section of a match.

Aprilian (does that imply that you ride an Aprilia?),

I was in the same boat as you a few months ago.  For initial break-in, practice, and testing of small changes to my Springfield RO (like, say changing out the ILS mainspring housing, or trying different sear springs to adjust the trigger pull weight, or trying different recoil springs, etc.), I used a combination of the cheapest factory 230gr round-nose FMJ ammo I could find, and relatively cheap [url=http://shop.qualitymadecartridges.com/45ACP-Auto-200gr-Semi-Wad-Cutter-1000-Rounds-FREE-SHIPPING-004500011000.htm]200gr LSWC ammo from Quality Made Cartridges[/url] (both worked fine).  For the next phase, I tried ammo from NSK Sales and Atlanta Arms (both worked fine, but I did get a couple iffy rounds from NSK).  For my first couple matches, one of the guys I shoot with made me 300 of his .45 reloads to use (which worked great for me ... he also shoots a Springfield RO).  

Then I went off the deep end and bought reloading equipment.  Reloading is definitely a journey, not a destination... so be prepared to read, think, read, experiment, and read some more.  If you're shooting on a budget, though, the lure of effective .45 bullseye rounds for ~20cpr (cents per round) is strong.

Dave

bdas wrote:

Aprilian (does that imply that you ride an Aprilia?),  If you're shooting on a budget, though, the lure of effective .45 bullseye rounds for ~20cpr (cents per round) is strong.

Dave

Yes, I have had 3 so far.  Aprilia + Ian = Aprilian   Based on your screen name are you a badass?

How long do you guess it is taking you to pay back the reloading investment with those roughly 30cpr savings?

Got bored. Accepted the project. I figured out what it would cost to buy everything new and start re-loading your first 1000 rounds.

Lee Classic 4 hole turret press Deluxe kit. This kit has everything except dies. And I like them.     184.99

Lee Deluxe Carbide Dies. 4 die set                                                                                             43.99

1 lb powder at scalper price                                                                                                       30.00

1000 lg pistol primers                                                                                                                35.00

1000 200gr LSWC delivered price  http://www.tbbulletcasting.com/                                               95.50                                                

200 brand new .45 acp starline brass. (you only need 200 to get 1000 rds)                                   38.58

Total price. You will have a lot of powder left but its cheap anyhow                                              429.06


So, the first 1000 will cost you about 43 cents a round. Every bullet after that would cost around .14


Time spent BSing about your re-loads    Priceless

The Lee presses require mechanical aptitude to run them. I used them for many years before getting a Star. I've gotten excellent results with them; sub 1.5" groups at 50 yds and breaking 2600 with hand cast bullets from the press.
Jon

cheapest cast bullets on the net are from Summers Enterprises.

good  bullets with the proper alloy for less $$

http://www.summersenterprisesllc.com/category-s/103.htm


$29 for 500 200gr HG68 style bullets

$27 for his 180 flat base bullets

good guy to deal with


shipping adds $14 to the deal.. up to 2000 rounds

Wow Len, that is pretty dramatic pay back, within the first thousand rounds.  Thanks for doing the math for me.

But I don't want to take on hand loading (lack of space and time, not knowing if I will stick with it, past experience hand loading .38 spcl, etc.) nor buying a ransom rest.  So I'll need to have a plan to select ammo for the learning phase of having a .45.

I am looking for recommendations on what off-the shelf, reasonably priced ammo I should consider using.  Another factor is wanting to minimize recoil to avoid aggravating an elbow injury.   Since guns/barrels make a difference to which ammo is accurate, let's just assume a Springfield RO with the factory barrel.

soo, is this not important anymore?
Then reloading is where you need to be....