My First Shot at Reloading 45 ACP

[5ohguy]

I wanted to get some input on my load. Most loads I've seen on the internets use less unique. I'm using a Lyman manual for this load.

Zero 200 gr lswc
6.0 gr unique
wolf primers
1.247 OAL
.468 crimp
The shoulder of the swc is about .02'' above the rim of the case.

6.8 gr of unique is max for this load in the manual. I've read elsewhere that using 5.6ish gr of unique with 200 gr swc can cut down on leading and save powder.

I will be shooting these out a 5'' 1911.

Anyone care to share their load data for 200gr lswc with unique or give me some input on mine?

[Fjold]

With a 200 grain LSWC


Alliant (the powder manufacturer) recommends 5.4 grains of Unique to get 790 fps

Lee says the max load is 7.1 grains of Unique for 975 fps
Hornady says the max load is 6.2 grains of Unique for 900 fps

Lots of variation there

I never liked Unique powder in the 45 acp it burned to dirty.

[SLO_Ryan]

I never liked Unique powder in the 45 acp it burned to dirty.

Alliant reformulated it a couple of years ago - its supposed to be a lot cleaner now.

[mike100]

well, for 45 acp, 6 grains of Unique safely works with just about all the common bullet designs for it. plated, lead, jacketed..pretty much 6 grains falls in the range...but for a 200grainer I have found, in my guns, that 5.8gr shoot just a bit more accurately.

6.1-6.2 grains behind 230 gr ball ammo is close to mil- spec 830 fps.

[DougJ]

I just started loading also, I got a pound of Unique just because that's what was on the shelf...

I'm loading 230 gr LRN and 200 gr LSWC. I saw the alliant 5.4 LSWC load and have been using 5.2 which is the closest my autodisk is throwing. It's a nice load to shoot and has been very accurate. I don't think the Unique is dirty, but I've only shot about 250 rounds of it so far. It seems to shoot with very little smoke, and the bore and breach aren't bad at all after 150 rounds.

[5ohguy]

I just started loading also, I got a pound of Unique just because that's what was on the shelf...

I'm loading 230 gr LRN and 200 gr LSWC. I saw the alliant 5.4 LSWC load and have been using 5.2 which is the closest my autodisk is throwing. It's a nice load to shoot and has been very accurate. I don't think the Unique is dirty, but I've only shot about 250 rounds of it so far. It seems to shoot with very little smoke, and the bore and breach aren't bad at all after 150 rounds.

I bought 8 lbs of Unique because it was all I could find ! I think I'll shoot these safely and cut my charge to 5.0. I'll step up from there. There seems to be lots of variation in charges with unique. I'm just looking for a good cheap, accurate plinking round.

I think I'll like this hobby. I spent 90 minutes loading 30 rounds and time flew!

[5ohguy]

Here's the loaded round.

[Fjold]

Alliant reformulated it a couple of years ago - its supposed to be a lot cleaner now.

Thanks, that's good to know. I haven't shot any in 20 years.

[mike100]

I keep Unique in quantity because it is a go-to primary powder for 28ga shotshells and you can use it for med power 12 ga as well. It does 9mm,38,45 pretty well (if not a little dirty), and makes lower power 44 spl/magnum that are fun to shoot. You will find other powders you like better for specific uses, but you will not run out of things to use Unique in.

[not-fishing]

What are you shooting?

I shoot both revolvers & pistols in 45 acp. I mainly revolvers because they're simple me being a simple minded guy.

Pistols can be tricky though. They headspace off the brass lip. In my reloading I must set the bullet in one motion (having a single stage press) then taper crimp the bullet in another motion.

If I try to both I end up "peeling up" the bullet jacket and generating about 20% failure to feed.

So the word is load 50 and try 50 before you load a couple of hundred. like I did

[DougJ]

Here's the loaded round.

Hey that looks just like mine!

I was a bit concerned reading the Unique container at the gun shop since there was plenty of shotshell discussion before the lable mentioned the pistol stuff I wanted.

It seems fine though. Last night I shot a bit out back and for the first time with my Pro Carry I fired it from a "rested" position. In this case that means I got down in the prone and rested on my shooting bag... Kinda sloppy, but it put 8 rnds of the 200 LSWC in one hole at about 18 yards.

I then did some low light practice as it got dark, and when it got full dark I pulled out the mini-mag light and went through a dozen or so. The last ones were a 230 gr LRN also over 5.2 gr of Unique. The muzzle flash was minor and easy to deal with. I should have walked back up to the house and got some of my SD rounds and tried those in the dark also, but I didn't think about it.