just getting started

[jakec]

ok got my reloading kit yesterday and got it setup. that is the extent of my experience reloading. im trying to load .45 acp. i have a hornady manual and a lee manual. how do i decide what powder to use? theres 10 different types of powder for each weight bullet so do i just throw a dart and get a few to try? i just want to load rounds that will kill something if i shoot it and will put holes in beer cans. just a regular old load nothing special and as always cheapest as possible. any other tips for a rookie will be appreciated. thanks-jake

 

[JohnAL]

Right now it's mostly find bullets and buy them. Look in the manual and make a list of the powders recommended for that bullet. Take your list and burn 20 gallons of gas trying to find one of the powders on your list. Maybe someday we will be able to pick and choose again.

 

[jakec]

damn thats what i was afraid of. i have a buddy that casts his own bullets so thats helps on that end.

 

[Snow Bird]

Just about any shotgun powder works well but I use 700X for light loads in 45 40 9mm. Don,t have to have alot of diffrent powders for
diffren't cal. that way. Happy loading. PS. powder charges are lighter so a pound may load almost 2 times as many boolits

 

[TennJeep1618]

I have had great luck with Win 231 and Bullseye for 45, but as JohnAL said: right now you have to work with what you can find.

 

[JohnAL]

Red Dot
Green Dot
Bullseye
Unique
All work well in .45 ACP with cast bullets. I am sure there are others as well.
The "Dot" powders have been the easiest for me to find. I have not seen Unique in six months.

 

[jakec]

i guess ill be headed to styx river and bass pro this afternoon to give it a shot at least.

 

[shootnstarz]

Red Dot
Green Dot
Bullseye
Unique
All work well in .45 ACP with cast bullets. I am sure there are others as well.
The "Dot" powders have been the easiest for me to find. I have not seen Unique in six months.

Yep John, they're great powders but man are they dirty. Shoot 40 rds of 44 mag with blue dot and your S&W 629 will look parkerized. Maybe not all the Alliant powders are that bad but the half dozen I've tried were.

But these days beggars can't be choosey.

I like AA#5 or Win231 for 45s.

What kind of kit did you get? got dies? priming tools?

Rick

 

[jakec]

I got the lee pro 1000 progressive .45 acp kit. Came with dies. If i had clean brass and components someone that knows what their doing could load shells. Dont have a tumbler yet or case trimmer.

 

[TennJeep1618]

I got the lee pro 1000 progressive .45 acp kit. Came with dies. If i had clean brass and components someone that knows what their doing could load shells. Dont have a tumbler yet or case trimmer.

You don't need a case trimmer for 45ACP if you have a taper crimp die. Did it come with a "Factory Crimp Die" in the set you got?

 

[shootnstarz]

If you can't find anything to get started with I'll trade you:

100 230 gr LRN 45 bullets
100 45ACP clean cases mixed headstamps
100 CCI LP Primers
700 grains AA#5

for 20 silver dimes, or 8 silver quarters, or 4 silver halves, or 1 silver dollar, or 1 ASE, or 1.5 oz silver bullion.

Rick

 

[jakec]

Yes it did.

 

[JohnAL]

Bass Pro had 3# of Green Dot, 1 Blue Dot, and 3 W296 this afternoon. Like you said Rick, beggars can't be choosy. If he is using cast bullets the dirt from the powder will not compare to the dirt from the bullet lube.

 

[shootnstarz]

That's a lonely looking powder shelf. None of those are in my manuals for 45s.

Looks like they've got a few bullets, what are they?

Rick

 

[JohnAL]

They have a pretty fair selection of bullets. Lots of Barnes and a fair selection speer, sierra, and hornady.

I have some load data for Green Dot with cast, plated, or jacketed .45.

I use it for 200 gr. Plated HP.

 

[jakec]

i ended up with a pound of winchester 231, a lee 3 die carbide set for .357, 100ct hornady 125 gr jhp .358 bullets, winchester large pistol primers and federal small magnum pistol primers for $100. then i remember the lee press says only use cci or remington primers. looking on the web people say they use them anyway with no problems but i still think ill get some of the ones it says to use. still no .452 bullets though.