For a relatively inexpensive and common, soft-shooting .45 load I've been using WWB 185 gr FMJ (USA45A) for years. It's accurate out of my Glock 30 and Kimber 1911.
For a relatively inexpensive and common, soft-shooting .45 load I've been using WWB 185 gr FMJ (USA45A) for years. It's accurate out of my Glock 30 and Kimber 1911.
Regards, Ted
This is going to sound harsh, but I am a decent active bullseye shooter with a bit of success in competition… and I am surprised no one has mentioned this yet.Originally Posted by RJ
If you’re shooting less than a 100 points slow-fire at 10 yards, don’t even think about ammo. Groups in the 50s and 60s, at less than half the designated short-line distance for that B8 target, mean there’s a 0% chance your data reflects the capability of your pistol or load.
Even a dismally-built 1911 with the cheapest ammo (e.g., a 5” gun at 25 yards) holds 2 inches at 10 yards—meaning, the only possible detriment at 10 yards would be a lower X-count on a clean 100-pt target.
Take a good class or several and revisit your ammo testing. And, when you have the fundamentals needed to shoot a group, test ammo off a rest at a minimum of 25 yards, or the longest range available to you (up to 50Y on a B6 target).
As for the questions..
- More consistent ammo produces better results.
- Light bullets produce less recoil and are favored for the timed and rapid fire strings. 185 is standard, but some folks load as light as 150 with cast bullets.
- Fast powders like Clays, N310, WST, and Bullseye rule the roost because they provide complete and clean ignition with light loads.
- JHPs are the best performing bullets for accuracy because they’re the most aerodynamically stable and the fully jacketed heel behaves the best with a good barrel crown (fewer risks of imperfections affecting bullet exit).
- Every gun and barrel has a velocity preference. You’ll see 710-830 FPS with 185gr loads, with most guns preferring around 750-770.
- Some folks load a “most-accurate” long line load for 50 yard slow-fire and load the softest reliable load for 25 yard sustained fire. I don’t, because I don’t want to screw around with keeping track of different loads and bullets. I ladder-tested ammo to find the softest reliable accurate load.
If you want the best reasonably priced match grade .45 on the market, Wilson loads a reman 200gr LSWC for about $0.74/rd. It goes on sale during holidays. It’s only available in bulk packs of 400. I shot a 94-pt 50Y slowfire B6 target at the 2022 NC outdoor championships using that ammo in a lightly modified Range Officer. Same scoring rings as the B8, just with a black 8-ring.
Nowadays, I handload a light Clays load with 185gr Zero JHPs: 4.2 grains of powder, 1.215” COAL, and a 0.469” crimp. I have had no luck with Bullseye powder in my guns—it runs dirty under the light bullets for me.
At 25 yards off bags (I don’t have access to a Ransom Rest), I get 1.5” groups. Without the human error, it would certainly be smaller.
At 10 yards, that group would look like a single ragged hole.
Well, you may be a man. You may be a leprechaun. Only one thing’s for sure… you’re in the wrong basement.
Bear in mind these were 7 round strings. So 68/70. I thought I mentioned that but maybe not. My PR on The Test is a 98-5X with my Glock 34+507C, as a reference. Of course advancing eye issues at age 64 with cataract surgery looming are problematic with my 1911, but I’m managing.
Appreciate the input on bullet choice though, though, my shortcomings as a shooter notwithstanding.
My bad—my brain defaults to 10 rounds for B8 scoring! Definitely changes the math (and significance of your scores). If I was on a computer and not a phone, I probably would have been able to count the holes on your target—which would have saved the extra writing.
I get you what you mean with the eyeball issues. If I am not in perfect light, I can’t shoot irons without a Gehmann iris anymore.
Well, you may be a man. You may be a leprechaun. Only one thing’s for sure… you’re in the wrong basement.
That's very tempting to buy a few boxes myself. With 770 fps velocity and 185gr, I do wonder if that would cycle in my G21's and USP 45's. The G21 in particular has a pretty taught spring (the Gen 5 feels subjectively heavier but I'm not sure) and is sprung for duty-loaded ammunition. The USP might be a bit more forgiving, but that's speculation.
This would definitely run in my S&W Model 25-2, and I'd be pretty excited to try it.
Edit: I also suspect these are made specifically to feed in bullseye 1911s with custom throated barrels meant to shoot this specific load. Good thing my 25-2 doesn't need to feed ammo!
Last edited by SwampDweller; 01-07-2024 at 08:26 PM.
That price is insane. Federal sells 185 GMM for almost $1.50/round.
You might be surprised what feeds a semi-wadcutter. I don’t know a single bullseye gunsmith who throats barrels for SWCs. An in-spec ramp and throat with good mags and a properly-fit extractor will feed empty cases. SWCs loaded to the right depth should hit the ramp at the same place as a 230gr roundnose ogive and feed just the same.
As for running stock springs, my 185 JHP loads run right near Federal’s quoted spec (I average 785 fps) and cycle guns spring 16/23 and 18.5/19 reliably. Cases gently eject into my brass catcher. The Wilson 200gr loads running the same spec velocity eject very positively.
Well, you may be a man. You may be a leprechaun. Only one thing’s for sure… you’re in the wrong basement.
Here is the FN 545’s recoil spring assembly compared to a G21 Gen 5 and a G43X.
Left FN, Center G21 Gen 5, Right 43X
Part of me has always wondered about treating .45 ACP the same as .38 special and using low velocity wadcutters as an option for CCW.
Assuming a 200gr LSWC at 770 fps will penetrate adequate depth, it's a hellaciously accurate round, it's still a .45 caliber hole, and the recoil is extremely easy to manage.
As of this moment, I still prefer the 230gr HST +P because it's awesome...but a soft .45 SWC would seem to have a lot to recommend for itself.
In a semiauto? Sure, my Springfield Pros will feed empty cases as a party trick, but I wouldn't trust any non-ramped 1911 with feeding wadcutters in extremis.
Revolver with moon clips? Sure.
I was thinking more about G30/G21/M&P45 tbh
That said, I always found the standard 1911 non ramped barrel/frame ramp to be more reliable than .45s with ramped barrel in my own limited experience.
That said, I do agree that a 1911 feeding an empty case is a nice party truck but I've found other things matter more for reliability to me. Many other reliable guns won't feed empty cases.
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