New to me 45 cal brass

2240 Views 23 Replies 16 Participants Last post by muddcatt54, Jan 16, 2018

muddcatt54

Discussion Starter · Jan 3, 2018 (Edited)

A friend of mine brought me around 1500+ rounds of brass for my .45 looking forward to cleaning and using them soon. I now have enough to keep me busy for a while. I noticed a lot of Glock fired primers should I run them through the bulge buster like I do with the 40's this is my first go around with loading the 45 acp so any and all help would be welcome. I plan on starting with CFE PISTOL or should I start with something like Unique I have a 230 grain mold plus. a friend gave gave me some 200 grain SWC and I have some CCI large pistol primers. Before when I started to load for a new Caliber I would start out with Unique. I also have some small pistol primered Blazer cases but I was at the range before I noticed. I will probably wait until I get some more brass ready before I start loading

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Driswalds

· #2 · Jan 3, 2018

I throw away all the bulged gronk cases. Not worth the chance of them failing when re-firing.
I use CFE pistol and thats another reason I pitch gronk brass. I load them on the high end of the scale.

Reactions: 3

Lone Eagle

· #3 · Jan 3, 2018

Driswalds said:
I throw away all the bulged gronk cases. Not worth the chance of them failing when re-firing.
I use CFE pistol and thats another reason I pitch gronk brass. I load them on the high end of the scale.

I sort the bulged cases from mine, and trade them off to a friend who reloads them once, and leaves them after firing.

I also keep a handful in the range bag for that guy who likes to pounce on my brass while I'm checking the target.

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oso

· #4 · Jan 3, 2018

Everyone has their favorite powder and load, myself for .45 acp I like Titegroup and Bullseye.

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jeeper1

· #5 · Jan 3, 2018

I have used 6.0 grains of Unique for 230 grain cast bullets since the 70s. It has always been a good load for me.

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.452dia

· #6 · Jan 3, 2018

I resize and shoot my 45 acp brass from my glock just like I do my other 45 acp brass. Never had a problem, 45 acp is a low pressure round anyway and I don't load it hot.

Reactions: 4

muddcatt54

Discussion Starter · #7 · Jan 4, 2018 (Edited)

I'm not into plus P type loads I've bought all my pistols new except for the CZ it was won in a raffle by a lady it was too big for her hand and her husband shot one mag through it you could tell it hadn't seem any use. I load until I can tighten up my groups and stop there I like to shoot and try to hold the rounds well with in specs I only shoot against myself trying to improve on my groups each trip to the range. I don't want to were out parts prematurely my understanding is that+P loads are hard on the pistol, and over pressure has always been one of my fears of reloading so I hold back as much as possible

Czechbikr

· #8 · Jan 4, 2018

45 ACP is about my favorite round to load. Short squatty cases that you can readily see into help make sure that you are not overcharging them. I've used HP38, Universal, and CSB-6 but any medium burning powder that you can get good reliable load data on will work well. I'm like you and load to the lighter side mostly since I'm just punching paper.

Reactions: 3

texastaurusguy

· #9 · Jan 4, 2018

I've never had a bulge in a 45acp case, I just run them through the resizer and I'm done. It's nice to have a lot of 45 brass laying around, it will keep you busy for a while.

One great thing about 45acp, you can use so many different powders with it. In addition to what you mentioned, you can use HP-38/Win231, Titegroup, Universal, just about any handgun powder has a recipe.

Reactions: 5

hdwhit

· #10 · Jan 4, 2018

muddcatt54 asked:
I noticed a lot of Glock fired primers should I run them through the bulge buster like I do with the 40's.

I haven't noticed as many Glock 45s with unsupported chambers as I have seen with 40's and 9mm. I am personally not a fan of the Lee Bulge Buster for a number of reasons a forum post doesn't provide adequate space to address. What I do is to take a micrometer (not a caliper) and dial the jaws open to 0.4764 inches. I then take each case put it between thumb and forefinger and run it, just at the case head, through the jaws. Once through, I move my fingers to rotate the case 90 degrees and then pass it back through. Cases fired in an unsupported chamber (as well as cases someone loaded hot and fired in a loose chamber) will be bulged enough to not pass.

45 ACP brass is comparatively cheap (your got yours for the best price) so I don't take any chances and discard anything that is out of the ordinary.

The process may sound time-consuming, but once you get the rhythm going it is surprising quick. I can do 500 rounds in the time it takes my son to watch a few episodes of the Youtube series Extra History.

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Reactions: 1

hdwhit

· #11 · Jan 4, 2018

I've always been a big fan of Bullseye in 45 ACP.

I also found Blue Dot to be very good out of a 5 inch barrel with 185 grain self-defense loads.

If you only load a small number of cartridges at a time, I would always put in a plug for Hi-Skor 800-X, which is a very versatile powder that gathers no love because it "meters like corn flakes". When I use it, I throw the charge light from the measure and trickle up to the desired weight. If you load at a pace that sedate, you'll discover 800-X has a lot to recommend it.

And finally, if you're looking for a light load, consider IMR PB. My only experience with PB was as an earth-moving explosive (no joke), but Hodgdon's data shows it able to be loaded down to pressures under 12,000 psi which should make for a very softball load.

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muddcatt54

Discussion Starter · #12 · Jan 4, 2018

I have at least 5 pounds of BULLSEYE and it comes a great job with my 9's and 40's I had planned on giving it a try good deal

Reactions: 2

texastaurusguy

· #13 · Jan 4, 2018

Another powder for your consideration would be Winchester WST. It's a powderpuff load, nice recoil, and it works good with lead bullets too.

Speaking of lead bullets, Red Dot works really well with that application.

Reactions: 2

mingaa

· #14 · Jan 4, 2018

Glock bulge on 9, 40 and 45?? Are you finding these on the range and making assumptions or are they coming out of your guns?

I load and shoot all 3 gen 3 & 4 - mild to wild and the modern chambers have plenty of support. I have “0” bulged cases. I size them and shoot them as with any other fired brass.

Reactions: 4

Fishinkeylargo

· #15 · Jan 4, 2018

muddcatt54 said:
I have at least 5 pounds of BULLSEYE and it comes a great job with my 9's and 40's I had planned on giving it a try good deal

I have two .45 acp's that shoot 230 gr RN Lead bullets loaded with 4.9-5.0 grs of Bullseye very accurately. My Lee disk will consistently throw 5.0 grs with maybe 1 in 10 dropping at 4.9 grs. I don't worry about the 4.9 grains they shoot just as well.

Reactions: 2

olfarhors

· #16 · Jan 4, 2018

oso said:
Everyone has their favorite powder and load, myself for .45 acp I like Titegroup and Bullseye.

YEP!
lots and lots of powders work well in the 45 acp, Red Dot is one that isn't mentioned much and in the past has worked well for me.
Personally I use my much beloved and pretty universal Accurate #5 for all my 45 acp loads.
have used a bunch of Unique, course is there anything that you can't reload with unique?

Reactions: 3

Sawfish

· #17 · Jan 4, 2018

Another vote for Red Dot. Meters well. High enough in volume that double charges are immediately visible. Very accurate. Being predominately an old school shotgun powder, it was usually available during the not too distant component shortages. Economy of loading.

Reactions: 1

muddcatt54

Discussion Starter · #18 · Jan 4, 2018

mingaa said:
Glock bulge on 9, 40 and 45?? Are you finding these on the range and making assumptions or are they coming out of your guns?

I load and shoot all 3 gen 3 & 4 - mild to wild and the modern chambers have plenty of support. I have “0” bulged cases. I size them and shoot them as with any other fired brass.

. They are range pick ups a friend gave me to help me get started they look like nice brass for the most part I just noticed a lot of Glock fireing pin marks on the primers and it made me think of all the problems I ran into with the 40 cal brass bulge I finally bought a bulge buster and was wondering if I needed to run the 45's through it

GreenWolf70

· #19 · Jan 4, 2018

My data has my favorite loads using AA#5 and Power Pistol.

200 grain Magnus LSWC (OAL: 1.245") in front of 9.5 grains of AA#5 or 8.5 grains of Power Pistol. Change the bullet to 200 grain XTP (OAL:1.23") and that is 9.7 grains of AA#5, or 8.5 grains of Power Pistol. I taper crimp both to .468". Depending on your pistol, you should see 1,000 - 1,100 fps with either bullet.

I like my practice bullet pretty close to my SD bullet. If you have not loaded SWC bullets for the .45 Auto before, you need to make sure that enough shoulder is showing that it contacts the feed ramp before the case mouth.

Some people don't know it but JM Browning designed the 1911 around a 200 grain FMJ bullet.

Reactions: 2

GreenWolf70

· #20 · Jan 4, 2018

muddcatt54 said:
. They are range pick ups a friend gave me to help me get started they look like nice brass for the most part I just noticed a lot of Glock fireing pin marks on the primers and it made me think of all the problems I ran into with the 40 cal brass bulge I finally bought a bulge buster and was wondering if I needed to run the 45's through it

It is only an issue if the cases are bulged. The Glock flat tip firing pin marks have no meaning. Almost any aftermarket barrel will fix the Glock barrel design flaw, bulged cases. I even saw one on sale for $70 in an email this morning, Spinta, Glock 19 Stainless Steel Barrel (SALE) - Spinta Precision, use code GLOCK19 at checkout.

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