Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .45 ACP with .451 | 230gr | Geco HOLLOW POINT bullet and 29 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above.
Important Notice: DO NOT go below Minimum Charge or above Maximum Charge. Since we have no control over the equipment and components used, any responsibility and liability for the results achieved is rejected.
Only powders/loads that match the current filter criteria are displayed: max pressure of a load ≤ 90% of max. standardized pressure, fill rate ≥ 60% and propellant combustion ≥ 80%. Use the sliders above the tables to adjust these thresholds.
Charge: Powder weight in grains. Start with the minimum load and work up carefully.
FR (Fill Rate): Case fill as a percentage. Values above 100% mean compressed loads.
MaxP / %: Maximum chamber pressure in bar and as a percentage of the standardized maximum for this caliber.
V(0): Muzzle velocity in feet per second (fps) at the standardized barrel length.
z (Powder Burn): Estimated propellant combustion percentage at bullet exit.
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Max Load - Barrel Length: 5"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate No. 2*² | <<locked>> | 64% | 16,505 psi | 88% | 820 fps | 90.7% |
| Accurate Solo 1250² | <<locked>> | 68% | 15,418 psi | 82% | 810 fps | 98.2% |
| Alliant BE-86² | <<locked>> | 68% | 15,983 psi | 85% | 830 fps | 99.7% |
| Alliant Herco* | <<locked>> | 84% | 16,534 psi | 88% | 866 fps | 94.3% |
| Alliant RED DOT² | <<locked>> | 64% | 16,926 psi | 90% | 797 fps | 100% |
| Alliant UNIQUE*² | <<locked>> | 72% | 16,955 psi | 90% | 873 fps | 94.5% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 100² | <<locked>> | 64% | 16,520 psi | 88% | 801 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol | <<locked>> | 84% | 16,215 psi | 86% | 830 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 103 Pistol² | <<locked>> | 64% | 16,520 psi | 88% | 837 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon CFE Pistol² | <<locked>> | 64% | 15,519 psi | 82% | 820 fps | 97.9% |
| Hodgdon Clays² | <<locked>> | 64% | 16,882 psi | 90% | 745 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 9,950 psi | 53% | 659 fps | 99.9% |
| Hodgdon Universal² | <<locked>> | 64% | 16,737 psi | 89% | 846 fps | 99.3% |
| Lovex S020² | <<locked>> | 64% | 15,722 psi | 83% | 837 fps | 95.7% |
| Maxam CSB 1² | <<locked>> | 72% | 16,578 psi | 88% | 830 fps | 98.8% |
| Maxam CSB 2² | <<locked>> | 72% | 15,969 psi | 85% | 856 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 3² | <<locked>> | 64% | 15,621 psi | 83% | 801 fps | 99.9% |
| Maxam CSB 4² | <<locked>> | 64% | 17,056 psi | 90% | 814 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 8,949 psi | 47% | 653 fps | 97.3% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 20² | <<locked>> | 72% | 15,447 psi | 82% | 860 fps | 95.5% |
| SNPE Vectan A0*² | <<locked>> | 72% | 16,868 psi | 89% | 830 fps | 93.8% |
| SNPE Vectan BA 9² | <<locked>> | 64% | 16,766 psi | 89% | 823 fps | 97.4% |
| SNPE Vectan BA9 1/2² | <<locked>> | 64% | 15,751 psi | 84% | 817 fps | 98.2% |
| Somchem MP200*² | <<locked>> | 64% | 16,114 psi | 85% | 843 fps | 92.1% |
| Somchem MS200² | <<locked>> | 68% | 16,911 psi | 90% | 846 fps | 95.3% |
| Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star | <<locked>> | 96% | 16,897 psi | 90% | 791 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N330² | <<locked>> | 64% | 14,895 psi | 79% | 833 fps | 99.2% |
| Vihtavuori N340*² | <<locked>> | 68% | 15,969 psi | 85% | 837 fps | 93.9% |
| Winchester AutoComp ² | <<locked>> | 68% | 15,098 psi | 80% | 817 fps | 97.2% |
Start Load - Barrel Length: 5"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate No. 2*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 14,069 psi | 75% | 768 fps | 88% |
| Accurate Solo 1250² | <<locked>> | 60% | 12,604 psi | 67% | 748 fps | 96.1% |
| Alliant BE-86² | <<locked>> | 60% | 12,401 psi | 66% | 755 fps | 98.1% |
| Alliant Herco*² | <<locked>> | 64% | 10,196 psi | 54% | 705 fps | 85.8% |
| Alliant RED DOT² | <<locked>> | 60% | 15,476 psi | 82% | 771 fps | 100% |
| Alliant UNIQUE*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 12,270 psi | 65% | 764 fps | 89.2% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 100² | <<locked>> | 60% | 14,620 psi | 78% | 764 fps | 99.8% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol² | <<locked>> | 60% | 8,528 psi | 45% | 653 fps | 97.4% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 103 Pistol² | <<locked>> | 60% | 14,576 psi | 77% | 801 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon CFE Pistol² | <<locked>> | 60% | 13,953 psi | 74% | 787 fps | 96.8% |
| Hodgdon Clays² | <<locked>> | 60% | 14,736 psi | 78% | 709 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 4,859 psi | 26% | 476 fps | 92.5% |
| Hodgdon Universal² | <<locked>> | 60% | 14,982 psi | 79% | 810 fps | 98.5% |
| Lovex S020*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 14,011 psi | 74% | 801 fps | 94.2% |
| Maxam CSB 1² | <<locked>> | 60% | 11,705 psi | 62% | 722 fps | 95.1% |
| Maxam CSB 2² | <<locked>> | 60% | 11,473 psi | 61% | 761 fps | 99.2% |
| Maxam CSB 3² | <<locked>> | 60% | 13,793 psi | 73% | 764 fps | 99.5% |
| Maxam CSB 4² | <<locked>> | 60% | 14,997 psi | 80% | 778 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 4,699 psi | 25% | 472 fps | 86.5% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 20*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 10,820 psi | 57% | 738 fps | 89.2% |
| SNPE Vectan A0*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 12,256 psi | 65% | 728 fps | 88.5% |
| SNPE Vectan BA 9² | <<locked>> | 60% | 15,069 psi | 80% | 787 fps | 96.2% |
| SNPE Vectan BA9 1/2² | <<locked>> | 60% | 14,069 psi | 75% | 781 fps | 97% |
| Somchem MP200*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 14,576 psi | 77% | 807 fps | 90.4% |
| Somchem MS200*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 13,663 psi | 72% | 774 fps | 92.1% |
| Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star² | <<locked>> | 60% | 7,571 psi | 40% | 597 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N330² | <<locked>> | 60% | 13,184 psi | 70% | 797 fps | 98.2% |
| Vihtavuori N340*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 12,285 psi | 65% | 751 fps | 89.6% |
| Winchester AutoComp *² | <<locked>> | 60% | 11,922 psi | 63% | 741 fps | 94.2% |
* not dangerous but load has suboptimal powder burnt with possible characteristics such as extensive muzzle flash or inaccurate loads.
² fill rate low - you might want to consider using a filler to ensure proper ignition.
ᴾ possible press load - work up slowly to this load while watching for signs of excessive pressure.
This overview compares 5 powders for .45 ACP loaded with the .451 | 230gr | Geco HOLLOW POINT. Alliant Herco delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 866 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 653 fps to 866 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 5 of the 5 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (130 MPa), the top charges use 47–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. Hodgdon TrailBoss, ReloadSwiss RS 14 reach 100 % fill or more at maximum charge, so these are compressed loads: they need a long drop tube to seat cleanly and react sensitively to the case capacity of your own brass lot. As outliers, Alliant Herco burn incompletely and react more sensitively to barrel length and temperature. Alliant Herco, Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol, Hodgdon TrailBoss stay subsonic at start load. Always begin at the start load and work up in small increments while checking case and primer for pressure signs.