Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .45 ACP with .451 | 230gr | Hornady HAP bullet and 29 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star and Hodgdon TrailBoss.
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% | 15,940 psi | 85% | 807 fps | 90.1% |
| Accurate Solo 1250² | <<locked>> | 68% | 15,505 psi | 82% | 814 fps | 98.2% |
| Alliant BE-86² | <<locked>> | 68% | 16,027 psi | 85% | 830 fps | 99.7% |
| Alliant Green Dot² | <<locked>> | 64% | 16,839 psi | 89% | 810 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Herco* | <<locked>> | 84% | 16,650 psi | 88% | 866 fps | 94.3% |
| Alliant RED DOT² | <<locked>> | 64% | 16,955 psi | 90% | 797 fps | 100% |
| Alliant UNIQUE*² | <<locked>> | 72% | 16,984 psi | 90% | 873 fps | 94.5% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 100² | <<locked>> | 64% | 16,578 psi | 88% | 801 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol | <<locked>> | 84% | 16,273 psi | 86% | 830 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 103 Pistol² | <<locked>> | 64% | 16,578 psi | 88% | 837 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon CFE Pistol² | <<locked>> | 64% | 15,563 psi | 83% | 820 fps | 98% |
| Hodgdon Clays² | <<locked>> | 64% | 16,201 psi | 86% | 732 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 9,979 psi | 53% | 663 fps | 99.9% |
| Hodgdon Universal² | <<locked>> | 64% | 16,781 psi | 89% | 846 fps | 99.3% |
| Lovex S020² | <<locked>> | 64% | 15,824 psi | 84% | 837 fps | 95.8% |
| Maxam CSB 1² | <<locked>> | 72% | 16,636 psi | 88% | 830 fps | 98.8% |
| Maxam CSB 2² | <<locked>> | 72% | 15,998 psi | 85% | 856 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 3² | <<locked>> | 64% | 15,664 psi | 83% | 801 fps | 99.9% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 8,978 psi | 48% | 653 fps | 97.3% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 20² | <<locked>> | 72% | 14,924 psi | 79% | 846 fps | 95% |
| SNPE Vectan A0*² | <<locked>> | 72% | 16,882 psi | 90% | 830 fps | 93.8% |
| SNPE Vectan BA 9² | <<locked>> | 64% | 16,810 psi | 89% | 823 fps | 97.4% |
| SNPE Vectan BA9 1/2² | <<locked>> | 64% | 15,809 psi | 84% | 817 fps | 98.2% |
| Somchem MP200*² | <<locked>> | 64% | 16,186 psi | 86% | 843 fps | 92.2% |
| Somchem MS200² | <<locked>> | 68% | 16,969 psi | 90% | 846 fps | 95.3% |
| Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star | <<locked>> | 96% | 16,969 psi | 90% | 791 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N330² | <<locked>> | 64% | 14,924 psi | 79% | 833 fps | 99.2% |
| Vihtavuori N340*² | <<locked>> | 68% | 15,998 psi | 85% | 837 fps | 93.9% |
| Winchester AutoComp ² | <<locked>> | 72% | 16,679 psi | 88% | 846 fps | 98.1% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
Start Load - Barrel Length: 5"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate No. 2*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 14,083 psi | 75% | 768 fps | 88% |
| Accurate Solo 1250² | <<locked>> | 60% | 12,647 psi | 67% | 751 fps | 96.1% |
| Alliant BE-86² | <<locked>> | 60% | 12,415 psi | 66% | 755 fps | 98.1% |
| Alliant Green Dot² | <<locked>> | 60% | 15,534 psi | 82% | 787 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Herco*² | <<locked>> | 64% | 10,225 psi | 54% | 705 fps | 85.9% |
| Alliant RED DOT² | <<locked>> | 60% | 15,505 psi | 82% | 771 fps | 100% |
| Alliant UNIQUE*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 12,314 psi | 65% | 764 fps | 89.3% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 100² | <<locked>> | 60% | 14,678 psi | 78% | 768 fps | 99.8% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol² | <<locked>> | 60% | 8,557 psi | 45% | 653 fps | 97.4% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 103 Pistol² | <<locked>> | 60% | 14,605 psi | 77% | 801 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon CFE Pistol² | <<locked>> | 60% | 13,518 psi | 72% | 778 fps | 96.5% |
| Hodgdon Clays² | <<locked>> | 60% | 14,794 psi | 78% | 709 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss*² | 2.4 gr | 60% | 4,873 psi | 26% | 476 fps | 92.6% |
| Hodgdon Universal² | <<locked>> | 60% | 15,026 psi | 80% | 810 fps | 98.5% |
| Lovex S020*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 14,040 psi | 74% | 801 fps | 94.2% |
| Maxam CSB 1² | <<locked>> | 60% | 11,719 psi | 62% | 722 fps | 95.1% |
| Maxam CSB 2² | <<locked>> | 60% | 11,023 psi | 58% | 751 fps | 99% |
| Maxam CSB 3² | <<locked>> | 60% | 13,866 psi | 74% | 764 fps | 99.5% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 4,714 psi | 25% | 472 fps | 86.5% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 20*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 10,834 psi | 57% | 738 fps | 89.2% |
| SNPE Vectan A0*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 12,270 psi | 65% | 728 fps | 88.5% |
| SNPE Vectan BA 9² | <<locked>> | 60% | 14,562 psi | 77% | 778 fps | 95.8% |
| SNPE Vectan BA9 1/2² | <<locked>> | 60% | 14,127 psi | 75% | 781 fps | 97% |
| Somchem MP200*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 14,634 psi | 78% | 807 fps | 90.5% |
| Somchem MS200*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 13,706 psi | 73% | 774 fps | 92.2% |
| Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star² | 3.3 gr | 60% | 7,600 psi | 40% | 597 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N330² | <<locked>> | 60% | 13,213 psi | 70% | 797 fps | 98.2% |
| Vihtavuori N340*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 12,343 psi | 65% | 751 fps | 89.7% |
| Winchester AutoComp *² | <<locked>> | 60% | 11,966 psi | 63% | 741 fps | 94.2% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
* 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 | Hornady HAP. 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 48–90 %, 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. Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star, Hodgdon TrailBoss rank at the top here: for .45 ACP with the .451 | 230gr | Hornady HAP they combine a high case fill with complete burn and sit in the upper velocity band. 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.