Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .45 ACP with .452 | 230gr | LEE Mold 452-230-TC bullet and 33 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% | 16,360 psi | 87% | 850 fps | 91.8% |
| Accurate Solo 1250² | <<locked>> | 68% | 15,331 psi | 81% | 840 fps | 98.8% |
| Alliant BE-86² | <<locked>> | 68% | 15,911 psi | 84% | 856 fps | 99.9% |
| Alliant Green Dot² | <<locked>> | 64% | 16,708 psi | 89% | 840 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Herco* | <<locked>> | 84% | 15,911 psi | 84% | 886 fps | 94.8% |
| Alliant RED DOT² | <<locked>> | 64% | 16,476 psi | 87% | 820 fps | 100% |
| Alliant UNIQUE² | <<locked>> | 72% | 16,781 psi | 89% | 906 fps | 95.4% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 100² | <<locked>> | 64% | 15,896 psi | 84% | 820 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol | <<locked>> | 84% | 16,041 psi | 85% | 853 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 103 Pistol² | <<locked>> | 64% | 16,491 psi | 87% | 863 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon CFE Pistol² | <<locked>> | 64% | 14,953 psi | 79% | 840 fps | 98.3% |
| Hodgdon Clays² | <<locked>> | 64% | 16,215 psi | 86% | 758 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 9,108 psi | 48% | 673 fps | 99.9% |
| Hodgdon Universal² | <<locked>> | 64% | 16,114 psi | 85% | 869 fps | 99.5% |
| Lovex S020² | <<locked>> | 64% | 15,809 psi | 84% | 869 fps | 96.7% |
| Maxam CSB 1² | <<locked>> | 72% | 16,317 psi | 87% | 853 fps | 99.2% |
| Maxam CSB 2² | <<locked>> | 72% | 16,027 psi | 85% | 889 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 3² | <<locked>> | 64% | 15,127 psi | 80% | 820 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 12² | <<locked>> | 64% | 16,795 psi | 89% | 892 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 7,789 psi | 41% | 653 fps | 96.5% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 20² | <<locked>> | 76% | 17,027 psi | 90% | 925 fps | 97.6% |
| SNPE Vectan A0² | <<locked>> | 72% | 17,013 psi | 90% | 866 fps | 95% |
| SNPE Vectan BA 9² | <<locked>> | 64% | 16,476 psi | 87% | 846 fps | 98% |
| SNPE Vectan BA9 1/2² | <<locked>> | 64% | 15,432 psi | 82% | 843 fps | 98.6% |
| Somchem MP200*² | <<locked>> | 64% | 15,983 psi | 85% | 873 fps | 93.2% |
| Somchem MS200² | <<locked>> | 68% | 16,433 psi | 87% | 869 fps | 95.9% |
| Vihtavuori 3N37*² | <<locked>> | 76% | 16,984 psi | 90% | 919 fps | 88.4% |
| Vihtavuori N320² | <<locked>> | 64% | 16,665 psi | 88% | 856 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star | <<locked>> | 96% | 16,926 psi | 90% | 820 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N330² | <<locked>> | 64% | 15,214 psi | 81% | 869 fps | 99.6% |
| Vihtavuori N340*² | <<locked>> | 68% | 15,432 psi | 82% | 856 fps | 94.5% |
| Vihtavuori N350* | <<locked>> | 80% | 16,273 psi | 86% | 899 fps | 87.9% |
| Winchester AutoComp ² | <<locked>> | 72% | 16,853 psi | 89% | 883 fps | 98.8% |
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% | 13,982 psi | 74% | 797 fps | 89.2% |
| Accurate Solo 1250² | <<locked>> | 60% | 12,053 psi | 64% | 768 fps | 96.4% |
| Alliant BE-86² | <<locked>> | 60% | 12,386 psi | 66% | 784 fps | 98.7% |
| Alliant Green Dot² | <<locked>> | 60% | 14,852 psi | 79% | 807 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Herco*² | <<locked>> | 64% | 9,398 psi | 50% | 715 fps | 85.7% |
| Alliant RED DOT² | <<locked>> | 60% | 14,417 psi | 76% | 784 fps | 100% |
| Alliant UNIQUE*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 11,748 psi | 62% | 784 fps | 89.8% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 100² | <<locked>> | 60% | 14,054 psi | 75% | 784 fps | 99.9% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol² | <<locked>> | 60% | 7,731 psi | 41% | 659 fps | 97% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 103 Pistol² | <<locked>> | 60% | 14,576 psi | 77% | 827 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon CFE Pistol² | <<locked>> | 60% | 13,402 psi | 71% | 807 fps | 97.2% |
| Hodgdon Clays² | <<locked>> | 60% | 14,881 psi | 79% | 735 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss*² | 2.7 gr | 60% | 3,902 psi | 21% | 472 fps | 89.9% |
| Hodgdon Universal² | <<locked>> | 60% | 14,402 psi | 76% | 833 fps | 98.8% |
| Lovex S020*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 13,590 psi | 72% | 820 fps | 94.8% |
| Maxam CSB 1² | <<locked>> | 60% | 11,560 psi | 61% | 751 fps | 95.9% |
| Maxam CSB 2² | <<locked>> | 60% | 10,631 psi | 56% | 771 fps | 99.2% |
| Maxam CSB 3² | <<locked>> | 60% | 13,387 psi | 71% | 784 fps | 99.7% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 12² | <<locked>> | 60% | 14,924 psi | 79% | 856 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14*² | <<locked>> | 68% | 4,119 psi | 22% | 495 fps | 85.4% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 20*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 10,414 psi | 55% | 758 fps | 89.9% |
| SNPE Vectan A0*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 12,053 psi | 64% | 755 fps | 89.6% |
| SNPE Vectan BA 9² | <<locked>> | 60% | 14,866 psi | 79% | 814 fps | 96.9% |
| SNPE Vectan BA9 1/2² | <<locked>> | 60% | 13,837 psi | 73% | 807 fps | 97.6% |
| Somchem MP200*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 13,982 psi | 74% | 827 fps | 91% |
| Somchem MS200*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 13,285 psi | 70% | 801 fps | 92.9% |
| Vihtavuori 3N37*² | <<locked>> | 72% | 15,011 psi | 80% | 876 fps | 86.1% |
| Vihtavuori N320² | <<locked>> | 60% | 14,678 psi | 78% | 820 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star² | 3.6 gr | 60% | 6,498 psi | 34% | 597 fps | 99.9% |
| Vihtavuori N330² | <<locked>> | 60% | 12,981 psi | 69% | 823 fps | 98.7% |
| Vihtavuori N340*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 11,922 psi | 63% | 774 fps | 90.4% |
| Vihtavuori N350*² | <<locked>> | 76% | 14,808 psi | 79% | 866 fps | 86.1% |
| Winchester AutoComp *² | <<locked>> | 60% | 11,690 psi | 62% | 768 fps | 94.9% |
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 .452 | 230gr | LEE Mold 452-230-TC. Alliant Herco delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 886 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 653 fps to 886 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 41–90 %, 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 .452 | 230gr | LEE Mold 452-230-TC 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.