Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .45 ACP with .452 | 230gr | Sellier & Bellot FMJ bullet and 30 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% | 15,476 psi | 82% | 814 fps | 98.2% |
| Alliant BE-86² | <<locked>> | 68% | 16,085 psi | 85% | 830 fps | 99.8% |
| Alliant Green Dot² | <<locked>> | 64% | 16,882 psi | 90% | 810 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Herco* | <<locked>> | 84% | 16,621 psi | 88% | 866 fps | 94.3% |
| Alliant RED DOT² | <<locked>> | 64% | 16,998 psi | 90% | 797 fps | 100% |
| Alliant UNIQUE*² | <<locked>> | 72% | 17,042 psi | 90% | 876 fps | 94.6% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 100² | <<locked>> | 64% | 15,969 psi | 85% | 791 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol | <<locked>> | 84% | 16,288 psi | 86% | 830 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 103 Pistol² | <<locked>> | 64% | 16,592 psi | 88% | 837 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon CFE Pistol² | <<locked>> | 64% | 15,577 psi | 83% | 820 fps | 98% |
| Hodgdon Clays² | <<locked>> | 64% | 16,230 psi | 86% | 732 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 9,950 psi | 53% | 659 fps | 99.9% |
| Hodgdon Universal² | <<locked>> | 64% | 16,824 psi | 89% | 846 fps | 99.3% |
| Lovex S020² | <<locked>> | 64% | 15,795 psi | 84% | 837 fps | 95.7% |
| Maxam CSB 1² | <<locked>> | 72% | 16,650 psi | 88% | 830 fps | 98.8% |
| Maxam CSB 2² | <<locked>> | 72% | 16,041 psi | 85% | 856 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 3² | <<locked>> | 64% | 15,708 psi | 83% | 801 fps | 99.9% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 8,992 psi | 48% | 653 fps | 97.3% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 20² | <<locked>> | 72% | 14,968 psi | 79% | 846 fps | 95% |
| SNPE Vectan A0*² | <<locked>> | 72% | 16,926 psi | 90% | 830 fps | 93.8% |
| SNPE Vectan BA 9² | <<locked>> | 64% | 16,824 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% | 16,215 psi | 86% | 843 fps | 92.2% |
| Somchem MS200² | <<locked>> | 68% | 17,013 psi | 90% | 846 fps | 95.3% |
| Vihtavuori N320² | <<locked>> | 64% | 16,607 psi | 88% | 827 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star | <<locked>> | 96% | 16,984 psi | 90% | 791 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N330² | <<locked>> | 68% | 16,839 psi | 89% | 869 fps | 99.7% |
| Vihtavuori N340*² | <<locked>> | 68% | 15,461 psi | 82% | 823 fps | 93.4% |
| Winchester AutoComp ² | <<locked>> | 72% | 16,752 psi | 89% | 850 fps | 98.2% |
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% | 14,127 psi | 75% | 771 fps | 88% |
| Accurate Solo 1250² | <<locked>> | 60% | 12,662 psi | 67% | 751 fps | 96.1% |
| Alliant BE-86² | <<locked>> | 60% | 12,459 psi | 66% | 755 fps | 98.1% |
| Alliant Green Dot² | <<locked>> | 60% | 15,577 psi | 83% | 787 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Herco*² | <<locked>> | 64% | 10,254 psi | 54% | 705 fps | 85.9% |
| Alliant RED DOT² | <<locked>> | 60% | 14,837 psi | 79% | 761 fps | 100% |
| Alliant UNIQUE*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 12,328 psi | 65% | 764 fps | 89.2% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 100² | <<locked>> | 60% | 14,678 psi | 78% | 768 fps | 99.8% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol² | <<locked>> | 60% | 8,572 psi | 45% | 653 fps | 97.4% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 103 Pistol² | <<locked>> | 60% | 14,634 psi | 78% | 801 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon CFE Pistol² | <<locked>> | 60% | 13,518 psi | 72% | 774 fps | 96.4% |
| Hodgdon Clays² | <<locked>> | 60% | 14,823 psi | 79% | 709 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss*² | 2.4 gr | 60% | 4,873 psi | 26% | 476 fps | 92.6% |
| Hodgdon Universal² | <<locked>> | 60% | 14,997 psi | 80% | 810 fps | 98.5% |
| Lovex S020*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 14,069 psi | 75% | 801 fps | 94.2% |
| Maxam CSB 1² | <<locked>> | 60% | 11,748 psi | 62% | 722 fps | 95.1% |
| Maxam CSB 2² | <<locked>> | 60% | 11,037 psi | 59% | 748 fps | 99% |
| Maxam CSB 3² | <<locked>> | 60% | 13,866 psi | 74% | 764 fps | 99.5% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 4,540 psi | 24% | 463 fps | 85.7% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 20*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 10,863 psi | 58% | 738 fps | 89.2% |
| SNPE Vectan A0*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 12,299 psi | 65% | 728 fps | 88.6% |
| SNPE Vectan BA 9² | <<locked>> | 60% | 14,591 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% | 14,112 psi | 75% | 797 fps | 89.9% |
| Somchem MS200*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 13,721 psi | 73% | 774 fps | 92.2% |
| Vihtavuori N320² | <<locked>> | 60% | 15,229 psi | 81% | 801 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star² | 3.3 gr | 60% | 7,600 psi | 40% | 597 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N330² | <<locked>> | 60% | 13,242 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 .452 | 230gr | Sellier & Bellot FMJ. 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 .452 | 230gr | Sellier & Bellot FMJ 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.