Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .45 ACP with .452 | 230gr | Speer Lead RN bullet and 25 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% | 16,766 psi | 89% | 830 fps | 91.1% |
| Accurate Solo 1250² | <<locked>> | 68% | 15,751 psi | 84% | 820 fps | 98.5% |
| Alliant BE-86² | <<locked>> | 68% | 16,244 psi | 86% | 837 fps | 99.8% |
| Alliant Herco* | <<locked>> | 84% | 16,737 psi | 89% | 873 fps | 94.6% |
| Alliant UNIQUE*² | <<locked>> | 68% | 15,505 psi | 82% | 846 fps | 93.4% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 100² | <<locked>> | 64% | 16,230 psi | 86% | 801 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol | <<locked>> | 84% | 16,447 psi | 87% | 837 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 10,225 psi | 54% | 669 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon Universal² | <<locked>> | 64% | 17,013 psi | 90% | 856 fps | 99.4% |
| Lovex S020² | <<locked>> | 64% | 15,983 psi | 85% | 843 fps | 96.1% |
| Maxam CSB 1² | <<locked>> | 72% | 16,839 psi | 89% | 837 fps | 99% |
| Maxam CSB 2² | <<locked>> | 72% | 16,259 psi | 86% | 866 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 3² | <<locked>> | 64% | 15,983 psi | 85% | 810 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 9,181 psi | 49% | 659 fps | 97.6% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 20² | <<locked>> | 72% | 15,650 psi | 83% | 866 fps | 95.9% |
| SNPE Vectan A0*² | <<locked>> | 72% | 17,056 psi | 90% | 840 fps | 94.2% |
| SNPE Vectan BA 9² | <<locked>> | 64% | 16,955 psi | 90% | 830 fps | 97.7% |
| SNPE Vectan BA9 1/2² | <<locked>> | 64% | 16,027 psi | 85% | 827 fps | 98.4% |
| Somchem MP200*² | <<locked>> | 64% | 16,346 psi | 87% | 850 fps | 92.5% |
| Somchem MS200*² | <<locked>> | 64% | 15,505 psi | 82% | 817 fps | 94.2% |
| Vihtavuori N320² | <<locked>> | 64% | 16,926 psi | 90% | 833 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star | <<locked>> | 92% | 15,969 psi | 85% | 778 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N330² | <<locked>> | 64% | 15,171 psi | 80% | 843 fps | 99.3% |
| Vihtavuori N340*² | <<locked>> | 68% | 16,186 psi | 86% | 843 fps | 94.3% |
| Winchester AutoComp ² | <<locked>> | 68% | 15,302 psi | 81% | 823 fps | 97.4% |
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% | 14,301 psi | 76% | 778 fps | 88.5% |
| Accurate Solo 1250² | <<locked>> | 60% | 12,923 psi | 69% | 758 fps | 96.5% |
| Alliant BE-86² | <<locked>> | 60% | 12,662 psi | 67% | 761 fps | 98.4% |
| Alliant Herco*² | <<locked>> | 64% | 10,385 psi | 55% | 712 fps | 86.4% |
| Alliant UNIQUE*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 12,517 psi | 66% | 774 fps | 89.8% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 100² | <<locked>> | 60% | 14,968 psi | 79% | 774 fps | 99.9% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol² | <<locked>> | 60% | 8,746 psi | 46% | 663 fps | 97.8% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss*² | 2.5 gr | 60% | 5,062 psi | 27% | 489 fps | 93.4% |
| Hodgdon Universal² | <<locked>> | 60% | 15,302 psi | 81% | 820 fps | 98.7% |
| Lovex S020*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 14,301 psi | 76% | 807 fps | 94.6% |
| Maxam CSB 1² | <<locked>> | 60% | 11,980 psi | 64% | 732 fps | 95.6% |
| Maxam CSB 2² | <<locked>> | 60% | 11,342 psi | 60% | 761 fps | 99.2% |
| Maxam CSB 3² | <<locked>> | 60% | 14,156 psi | 75% | 774 fps | 99.7% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 4,670 psi | 25% | 472 fps | 86.6% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 20*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 11,008 psi | 58% | 748 fps | 89.8% |
| SNPE Vectan A0*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 12,473 psi | 66% | 735 fps | 89% |
| SNPE Vectan BA 9² | <<locked>> | 60% | 15,302 psi | 81% | 797 fps | 96.6% |
| SNPE Vectan BA9 1/2² | <<locked>> | 60% | 14,344 psi | 76% | 791 fps | 97.3% |
| Somchem MP200*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 14,823 psi | 79% | 817 fps | 90.9% |
| Somchem MS200*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 13,895 psi | 74% | 784 fps | 92.6% |
| Vihtavuori N320² | <<locked>> | 60% | 15,563 psi | 83% | 810 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star² | 3.3 gr | 60% | 7,498 psi | 40% | 597 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N330² | <<locked>> | 60% | 13,474 psi | 71% | 807 fps | 98.5% |
| Vihtavuori N340*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 12,531 psi | 66% | 761 fps | 90.2% |
| Winchester AutoComp *² | <<locked>> | 60% | 12,125 psi | 64% | 748 fps | 94.5% |
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 25 powders for .45 ACP loaded with the .452 | 230gr | Speer Lead RN. Alliant Herco delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 873 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 659 fps to 873 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 5 of the 25 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (130 MPa), the top charges use 49–90 %, 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 | Speer Lead RN they combine a high case fill with complete burn and sit in the upper velocity band. As outliers, Accurate No. 2, Alliant Herco, Alliant UNIQUE burn incompletely and react more sensitively to barrel length and temperature. Accurate No. 2, Accurate Solo 1250, Alliant BE-86 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.