Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .45 ACP with .452 | 255gr | Rim Rock SWC Top Shelf bullet and 31 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% | 16,404 psi | 87% | 755 fps | 91.4% |
| Accurate Solo 1250² | <<locked>> | 68% | 15,838 psi | 84% | 755 fps | 98.8% |
| Alliant BE-86² | <<locked>> | 68% | 16,172 psi | 86% | 768 fps | 99.9% |
| Alliant Herco | <<locked>> | 84% | 16,520 psi | 88% | 801 fps | 95% |
| Alliant RED DOT² | <<locked>> | 64% | 16,621 psi | 88% | 728 fps | 100% |
| Alliant UNIQUE² | <<locked>> | 72% | 17,042 psi | 90% | 810 fps | 95.3% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 100² | <<locked>> | 64% | 16,085 psi | 85% | 732 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol | <<locked>> | 84% | 15,998 psi | 85% | 761 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 103 Pistol² | <<locked>> | 64% | 16,665 psi | 88% | 774 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon CFE Pistol² | <<locked>> | 64% | 15,563 psi | 83% | 758 fps | 98.4% |
| Hodgdon Clays² | <<locked>> | 64% | 16,491 psi | 87% | 679 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 9,877 psi | 52% | 607 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon Universal² | <<locked>> | 64% | 16,505 psi | 88% | 778 fps | 99.5% |
| Lovex S020² | <<locked>> | 64% | 15,766 psi | 84% | 771 fps | 96.4% |
| Maxam CSB 1² | <<locked>> | 72% | 16,447 psi | 87% | 761 fps | 99.1% |
| Maxam CSB 2² | <<locked>> | 72% | 15,896 psi | 84% | 791 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 3² | <<locked>> | 64% | 15,780 psi | 84% | 741 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 8,949 psi | 47% | 600 fps | 97.8% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 20² | <<locked>> | 76% | 16,926 psi | 90% | 823 fps | 97.4% |
| SNPE Vectan A0*² | <<locked>> | 72% | 16,998 psi | 90% | 768 fps | 94.6% |
| SNPE Vectan BA 9² | <<locked>> | 64% | 16,795 psi | 89% | 758 fps | 97.9% |
| SNPE Vectan BA9 1/2² | <<locked>> | 64% | 16,201 psi | 86% | 761 fps | 98.8% |
| Somchem MP200*² | <<locked>> | 64% | 16,360 psi | 87% | 781 fps | 93.2% |
| Somchem MS200² | <<locked>> | 68% | 16,940 psi | 90% | 781 fps | 96% |
| Vihtavuori 3N37*² | <<locked>> | 76% | 16,882 psi | 90% | 817 fps | 87.9% |
| Vihtavuori N320² | <<locked>> | 64% | 16,781 psi | 89% | 761 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star | <<locked>> | 96% | 16,868 psi | 89% | 725 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N330² | <<locked>> | 68% | 16,824 psi | 89% | 804 fps | 99.9% |
| Vihtavuori N340*² | <<locked>> | 68% | 15,476 psi | 82% | 761 fps | 94.2% |
| Vihtavuori N350* | <<locked>> | 80% | 16,476 psi | 87% | 804 fps | 87.7% |
| Winchester AutoComp ² | <<locked>> | 68% | 15,389 psi | 82% | 758 fps | 97.9% |
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% | 14,359 psi | 76% | 715 fps | 89.3% |
| Accurate Solo 1250² | <<locked>> | 60% | 12,647 psi | 67% | 692 fps | 96.7% |
| Alliant BE-86² | <<locked>> | 60% | 12,763 psi | 68% | 702 fps | 98.8% |
| Alliant Herco*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 9,311 psi | 49% | 623 fps | 85.1% |
| Alliant RED DOT² | <<locked>> | 60% | 15,055 psi | 80% | 702 fps | 100% |
| Alliant UNIQUE*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 12,502 psi | 66% | 712 fps | 90.5% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 100² | <<locked>> | 60% | 14,692 psi | 78% | 705 fps | 99.9% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol² | <<locked>> | 60% | 8,543 psi | 45% | 604 fps | 98% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 103 Pistol² | <<locked>> | 60% | 14,533 psi | 77% | 738 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon CFE Pistol² | <<locked>> | 60% | 13,822 psi | 73% | 722 fps | 97.3% |
| Hodgdon Clays² | <<locked>> | 60% | 14,939 psi | 79% | 653 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss*² | 2.2 gr | 60% | 4,946 psi | 26% | 443 fps | 93.6% |
| Hodgdon Universal² | <<locked>> | 60% | 15,214 psi | 81% | 751 fps | 99% |
| Lovex S020*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 13,895 psi | 74% | 735 fps | 94.8% |
| Maxam CSB 1² | <<locked>> | 60% | 11,705 psi | 62% | 666 fps | 95.8% |
| Maxam CSB 2² | <<locked>> | 60% | 11,081 psi | 59% | 692 fps | 99.4% |
| Maxam CSB 3² | <<locked>> | 60% | 13,750 psi | 73% | 702 fps | 99.7% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 4,583 psi | 24% | 430 fps | 87% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 20*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 10,617 psi | 56% | 676 fps | 89.9% |
| SNPE Vectan A0*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 12,444 psi | 66% | 676 fps | 89.7% |
| SNPE Vectan BA 9² | <<locked>> | 60% | 14,910 psi | 79% | 725 fps | 96.7% |
| SNPE Vectan BA9 1/2² | <<locked>> | 60% | 14,301 psi | 76% | 725 fps | 97.7% |
| Somchem MP200*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 14,605 psi | 77% | 748 fps | 91.4% |
| Somchem MS200*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 13,358 psi | 71% | 709 fps | 92.6% |
| Vihtavuori 3N37*² | <<locked>> | 72% | 15,214 psi | 81% | 784 fps | 86% |
| Vihtavuori N320² | <<locked>> | 60% | 15,229 psi | 81% | 738 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star² | 3 gr | 60% | 7,644 psi | 41% | 551 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N330² | <<locked>> | 60% | 13,518 psi | 72% | 741 fps | 98.9% |
| Vihtavuori N340*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 12,604 psi | 67% | 702 fps | 91% |
| Vihtavuori N350*² | <<locked>> | 76% | 14,837 psi | 79% | 771 fps | 85.7% |
| Winchester AutoComp ² | <<locked>> | 60% | 12,299 psi | 65% | 692 fps | 95.3% |
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 | 255gr | Rim Rock SWC Top Shelf. Alliant Herco delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 801 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 600 fps to 801 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 47–89 %, leaving at least 11 % 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 | 255gr | Rim Rock SWC Top Shelf they combine a high case fill with complete burn and sit in the upper velocity band. 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.