Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .45 Auto Rim with .452 | 228gr | LEE Mold 452-228-1R bullet and 14 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, Hodgdon TrailBoss and ReloadSwiss RS 14.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alliant Herco² | <<locked>> | 76% | 14,808 psi | 85% | 902 fps | 95% |
| Alliant UNIQUE² | <<locked>> | 64% | 15,084 psi | 87% | 909 fps | 95.2% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol² | <<locked>> | 76% | 15,011 psi | 86% | 873 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 10,544 psi | 61% | 738 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 1² | <<locked>> | 64% | 14,750 psi | 85% | 863 fps | 99.2% |
| Maxam CSB 2² | <<locked>> | 64% | 14,692 psi | 84% | 896 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 9,050 psi | 52% | 722 fps | 98.8% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 20² | <<locked>> | 68% | 15,389 psi | 88% | 932 fps | 97.6% |
| SNPE Vectan A0*² | <<locked>> | 64% | 15,142 psi | 87% | 873 fps | 94.8% |
| Vihtavuori 3N37*² | <<locked>> | 68% | 15,316 psi | 88% | 928 fps | 88.3% |
| Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star | <<locked>> | 84% | 14,852 psi | 85% | 820 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N340² | <<locked>> | 64% | 15,606 psi | 90% | 906 fps | 95.9% |
| Vihtavuori N350*² | <<locked>> | 72% | 15,113 psi | 87% | 919 fps | 88.4% |
| Winchester AutoComp ² | <<locked>> | 64% | 14,852 psi | 85% | 883 fps | 98.6% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
Start Load - Barrel Length: 5"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alliant Herco*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 9,631 psi | 55% | 758 fps | 87.8% |
| Alliant UNIQUE*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 13,314 psi | 77% | 866 fps | 93.3% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol² | <<locked>> | 60% | 9,210 psi | 53% | 735 fps | 99.3% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss*² | 3.2 gr | 60% | 4,380 psi | 25% | 518 fps | 93.3% |
| Maxam CSB 1² | <<locked>> | 60% | 12,908 psi | 74% | 820 fps | 98.1% |
| Maxam CSB 2² | <<locked>> | 60% | 12,749 psi | 73% | 853 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14*² | 3.3 gr | 60% | 3,960 psi | 23% | 505 fps | 86% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 20*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 12,038 psi | 69% | 846 fps | 94.2% |
| SNPE Vectan A0*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 13,416 psi | 77% | 830 fps | 93% |
| Vihtavuori 3N37*² | <<locked>> | 64% | 13,343 psi | 77% | 879 fps | 85.7% |
| Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star² | 4.3 gr | 60% | 7,542 psi | 43% | 653 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N340*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 13,764 psi | 79% | 860 fps | 94.2% |
| Vihtavuori N350*² | <<locked>> | 68% | 13,155 psi | 76% | 869 fps | 85.8% |
| Winchester AutoComp ² | <<locked>> | 60% | 13,242 psi | 76% | 843 fps | 97.5% |
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 14 powders for .45 Auto Rim loaded with the .452 | 228gr | LEE Mold 452-228-1R. ReloadSwiss RS 20 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 932 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 722 fps to 932 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 3 of the 14 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (120 MPa), the top charges use 52–90 %, 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, ReloadSwiss RS 14 rank at the top here: for .45 Auto Rim with the .452 | 228gr | LEE Mold 452-228-1R they combine a high case fill with complete burn and sit in the upper velocity band. As outliers, SNPE Vectan A0, Vihtavuori 3N37, Vihtavuori N350 burn incompletely and react more sensitively to barrel length and temperature. Alliant Herco, Alliant UNIQUE, Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol 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.