Need suggestions or .45 Colt loads

[guzzijohn]

Just bought a .45 SA. I picked up a box of 200 gr. and 250gr., according to the boxes both run around 760fps. with a 4" barrel and I have a 5.5 barrel. At 50 ft the 200 grain are an almost perfect POA. the 250s hit about 4" high with the front sight down in the rear notch, but good for windage. I will be reloading and locally the only lead bullets available are 230gr. round nose. To hit POA will I need to go a bit faster? Will be planning to use Unique for now since that is what I have on hand.
GuzziJohn

[SHOOTALL]

Are those 230 gr RN for the 45 ACP ?

[guzzijohn]

I am fairly sure they are marketed for CAS, .452 diameter.
GuzziJohn

[timothy]

Those 230's will work fine and will hit somewhere in between. I'd say 8gr unique should send them out around 825fps. Good luck

[SHOOTALL]

If the 200 gr bullets shoot to POA why faster ? won't that make them shoot lower ?

[45-70.gov]

If the 200 gr bullets shoot to POA why faster ? won't that make them shoot lower ?

a faster bullet  leaves the barrel  sooner


before  muzzle flip can have as much  influence


place your sights  in  target.....now  look down the side of the barrel
where is it pointed??


you are  correct  if talking rifles and 100 yards

[shot1]

With the 230 grs 8 to 9 grs Unique should get your point of impact very close to your sights. The classic load for the 45 Colt is 8 grs Unique with a 250/55 gr lead bullet.

[SHOOTALL]

If the 200 gr bullets shoot to POA why faster ? won't that make them shoot lower ?

a faster bullet  leaves the barrel  sooner


before  muzzle flip can have as much  influence


place your sights  in  target.....now  look down the side of the barrel
where is it pointed??


you are  correct  if talking rifles and 100 yards

I see the same with handguns ,

[purpledragon]

I have been shooting since I was 5yo,and when I had impact high of point of aim,I just take a little more  bead.A fuller bead in the rear sight moves the bullet up on the target.Correct me if I'm wrong..........................

[SHOOTALL]

that may work if you can duplicate the fuller bead in all light conditions . Some find an iron sight works best if some reference can be used to make sure sight is same shot to shot like lining the top of the front and rear sight up for each shot. I have heard S&W set some of the fixed sight guns up to shoot low on self defense guns knowing most would hold the front sight a bit high in a high stress situation.

[purpledragon]

that is true what you say as to light conditions,and makes sense about the light conditions.If you must hold a full bead,use the clock method 12 or 6 o'clock.............

[SHOOTALL]

When I shot IMHSA I had sight settings for sunny days and cloudy days . It all depends on the shot and need for accuracy. The closer the less important it is. If hunting or long range better be able to get a good sight picture. IDPA get the front sight on target and squeeze the trigger. I am working on getting one or two bars put in the face of my front sight to have a refrence for longer ranges .

[guzzijohn]

Thanks to everyone for the info and suggestions. Just so you know I was shooting in late afternoon full sunlight. Using the 3" see um targets for the 200 gr. loads I had the top of the front site even with the top of the rear site with the top of the sites at 6 o'clock. On the 250 gr. front site was down in the rear groove as low as i could place it and still see it with a 6 o'clock hold and still had a bout a four inch high impact.
GuziJohn

[45-70.gov]

I have been shooting since I was 5yo,and when I had impact high of point of aim,I just take a little more  bead.A fuller bead in the rear sight moves the bullet up on the target.Correct me if I'm wrong..........................

thats  ok  if you only shoot one  gun


i  want the tops of my sights to line up  with  point of impact  on everything  i own  at  50 yards


never  understood the  6 Oclock  hold  thing
some one  might change the size of the clock....how do you compensate?

[guzzijohn]

Quote from 45-70 Gov:
i  want the tops of my sights to line up  with  point of impact  on everything  i own  at  50 yards




never  understood the  6 Oclock  hold  thing
some one  might change the size of the clock....how do you compensate?

For me the 6 o'clock hold means that I want the top of an iron sight to be right at the bottom of my expected impact point. This way my target is never covered by the sight. As for sighting in at 50 yards, I would say fine for iron sight rifles or scoped handguns, but at least for me and I am guessing 98% of others, sighting in an iron sighted handgun at 50 yards is too far. Most, including myself could not consistently hit a pie plate size target with iron sites at that range, at least not free hand. 25 yards would be max for me.
GuzziJohn

[james]

I load 8 gr of Unique behind a 255 gr Keith flatnose that shoots to point of aim in my 5.5" Vaquero.  I fill the rear notch with the front sight and it stays on a 10" gong at 35-50 yards.  I usually shoot low  when shooting rattlers at six feet but that may be because I am watching the snake instead of my sights.