.45 ACP Ammo questions

[Kendahl]

I have just about run out of .45 ACP reloads I made long ago. To be sure I would have enough for a match this weekend, I bought a couple of boxes of 230 gr FMJ yesterday.

One of them was a brown box of Winchester "service grade" cartridges from Cabelas. They also had Winchester "white box" for a few dollars more. When I asked about any differences, one of their people told me that they were essentially the same. If that's true, why not buy "brown box" instead of "white box"?

The other was a box of Ultramax commercial reloads I bought from The Bullet Hole since I wanted to use their range to check zero. The Ultramax web site claims muzzle velocity is 760 ft/sec for a power factor of 175.

My old reloads are 200 gr lead semiwadcutters over 6.2 gr of Unique. I came up with that load by interpolating between two loads in my old Hornady book. Muzzle velocity should be 910 ft/sec for a power factor of 182. I've never had an opportunity to check that with a chronograph. Compared to the Ultramax cartridges, my reloads feel softer and quieter which makes me question my estimate of their velocity. Part of the difference may be that I have been shooting mine outdoors whereas I shot the Ultramaxs at The Bullet Hole's indoor range. I dislike indoor ranges because muzzle blast gets reflected back at me.

[barmandr]

So, what're your questions?

[DR4NRA]

Compared to the Ultramax cartridges, my reloads feel softer and quieter which makes me question my estimate of their velocity.

A lot of that depends on the powder being used. Red Dot which is faster than Unique gives a louder report and more felt recoil when fired in the same pistol. I use 6.7 grs Unique under a 200 gr. SWC hard cast and find its a very pleasant load to shoot. Whereas my Red Dot load to push that 200 to the same velocity is not.

[Kendahl]

A lot of that depends on the powder being used. Red Dot which is faster than Unique gives a louder report and more felt recoil when fired in the same pistol.

Thanks. That makes sense. I need to get back to reloading. My handguns are a 5" .45, a 4" .38 Spl and a 6" .357. Unique should work well in all of them.

[Kendahl]

So, what're your questions?

DR4NRA gave a good explanation of why my reloads are nicer to shoot than the Ultramax reloads. My remaining question is whether there is a difference in performance between Winchester "white box" and their "service" cartridges in brown boxes.

[DR4NRA]

Brown Box = Military surplus. Maybe crimped primer
White Box = Commercial production no crimped primer
Difference in performance very little if any.

[Kendahl]

Brown Box = Military surplus. Maybe crimped primer
White Box = Commercial production no crimped primer
Difference in performance very little if any.

I can't see any external difference in the primer area between the brown box cartridges and others.

[David Hineline]

On Midway USA website the Military spec ammo is more expensive, it is also loaded to higher velocity, I know the White box stuff uses bullets with thin jackets that cause problems in ported barrel guns.