40 0r 45

Canadian_Zuk said:
I like the 45 because I cast and reload for it. Brass will never wear out from use, and powder is cheap. Using titegroup, Winchester primers and cast wheel weights I load 1000 rounds for $65.
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Slightly odd Topic, but are the reloads of brass for 45 about the same as other calibers say 38 Special..
 
mildcustom2 said:
Shoot whatever calibre you think you can afford to feed.
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Damn, isn't that the truth. I guess I am going to be shooting all rimfire from now on...

OP, I like the mellower thump you get from the .45 and the big holes it leaves in the targets, but that is just me.


silverfoxdj said:
Slightly odd Topic, but are the reloads of brass for 45 about the same as other calibers say 38 Special..
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Are you asking how many times you can load .45ACP brass? If that is the case I would say almost unlimited. I have .45 brass that has the headstamp peened off and is still going strong. I think I have only thrown out a couple of pieces with case splits, usually any attrition is due to cases getting lost on the ground.


Mark
 
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silverfoxdj said:
Slightly odd Topic, but are the reloads of brass for 45 about the same as other calibers say 38 Special..
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powder and primers cost about the same per load give or take a few tenths of a cent, you can always find a cost effective powder to use. The real savings is in the projectiles used, I do not cast for 9mm so my costs to load 9mm would be substantially higher than it is for 45. 9mm, 10, 40 S&W, 357, 44 mag, etc are all high pressure rounds as well, so brass might not last forever like in the low pressure 45ACP. Leading is also "slightly" more of a concern with higher pressure rounds, no issue at all with the ACP.
 
Canadian_Zuk said:
powder and primers cost about the same per load give or take a few tenths of a cent, you can always find a cost effective powder to use. The real savings is in the projectiles used, I do not cast for 9mm so my costs to load 9mm would be substantially higher than it is for 45. 9mm, 10, 40 S&W, 357, 44 mag, etc are all high pressure rounds as well, so brass might not last forever like in the low pressure 45ACP. Leading is also "slightly" more of a concern with higher pressure rounds, no issue at all with the ACP.
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Got it.. many thanks to all..
 
Canadian_Zuk said:
powder and primers cost about the same per load give or take a few tenths of a cent, you can always find a cost effective powder to use. The real savings is in the projectiles used, I do not cast for 9mm so my costs to load 9mm would be substantially higher than it is for 45. 9mm, 10, 40 S&W, 357, 44 mag, etc are all high pressure rounds as well, so brass might not last forever like in the low pressure 45ACP. Leading is also "slightly" more of a concern with higher pressure rounds, no issue at all with the ACP.
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Start casting 9mm, use 147gr bullets and load them under 900-1000fps you shouldn't have any more issues with leading than with .40. Anyway you look at is you can make more 9mm bullets out of a pound of lead than 45 or any other caliber you mentioned!
 
Canadian_Zuk said:
It costs me the same to load 45 ACP as it does to buy manufactured 22 rimfire. I like the bigger holes. :)
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I'm not sure how this is possible unless you are using stockpiled supplies from 20 years ago. I can buy Winchester 555 ammo for around $22 per box at Walmart, for a cost of just under $0.04/round. Last I checked, primers cost almost that much on their own and then you need to buy powder and find a bullet supply. Unless you have free lead, even casting your own will cost something. I'm not saying reloading and casting aren't a great idea and you can certainly cut ammo costs down, but there is no realistic way to load .45 for even twice the cost of typical bulk rimfire.

I like the bigger holes, too and wasn't really serious about shooting rimfire only, but the costs certainly are good with the .22's.


Mark
 
mmattockx said:
I'm not sure how this is possible unless you are using stockpiled supplies from 20 years ago. I can buy Winchester 555 ammo for around $22 per box at Walmart, for a cost of just under $0.04/round. Last I checked, primers cost almost that much on their own and then you need to buy powder and find a bullet supply. Unless you have free lead, even casting your own will cost something. I'm not saying reloading and casting aren't a great idea and you can certainly cut ammo costs down, but there is no realistic way to load .45 for even twice the cost of typical bulk rimfire.

I like the bigger holes, too and wasn't really serious about shooting rimfire only, but the costs certainly are good with the .22's.


Mark
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Well the last time I picked up a brick of CCI's they were $29 +tax for 500 which comes to $65 with tax for 1000, I guess I'm getting hosed. I know I can buy garbage Winchester rimfire ammo, but I won't.

Primers I pay no more than 4 cents each as you say but I often get them for much less. I just bought 2000 Winchester large for $40 cash at my range (2 cents each), lots of deals out there but we will focus on retail prices here.

Brass I've collected from factory ammo, range scrounging, non reloading friend donations, etc....never once paid money for 45 brass.

For powder I use titegroup, I paid $25/pound when I bought 8 lbs. = $28.25/lb(7000 grains) after tax = $0.00403/grain

I do cast my own projectiles from WWs donated from several mechanic friends, and lead flashing from roofing. I have never had to pay for lead yet and won't have to for many years to come. I also happen to be a printer and I'm sitting on a sh!t ton of Lynotype as well, all free from work. :)

Now the math.

Brass = $0
Powder charge is 4.7 grains = $0.016/round
Primers $40+tax = $45.20/1000 or $0.0452 each
Projectiles are free except for my time and a little propane.

So that works out to $0.0612/round or $61.2/1000 using inflated prices and not including the cost of propane or hydro for my Lee pot. $12 in propane will smelt hundreds of pounds of lead ingots for casting, the cost per round is so low it cannot be factored in.

So yes it is possible and as I said earlier, it costs me $65 to load 1000 rounds of 45ACP about the same price I pay for manufactured 22 rimfire.
 
Canadian_Zuk said:
So yes it is possible and as I said earlier, it costs me $65 to load 1000 rounds of 45ACP about the same price I pay for manufactured 22 rimfire.
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Fair enough. I wasn't trying to be argumentative, just wanted to know how your numbers were working out. Using fairly high priced bulk .22LR as the baseline and getting free lead makes it possible. The free lead is the biggest thing, anybody paying for lead will be into each bullet for $0.08-$0.12, which more than doubles your cost. I think a lot of people would consider .45ACP at $0.16/round to be a screaming bargain and it is quite possible to do that even with purchased lead.


Mark
 
mmattockx said:
Fair enough. I wasn't trying to be argumentative, just wanted to know how your numbers were working out. Using fairly high priced bulk .22LR as the baseline and getting free lead makes it possible. The free lead is the biggest thing, anybody paying for lead will be into each bullet for $0.08-$0.12, which more than doubles your cost. I think a lot of people would consider .45ACP at $0.16/round to be a screaming bargain and it is quite possible to do that even with purchased lead.


Mark
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Didn't see it as an argument, just a request for esplainin.

Absolutely it is possible with purchased lead, you can even do it for that price buying comercial bullets. 200 GR SWC DRG bullets are $45/500 + tax locally ($101/1000). That puts the price right at $0.16/round without the fuss of smelting/casting.
 
I have both .45ACP and .40 S&W. In a revolver I cannot feel much difference. Depending on the semi auto there can be a big difference. I have a 1911 in .40 and .45 and they are both great. I have a Glock in .40 and it kicks a lot. To me the difference is the .45ACP is a gentle push, the .40S&W is a kick and a twist. I think current trends are going away from the .40 and some are going toward the .45. The 9mm is more popular than both. I'm having an issue with bulged brass on the .40S&W. This is mainly a Glock issue I think. My Glock now has Lone Wolf bbls but I still have bulged brass at the very bottom. If your thinking of a 1911 I would go .45ACP in that.

If your thinking of reloading the .45 than be aware that there are a number of projectiles out there. It can be confusing, there is the .45 Colt, the .454 round the .45ACP round. The size ranges from .451 to .454 I think with a few inbetween. Don't try to load the wrong round in the wrong gun, the box of lead may not actually say what it is and this is an issue, it may say 45 230 grain for example but is it .45 Colt or .45ACP? I have two boxes of .45 lead here that I have been loading into a .45ACP that is actually meant to be loaded into a .45Colt so it can happen easily and the results are not that good.

I just did a bit of research. My lead is .452 so that should be correct for the .45ACP but it has a ridge for crimps like the .45Colt. The lead for .45Colt is .454 or .452 if jacketed I guess. Anyway the issue is out there so make sure you get the right components.
 
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black sunshine said:
If you want a 1911, get 45 acp...any other platform get 40 ....
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^^^^^^This^^^^^^, 40 is a fun round. But a 1911 is a wicked gun. I would for example not buy a glock 21 in 45 because it is just to expensive to shoot in something not special like a 1911, 40 is cheaper with a fun recoil that is very similar to a 45 unlike 9mm
 
so if you shoot 45 in something different than 1911 your d!ck will fall off...?


nevanevan said:
^^^^^^This^^^^^^, 40 is a fun round. But a 1911 is a wicked gun. I would for example not buy a glock 21 in 45 because it is just to expensive to shoot in something not special like a 1911, 40 is cheaper with a fun recoil that is very similar to a 45 unlike 9mm
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I had 3 .45 1911's, don't have any anymore...not really my thing. But I have 0 interest in 1911 in 9mm or .40 (10mm is alright tho).

just remembered I still have a 1911 but it's a .22 GSG lol
 
Both great rounds. If I had a 9mm already though I probably wouldn't have bought my 40 and went straight to 45. The 9mm is cheap enough to shoot, I just find it not much more exciting than shooting a 22 lr. Plus the 9mm doesn't seem to be able to consistently knock down the steel plates at my range. The 180 gr 40 rounds thump them soundly. Anyway, my vote is for 45 so I can live vicariously through you until I get my own. :)
 
Sooooo, no one's gonna say it.
I have to be that guy.






Ahem......

50ae_zps443cb518.jpg


There. 'nuff said.

(E) :cool:
 
.50-AE is overrated. And very overpriced.

It's no more powerful than any .44-Magnum load.

Very poor bang for the buck.
 
Dexter Morgan said:
It's no more powerful than any .44-Magnum load.
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nope.

standard factory e.g., 44 with 240gr at 1230ft/sec v 50 with 300gr at 1500ft/sec. 50 has almost double the energy. for 44 to come close you need buffalo bore, garrett (neither avail in canada) or very hot hand loads
 
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