[Josh Smith]

Hello,

As I mentioned in another thread, I got my first .45acp.

Being a full sized weapon, I wanted to carry 230gr HP ammo in it. (For me the list goes 5", 230gr, 4", 200gr or 185gr, under 4", 165gr.) The only stuff I could find locally was Hornady .45acp +P TAP.

While I don't believe the +P to be necessary, I didn't have a bunch of choices.

What can you tell me about this ammo? Performance, real world usage by citizens, police and military? How is terminal performance?

Thanks,

Josh <><

 

[lelandray]

Josh, go to Sportsman's Guide and look for some 230-grain Federal Hydra-Shok. If nothing else, there's more real world data for that load than just about any other HP round in .45. The FBI uses it in their HRT weapons.

The TAP should work well, as should any any from the better known ammo companies. I haven't used it myself, but I've been planning to one day, like when ammo prices go down. Yeah, right, like that's going to happen.

One thing about the Hydra-Shoks, though; Sportsman's Guide has them in 50-round boxes, which equates to a huge savings over buying in the smaller boxes.

Here's one of the 165s from a wetpack test. I prefer the heavier bullets as well, but this is good expansion, and penetration wasn't bad either. A .70 caliber hole has got to HURT.

 

[oberstlt]

Josh, the good news as revealed to me by Clint Smith is that a 45 ACP seldom gets any smaller than .451"/11.25mm. Everything else is just trying to get that big. If the 230 grain FED HS or REM GS or SPR GD gets any bigger, it is money in the bank. The trick is getting one that will feed with 100% reliability.

 

[lelandray]

NEVER think that being "stuck" with hardball means you're undergunned. Ask Alvin York.

 

[nelson]

NEVER think that being "stuck" with hardball means you're undergunned. Ask Alvin York.

Nobody has ever accused 45 ball underpenetrating; if anything it has a tendency to overpenetrate. Unfortunately, once a bullet leaves the barrel it cant be called back. I would hate to be the person who ends up shooting his partner, his dog or a family member bc the bullet wasnt contained within the perpetrator's body.

 

[Guest]

[quote:k9w73as7]NEVER think that being "stuck" with hardball means you're undergunned. Ask Alvin York.

Nobody has ever accused 45 ball underpenetrating; if anything it has a tendency to overpenetrate. Unfortunately, once a bullet leaves the barrel it cant be called back. I would hate to be the person who ends up shooting his partner, his dog or a family member bc the bullet wasnt contained within the perpetrator's body.[/quote:k9w73as7]

Good grief, it's only a .45acp!

The absolute best .45 ammo this century is WW Ranger T

In the last century it was the Detonics dup load of a 200gn flying ash tray at 1200fps.

(Comment edited to remove an inappropriate reference. Please look for a pm from me.)