[lelandray]

I was visiting a big gun store over by the Mississippi Law Enforcement Academy (Van's) and bought a box of 230-grain Sabers. I'm wondering if anyone's used them or carries them regularly. I have no experience with the load, so let me know what ya'll think, what you've heard, what you've seen, etc.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Stephen A. Camp]

Hello. Yes, the link below is from last hunting season, but I did shoot a deer with a handloaded Golden Saber (230-gr./45-caliber) using a Caspian 6" 1911. The velocity from the 6" barrel is a bit over 900 ft/sec where the GS out of my 5" guns is around 850 to 870 ft/sec.

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/45%20ACP%20Golden%20Saber%20Field%20Report.htm

I have had emails from only two people who used this load against human beings and both had no complaints with the ammo's performance. For myself, I carry either Winchester 230-gr. Ranger or 230-gr. Golden Sabers in my 45 autos.

FWIW, a very close friend of mine recently moved to another state and emailed me today concerning ammunition for his .45 auto. I recommended the 230-gr. Golden Sabers, but with the caveat that they proved reliable in his pistol.

Best.

 

[lelandray]

Thanks, Stephen. The weather here is starting to cool off, and with the end of Daylight Savings the days will turn dark earlier, which means it's time for me to switch from my little pocket revolver to a "real" handgun.

I have been thinking of trying the GS for quite some time now but never got around to it. I don't think feeding will be an issue, since the gun I'll be carrying, a very late production Colt stainless Commander, has proved reliable with just about everything I've ever fed it. It also has much more robust sights than the average 1911, which adds to its utility.

Of course, I'll probably carry my tricked out BHP a good bit as well, depending on situations (weather, destination), but I do like the 1911 platform, and I have several choices available to me.

PS: As usual I've forgotten an important point.

I like carrying my Commander. In fact, it carries more comfortably than any other .45 in my arsenal. But what effect will the shorter barrel have on the Golden Saber ammo? For that matter, what effect does it have on the Winchester SXT ammo I'm carrying now? In my informal wetpack tests a while back, I think I was using the Commander, but I don't remember for certain.

 

[Stephen A. Camp]

Hello, sir. Based on 10 shots 10' from the chronograph I got an average velocity of 829 ft/sec from a Colt Commander with the factory 4.25" bbl and virtually the same figure from a SIG-Sauer P220: 822 ft/sec.

Best.

 

[lelandray]

That's not an extreme loss of velocity, so I'll keep loading up with the Sabres.

I picked up some 230-grain Hydra Shoks as well, but I'll withhold questions on those for now. I have two boxes of wetpack ready to shoot as soon as I get bored enough (and the weather gets just a little bit cooler).

Thanks again.