Cheapest 45acp plinking load wanted

[Greybeard]

I use Missouri Bullet Co.'s Bullseye #1 200 gr SWC @ about 8 ¢ each (with a 6% club discount) over 3.2 grains of Win 231. CCI primers I get for about 2.5 ¢ each. I load about 1,000 rounds an hour on a 1050. I like being able to control the components and it's damned near impossible to find mid range target loads commercially produced. I figure about $12.00 per hundred and that's cheaper than just about any factory ammunition you can buy anywhere. The brass lasts forever if cared for. I have more than twenty firings on some lots.

^^^^^^
Yep, good setup.
As above I prefer CCI and Winchester over federal (personal preference). 231 is my go to powder or hp-38. I do use titewade on 9mm, but not 45s. Unique is a good powder for 45s. Bullets as above good choice.
Would look for a better press, I use a single to work up a load, then switch to my Dillon 650.

 

[jeep78]

Lead is not that big a deal, some choreboy on an old brass brush and it comes right out. Lubed lead does smoke a little, the hiteck eliminates the lead and smoke. Plus no handling lead with your bare hands, if that is important to you.

 

[palmettomoon]

Thanks everyone! Keep it coming, I'm trying to look stuff up as each person brings a new point of view. Some questions so far:

1) The Missouri Bullet Company is a good bit cheaper than Midway, so that's good news. I'm looking directly at the "Softball!" and "Softball!-Hitek". Is the coating worth the extra? I shoot oustide so ventilation isn't a problem. Is lead really as aggravating as some suggest? This was my main reason with wanting FMJs originally.

2. I'm looking on Hodgdon Reloading Online and they don't list Unique, Bullseye, or Reddit unless they go by another name there.
...

1.) - No. Unless you're screaming them out of the barrel @ 1,000 + fps. Stay at 800 - 850 or less and you'll likely have little to no leading. I get very little and clean the barrel about every 300 - 400 rounds.

2.) You wouldn't as Unique and Bullseye are Alliant powders. http://www.alliantpowder.com/

 

[Bennyboy]

So looking a little harder at the Titewad vs Unique and 231, seems roughly half the powder cost. I'm not saying the Unique or 231 may not be better overall but for sheer cost, the Titewad seems king. I'm only buying 1 pound of 1 powder up front to make 1 load. As long as it's useable, I'm happy. If I enjoy it, a better press setup and more powders/loads/etc are in my future.

As for the load itself, not looking for speed, 700-850fps would be fine with me. Just plinking.

With Titewad coming in at 1 cent per round, 3 cent primers, 10 cent bullets, and "free" cases, I'm down to 14cents pre round, or approximately 54% off of Monarch steel case stuff. That should pay for my entire setup in 1000 rounds or less. I'll shoot that in a couple of months.

 

[palmettomoon]

I was told about Titewad a couple of years ago and tried it to good effect. It's fine powder for lead 45 loads and very inexpensive.

I use Titewad, 231, Bullseye, AA#5, etc.

 

[whiskerz]

200 grain LSWC and 4.1 of Bullseye

 

[Greybeard]

Titewad is not a bad powder for 45. Just watch your powder charge, it's easy to double charge cases.

 

[Bennyboy]

Thanks everyone, you've been a huge help. Now my next problem I found; those Hazmat fees! Anyone got good places to buy powder and primers around Athens?

 

[Greybeard]

If you make it down to pike county I'll sell you a pound of titewad for 20 bucks to get you started.

 

[Glockadopoulos]

I'm going to be the devils advocate and say that a single stage press can be serviceable if you manage your components in batches. I use a little Lee hand press to size and expand brass, then a hand primer prime. I've got around 2500 pieces of 9mm just waiting for a powder charge and bullet. Lots more brass in various stages of the process. I can load a little here and a little there during downtime, be it driving rain or blazing heat. Find it to be a very zen activity. I've only done 3k rounds or so this way, maybe I'll change my tune after 10 or 15k rounds. Certainly nothing wrong with testing the waters with a single stage. As mentioned, projectile is most expensive part. You can certainly cut that cost a lot with a little initial investment in casting equipment...