As per numerous customer requests, Buffalo Bore is now making a couple very good “low recoil” 45 acp loads. This particular load is traveling roughly the same speed as the original 230gr ball load used by our military for decades, but this bullet is 185grs. which is 45 grs. lighter and hence the free recoil generated is substantially less. The dynamics of pushing lead based jacketed bullets at speeds this low does not promote reliable expansion and even if it did, expanding a bullet moving this slow, that is this light-for-caliber, greatly reduces penetration, perhaps to the point that the bullet becomes non-lethal on large humans, wearing heavy clothing and shot at bad angles. So we are utilizing a non-expanding solid bullet with a flat nose to promote maximum terminal damage. Additionally, one of the beauties of the 45 acp cartridge is that the bullet is 45 caliber and does not require expansion to be very lethal on humans. Also, while round nose bullets tend to slip through tissues doing little damage; flat nosed bullets crush their way through tissues and due considerably more damage.
Expect this bullet to penetrate roughly 20 inches in living mammalian tissues. This is sufficient penetration for stopping very large men wearing heavy winter clothing, even if they are shot from bad angles.
SLIDE/RECOIL SPRING WIEGHT: All of my 1911 style test pistols utilize recoil springs that are roughly 4 lbs. heavier than factory, because my 1911 style 45 pistols are all set up to run +P ammunition. These “low recoil” loads still reliably cycle my pistols, in my hands, even though their recoil springs are heavy, but keep in mind that I have large/heavy hands and forearms. A person with a light grip or lighter hands and arms may experience unreliable cycling, if they use recoil springs that are heavier than factory. It is recommended that you stick with factory rated recoil springs to insure reliable cycling with these “low recoil” loads. Speaking only of 1911 style pistols, factory ratings would be ROUGHLY 16 lbs. for 5 inch, 18 lbs. for 4.25 inch and 20 lbs. for 3.5 inch barrels. No matter the pistol model and make, stick with factory rated recoil springs.
We are utilizing flash suppressed powder in this load to insure little to no loss of your vision should you be required to drop the hammer in low light when the criminal element is most active.
This ammunition is running pressures far below the SAAMI max of 21,000 PSI for 45 acp and is therefore safe in all 45 acp chambered handguns.
Buffalo Bore always uses factory real world firearms to establish our published velocities. The use of extra-long laboratory barrels that generate unrealistically high velocities is dishonest to the customer and those extra high velocities can never be achieved in the real world, where it matters. See our test velocities below.
