# Light bullet in a 1911



## budgetprepp-n (Apr 7, 2013)

I have always ran a heavy bullet in my full size 1911. I was told a light bullet might cause a feeding or ejection problem is this true?
I ran into some Winchester white box 124gn for cheap. Would it be good for practice?


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

budgetprepp-n said:


> I have always ran a heavy bullet in my full size 1911. I was told a light bullet might cause a feeding or ejection problem is this true?
> I ran into some Winchester white box 124gn for cheap. Would it be good for practice?


Why would you want to run a light bullet?

My 1911 mags have the same rounds I use for practice - Remington green box full metal jacket. Different ammo will strike at different places.


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## budgetprepp-n (Apr 7, 2013)

Denton said:


> Why would you want to run a light bullet?
> 
> My 1911 mags have the same rounds I use for practice - Remington green box full metal jacket. Different ammo will strike at different places.


The question was would a 124gn run ok in a full size 1911?
At .18 per round I was thinking of picking some up just fun shooting rats and stuff like that.


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## Camel923 (Aug 13, 2014)

The lighter bullet weights need higher velocities to have enough foot pounds at impact to be effective. The higher chamber pressures involved will beat your pistol up resulting in a shorter service life as the pistol was designed for lower pressure ammo. That is my understanding of the situation.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

Try them in your weapon. You will likely find they work. Shooting rats with 124 gr Acp 45 . That sounds like a gross scene in a zombie movie


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## Chiefster23 (Feb 5, 2016)

He’s not talking about using this as a self-defense round. He’s talking about finding a cheaper practice round. And I see no reason not to try this lighter bullet. I used to have (and reload) a 380. After selling this gun I had a lot of left over 95 grain bullets in stock. I loaded and shot them out of my 9mm to good effect. Yes, they will shoot slightly different than my normal practice rounds. And no, you are not going to notice this difference at normal practice ranges. Go for it. Cheaper bullets mean more shooting and that’s a good thing.


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## Chipper (Dec 22, 2012)

Just get a 9mm.


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## WhatTheHeck (Aug 1, 2018)

I have reloaded 185grn .45ACP, semi-wadcutters in my HK USP. 

Even at the lower end of the minimum side of powder charges, target loads if you will, it still functioned fine. 

Not sure about 124grns. 
Does the box give the approximate fps?

Trying shooting one round. Be mindful of the sound and feel. If it is not going fast enough, you may get a squib load.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

In my 1911 chambered in .45acp, (for target training) I run 200grain semi-wadcutters for slightly better accuracy at 10-25 yards. I don't recall ever shooting .45 acp under 185 grain.


With my 9mm 1911 I found heavier grain rounds help me achieve tighter groups. The barrel also seems to be much cleaner on those days that I run 400-500 rounds.


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## dsdmmat (Nov 9, 2012)

I used to shoot 155 grain LSWCs out of my 1911 while playing IPSC games. As long as they were loaded to the proper length they ran fine. I finally ran out of them last year and have switched over to 200 LSWCs, it is too difficult to find them and I really don't want to start casting bullets again (I have a Lee 6 cavity mold for the 155 grain bullet). 

Lighter billets are great, they have increased speed which leads to deeper penetration. They also tend to have less felt recoil.


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

dsdmmat said:


> I used to shoot 155 grain LSWCs out of my 1911 while playing IPSC games. As long as they were loaded to the proper length they ran fine. I finally ran out of them last year and have switched over to 200 LSWCs, it is too difficult to find them and I really don't want to start casting bullets again (I have a Lee 6 cavity mold for the 155 grain bullet).
> 
> Lighter bullets are great, they have increased speed which leads to deeper penetration. They also tend to have less felt recoil.


Pardon me for asking what is probably a stupid question, but why is a lighter bullet allowing less recoil?
I switched to heavier bullets for my 9mm weapons because they have less recoil. Why would the .45 ACP be different?


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

Dittos on different bullet weights and velocities having differnet point of impact. As a general rule a light fast moving round will hit lower than heavier slower models. According to the gun books thats cause the bullet gets out of the barrel qauicker and is less influenced by the recoil. Whew..thats all I know. Now why Jack Booted thugs want to carry full metal jacket bullets..I sure aint sure.lol. Hypothetical shots through car doors maybe?


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## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

The lightest 45 ACP rounds I have ever fired were professionally reloaded 185 grain lead semi wad cutters. This was from a Colt Commander.

I tend to stick with 230 grain hard ball, because short, fat, and slow will still get the job done.

@Smitty901, I used to shoot rats at the trash dump at the firebase in Nam with an M3A1 Submachine gun, caliber 45 ACP, aka "Greasegun".:tango_face_smile:


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## dsdmmat (Nov 9, 2012)

Denton said:


> Pardon me for asking what is probably a stupid question, but why is a lighter bullet allowing less recoil?
> I switched to heavier bullets for my 9mm weapons because they have less recoil. Why would the .45 ACP be different?


I only load lead bullets to around 1000 FPS ( give or take 50 FPS) to avoid leading the barrel. Are you shooting jacketed bullets or Factory loads? The factory lighter bullets are going much faster than the factory heavier bullets.

My lighter bullets are going Pretty close to the same speed as the heavy ones, hence the reduced felt recoil.

It may only be my perception but, I have never felt more recoil from lighter bullets.


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## dsdmmat (Nov 9, 2012)

Denton it also may be the difference in pressures or the size and weight of the guns for the two cartridges. 
the 9mm is a 35,000 to 38,500 psi round (+p).
the 45 ACP is 21,000 to 23,000 psi round (+p)


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

dsdmmat said:


> Denton it also may be the difference in pressures or the size and weight of the guns for the two cartridges.
> the 9mm is a 35,000 to 38,500 psi round (+p).
> the 45 ACP is 21,000 to 23,000 psi round (+p)


Thanks! I'm a semi-educated whiteboy from south Alabama and you are using numbers and stuff, (Not kidding) but I'll listen to you.


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## The Tourist (Jun 9, 2016)

I bought two of the initial stainless Mark IV Series 80 1911s with the firing pin block. I also owned the small Detonics to carry for work. All were .45 ACP.

I reloaded linotype bullets, 185 grain Hornady hollow points and used surplus 230 grain hardball in all three pistols.

I have to be honest guys, I could not tell the difference in recoil when doing a comparison of all the pistols and ammunition.


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## Chiefster23 (Feb 5, 2016)

I shoot some IDPA with a 9mm. For full disclosure, I am a poor competitor usually finishing near the bottom of pack. I usually practice with 115 grain bullets because they are cheaper. But some friends who are very good shooters recommended heavier bullets because the “perceived” recoil is less. (Those are their words). The best way I can describe it is the lighter bullets cause a “snap” recoil and the heavier bullets cause more of a “push”. Follow up shots are faster with the heavier bullets. I cannot give a satisfactory explanation for this using math and physics, but the recoils feel very different and my meager match scores are always better with the heavy bullets.

All that said, I still usually practice mostly with 115 grain bullets cause it’s cheaper. And I usually shoot matches with the heavier bullets.


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## dsdmmat (Nov 9, 2012)

Chiefster23 said:


> I shoot some IDPA with a 9mm. For full disclosure, I am a poor competitor usually finishing near the bottom of pack. I usually practice with 115 grain bullets because they are cheaper. But some friends who are very good shooters recommended heavier bullets because the "perceived" recoil is less. (Those are their words). The best way I can describe it is the lighter bullets cause a "snap" recoil and the heavier bullets cause more of a "push". Follow up shots are faster with the heavier bullets. I cannot give a satisfactory explanation for this using math and physics, but the recoils feel very different and my meager match scores are always better with the heavy bullets.
> 
> All that said, I still usually practice mostly with 115 grain bullets cause it's cheaper. And I usually shoot matches with the heavier bullets.


The only round I have found snappy no matter what grain bullet you run is the 40S&W. No matter the bullet weight those rounds have a pronounced recoil compared to the 45 and the 9mm. Especially if you are shooting a small polymer framed gun. I have the 40 and 45 in full sized 1911s and the 40 is definately a snappy round.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

rice paddy daddy said:


> The lightest 45 ACP rounds I have ever fired were professionally reloaded 185 grain lead semi wad cutters. This was from a Colt Commander.
> 
> I tend to stick with 230 grain hard ball, because short, fat, and slow will still get the job done.
> 
> @Smitty901, I used to shoot rats at the trash dump at the firebase in Nam with an M3A1 Submachine gun, caliber 45 ACP, aka "Greasegun".:tango_face_smile:


 Grease gun is fun long as someone else is pay for the ammo.


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## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

Smitty901 said:


> Grease gun is fun long as someone else is pay for the ammo.


You'd be surprised what you could get in trade from the supply sergeant for ice on a firebase with no refrigeration. The mess hall would get 100 lb blocks of ice from the local Vietnamese ice man, to keep the "fresh" food cool.
Heck, I could have bought my own M48 tank with enough #10 cans of coffee grounds (and I'm only half joking here)

We lived a very primitive existence.


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