.45 Ammo: HP vs. Ball

[robinsre]

Originally Posted by Neener Neener

Can you elaborate on the "improperly lubed" comment? Do you mean too much, too little, or something else? I am relatively new to the 1911 game, so I am curious to learn a little about proper lubrication of these fine pistols. I generally try to make sure I have a good coat of oil on just about everything I can see, minus the exterior. On the slides and contact points on the barrel I will use some type of grease. I will oil the exterior, unless it is stainless, then wipe it off. Sometimes I will use a silicon cloth instead.

I have heard it said that :

When looking at most handguns you will find they are over lubed.

When looking at most 1911s you will find they are under lubed.

I can't speak for everyone, but of the two 1911s I've owned, both required an inordinately large amount of lubrication (more than any other handgun I've owned since) to function properly.

- Ryan

[bigun]

1911's run best wet. basicly when I take one down for cleaning I look for any place thats shiny and use extra oil on it. then 3 drops per rail and 2-3 on the barrel hood, a couple drops on the barrel link and a drop on the disconnector. good quality stable lubricants will cut down on any mess. some like grease for this reason, I use CLP only.

[mkb909]

BlackOnyx,

sorry for the confusion, didnt mean it to sound sarcastic at all.

[BlackOnyx]

Ok I wasnt sure its hard to tell sometimes.

[Neener Neener]

Originally Posted by BlackOnyx

Ok I wasnt sure its hard to tell sometimes.

You mean you couldn't hear the inflection in his post?

[charlie.45]

For carry JHP always. For target FMJ unless I'm trying out a new brand of JHP ammo.Usually it seems to me anyway that failure to chamber a hp is an issue with the lip of the hollow point catching on the feed ramp. If it wont cycle hp's try a hp with a polymer ball in the tip like PowerBall feeds just like fmj's expands like the hp. or posswibly getting the feed ramp polished will work sometimes like it did for my colt

[chromechicken]

Even IF a HP isn't neccasary (assuming that statement is true), as long as your gun feeds them without issue, it certainly doesn't hurt anything. I carry Corbon HPs in my 1911, and the house/yard/barn pistol has ball in it. I don't think HPs are NEEDED to make it viable for self-defense, but they sure don't hurt my prospects either.

[Mister XD]

I carry nothing but Federal Hydra Shoks. There are 2 flavors of these: The low pressured ones (165 gr.) and the higher pressured ones (230 gr. I believe). I carry the 165's (and nothing BUT) and I rotate my ammo once every 6 months. I shoot off all of the older stuff, and then replace it with fresh ammo. (they get banged up and dented and what not from normal carry, just from shuffling around in the magazine)

I've owned & carried .45 autos for the better part of 13 years now, and I've carried Glocks, Kimbers, Sigs, Springfields, and Paras. I carry NOTHING but .45 auto, regardless of the make or size of the pistol. And I carry NOTHING but the Hydra-Shoks. And for all that time, I've done the EXACT same thing... rotate the ammo out and shoot off the old ones on the range after about 6 months of carry life.

I've NEVER had a FTF, or FTE from ANY gun with my old Hyrda-Shoks. Likewise, I've NEVER had a misfire, hangfire, or any other problem from this round. This is the most dependable round I've ever used, and I trust my life with it.

Over-penetration isn't even an issue with the lower grain cartridge, combined with the HP bullet, and the thing is EFFECTIVE. It's a large, powerful, slower moving bullet that hits you like a Mack truck. I once heard the term "flying sledgehammer" and find it to be most accurate. But don't take my word for it Get yourself a box of them, take them to the range, and see for yourself. Shoot at watermelons, 1 gallon milk jugs filled with red paint (or dyed water), or if you really want to see the kind of damage it can do, go to the grocery store and pick up a couple cheap slabs of meat.

Other than that, comparing Ball to HP is like comparing a hammer to a screwdriver. They're two totally different bullets built for totally different jobs. Yes, the military used ball... not because it's effective, but because (sadly) it's the cheapest to make. They'd give ya cast lead softpoint reloads if you could actually fire more than a handful of them without having to stop & clean your gun

But the fact is, ball ammo is NOT a reliable self-defense round. Granted, it's better than nothing, but I wouldn't carry it if I had a choice. HP's are designed for self defense, ball is designed for target & plinking. Those are the facts

[charlie.45]

yep,the federal hydra shoks are pretty good. the year or so before I reluctantly sold my 1911 for moving money I kept it loaded with either the hydra shoks or the 185gr winchester silvertips both I found shot very accurately out of my 1911. I did favor the silver tips a bit more but federal is a very close second that I use if I cant get ahold of a box of silvertips occasionally I would throw in a box of corbon 165gr

[Mister XD]

Originally Posted by charlie.45

yep,the federal hydra shoks are pretty good. the year or so before I reluctantly sold my 1911 for moving money I kept it loaded with either the hydra shoks or the 185gr winchester silvertips both I found shot very accurately out of my 1911. I did favor the silver tips a bit more but federal is a very close second that I use if I cant get ahold of a box of silvertips occasionally I would throw in a box of corbon 165gr

Ain't nothin' wrong with Silvertips, neither!! Another fine bullet.

As for Corbon... Any box stamped with "Corbon" on the side of it instills about as much confidence as seeing the words "Springfield Armory" stamped on a firearm. You have good taste in ammo, my friend