If he's loading +P cases and nearly 10 grains of powder, I suspect that's not what he's after.although I also don't know what good 185 grain.

45 ACP is probably loaded with something similar to #5, although for target use, I agree with you that faster burning powders are preferable. Lyman 358429 Keith Style SWC 165 grain Caliber 357 Magnum Powder- BLUE DOT 10. probably also,with 4227,youll need a very heavy crimp to assure completely burning all the powder. you want,youd probably have to use highly compressed loads. The 173-grain Keith/ Lyman 358429 cast bullets with either 6.0 grains of Hodgdon Longshot (995 fps) or 7.0 grains of Accurate No. XTP bullets: 125 gr 1675-1700fps 158 gr 1450-1500 fps. A longer barrel will produce more velocity regardless of burn rate way beyond anything within reasonable pistol dimensions. Switching to Speer 148-grain lead hollowbase wadcutter bullets, 3.3 grains of Titegroup (866 fps) would cut a ragged hole at 20 yards. Faster and slower burning powders exist to load to different velocities, not for barrel lengths. That would be my choice in your case but #2, TG, BE, and anything around that fast burn rate should work well too.All the powder that is ever going to burn in this kind of gun is burned in the first 2' or less of barrel. ment of the bullet with the throat is a key to rifle accuracy. I like to try all kinds of powders and as it was suggested to me here Hodgon WST is very soft to shoot in 45 and it burns very clean plus its fluffy so it fills the case enough to prevent double charge. Now if you had 5 or 6' barrel and shot 230gr then you might be able to get #5 to burn completely but not in your case. Thats strange because most 45s are shot with fast powders and in your case with your short 4.25 barrel and 185gr bullets sounds like fast powder is the only way to go.

Accurate 5 185 grain xtp crimp