Sellier & Bellot's 230-grain FMJ sits toward the top of standard .45 ball at 853 fps and 372 ft-lbs. Its power factor of 196 clears the 165 USPSA major floor by 31 points. From a 25-yard zero it drops 2.6 inches at 50 yards and 17.5 inches at 100, still moving 799 fps at the 100-yard mark. In the same pistol it produces about 2 percent more recoil energy than CCI Blazer Aluminum 230.

Fiocchi Training Dynamics 230 is the nearest peer, 7 fps and 6 ft-lbs ahead with about 1 percent more recoil energy in the same pistol. Blazer Aluminum 230 trails by 8 fps and 7 ft-lbs. New Republic 230 and PMC Bronze 230 both leave at 830 fps, 23 fps and 20 ft-lbs behind. Against the PMC the gap grows downrange to 48 fps at 100 yards, where the S&B drops 1.6 inches less; at 50 yards the two are 0.2 inch apart, which will not change a hold. Ammo Inc Signature Series 230 TMC is the only clearly hotter load, 37 fps and 33 ft-lbs ahead, with about 7 percent more recoil energy.

Buy it for 230-grain practice with more speed than the 830 fps loads, and as ammo that sits near a full-power carry load. Federal HST 230 JHP leaves at 890 fps with 404 ft-lbs, 32 ft-lbs more than this load. Ammo Inc Signature Series 230 TMC matches the HST's 890 fps and is the closer rehearsal; a shooter who wants the softest session should pick PMC Bronze 230 instead.