Just got a new mold.. Sorta.. Need load data.

I know, I could call Lee. It's a Lee 6 cavity, TL452-230TC, (90286), but my pours are coming in at 240gns. I intend on using these on bowling pins.

I can't find load data for this anywhere, I have a load for my 230gnRnHp, but since these weigh ten grains more, I'm not quite sure where to start the initial powder charge. I'm shooting for 920fps, which will yeild a power factor of 220ish to set pins to flight. (Yeah, I know, a lot of guys are doing this lighter jacketed stuff, but I want to do this with lead.) I'm hoping the TC, and additional weight is the answer. I do have a Shooting Chrony.

So, does anyone load 45acp using the Lee 230gn (plus) Truncated Cone bullet? I'd probably use Unique or Win231 since I have a bunch on hand and even though Unique isn't as clean as other powders, I've never seen extreme pressure signs from it even with warm lead loads in other calibers.

-Steve

Accurate Arms has some heavy bullet data but only for their powder of course. I believe Speer has data for a jacketed bullet of 250 grains or so. Steve's page (http://www.again.net/~steve/page8.htm) is probably what you want. But remember that a 240 grain bullet at over 900 FPS is a very stout load for 45ACP, work up carefully.

Unless you're already at the top end of the scale, I wouldn't worry about the 10 grains which is only a 5% variance. I'd shoot a few and look at the primer to see if there is any pressure issues. Like I said, if you are not already at the top, my guess is that they will work fine.

'Steve's page wasn't much help', but thanx. There is some other good information and links there that I'll use in the future.

I've been loading a Lee 230gn hp sized at .452" with 7.3gns of Unique. I'm getting an average of 925fps for a power factor of about 212. But as a round nose, and they aren't the most effective on pins. I haven't noticed any pressure signs at all. This is max load from my Lyman cast bullet handbook, and from my Lyman reloading manual. None of my other manuals that list lead bullets show anything near that because lead is revear'd as being for practice loads. Light stuff. I know lead is more versital than that. I've proven it in my .44mag. Elmer Keith did long before me.

So, I'm thinking about starting these truncated cone 240grainers at about 6.8gns of Unique and working from there. (There's a bit of Linotype too..) My Shooting Chrony has been consistent for years, so I'm not worried about that. I'm expecting to get 900fps as an average. 920fps would be the cat's meow. Workable? I know guys that are shooting jacketed stuff even faster, (with less powder).

Does anyone think that this is not a safe place to start with these lead bullets in a 45acp?

-Steve