[Voland]

Good evening everyone. I am trying to come up with some loads for my 1911's.

I have some once fired brass that was shot in this gun, some magtech primers, Hornady 250 grain HP and hp38 powder. Ive been trying to figure out the recepy... In the book that I have, hp38 takes a 4.5 start grains with a 260 grain bullet. Do you think this is a safe load? I always heard the rule that you can look up the higher grain bullet if you cant find the exact match...

The other question that I have is this... The max. case length is .898 in. The brass that I have is measuring in right at .949... With an HP bullet, the OAL comes out right under max at 1.215 in. I know that I will have a little less pressure due to the cartridge length but I really dont want to mess around with anything that would get me in to trouble. If its not safe, I will trim the cartridge to spec.

Thanks!
V.

[Chief-7700]

From the Lyman #49 reloading manual states the following"HP-38 This powder duplicates the performance of Winchester 231" Hodgdon's URL www.hodgdon.com In the 10 plus thousand .45ACP rounds I have loaded never trimmed a case.........
Chief

[Dean Williams]

Your start load should be safe using the next higher bullet weight as a reference for your powder charge as long as the both the bullets are lead, or both jacketed.

I think you have a problem with the length of your cases. I've never needed to trim 45 cases, but I've never had any that are .051" over length.
I think you need to trim them, yes.
The book I have says Min OAL for a 250 jacketed should be 1.230".

[Ridgerunner665]

With brass that long...you'll have headspace issues.

trim them.

[moooose102]

i have no idea how you ended up with brass that long. double check them with a different caliper, micrometer..... if they truely are that long, you will have to trim them if you want the pistol to perform correctly.

[The Bushmaster]

You sure you measured them right??

[ljnowell]

I just want to ask, why are you using such a heavy bullet?

[Voland]

Well, I checked the caliper VS a ruler and it appears to be correct. 1 inch on the ruler ended up being exactly one inch on the caliper...

The bullets I got from a friend. He use to load them but the more I am reading about these, the more it looks like they are typically used in a 45LC... I think I just might run out and grab some new bullets at Cabelas tomorrow...

Thanks all!

V.

[Voland]

Ok, USER ERROR... I was not reading the caliper correctly... Its actually .895. The way the lines are set up vs what is actually being measured its a little odd... Ill have to accommodate for it going forward... Probably worth getting a new caliper...

Thanks for making me check!!!

V.

[Steve C]

250gr Hornady XTP and HP jacketed bullets are used in revolvers chambered for the .45 Colt cartridge but are too long and not appropriate for loading in the .45 ACP to shoot in seimi automatic pistols. This is why you don't find any data for them in the ACP cartridge.

If you where shooting a revolver chambered for the .45 ACP you may find some data for the .45 auto rim.

[bensdad]

Somebody beat me to it, but I might as well add emphasis... wrong bullets.

[Jim Watson]

While it is possible to load .45 ACP with the heavy bullets meant for .45 Colt, it is a little specialized and I suggest you start out with the old standard 230 grain FMJ roundnose and load for the standard hardball spec or a bit less.

You really need to learn how to read that caliper. Is it a vernier? Not hard if you have good eyes.

[Voland]

Thanks guys! Yeah, after talking to my buddy, he told me that he was using them in his .45LC...

As for the caliper I know exactly what I was doing wrong... and let me tell you, it was stupid... My buddy told me that he is going to come over and school me since apparently "I need a bit of supervision" according to him.

Thanks again for the help!

V.

[Dean Williams]

Quote Steve C:
This is why you don't find any data for them in the ACP cartridge.

But you do find data for them. Both in the Lee book for 250's and 260's, and in Speer 12 for the 260 grainer. Look in the 45 auto section.

[Sunray]

Like Steve C, et al say, 250's and 260's are too big for .45 ACP.
"...you do find data for them..." Yep, but they're still too long for a 1911. Won't fit in the mag at the very least. Bullet's in the case too far as well.

[Ridgerunner665]

I know several guys that use 250 and 260 bullets in 1911's for pin shooting...but they use lead bullets.

They fit in the mag fine an can be loaded to around 830 fps with the right powders (Power Pistol for example)

[Remo-99]

I've used 250gr LRNFP 45colt bullets in a 45acp, at the time it was the only bullet I could get for 45.
Action cycling was good, but feeding had an occational hiccup, due to a large flatpoint area of the bullet nose, that was before I had the feed ramp polished, which will now feed anything I stick in it.

If your got no data for 250gr bullets, then 260gr bullet data will do for starters.