[jr_roosa]

I got 100 of these to try out, but I ran into some problems that I thought you all could help out with.

Powder: I only have bullseye powder, which isn't listed in the Hornady manual. Because of the great reloading panic of 2009, the only pistol powder I can find is a pound of HS-6. Anybody like HS-6, or should I hold out for some Unique or Power Pistol? Anybody have data for Bullseye? The Alliant guide has 5.8 grains max listed for Speer 200gr Gold Dots. I'm going to give 5.0 and 5.5 grains a try.

Seating/Crimping: I have the RCBS taper crimp die. The SWC seater flattens out the face of the bullets when seating...should I be using the round nose seater for these? Also, has anybody had any luck crimping and seating in one step for these?

Thanks!

-J.

[rcmodel]

Hornady manual shows 200 XTP and HS-6 starting load of 8.0.
MAX is 9.8 grains.

I would guess 5.7 Bullseye would be about max.

The XTP has a unique nose profile and most seating stems will either flatten the nose, or squeeze the HP cavity closed.

I have made new stems to fit, and modifed others by "glass-bedding" a bullet in a stem using epoxy or J-B Weld.

Failing that, RCBS will sell you a seating stem for the XTP at minumum cost. Just call them and tell them your problem.

rc

[Ridgerunner665]

rcmodel,

I've never ran into that problem loading XTP's...and that's the only bullet I use (230 grain though), my dies are RCBS. I'm all for good neck tension with 45acp's...but that takes the cake.

Powder...for 200 grain bullets Unique worked better than Power Pistol (for me at least), I played around with the 200 grain XTP's last year just out of curiosity.

Power Pistol appeared a tad too slow...dirty cases, which I figured was caused by the bullet getting pushed out of the case before it fully expanded and sealed to the chamber...this does not happen with 230 grain bullets over Power Pistol, and it did not happen with Unique and 200 grain XTP's..

[The Bushmaster]

rcmodel...You sure? I've been loading Hornady XTPs (both .357 and .45 ACP) for years with my standard seating dies (Lee) without any of the problems that you discribe...

[Mark whiz]

I agree, I load XTPs in .32ACP, .38Spcl, .357Mag, and .45ACP and have never had an issue with flattening or crushing the bullet nose with my Lee equipment.

You might want to verify that your seating die isn't crimping the case before the bullet is inserted completely.

[rcmodel]

rcmodel...You sure?Pretty sure!

I had to modify my old RCBS .45 ACP RN seating stem for them when they first came out.
Course, that was many moons ago.

Perhaps they fit better now that everyone is making them new-fangled .45 ACP JHP bullets!

rc

[Ridgerunner665]

I don't use the round nose seating stem...

[janobles14]

i also load xtp's of all weights in my .45 and .357's. i have never had a seating issue though. i use lee dies.

hs-6 is also my powder of choice. i start with 8.5 gr and go to about 9.5 grs.

[taliv]

i also shoot mostly hornady xtps, both 200 and 230g using dillon dies. it has a little flipper doohicky that is RN on one side and for HP on the other. so i never ran into that problem

[ChromeLibrarian]

Alliant powders gives a max charge weight of 5.8 grains of Bullseye for the Speer 200 gr. GDHP. I imagine that would be similar for the Hornady 200 gr. XTP. They also say to reduce the max charge by 10% for a starting load. That would give you a starting load of 5.2 grains.

[The Bushmaster]

Musta been those dies you bought off Noah, rcmodel, when he sold the ark after the flood...

[rcmodel]

They didn't invent JHP pistol bullets till about 10 years after I had bought the dies!

Got's to remember, those XTP's & Gold-Dots haven't been around all that long really!

rc