[The Wiry Irishman]

Got a new gun a little while ago and I'm looking forward to shooting it as much as possible. To this end, I recent purchased 5000 rounds of .45 ACP, some assembly required.

http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs199.snc1/6729_845088913018_13717046_48675347_201982_n.jpg

I even lucked out and finished my summer research project today, so I'm going to start loading a few incremental charges up so I can take them to the range tomorrow and see what my gun likes then start cranking that load out. Do any of you have any pet Unique/230 LRN .45 loads?

[rcmodel]

6.0 Unique is pretty much the old time standard load to duplicate GI hardball.

rc

[Steve C]

6.0 Unique is pretty much the old time standard load to duplicate GI hardball.

Great load for 230gr jacketed bullets but drop down to 5.0 to 5.5 for the same 850 fps velocity with cast lead 230gr. Lead always runs faster than jacketed and its velocity that produces recoil and wear.

[The Wiry Irishman]

Well, I loaded ten each from 5.5 to 7.3 grains (Lyman 49th recommended start and max) in .2 grain increments and I'll try them out tomorrow. I'm looking for accuracy and a recoil feel similar to my carry load, so we'll see what offers the best combination of those.

[jim147]

I don't know if your wrong but Alliant list's 4.4 to 5.8 for a 230 LRN.
I would double check your data.

jim

[The Wiry Irishman]

I don't know if your wrong but Alliant list's 4.4 to 5.8 for a 230 LRN.
I would double check your data.

Lyman 49th lists 5.5 to 7.3. Apparently it has to do with bullet construction. I asked that question a little while ago here:

http://thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=467898

Turns out 6.5gr is what I'm looking for, very similar recoil to my carry load, and very good accuracy. The only load that grouped better was 6.1gr. I was really surprised to see good accuracy with the 7.3, other times I've tested loads, accuracy drops way off near max. The 7.3 recoil is stout to say the least, not something I want to be shooting 100-300 of in one go.

[ArchAngelCD]

If you are going to use a charge of 6.5gr you have just enough powder. At that charge you will be able to build 5,384 rounds, give or take for testing and spillage.

BTW, where did you get all those components at the same time? That picture is a thing of beauty for sure...

[The Wiry Irishman]

If you are going to use a charge of 6.5gr you have just enough powder.

Yup, that's why I bought 5 pounds. I figured I wouldn't be using max, so 1000 a pound was a good estimate.

BTW, where did you get all those components at the same time? That picture is a thing of beauty for sure...

Bullets from Missouri Bullet Company, the primers I picked up from Wideners two or three weeks ago (keeping a close eye on forums and signing up for every back in stock notification on every site you can find helps. I've had three back in stock notifications for various kinds of LP primers come in over the last couple weeks) and powder from Powder Valley, as it seems they're the only people on the internet that still have Unique, albeit only in 1-pound jugs. Wideners was running almost two weeks behind on shipping when I got the primers, but there was no wait from Missouri Bullet or Powder Valley.

ETA: I was also very impressed with how clean Unique is. After 100 rounds of Unique loads today, the gun was about as dirty as it gets with two or three mags worth of my Bullseye loads.

[FROGO207]

I like to see that someone else likes to just sit down and "load some up" when the spirit moves one to fill a bunch of ammo boxes.:D:D My MAC 10 eats the hardball up really fast......so here we go again.:cool:

[rfwobbly]

Unique is funny stuff. It's VERY dirty at lower loads but cleans right up toward the middle of the load range.