Any experience with a 215 WFN 45acp load?

v8stang289 · Oct 11, 2018

Hi everyone, I ordered some Hi-Tek coated hardcast 215 grain WFN bullets from Missouri Bullet Co.

Anyone have experience loading these for .45 acp?

I plan on working up a load with either Unique or HP-38 as I have both of those on hand, but I can't find much in the way of data for that bullet weight.

I'd ultimately like a stout woods carry load of around 900-1000fps. These rounds will only be used in a 4" S&W 625

I'd appreciate any input.
These are the bullets I have http://missouribullet.com/details.php?prodId=426&category=5&secondary=13

Thanks.

Dudedog · Oct 11, 2018

I haven't loaded those specific bullets but I would take a look at 200 data and 230 data sort of average it out keep those numbers in mind but
work up using 230 data.

I think you might be pressed getting a 1000fps with a 215 out of 4" barrel revolver, 900 is most likely possible. If it was me I would try BE86 or CFE-P, both worked well for me when I got/get the urge to let .45 ACP be all it can be. (in a 1911)
The rest of the time I like 4.7 to of HP38 with a 230

Alliant lists 929 fps with a MAX charge of BE86 w/230gr lead bullet and a barrel of ?? you can be pretty sure no cylinder gap so you will lose some vel there.
1053 with a MAX charge of BE86 and a 200gr LRN.
BE86 has higher listed vels than Unique on average about 80fps
Alliant does list +P loads for .45 acp and BE86 but not with lead bullets.

Hodgdon lists a vel of 942 with a MAX charge of CFE-P and a 230 LRN, 1142 with a MAX charge of CFE-P and a 200 SWC. No barrel length mentioned and again safe to assume no cylinder gap.
Close to 200fps listed better with CFE-P than HP38/W231 with the 200, close to 100fps better with the 230. With a jacketed 200 Hodgdons numbers with CFE-P are a bit over 1000 which I think is a more real world #.
1142 wiith the 200 LSWC is a bit optimistic IMO.

BE86 and CFE-P both have the highest vels for listed .45 loads from the companies at least at the data I am looking at from them at the moment.
Fastest load I see in Lyman with a lead 225 is with Bluedot, which I haven't used.

If you like Unique you will probably like BE86, think cleaner burning better metering Unique. (also has a flash suppressant but not flash free of course)
CFE-P meter about like HP38/W231-better than Unique.

Haven't played with it in .45 but Ramshot Silhouette might be a good choice as well Western Powder lists +P .45 loads if you want to go to +P pressures.

Walkalong · Oct 12, 2018

I shot a bunch of the Magnus #807 215 Gr SWC "Bowling Pin" bullets back in the day. Same basic bullet. Good bullet. I used W-231 and shot them out of a 1911 and did not have a chrono.

There is no reason you shouldn't be able to at least near the 1000 FPS you are looking for from a 625.

AA #5, Silhouette, Unique, etc should work.

Dudedog said:
Haven't played with it in .45 but Ramshot Silhouette might be a good choice as well Western Powder lists +P .45 loads if you want to go to +P pressures.

Agreed.

v8stang289 · Oct 13, 2018

Thanks for the input guys. I don't mind going +P but really want to stick with the powders I have for now. So i'll work up with those.

Walkalong said:
I shot a bunch of the Magnus #807 215 Gr SWC "Bowling Pin" bullets back in the day. Same basic bullet. Good bullet. I used W-231 and shot them out of a 1911 and did not have a chrono.

Do you remember what kind of OAL you had with those Magnus bullets?

Walkalong · Oct 13, 2018

v8stang289 said:
Do you remember what kind of OAL you had with those Magnus bullets?

1.215 OAL. I had to go look at my old three ring binder paper log book it's been so long. 5.45 Grs old steel can W-231. (It's what my #9 bushing threw)
That may be over the new W-231 data, dunno, and no chrono back then. I do know folks have shot a ton of 200 to 230 Gr bullets in .45 ACP with 5.5 Grs W-231 back in the day.

ArchAngelCD · Oct 13, 2018

I would charge 5.5gr W231 under that bullet. I charge 5.5gr under any 200gr or 230gr bullet in the 45 Auto and they are always accurate.

One thing, that bullets rated @20 BHN. You might get some leading unless you push that bullet really hard. It's said right on the Missouri Bullets site they are good for Magnum use. (460 Roland) You do have the coating on your side at least and that will probably protect you.

Please let us know how they shoot when you test them.

v8stang289 · Oct 14, 2018

One of the challenges with figuring out load data with these bullets is that they are hitek coated and 20bhn. I've loaded plenty of jacketed, plated, and a few cast before, but this is my first time venturing into coated bullets and bullets this hard.

I weighed several and they were all 211-213.5gns. Bearing surface and shape is similar to an xtp. I looked at the lyman 48th data for # 452460 200gn, #452630 200gn,and the #452374 225gn. all 3 are for #2 alloy which should be around 16bhn. Load data for those 3 with Unique was 5-7.5 grains, 6-7.5 grains and 5.5-7.3 grains respectively. Lee's data for a 200gn xtp was 6.4-7.3 grains Unique.

I decided to start with 6 grains of Unique and work up .2 at a time with the chrono.
I used Starline .45acp brass, CCI 300 primers, OAL 1.215"

I ended up at 7.2 grains of Unique and an average velocity of 942 fps.

Does this sound safe to you guys? I tried to base it off published loads and extrapolate from there, but I'm definitely willing to listen to experience or caution. Again these will only be shot in a 625 revolver. I didn't see any excess pressure signs but I'm aware that they don't always show up especially at lower pressure pistol levels.

Thanks for the input.

Walkalong · Oct 14, 2018

Judging by the standard data on Alliant's website, that sounds ok, at the top IMHO, but ok.

By the time you see pressure signs in .45 ACP brass, you are way over max pressure.

v8stang289 · Aug 10, 2019

Just to update this. I ended up using 45 Super brass and power pistol get these bullets to ~1050 FPS
I did a lot of reading and research on 45 super. It's a hard cartridge to find concrete data for, So I searched a lot of sources and compiled data, then compared it to published ACP and +P loads. There are several people getting what I consider scary numbers out of super, but I really wanted to stay conservative. The load I'm using is low end super, probably more in the +P range.

Any experience with a 215 WFN 45acp load?

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