Cemetery21
Member
Berry's plated hollow base 200 gr flat point runs great and are reasonably accurate in several 1911s for me.
Lead or coated SWCs run fine too once you find the seating depth the gun prefers. I shot bunches in PPC back in the day.
First time for 200gr SWC in 45 ACP, which powders to try first?
- Thread starter George P
- Start date
- Status
Lead or coated SWCs run fine too once you find the seating depth the gun prefers. I shot bunches in PPC back in the day.
OP
OP
George P
member
- Joined
- Jan 10, 2018
- Messages
- 7,772
I used Unique for years - used to buy it in 8# round cardboard containers - if that gives you any idea.................but I found Universal to burn cleaner in a lot of the same applications.
Bcwitt
Member
Quite a few powders are like that in .45s. I'm not aware of any that fill it very well.
blarby
Member
Did a ton of 200SWC for 45 acp
Honestly, for obturation and heat i liked Unigue. It worked great from rock islands, to the ex-ms.' Kimbers universally.
You need obturation that is sufficient for the lands and grooves and your barrel, but Unique is a great start.
Honestly, for obturation and heat i liked Unigue. It worked great from rock islands, to the ex-ms.' Kimbers universally.
You need obturation that is sufficient for the lands and grooves and your barrel, but Unique is a great start.
roval
Member
4.5 gr bulleseye LSWC and 4.6 bullseye for coated 200 swc.
lordpaxman
Member
- Joined
- Jun 4, 2011
- Messages
- 2,433
I haven’t found any appreciable difference between SP and LP in .45. Use whatever you have in that regard.
Of the powders you list, best group size based on powder for me was:
Titegroup
Bullseye
W231
I did slightly better using Target than Titegroup, if you want to try that in the future. Clays and WST in .45 are also great choices for light target loads. Good luck.
Blue68f100
Member
BE would be my choice of the powders you listed. I use WST in my target loads for 45acp.
Set you OAL so only a thumbnail thickness of the shoulder is showing. This is where most guns feed them the best. If you have a problem it more than likely be your magazine.
Set you OAL so only a thumbnail thickness of the shoulder is showing. This is where most guns feed them the best. If you have a problem it more than likely be your magazine.
Austin Albright
Member
The "holy grail" load back when dirt was new and I was shooting combat pistol was H&G 68 200 gr SWC cast with 5.8 to 6.0 grain of Winchester 231. I lost count of how many 8 pound kegs of that I went thru.
Dudedog
Contributing Member
W231/HP38 is my go to powder for .45. (HP38=W231 same powder different label, buy which ever is cheapest or whichever you can find)
With a 200 SWC 5.0gr made a nice practice load for me.
With a 200 SWC 5.0gr made a nice practice load for me.
Dudedog
Contributing Member
Unless you want something that meters well.....
It's Unique metering thru powder measures.
Each charge weight thrown is Unique
Ok it's not that bad, it shoots well but meters poorly, at least thru my various measures.
At best say + or - .2. I just loaded for the swing.
1KPerDay
Member
If you have some Herco you might try it. My Dan Wesson shot a one-hole group with Herco and 200 Lee LSWC.
Constrictor
Member
I have never had metering issues with unique.Unless you want something that meters well.....
It's Unique metering thru powder measures.
Each charge weight thrown is Unique
Ok it's not that bad, it shoots well but meters poorly, at least thru my various measures.
At best say + or - .2. I just loaded for the swing.
nofendertom
Member
- Joined
- Sep 12, 2019
- Messages
- 1,015
My ATI Commander shoots a one-hole group every time no matter the load or distance. Its the SECOND shot that opens it up a bit.
Dudedog
Contributing Member
ulflyer
Member
I have a bunch of 200gr SWC lead and find that 4.8 Hp38/231 makes for nice moderate load. I even load down to 4.5 which works in most of my 45's, except the Kimber 4" Pro would fail to eject once and awhile. Put softer 20lb spring in vice the 22 it came with and that works. I shot a lot of SWC thru he Kimber and it has no probs with that bullet.
OP
OP
George P
member
- Joined
- Jan 10, 2018
- Messages
- 7,772
Update - managed to get to the range yesterday to shoot these; small sample groups of 4 powders, 2 loads of 10 rounds per powder so 80 shots in all. Kimber did have some feed issues when loading a mag and operating the slide release; several times the bullet would get wedged in a cockeyed manor so I had to drop the mag and rack the slide and manually place it so it lined up and then all was good.
Titegroup was the most stout in the recoil to the wrist department, Bullseye the sofest.
Bullseye @ 4.0, 4.5 and 231 @ 4.5 gave the tightest offhand groups at 10 yards with 5.0 and 5.3 of Titegroup not too far behind. Disappointing was 5.8 of Universal but the 6.2 was decent enough
Target used was the Law Enforcement Targets, Inc 530-OC:
Titegroup was the most stout in the recoil to the wrist department, Bullseye the sofest.
Bullseye @ 4.0, 4.5 and 231 @ 4.5 gave the tightest offhand groups at 10 yards with 5.0 and 5.3 of Titegroup not too far behind. Disappointing was 5.8 of Universal but the 6.2 was decent enough
Target used was the Law Enforcement Targets, Inc 530-OC:
Dudedog
Contributing Member
Might try bumping up the W231 load, say try 4.7 and 4.9 as well.
As I mentioned before W231 HP38 has always worked well for me in .45.
With both 200s and 230s the sweet range for me was between 4.7 and 5.
Some guns/mags are picky with SWCs, sometimes a small OAL change can make a big difference in feeding.
Did you try more than one mag?
As I mentioned before W231 HP38 has always worked well for me in .45.
With both 200s and 230s the sweet range for me was between 4.7 and 5.
Some guns/mags are picky with SWCs, sometimes a small OAL change can make a big difference in feeding.
Did you try more than one mag?
1KPerDay
Member
OP
OP
George P
member
- Joined
- Jan 10, 2018
- Messages
- 7,772
No, but I need to double check to see if it is the mag. The base of the bullet is flush with the case mouth, not above; otherwise it doesn't really pass the plunk test
Dudedog
Contributing Member
Tiny bit above the case mouth worked best for me, not much say maybe a thumbnail thickness.
If a tiny bit above won't plunk it won't so you have no choice on the OAL, a different SWC might be the answer but that does no good with what you already have.
I would double check to see if a tiny bit longer would plunk.
Some 1911s will feed SWCs fine, some just don't care for them.
If a tiny bit above won't plunk it won't so you have no choice on the OAL, a different SWC might be the answer but that does no good with what you already have.
I would double check to see if a tiny bit longer would plunk.
Some 1911s will feed SWCs fine, some just don't care for them.
Last edited:
ballman6711
Member
My 3" Kimber Ultra feeds, fires and ejects coated and plated 185gr swc's 100% reliably. I have some coated 200gr swc's but haven't loaded any yet so I can't help there.
FWIW, my Kimber likes the 185's loaded at 1.245", and I use W231 for a nice mild target load.
chris
FWIW, my Kimber likes the 185's loaded at 1.245", and I use W231 for a nice mild target load.
chris
Sorry to resurrect an older thread, but sure wish I would have found this a few days ago. Just cast and coated some 200g SWC and loaded them up with 5.0g Bullseye. Going by the Hornady and Lyman manuals, that should be a middle of the road load. And, they were fine, but chrono'd around 940fps, which seemed a bit much, even for 200 grain. I'll back those off to 4.5-4.6 and see how we do.
Virginia Jim
Member
- Joined
- Oct 24, 2017
- Messages
- 359
I use Bullseye with lead semi wad cutters. The smoke and pleasing aroma is half the point.
Archie
Member
What do you intend as the use? Target or plinking ammo propably calls for 'faster' powders, the powders that you have. You will achieve with rather little fuss or effort a load around 600 to 800 fps, good accuracy and 'lessor' recoil. Since the title mentions "SWC" I am assuming this is your intent. Most any loading manual and any number of magazine articles have specific load applications.
If I misapprehend and you are discussing a defensive load - say a 200 grain Jacketed Hollow Point and desire a stouter velocity, a 'moderate' burning powder (for handguns) like Unique, Power Pistol or Accurate # 7 is indicated. Get a reasonably current loading manual and decide for yourself. Online - forum - information is good, but can be based on 'what I want' rather than 'what you want'.
- Status
