45 ACP, 185gr or 200 gr LSWC
- Thread starter Rule3
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The critical measurement in my Springfield pistols is the amount of shoulder exposed on the SWC. It can only be a thumbnail thickness or they won't chamber. My OAL's come out to 1.245" typically.
Be sure your magazine is designed for SWC's. Some of the surplus GI mags are for ball ammo only.
Be sure your magazine is designed for SWC's. Some of the surplus GI mags are for ball ammo only.
Blue68f100
Member
I never measure my OAL on SWC. I load so only a thumbnail is left showing. This has worked for me with all the different brands I used. Did not matter if it was plated, Lead, coated, or jacketed. Like said make sure you magazines that are designed for SWC. They release the round a little earlier which helps feeding.
redcon1
member
Less lead = less $$$$ and that's always good.
Master Blaster
Member
200 grain lswc with 3.8 to 4.2 grains of bullseye powder is the classic bullseye pistol accuracy load.
Winchester 231 5.0 grains with a 200lswc is also a good load for light recoil and accuracy.
Winchester 231 5.0 grains with a 200lswc is also a good load for light recoil and accuracy.
Around $2 per 500 difference is not gonna break the bank. But then lighter bullets usually require more powder, so we need to calculate that.
Crazy Horse
Member
Has anyone shot 200 gr LSWC through a PCC? I like pushing 200gr 45acp ~1000 fps through a PCC. 200gr jacketed RN bullets work well, but I haven't tried LSWC's.
CH
CH
Kingcreek
Member
I’ve shot many thousands of 200gr LSWC over a mild to moderate charge of W231. So many in fact that I have a Dillon square deal devoted to them that hasn’t been adjusted in years.
redcon1
member
Had to check myself since I haven't needed to buy .451 bullets in a while. 185 gr XTPs are currently $26.42/100 at Midway; the 200 gr XTPs are $34/100 and 230 gr XTPs are $35/100. The 185s are on sale from $33/100. Regardless, were you to snatch up 500 of those 185s right now, you would save $86 over the 230s. Tempting for sure but I'm already sitting on a whole lotta .451 projectiles. edit. never do math before caffeineAround $2 per 500 difference is not gonna break the bank. But then lighter bullets usually require more powder, so we need to calculate that.
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I do not shoot expensive bullets for rage fodder. Also do not buy bullets, powder or primers at Midway. (I like Midway and Larry but not for those things)
We deal in LEAD here
I do have XTP and Gold Dot bullets for testing SD ammo
Charlie98
Member
That's funny. I used to shoot jacked bullets almost exclusively... ewww! who wants to shoot those uncultured filthy cast bullets, anyway? That was some years ago.
The few boxes of jacketed bullets I still have prolly have 1" of dust on them, including some of my rifle bullets.
The few boxes of jacketed bullets I still have prolly have 1" of dust on them, including some of my rifle bullets.
AJC1
Member
Your my hero. A few more molds and I'll be right there. Currently its finding the ones I really want. My home state is trying really hard to ban lead bullets everywhere, and public lands are already off limits. That's going to break my heart.
Catpop
Member
When I started reloading my 1911, I used Berrys and Rainer copper coated 230 RN, then I switched to OT 230 LRN, then MBC 230 LRN, then I switched to MBC 200 LSWC. I now I use 200 LSWC exclusively now! Every bit as accurate and Heck I figure I get a free Boolit every 8 rounds!!!!! I use 4.7 BE with excellent results in both my Kimber Royal and my RIA Officer.
Most of my 1911 fodder comes from Boo Boolit Co high up in the Great Rocky Mountains on the Canadian border.
I read an article somewhere about a fellow named Bob Oday? that was an expert pistol shot in the USAF and he used 185s exclusively. That screams accuracy. I may have to try them someday as I am very FRUGAL!
How Frugal—— tight enough to squeeze the S of a buffalos A on a buffalo nickel!
Most of my 1911 fodder comes from Boo Boolit Co high up in the Great Rocky Mountains on the Canadian border.
I read an article somewhere about a fellow named Bob Oday? that was an expert pistol shot in the USAF and he used 185s exclusively. That screams accuracy. I may have to try them someday as I am very FRUGAL!
How Frugal—— tight enough to squeeze the S of a buffalos A on a buffalo nickel!
Master Blaster
Member
At one time a few years back I scored some of the Remington 185 Jacketed Match bullets used by the AMU in their pet .45 acp accuracy load. I believe it along with 6.0 grains of n310 won a few Camp Perry NRA bullseye pistol Championships. I also still have some IMI match 185 jacketed bullets around.
Mostly I use the PENN Bullet 200 lswc and bullseye or w231./ hp 38.
Mostly I use the PENN Bullet 200 lswc and bullseye or w231./ hp 38.
Archym
Member
My father and I have had very good luck with DG bullets out of Wisconsin for 45acp and 9mm. To date we've made 4 different orders over the past 2 years. I think if you order the "600 quick ship" you get the best deal. If my measuring/weighing mathematics is correct, my last order of 600 had 607 bullets in it. They shoot very accurately at 12, 15, and 20 yards. (The farthest my local indoor range goes...and as far as my eye-sight goes). Orders seem to get filled really quick and shipping normally takes about 2-3 days from mid Wisconsin to S. Illinois with "Table Rate" shipping ($9.00 for me) That might have to do with the po-dunk post office I have in my sleepy 1 horse town. Some of the accuracy might have to do with the powder. I've worked up a pet load of 5.8gn of AA452 which is quickly dwindling. After that I will work up a load for TightGroup. Dad has several boxes loaded up of 4.3gn Bullseye which is just ridiculously accurate in any instrument we've fired the bullets through, including both of our 1911s, a friends Sig 220 and a somewhat vintage S&W 4506. Seating the bullets at the Hodgdon's/Lyman's recommended COL of 1.225-1.230 has never given us any feeding problems. I do put just a slight taper crimp on them to make sure the bullet doesn't fall out and spill my expensive obsolete powder all over the bench/floor/lap, etc. I've never bothered with chronographing any of our loads. All of the reloading data we have suggest that they are well under 900fps. I've posted targets of the first week I got my long-slide 1911. I can't find the posts to link them though. You can tell the difference between shooting Winchester "white box" and hand loaded, tailored, SWC rounds. I hope this might help.
Penn bullets? Now that bring back some sad memories, He is still around??
Those that know will remember other than that I'll just leave it!
Blue68f100
Member
Is the AA452 now WSF?
Archym
Member
Howdies. I'm not sure if WSF or WST is an exact duplicate of AA452, but when Winchester discontinued production of AA452 a lot of reloading suppliers were suggesting WST/WSF as a highly comparable powder. I've noticed that AA452 does show some finicky performance when there's a large difference in temperature at my indoor range. Some people on other threads on this site have reported good results with HP231 when their supplies of AA452 and SR4756 ran out. Since those two and Bullseye were my go-to powders for 38special and 45acp I've had to do a lot or research (read: confuse the bujeezuz out of myself) with trying to find a modern powder for accurate indoor range practice/plinking. Everyone sings the praises of TightGroup in 45acp and CFE Pistol in 9mm for "gallery" loads. I'm far too cheap to fork out the cash for Vitavouri powder, even assuming I could find some around these parts. So far with 9mm I've had relatively good luck with Longshot out of a S/A 1911, my trusty old S&W 915 and the newly set up 9mm PCC upper. Almost all of the bullets I've been shooting for the past three years have been cast lead - either with a powder coat finish or with the electroplated copper plating. A 200gn cast semi-wad cutter in 45acp seems to be my go-to when working up indoor range practice rounds.
Lo-Profile
Member
I just use lead 200g.
For both my 45 ACP and 45 Colt
For both my 45 ACP and 45 Colt
Blue68f100
Member
Did some checking last night, this is what I found.
AA452 was replaced by WST. This is not the same powder renamed, but new. Going through my load books by Win from that era, it used the same gr load. Density is different for one so fill will be different.
WW473 was replaced with WSF. Again not the same powder, a replacement with the same burn properties.
Charlie98
Member
Not a big fan of TiteGroup with cast bullets... that powder runs quite hot and the one time I shot it indoors with cast I wasn't happy with the cloud of vaporized lead it made (in .45 Colt.) It's actually a pretty good powder in 9mm for plated or jacketed bullets... again, with the caveat that it runs hot, and can get peaky fast, particularly in something like the 9mm.
I AM a big fan of WST with 200grn .45ACP loads... it works quite well, is very clean, and produced some of the more accurate loads I've worked up. I've not tried WST in 9mm, there is very little recent published data for it, and Hodgdon's current online data does not include WST for any 9mm loads, for whatever reason. I'm willing to defer to Hodgdon, although there is a thread here at THR that lays out data for it.
Archym
Member
I wonder if Titegroup will run too hot for cast bullets that have the baked on powder coating or the thin electro-plated copper plating. I might have to load up 5-10 of each before I head to the range next week. Thanks Charlie98 for the heads up. Thank you Blue68f100 also for distinguishing the difference between WST and WSF. Apologies if I was getting those confused. I haven't seen either on the shelves since my search for newer(ish) reloading powders began last year.
Charlie98
Member
I would not think so (TiteGroup) with any sort of copper plated bullet; I'll readily admit to not having any experience with powder coated bullets (yes, I am That Guy...) so I would defer to those who run coated bullets, but offhand I would say you would likely be OK there, too.
Given the choice, between TiteGroup and WSF, I'd likely pick WSF. Reading about other's experiences with it, and particularly in the 9mm, it might just be a little round peg in a little round hole.
lordpaxman
Member
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Titegroup burns hot, and handily ignites lube or oils, but doesn’t burn coatings. I’ve recovered both coated and plated bullets in both 9 and .45 and there’s no visible evidence of the bases being fried to a crisp. Perhaps a few surface molecules bit the dust but I don’t worry about it at all. The competition crowd uses TG a LOT and sends many bullets down range. I used to use a lot of it but have switched to sport pistol. I do like WST in .45, very soft shooting and good grouping in my testing. Good luck.
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