.45 ACP load info needed using 250 gr. LRNFP bullets

[NavajoNPaleFace]

An acquantance recently gave up reloading due to health reasons and I was given a 'boat load' of good quality commercially made cast 250 grain lead round nose flat point bullets for the .45 ACP.

I found a recipe using them with Accurate #7 but I can't seem to find any recipes using them with Unique and Tite Group (which are the other two powders I have a bunch of).

Would anyone have any load info they would care to share?

Thanks.

 

[Cortland]

I use 250 gr. 45 Colt bullets in my 45 ACP bowling pin loads. 5.0 gr. of Unique is a good start...

 

[Desert Dog]

I shoot those as well, but I had to decrease the OAL to 1.16" for them to chamber properly in my Ruger P90.

 

[Edward429451]

I came across a handful of similar lead bullets, 250g's but they are .454, I wondered if I shouldn't run em through the .452 sizing die to be on the safe side. Do you think they'd be safe to load as is, without sizing?

 

[P95Carry]

250g's but they are .454

If we assumed that your bore requires .452 then 2 thou over does seem a tad tight .... only really because I'd think in theory they will up the pressure due to the effective swaging effort needed perhaps?

OTOH if for loads that were well short of max .. I doubt it would be prejudicial .. I have tended to use my lead 125's for 9mm sized .357 instead of bothering to change lube die to .356.

On balance ... it'd be useful to slug bore ''just to know'' ... and if discrepancy just one thou over .. doubt it'd matter at all.

 

[Edward429451]

If we assumed that your bore requires .452 then 2 thou over does seem a tad tight .... only really because I'd think in theory they will up the pressure due to the effective swaging effort needed perhaps?

Thats exactly what I was thinking. I've never slugged the bore(s) of my 45's but have been loading .451 jacketed, and .452 for lead bullets, which is what I've always heard and gone by. Never had a prob with .452's but don't want to push the issue any, so will bring em down to .452 JIC.

 

[NavajoNPaleFace]

I think my question is a moot issue.

I did some dummie rounds and, even when the bullets are seated within the min/max OAL range they won't chamber in my Kimber.

The bullets have a much more 'ball' round shape than most round lead nose I've seem.

As near as I can figure the contour makes the bullet hit steel before they normally should.

The only way I got any to allow the slide to fully seat and the bullet to fully chamber was to seat the bullet WAY short of the minimum OAL. I don't like that and I dang sure wouldn't feel comfortable or safe shooting a 250 grain lead in the 1.170" range pressure-wise when the data shows a min OAL of 1.260".

I can chamber and shoot commercial 230-250 grain hollow points, etc. so I know it's not the close tolerances of the Gold Match competition barrel/ chamber.

Although I got to admit you ain't gonna get semi-wad cutters to reliably feed in my Kimber, either.

 

[Paul "Fitz" Jones]

250 Gr bullets

General Harding when he invented the 45acp from a cut short 30-06 decided that a 230 grain bullet was the maximum size needed for the weapon invented by Browning and sold as the .45 Colt 1911.

Any 250 grain bullets found no matter the source and opinions regarding them are not for the 45acp but for the 45 long colt and the older colts had the .454 diameter which was modernized to .452 diameter.

When 250gr. or bigger bullets are found they should be swapped to a cowboy shooter who is shooting a now very collectible weapon as all the current 45 colt caliber pistols use the .452 size bullets.

Many 45 Long colt owners enjoy much more using the 45acp 230 gr RN or the 200 Gr #068 SWC bullets for their accuracy under less recoil. Men wish to test their limits but accuracy suffers from flinching with repeat shots with some shooters. Top competitors like using the lightest bullets allowed in competitions.

Fitz

 

[NavajoNPaleFace]

Fitz....you da man!

I took a drive today and visited my favorite gun store and friend.

It turns out the bullets are for the .45 LC.


So you and my friend are in sync (I took the drive before I read your post).

Heck, I didn't know since a couple of manuals cover a 250 LRN in .45ACP.

J. D. told me all those bullets were given to him not too long ago by his son who had a friend who had a friend, yadda yadda yadda.

Anyway, my friend at the store bought the bullets and I presented J. D. a nice little chunk of change.

I'm sorry I bothered or bored anyone with my problem.

That's what I am here for to be helpful!
Fitz