.45 GAP Reload Help

[giggitygiggity]

Hi, I am looking for suggestions of loads using 185gr flat point bullets and 230gr round nose bullets. I am using Titegroup and S&B SP primers. I have a mix of brass.

Please provide grains of Titegroup and OAL with the bullets that I have available. I am using a Glock 37.

I made some 185gr loads using 4.5gr Titegroup, but the spent casing kept getting caught in the chamber upon firing (not sure if it is due to the flat point bullet or if my OAL needs/powder charge needs to be adjusted). Therefore, I would like some 230gr round nose recipes since round nose bullets seem to work best regardless of round.

Any suggestions and recipes are greatly appreciated as I will be doing some shooting this weekend and do not want my G37 to be a single shot pistol! Thanks.

 

[Dudedog]

Need to check to see if I still have it but I believe I have a small qty of .45 GAP brass (50?) if your interested.
I have no use for it, if you do shoot me a PM.

 

[nambu1]

The Hodgdon site lists loads for Titegroup using a 185 gr. bullet as 4.3 to 4.9 grs. O.A.L. is 1.07 in.

 

[Dudedog]

If the empties are not ejecting that usually means you need to bump up the charge a bit.
Bullet shape only indirectly affects ejecting. (different shapes may require different OALs which in turn changes the pressure of the load)
Shorter OAls increase pressure the same as more powder.
Are the 230s lead, plated or jacketed?
Hodgdon does not show any data on line for .45 GAP with a 230gr bullet.
Lyman lists a load with Titegroup and a 225 lead RN using Titegroup.
You might try emailing Hodgdon and see if they have any data available.

 

[giggitygiggity]

The bullets are Berry's plated bullets (both 185 and 230gr). I did some research and Speer has some 185gr FMJ FP loads with a starting charge of 5.3gr Titegroup and OAL of 1.07. I suspect at 4.5gr, the loads are underpowered for use in a semiauto.

 

[Dudedog]

Hodgdon Data 185gr .45 GAP

Speer has some 185gr FMJ FP loads with a starting charge of 5.3gr Titegroup and OAL of 1.07

My Lyman lists this for a 185gr JHP at 1.06
Titegroup Start 4.4 MAX 5.0

wow Speers start charge is .3 gr Higher than Lymans MAX and .4 Higher than Hodgdons MAX.

I don't reload .45 GAP but the Speer data seems high, and since I don't load it all I am doing is just checking numbers from sources, (which are very interesting to say the least)
Checked Speer and they list start 5.3 MAX 5.9
A whole one gr of Titegroup higher and 1 gr of Titegroup is a lot.
Different bullets make a difference but in .45 APC 1gr of Titegroup is a lot!
I would be careful, Titegroup is not known for being forgiving on the high side of it's charge range.
A chrono would be handy here to see what vels you get with factory ammo and what your reloads are giving.

Just for fun I checked Speers numbers for a 185 with AA#5, they show start 8.4 MAX 9.2gr, Western Powder (who makes/sells AA#5 shows start 6.9 MAX 7.7 AA#5 (Sierra 185gr bullet)

Not saying Speer's wrong but loads for their bullets in the GAP seem high, maybe ok with their bullets but not someone else's.

Quikload is not at its best with straight wall pistol rounds but it would sure be interesting to see some quickload numbers if someone with quickload wanted to help out.

One would tend to think GAP loads would be intended to be use in a Glock Semi-auto, not much else out in the world in .45 GAP.



Lyman 225gr lead numbers Titegroup start 4.0 MAX 4.5
Actual max for the plated may be more may be less.
Hodgdon does not list any 230gr loads in GAP with Titegroup, so that tends to make me think Titegoup might not be the best choice for the heavier bullet in the GAP.

 

[n6yga]

230 grain bullet is too heavy for GAP! Shoot 185s. They are great.

M.

 

[entropy]

From Handloads.com : 185 gr. with Titegroup 4.9 gr. 1.097" OAL, Fed. SP primer.
I did not load that load, I used 9.6 gr. of AA#5, 1.065' OAL and CCI large pistol. Dirty, but accurate from a G37.

And no, 230's are not too heavy for GAP; I loaded 7.4 gr. AA#5 with 230 FMJ, OAL 1.133", and they shot fine; though recoil was stout in the G37, no worse than 230 ball in my PT145.