45acp LSWC tearing paper

[mohunter55]

Hello,

I think i know the answer to my question here, but i just want to verify to make sure nothing else is going wrong. I am reloading 45 acp for my 1911 using 200 gr. LSWC from Missouri Bullet Company. I am using starting grain charges for W231, HP-38, Unique, and Bullseye. What I am noticing is with all these powders and their starting loads my rounds are tearing the paper targets and not leaving nice little holes like the 230 gr LRN. What I am assuming is it is due to the fact that I am using starting grains and that upping the powder charges a bit will help. For reference, when i look at the target, the paper is torn, if i push the torn peice back, you can see a nice little hole with burn marks, so it does not look like the bullets are tumbling.

Thanks in advance for any advice you can give on what i might be doing wrong.

 

[Bula]

Cardboard backer might help. Also, try upping the charge a little, my load with W231 is 5.2g, soft shooter, easy on me and the pistols.

 

[rcmodel]

You need a stiff target backer like a piece of corrugated cardboard box, heavy card stock, wall paneling, or 1/4" plywood to keep the target from flinching when the bullet hits it.

If the paper can't try to get out of the way, the SWC will cut a nice round hole in it.

rc

 

[noylj]

Just to say, you know 231=HP38?
Re: holes in paper
I wondered sometimes if it was indicating some yawing of the bullet when you start getting tears rather than holes...

 

[jfh]

And, I'll assume you are using commercially-made targets printed on 'target paper,' and not printing your own on typical copier or printer paper. Copier / printer paper just does not tear clearnly.

With any kind of target paper, the cardboard backer (our club uses chipboard) is the key to clean cut holes.

Jim H.

 

[mohunter55]

i have used targets made out of computer paper and get the problem. Normally i use the targets at my conservation shooting range which are a little thicker paper. The backers are some kind of foam so that u can push these nail looking things through the paper to hold it on. I've tried having the paper pinned on as loose as i can and as tight as i can and nothing seems to matter. I am hoping to try a few grains more of powder and see how that goes.

 

[Starter52]

A bit more powder will help, but I would not mess up an accurate load. Really, a stiffer grade of paper target should solve your problem. One local range uses free-hanging target holders (no backing) and I've noticed that a good grade of target is needed for clean holes.

 

[LiveLife]

Both of the ranges I shoot at use cardboard backing and I use regular 8x11 copy paper as my targets - I get nice clean round holes from my 200/230 gr SWC/RN with 5.0 gr of W231/HP38.

For non-backed paper targeting, I have used heavier construction paper packs from dollar stores (99 Cent/Dollar Tree, etc.)/Walmart that come in different colors and usually 20-30 sheets per pack. The stiffer paper work well even free-hung from a stretched line between trees. I use white round stickers as center mark.

FWIW, I save large cardboard shipping boxes from work/home and use them as target backings when I shoot outdoors with homemade target stands like this. Unlike the pictured target stand, I staple my cardboards to the wood strips so the bullets don't ricochet (they just shoot through the staples).