.45ACP - LSWC?

[azredhawk44]

Who can give me some guidance here?

I've been loading 45acp for about 4-5 years for a Glock21 and a Charles Daly 1911 using plated RN bullets from Berry's or Rainier, as well as occasionally Hornady XTP 200gr bullets.

Total to date, about 6K plated RN bullets and about 500 hollowpoints, loaded up and sent downrange.

I bought a box of wadcutters once in 45acp and they were lacking in feed reliability. I'll admit that this was in my very early days of reloading and I was pretty ignorant on how to tune a 45acp load.

I'd like to see if I can get a bit less expensive in my reloading... and I'd like to start loading some lead wadcutters. I really like them in my Redhawk, and I hear of folks loading them for autos, and 1911's in particular.

I just bought a new SigArms Revolution GSR 1911 and would like to try my hand at loading 200-230gr wadcutters for it... Anyone have some pointers for how to treat them? Brand, weight, OAL, crimp? What works best for you LSWC 1911 shooters out there?

Powders that I really like are Titegroup for routine plinking ammo, and AA#7 for anything more powerful, but sub-44mag power levels. I have used Unique and Win231 in the past, 231 was okay and Unique was pretty dirty. I have a stash of brand new Starline .45acp +p brass to use.

 

[Spartacus451]

I use titegroup with a 185 grain LSWC, OAL is somewhere around 1.250. Just enough to have a little of the shoulder showing above the case rim. I use 5.3 grains. I have not chronoed the load.

I started with the Hodgdgon data for a 185 grain Honrady XTP which is a jacketed bullet. Downloaded and then worked my way back up to just under the max of 5.6.

 

[gwalchmai]

I find 4.2gr of TG under a Georgia Arms LSWC to be just about perfect. I can load 5.0gr and it gives a satisfying kick, but accuracy is not as good and the lube smokes a lot more, probably because that much TG heats it up more (?)

Even better is 4.0gr of Clays.

 

[Walkalong]

5.5 Grs. W231 and any lead 200 Gr. SWC @ 1.260 should feed fine and shoot very well. WST will work very well also. Tightgroup works, but I don't care for it. If you like AA# 7 then try AA# 5 for full power loads in the .45 ACP. I think you will like it.

 

[dmftoy1]

I like 7.7 grains of AA#5 under a 200 LSWC at 1.250 COL with WLP primers. Shoots under an inch in my kimber at 25 yards. My XD almost likes it . .but not quite. It's the closest I have come to a reliable LSWC load for the XD. (97 out of 100 without a FTF)

I just bought a mold off of ebay for a H&G #69 so I'm going to try casting my own here soon. (GULP)

Have a good one,
Dave

 

[robctwo]

I like 3.9 to 4.2 Clays under 200 gr LSWC. I like Precision and Oregon Laser Cast. Also Master Blaster and Penn. Also having good luck with Titegroup at around 4.7 gr. WST 4.2 to 4.8 works well for me also.

Length is right at 1.25 to 1.26. I use the Lee Factory Crimp Die and crimp to .469 at the case mouth.

 

[Primersinmyshoe]

Like Walkalong, I use W231 - 5.3g/200g LSWC/WLP primer/asst. brass.

 

[kart racer]

I've been using some local cast 200 gr swc without any problems.

3.6-4.0 of clays oal 1.235

5.8-6.6 of unique same oal

6.1-6.4 of power pistol

The clays loads are good for softer shooting.

 

[LHB1]

Use any good hard cast lead semiwadcutter bullet of H&G #68 style: 200 gr with longish flat pointed (meplat) nose and one lube groove, sized to .451 or .452. Seat to OAL of 1.250 or leave the front edge of bullet body approx 1/32 out of case. Use taper crimp to .469-.471 across front of case on loaded rounds. Good loads abound. My favorite is 5.1 gr of W231 behind 200 gr H&G #68 cast lead bullet sized .451 and seated to 1.250 OAL. No leading or feeding problems in my four 1911's. DO NOT USE SWAGED BULLETS. They are very soft, poorly lubed, and may lead barrels badly.

Good shooting and be safe.
LB

 

[JackOfAllTradesMasterAtNone]

If you're willing to pour your own..

I'll suggest:

Target load: Lyman 452460 mold for as close as you'll get to a Hensley and Gibs (for less money), 200gn LSWC. Load this with Titegroup, or 4gns of Bullseye with CCI 300 or Fed 150 primers. OAL is 1.161" -From the Lyman Reloading Hand Book. From my own experience, my Kimber prefers 1.190". This is a relatively light load, and may require a slightly weaker recoil spring.

Plinking load: The same bullet with a little more oomph. 6.9gns of Unique. Should cycle in just about anything.

Load that will function in just about anything servicable:
LEE 90489 mold, 230gn LRNHP pushed with 5.6gns of Win231. OAL is 1.91". This pretty much emulates plated military ball in a lead bullet. The mold is available with or without the holopoint spike.

If you don't want to pour your own, there was a gal here on THR, in Texas, that sells some pretty good lead bullets at bulk prices. Her website listed bullets similar in design to those I've mentioned. Sorry, but her name and website escape me at the moment. Maybe someone else here has that information. I prefer a bullet with two shallow lube grooves instead of one larger/deeper lube groove.

Loading the SWC's, you'll have to load some dummy rounds and adjust OAL to see what functions best in your pistol. But what I've mentioned here feed quite nicely in Kimbers to Colt 1911's. If they'll function in a 1911, they ought to in your Glock or your CD.

Taper crimp only, as your head space is managed at the case mouth. Read the sticky at the top of this forum for 45acp head space.

I can't disagree with any of the previous posts. We all have our favorites worked up. You can see that there are many choices.

I would suggest starting with a LRN for first dances with lead bullets. There's a bit more room for adjustment. Then dealve into SWC's. Some pistols just don't like SWC's.

-Steve

 

[robertbank]

To make major PF for IDPA/IPSC 5.3 gr 231 under 200 gr LSWC is a great load. The 200 gr LSWC makes an excellent defensive bullet as well. I have never had a feeding problem in my Paras or my Norincos.

I water quench my boolits when I cast them. I also use Felix lube and have yet to have leading in any of my guns. I don't like the commercial LSWC. I find the lube they use is to hard and I have always experienced some leading using commercial lead boolits.

Take Care

Bob

 

[spencerhut]

I use Lee tumble lube 200 Grain LSWC in my Para SSP-SE1 loaded at 1.250OAL with 5.3g of Unique. ~750FPS, very accurate. This is my Steel Challenge / Light Practice load.

 

[45shooter]

Here are my two favorite loads using H&G 68 bullets.

For target shooting...

4.0 gr Bullseye
Federal Primer
OAL - 1.250
Velocity - about 750 fps
*Use 12lb recoil spring in Government model when using this load.
I have been loading this recipe for over 30 years and loaded 100,000+ rounds in those years. It is very accurate and very reliable feeder.

For general purpose...

5.5gr Winchester 231
Federal or Winchester primer
OAL - 1.250"
Velocity - about 900 fps
I have been loading this recipe for about 20 years and loaded 1bout 150,000 rounds in those years. This is very good load for pretty much everything. I used it take a deer few years ago and it worked very well.

 

[Pumpkinheaver]

Feeding of SWC bullets in .45s in my experiance is a OAL issue. Try several different overall lengths till you find the one that works in your pistol.

 

[Range Hound]

I have been using 200gr SWC from Precision bullets with 5.2gr of W231. I have never had any problems with this load. The Precision bullets have a coating. I use 1.25 oal.

http://www.precisionbullets.com/

 

[Walkalong]

I have been experimenting with the Precision 200 SWC's myself and they shoot well. I have tried several powders and have two loads ready right now to take to the range. May make it today. (Fri and Sat I had a 36+ hr work "day" with 1 1/2 hours of sleep in the middle, well 2/3's of the way thru) I got to sleep last night though.

I have the Precisions loaded with N310 and WST. Prior to today I have tried W 231, AA #2 & AA #5, Clays, & American Select.

I am loading them at 1.260 to 1.265 O.A.L.