45acp swc

[ImjinScout]

Hi All,

Just getting ready to try some new loads for the Berry's 200gr SWC with HP-38, I have currently been loading the 230GR but wanted to try the SWC's for paper punching at the range.

Any tips and tricks for this bullet, or can you share your load with HP-38 that you really like. I currently load the 230gr to COL of 1.250, with 5.4 grs of HP-38 and a crimp dia. of .470 to .472 and these all run fine in my 3rd Gen S&W 4566 TSW, thanks for any suggestions

 

[CZ57]

5.5 grs. of 231/HP-38 seems to be the load. I have to load 200 gr SWCs to 1.245" because of the somewhat shorter throat of my SA XDm. Many more will join in soon!

 

[Starter52]

5.2 grains of 231 with Berry's plated 200 gr. SWC works for me in my old Series 70 Colt Gold Cup.

 

[ImjinScout]

Thanks guys, I forgot one more thing, I use Hornady dies on my LNL, should I change out the seater plug to the one that has a flat tip, I'm assuming this is provided for these type of bullets, or will the seating plug that I use for the RN work fine?

 

[mbopp]

Try fitting the nose of the bullet into each seater plug and see what fits best.
5.5gr of HP-38 / W231 and a 200gr cast SWC is a standard load in my Springfield.

 

[Walkalong]

5.0 Grs HP-38/W-231 for a light, shoot it all day, plinker/target load, or 5.5 Grs for a stouter load. Both will shoot very well. If it doesn't, it isn't the powders fault. Some folks shoot 5.2 or 5.3.

 

[Shmackey]

Yep--5 grains and 1.245. Apparently the standard OAL is 1.25--which was news to me since that's always too long in my experience. Go figure.

 

[Walkalong]

I load it, and other RN bullets in .45, at 1.260 to 1.265 O.A.L. As long as the OAL falls in between there, I call it good. I aim for the middle, but there will always be a little variance.

 

[ImjinScout]

Thanks for the input guys, will load some up and give them a try, have a happy thanksgiving

 

[Lost Sheep]

My friend's Springfield XD will not feed SWC worth a darn. He traded his SWC loads for my round nose (we often reload together and I trust his loads - I am the one who taught him, so I guess I am obliged). My Colts, AMTs, Taurus and Randalls all feed SWC just fine.

You might consider making up a half-dozen and trying cycling them by hand or even firing them, as loading a couple hundred rounds that you might have to either disassemble or fire as if you had a single-shot pistol would be a bummer.

Good Luck.

Lost Sheep

 

[Striker Fired]

I have 2 XDm's one 40 and one 45 plus a 9mm Storm Lake barrel for the 40 I've heard of others that had feed issues with SWC s in them but I shoot them with the SWC and don't have that issue with them. They have tight chambers(the XDM's anyway) and a person has to keep the bullets seated pretty straight and concentric,plus a little shorter. I wonder if that is what everybody is thinking is a feed problem.

 

[rsrocket1]

I've had a love/hate relationship with 200g LSWC's in my 1911. My second box of bullets after a perfectly acceptable 500 230g plated RN were 200g Lead SWC's. I had a miserable time with them 3-point jamming about once or twice every 3-4 mags. These happened with original Colt mags as well as the "SWC" mags with the bends going only half way forward.

I wrote them off, but later found that they fed fine after polishing the machine marks off the feed ramp and buying a new extractor. I thought the extractor would solve an extraction problem, but at the same time, the feed problems went away and the 1911 worked perfectly with any magazine I threw at it. I like the nice clean holes they punch and the gentle push they shoot with 4.5g Red Dot. I liked them so much that I got another 500, but they are 3-point jamming again. I threw my hands up and just bought another box of 500 230g LRN's and I think I'll just stick with them. 5.0g Bullseye works just fine with the LRN's and no jamming.

 

[noylj]

I have never had a problem feeding L-SWCs in ANY gun that couldn't be traced to the magazine. Even my old P-08 lugers feed 115 or 125gn L-SWCs just fine.
For .45, my standard COL with H&G #68 200gn L-SWCs is 1.260-1.270".

 

[ImjinScout]

Just wanted to post an update on the SWC's that I had loaded. I loaded 20 rounds at 5.0 and another 30 at 5.3grs and everything worked just fine. The 5.0grs were a little light for my taste but at least everything cycled fine. The 5.3 grs were better, but still on the mild side. So here is where I ended up at, Berry's 200gr SWC loaded with 5.3grs of HP-38, COL of 1.250 +/-.003 and a crimp diameter of .470 to .472 depending on the brass, thanks for the input

 

[LiveLife]

I have 2 XDm's one 40 and one 45 plus a 9mm Storm Lake barrel for the 40 I've heard of others that had feed issues with SWC s in them but I shoot them with the SWC and don't have that issue with them ... I wonder if that is what everybody is thinking is a feed problem.

This has been well documented (linked thread post shows picture of XDM45 slide rib). XD45 has a flat center slide rib that allows the extracting case base rim to hit the shoulder of the SWC bullet in the magazine and cause extraction issues.

XDM45 has modified angled slide rib that pushes down on the round in the magazine so the extracting case base rim will clear the shoulder of the SWC bullet like many other semi-auto pistols.

Here's a repost diagram from xdtalk showing SWC and straight slide rib

"Rough" picture of most semi-auto (and XDM45) with angled rib near chamber end for case lip to clear next round in the magazine.

 

[Hangingrock]

From Berrys yesterday:We recommend using 1.18” – 1.20” for the COL of the .45 200gr SWC