New to reloading and this board, please be patient... not trolling here.
I decided to get into handloading. Mainly for the .45 pistol (DW 1911) lately. Procured what I needed thinking "It's .45 ACP, been done a million years, should find lots o concrete data."
3 Questions came to mind:
1) Well, I have lots (3 sources) of reloading data, but agreement isn't happening with the HS-6 powder I bought. I took one source and start load and I used it (with a longer OAL), but the max loads are WAY different. Starting loads seem to agree more. Is 2 grains that small a difference with HS-6 in a .45? Seems like a big diff to me, but I'm new to this.
2) I also have seen OALs from 1.195 to 1.275 quoted (or none...). All I care about at this point is a safe load that feeds well and can be worked up to mid-range; not looking to turn the .45 into a .45 Win mag. I am using both the 185 Rainier FP and HP bullets. The DW feeds any factory fodder with aplomb, but are any OALs "easier to digest" for a 1911 with the FP and HP profiles?
3) The FCD die is set to produce case headspace diameter (hope thats the right term) of .469 (going from memory), is that too much crimp on the plated bullets? I pulled one and it looked swaged down.
I loaded up just 21 of the FPs at an OAL of 1.230 (kinda split the diff) with 8.6grn HS-6. Was gonna run 3 mags at the range soon in addition to a couple hundred factory rounds to create a bigger "brass pool" while I practice.
Hodgdon 26 lists 8.6 as max with NO listed OAL, but the web data lists 9.6 (a misprint or changed in 27?). Rainier/Midway load map shows 2+ GRAINS MORE as max (with the same 8.4grn starting load) with the OAL "seeming" to be 1.275. Lee data shows 8.6 starting load and 9.6 max at 1.195+" (I guess any longer OAL is OK as it will only decrease pressure, assuming it feeds).
I want to load up a couple hundred for the range, but figured I better ask those questions first, dissasembling ~20 is easier than 200.
I thought this was gonna be easy, and it is mechanically... too much choice isn't a bad thing, but I get confused easy looking at these max loads and OALs and trying to square them with "what's safe".
Equipment is a Lee Classic Cast Press and Lee Carbide 4-die set, with Hornady LNL bushings and Model M scale (weigh each charge). Seems very easy to turn out rounds that measure identical (to the .001) to factory ammo (my carry silvertips) in any dimension I choose to measure. That part seems to be going well.
I've been lurking here a week or so, and decided to join in. Thanks in advance for any help. I really tried to search other threads for these answers. My questions are probably too dumb, but better to look dumb here than at the range with a blown up 1911, or one with a bullet in the bore.
I decided to get into handloading. Mainly for the .45 pistol (DW 1911) lately. Procured what I needed thinking "It's .45 ACP, been done a million years, should find lots o concrete data."
3 Questions came to mind:
1) Well, I have lots (3 sources) of reloading data, but agreement isn't happening with the HS-6 powder I bought. I took one source and start load and I used it (with a longer OAL), but the max loads are WAY different. Starting loads seem to agree more. Is 2 grains that small a difference with HS-6 in a .45? Seems like a big diff to me, but I'm new to this.
2) I also have seen OALs from 1.195 to 1.275 quoted (or none...). All I care about at this point is a safe load that feeds well and can be worked up to mid-range; not looking to turn the .45 into a .45 Win mag. I am using both the 185 Rainier FP and HP bullets. The DW feeds any factory fodder with aplomb, but are any OALs "easier to digest" for a 1911 with the FP and HP profiles?
3) The FCD die is set to produce case headspace diameter (hope thats the right term) of .469 (going from memory), is that too much crimp on the plated bullets? I pulled one and it looked swaged down.
I loaded up just 21 of the FPs at an OAL of 1.230 (kinda split the diff) with 8.6grn HS-6. Was gonna run 3 mags at the range soon in addition to a couple hundred factory rounds to create a bigger "brass pool" while I practice.
Hodgdon 26 lists 8.6 as max with NO listed OAL, but the web data lists 9.6 (a misprint or changed in 27?). Rainier/Midway load map shows 2+ GRAINS MORE as max (with the same 8.4grn starting load) with the OAL "seeming" to be 1.275. Lee data shows 8.6 starting load and 9.6 max at 1.195+" (I guess any longer OAL is OK as it will only decrease pressure, assuming it feeds).
I want to load up a couple hundred for the range, but figured I better ask those questions first, dissasembling ~20 is easier than 200.
I thought this was gonna be easy, and it is mechanically... too much choice isn't a bad thing, but I get confused easy looking at these max loads and OALs and trying to square them with "what's safe".
Equipment is a Lee Classic Cast Press and Lee Carbide 4-die set, with Hornady LNL bushings and Model M scale (weigh each charge). Seems very easy to turn out rounds that measure identical (to the .001) to factory ammo (my carry silvertips) in any dimension I choose to measure. That part seems to be going well.
I've been lurking here a week or so, and decided to join in. Thanks in advance for any help. I really tried to search other threads for these answers. My questions are probably too dumb, but better to look dumb here than at the range with a blown up 1911, or one with a bullet in the bore.