Huh? Truncated cone/Flat point/Round nose flat point

[BossHogg]

Different names for same bullet or are really different? Would I load a JTC the same as a FMJ in 230 gr 45acp. Universal don't give many choices for the 230 gr just jacketed or lead. I think the JTC would have a shorter COL, would that make the charge different or do they seat the same?

Trying to understand this reloading thing so be nice. Thanks.

 

[GURU1911]

Mr. Hogg-welcome

Welcome to the world of metallic cartridge reloading. Some times the names & terminology can get a bit confusing, but here is almost 40 years of reloading exp talking to you.

Bullet: The best all-round bullet to shoot in your .45 acp is the hensley & gibbs (h&g) #68---it is a hard cast lead semi-wadcutter that is cheap to shoot & is good for all most anything you could want to shoot with your pistol. This bullet is sold by all of the major bullet casting companies.

Powder: Unique 7.0 grains or bulls-eye 5.0 grains
primer: Win lps
cases: What ever you got in the supply closet
oal: 1.250"

 

[Gadzooks Mike]

Here are my guesses.

A = Truncated Cone
B = Flat Point
C = Round Nose Flat Point

D = Pardon the lousy artwork

 

[Funshooter45]

The big thing about loading for auto pistols is how the rounds feed into the chamber. Some pistols are finicky about certain bullets, especially ones that have sharp edges like those you mention. In those cases you will have to adjust your OAL a bit to get reliable feeding and chambering. Keep in mind that when you adjust the OAL, it will change the pressure a bit, so be careful. Some pistols don't like truncated cones at all. A lot of loaders use only round nose bullets for that reason. Presumably your FMJ is probably a round nose, but it doesn't have to be. But they are very popular among auto pistol shooters for that reason.

Bottom line, it can be a guessing game loading for auto pistols at first. You'll have to experiment a bit. But be very careful if you start to go to shorter OAL. The pressures can rise very fast when you make the round too short.

 

[rfwobbly]

Mr Hogg -
The 45ACP, especially when it's shot in a 1911, can get very picky about its OAL. So each of those bullets you mentioned is going to have a special OAL. Since the OAL plays a part in the powder load, to get the best accuracy you'll probably end up with 3 different loads too... even if the load range is the same for all 3.

If you are just starting out, it can be tempting to buy 100 each of all the weird shape bullets you see for sale. But let me dissuade you. Save that for later when you know how to derive your own OAL and when you have a larger reloading library to help you.

Right now you may still be working on your loading process. I urge you to pick the bullet shapes and weights that are shown in your reloading manual. Larger bullet makers like Berry and Missouri Bullet can supply you with almost anything your manual shows. Just buy the ones you have recipes for and you'll be get much further.

Keep it simple to keep it safe.

 

[cfullgraf]

rfwobbly has some great advice.

Long time ago, I tried a variety of different bullet shapes in my M1911s. I could not get the semi wadcutters to work. That is not to say they don't because lots of folks shoot them in their M1911s. They just did not work for me and I was not willing to make adjustments to my guns at the time in the early 1980s.

I settled pretty much on 230 round nose bullets or bullets that approximated that shape. I have good luck with cast, plated and FMJs.. The round nose works.

Truncated cones and SWCs may work fine in your pistol. It would probably take some experimenting with the overall length to find the optimum length for your pistol. I would not get too heavily invested in a particular bullet design until you determine if it works.

 

[rcmodel]

Here are my guesses.
A = Truncated Cone
B = Flat Point
C = Round Nose Flat Point

Actually, in your drawing:
A = SWC
B. = TC (truncated means it's a cone with the point chopped off flat)
C. = RNFP

rc

 

[greyling22]

sloppy answer: yes. Bullet shape shouldn't matter much as long as you stay lead to lead or jacketed to jacketed. Load up a few, see if they work, if not play with the OAL until they do. I just stay away from anything with a lip (Semi wadcutter etc) I've just had too many feeding problems with them in a wide variety of guns.

 

[Sport45]

If you're loading for a XD, save yourself a lot of bother and don't even try a SWC (semi-wadcutter, the "A" profile in Gadzooks illustration). The XD runs fine on just about anything else.