Lee 200 Grain SWC Loads?

[Joshua M. Smith]

Hi Gents,

I received in the mail today my new mold, a Lee two cavity 200 grain SWC style.

It casts nice!



However, it has one small flaw, or maybe I should say the data does. On the Hodgdon website, it lists a 200 grain SWC at 1.25" COAL. Now, I thought it looked funny when I made a dummy load that long, and it didn't chamber smoothly. There was a distinct "ker-chunk" when that length load actually loaded.

As well, I'm getting excessive denting of the nose. I at first thought lead was shaving, but there was no lead inside the pistol. Looks instead like it's hitting the feed ramp a bit hard; it's not releasing soon enough from the Kimber mag I was using.



As you can see, it shoved back to where it wanted to be. This is about where I want it to be as well. I am used to loading semi-wadcutters to about 1.19" COAL, with the shoulder sticking out about the thickness of my thumbnail.

I measured the length of those micro-bands but, as I sit here typing this, I find myself forgetting it! Something in the realm of 0.330".

I have W231 on hand and am picking up Federal primers tomorrow. (How I let myself run out of large pistol primers I'll never know... except maybe I did it intentionally as I have a lot of .45acp loaded up and started loading rifle and didn't want to get the two primers mixed up. Anyhow...)

Can someone help me with the loads for this? I'd like to work up to 5.2 to 5.6 grains of W231, but pressures might be high there.

This is going to be the new critter getter load for coyote on down but used mainly for raccoon control. I'd like around 850fps.

Any help will be appreciated!

Thanks!

Josh

 

[Steve C]

Can someone help me with the loads for this? I'd like to work up to 5.2 to 5.6 grains of W231, but pressures might be high there.

5.5grs of W231 only got the 200gr LSWC out the muzzle of my Colt Government at 812 fps average but that was a typical commercial cast bullet. Most data shows you can go up to 6.0grs with some 200gr lead bullets. To get 850 you will need a chrono to find out what you are really getting. Pressures should be well within SAAMI normal for standard pressure.

 

[ds/ks]

Love that bullet, have only tried one load: 4.6 gr. Bullseye not sure of OAL but seat with just a bit of top band showing and taper crimp lightly. Feeds out of my 3 and my pops pair of 1911a1's.
I have 3 sets of that 2 hole mold. Run 'em all at once, prolly still not as fast as the 6 banger version.

 

[rcmodel]

I have had little success with Lee SWC & TC .45 ACP molds.

It's like they don't understand the bullet ogive controls feeding, and they just missed the boat slightly.

If you look at a classic Lyman # 452460 or SECCO #068 SWC bullet seated where it seats, then compare it to a 230 RN-FNJ GI ball load?

You will see the Lyman & SAECO SWC hits the feed ramp & top of the barrel in exactly the same place the 230 RN-FMJ does.
So, they Feed Fire and Function Freely.

The Lee is a slightly different shape, and it doesn't in a lot of guns.

rc

 

[jacksgd]

I cast and load that same bullet.
A COL of 1.200 fits the chamber and runs great in my Kimber.

 

[Joshua M. Smith]

Hi Gents,

Thanks.

I'm using Federal Magnum primers because 1) they were on clearance! (yes, primers on clearance!) and 2) I like the extra bump with cast boolits.

At 5.2 grains they're just cycling the action fully but dribbling out with regard to ejection. I installed an 18.5lb recoil spring because of the ejection with the defensive ammo I was using at the time combined with a 21# mainspring.

Might go a bit +P, but I doubt I'll have to.

Found a small problem though: My press was previously set up on an old kitchen table. It stopped cam-over.

With the new setup, I couldn't figure out why I was throwing double charges with the Lee Auto-Disk, 8 to 9 grains on the particular hole I had it set on. Got to looking and it seems I am, on my new work table, camming over and allowing it to throw doubles.

This is not good. I have a few hundred reloads in an ammo box that may have been loaded on the new setup. I flat don't remember.

All I have is an inertia puller.

This is going to be a long process if I have to pull each of those that way. Is there a collet puller out there that will latch onto truncated cone?

Some of those truncated cone loads seemed a bit lively; I'm almost wondering if I have some .45 Supers down there and have just been extraordinarily lucky thus far!

I can't see myself not checking the throw every 10 rounds or so, but folks, I just don't want to chance it!

Aaaargh!!!

Josh

 

[noylj]

The "standard" 200gn L-SWC bullet nowadays in the H&G #68 with a long nose to have the same impact points as the 230gn FMJ.
Your Lee bullet is the short nose (though not the button nose) version. It will need to be loaded a bit deeper.
Next, have you read your manuals on how to determine the best COL for your gun and any particular bullet?
The COL in a manual is the shortest COL that the data applies to. If you find you have to load shorter (which you do), you are reducing the case capacity and need to work up from starting load or even 0.5gn below the starting load.
Remember, COL applies to your gun and the bullet you are using and there is no "universal" correct COL.