Need help loading .45 ACP

Have no expetience with CFE pistol but for my 45 loading I use 700X, Red Dot/Promo, Green Dot, and other fast pistol/shotgun propellants at mid load or above for both lead and jacketed bullets in the 200-230 grain range. I have reliable and accurate ammo. I also think your load is too light. Bump it up and those troubles will go away with the wind.
 
Fred D. said:
I've been loading for 20 years. Here's the problem. I'm loading .45 ACP for my Sig P220. I use various brands of brass, 185 grain Berrys HBRN bullets, set to 1.250 depth, 7.2 grains of Hodgdon CFE Pistol powder, with Lee dies, on a single stage Lee press. I'm getting blow back powder and occasionally stove pipe ejecting. I've tried no crimp, medium, and heavier crimps. No difference. I Amy the gun to Sig, and they replaced all springs, but found nothing when tested. Can someone help with advice or suggestions?
Click to expand...
This is the same problem I had when I bought my first gun a Ruger KP 97 DC in 45 auto I was using Red Dot with a 200 gr LSWC . I was having quite a few stove pipes , I switched IMR 700X on the advice of the owner of the LGS starting load is 4.4 Max is 5.3grs. I laddered them from 4.4 to 5.3 I ended up at 5.0 grains the gun likes hotter loads of faster powder you may want to try a faster powder it solved my problem I used 700X up until the last few years since I can’t find it now after 28 years. I am now using either Titegroup, Bullseye or American Select so far all 3 work well in that gun but in the middle of the load data to just beyond.
 
jmorris said:
FWIW, I have loaded hundreds of thousands of 45 acp rounds and never used a magnum primer, small or large.

Another sign of low pressure rounds, is that they don't expand and seal at the mouth as well and that allows gases to deposit soot up by the case mouth, more than normal.

View attachment 1189866
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I know it's a reach, but would you have any photo examples of higher pressure rounds with "cleaner" cases?
 
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There are lots of good powders that work well with in 45 ACP. As said, you need enough powder in the case for the case to seal against the chamber wall.

Personally, 700-X is my main 45 ACP powder with Accurate #5 or W231 as an alternate, both with 230 grain RN bullets. I've been dabbling a bit with semi-wadcutter target ammunition with Accurate #2 in my Gold Cup.

Not to be repetitive, there are lots of powders that work well in 45 ACP.
 
@Fred D. , welcome to THR.
CFE Pistol is a slow pistol powder and tends to be dirty and weak at its starting charge. The faster powders mentioned by others, BE, WST, Clays will run much cleaner at starting charges and may even cycle the gun. My P220 Elite definitely likes stouter loads.
You didn’t mention the intended use but faster powders would be better for a target load and save the CFE for full power loads.
Fred D. said:
I'll try that, and if it works, I'll have to pull several hundred loaded bullets and up the charge.
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Don’t know what to say to this…shouldn’t comment at all…but what the heck? You may want to examine your load development process and make a few changes.
 
lordpaxman said:
CFE Pistol is a slow pistol powder and tends to be dirty and weak at its starting charge. The faster powders mentioned by others, BE, WST, Clays will run much cleaner at starting charges and may even cycle the gun.
Click to expand...

Not to mention cost less per round. With the OP's 7.2 grain charge, he gets 972 rounds out of 1 pound of powder. My "major" 45 acp gun game load uses 3.7 grains of Clays and I get 1891 rounds per pound of powder. Thats 919 more rounds per pound of powder and my load runs, he still needs to go up.

Not a big deal when things are plentiful and cheap but thats been a couple years.
 
243winxb said:
WLP & Remington 2 1/2 primers are "magnum" to me. They dont make other LP.
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That makes as much sense as me just seeing them as standard as they are for either and I have used a lot of them in 45 acp.
 
CQB45ACP said:
Label, label, label!!!
Did I say label?

I have a couple, maybe a few, of unknown parentage because I said to myself “oh, I’ll remember them”
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I got a slide mounted red-dot put on mine about the same time that I was testing light bullseye loads. I was juggling recoil springs like a circus clown to get the combination that would reliably chamber but still lock back. I think that I have everything back in the right bags but I wouldn't bet my life on it. I need to find somebody that has one of these:

www.brownells.com

SECURE FIREARM PRODUCTS GOV'T LENGTH 1911 RECOIL SPRING TESTER | Brownells

Check out the SECURE FIREARM PRODUCTS available Online at Brownells Today and many more Handgun Tools products are available in our Tools & Cleaning Department.
www.brownells.com www.brownells.com

That or keep shooting the same loads. I think I'm running 13# now.
 
Laphroaig said:
I got a slide mounted red-dot put on mine about the same time that I was testing light bullseye loads. I was juggling recoil springs like a circus clown to get the combination that would reliably chamber but still lock back. I think that I have everything back in the right bags but I wouldn't bet my life on it. I need to find somebody that has one of these:

www.brownells.com

SECURE FIREARM PRODUCTS GOV'T LENGTH 1911 RECOIL SPRING TESTER | Brownells

Check out the SECURE FIREARM PRODUCTS available Online at Brownells Today and many more Handgun Tools products are available in our Tools & Cleaning Department.
www.brownells.com www.brownells.com

That or keep shooting the same loads. I think I'm running 13# now.
Click to expand...
Perfect
 
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