Odd"ball" .45 ACP loads with Bullseye

[Lunie]

Just as the title implies, I wanted to seek some recommendations on loading lead round balls (either .451" or .454" Hornady, swaged) in .45 ACP, using Bullseye powder.

A while back, I loaded up 10 as an experimental run. I don't have my notes in front of me, but what I made were:

.451" Hornady swaged lead round balls
Winchester case
CCI LPP
Charge: Same as I was loading for 200gr LSWC's, ~4.8-5.0 gr of BE.
Seating depth: Approximately to the middle of the ball
Crimped to ~.470 or so.

These were fun plinkers. Accuracy was as good or better than the LSWC's fired on the same day. However, this load was just barely enough to cycle the slide on a "1911".

My question really comes down to what might be a more reasonable powder charge of BE for this combination. If I were to do this again, I would probably move up closer to the charges listed for 185 grain lead projectiles. (Lead balls are a funny thing. The weight is down near 140 grains, and they take up little of the internal case volume.)

Any other recommendations are welcome to, I'll do my best to listen.

Thanks!

 

[Lunie]

Ouch, nobody touching this one with the proverbial 10-foot pole?

 

[rcmodel]

My 10 foot pole is in the shop getting a handle re-wrap & wax job.

My older Alliant reloading Guide lists a 155 grain cast bullet load.
MAX charge of Bullseye is 6.9 grains, giving 1,175 FPS / 19,400 PSI.

I would think this would would be completely safe with a round ball too, as weight is less, and bearing surface / friction is too.

The problem I see cropping up is severe barrel leading from driving unlubed lead balls that fast.

I guess if I was trying it, I would reduce the 6.9 Max by at least 10% or more and try 5.5 to 6.0 grains.

This is only a WAG untested load, so don't sue me if something goes wrong.

PS: You could also try dipping the lead balls in Lee Liquid Alox Lube.
http://leeprecision.com/xcart/Bullet-Lube/

rc

 

[jr_roosa]

Watch out for setback. There isn't much holding that ball in the mouth of the case and if one gets knocked deep into the case on cycling you might get a bad pressure spike.

J.

 

[Lunie]

rc,

Even though your 10-FP is in the shop, you are in luck! I won't hold you accountable for your advice... If I'm not sharp enough to to do this safely, it will be my own fault. FWIW, this is still mostly academic. I ran a small sample before, and there is no rush to go further.

I think I'd like to aim for ~1000 fps with these at most. At that velocity, it would put the load at just over 300 ft*lbs (about 311), and below typical 230 gr hardball energy (~351 ft*lbs at 830 ft/s). (Really wishing I had sprung for that Chronograph a few months ago...) Slower would be fine with me, too.

5.5-6.0 certainly sounds sane as a starting... In the Lyman 49th, 6.0 is MAX for those 200gr LSWC's. W.A.G. is good, but I go with S.W.A.G. when I can. Sans the chronograph, is the supersonic crack my best indicator I've exceeded my stated goal? Of course, ANY questionable sign of pressure would be an instant "STOP!" And since we are talking .45 ACP, that would also extend to include flinging brass farther than normal, recoil approaching factory loads... Pretty much anything spooky. Not looking to hotrod...

Leading--- Good point. I don't lose much sleep over leading if it happens. It's pretty minimal with cast LSWC's and such, and is no problem at all in my cap and ball application, even without any lube. (Interestingly, out of the BP loading the balls may well be traveling at near 900 ft/s.) If it does become a problem though, would something as simple as a quick wipe with bore butter or some such work? If not, I suppose I'll have to hope I can find the LLAlox or something similar locally...

 

[Lunie]

jr,

I was pretty concerned with setback. I even did some hand cycling (with the firing pin removed) to see if it was likely to happen in operation. Happily, it didn't, though that isn't to say it can't or won't.

It happened that the cases I used were already belled for loading the LSWC's, and the balls plunked down into the belled mouth (and no further) , and at the depth I was looking for. I crimped to remove the bell, and they seemed to stay put fairly well.

I suppose I could also seat them using the die and no bell... it would shave some lead away, and leave a lead lip over the case mouth. Not certain that would chamber well, but it would certainly push the lead ball right into the rifling. I'm thinking the best option would be somewhere in between, with only a very slight bell, and seating the last bit using the die. (and finally crimping). I'd think that would give about the best retention to be had.

But I dunno... If'n you were gonna, how would you go at it?

 

[rcmodel]

no problem at all in my cap and ball application, even without any lube.

Black powder fouling every shot does a fair job of keeping dry balls from leading in a C&B gun.

May not be so with cleaner smokeless powder?

rc

 

[Lunie]

Very true, I dunno...

There is of course the possibility of loading these over a full case FFFg... Likely to be slow, require a complete strip and clean... And it's a whole 'nother ball of wax. (It's on the list for later.)

 

[Lunie]

Any other comments? I'd be particularly interested to hear any more powder charge suggestions.

 

[evan price]

Once you start driving them faster accuracy will get worse. I have been loading round balls in my 32's for a while now and find that at lower speeds they are fine BUT since there isn't much there to grip the rifling you don't get the advantage of spin. Also not much material to grip the rifling means the soft lead will spin out and strip the rifling, there's where you get leading (plus worse accuracy).

Have not done this in 45, all my experience comes with loading Hornady "0" buckshot pellets in 32 S&W long.