Range Report and Q's

[Wilburt]

So I have been loading mostly light - mid range loads in my 5" 1911. i use a 200 gr LSWC with 4.7 gr of W231, 4.0 gr of BE, 4.0 gr of VV N310 and such. Mostly soft recoil. I also loaded some 4.5 gr vv N310 which is Max for the 200 gr LSWC, but loaded them with X-tream 200gr swc plated rounds (i did my safe work up). More recoil. Today i fired my first tightgroup loads.

200 gr SWC Berry's
5.0 gr TG
Win WLP
Crimp .469
COAL 1.247 +-.003

What surprised me is my recoil was much stiffer for a starting load (acual start is 4.8 for 200 gr LSWC). It had more recoil than my 4.5 gr VV N310 which was a max. So what gives

Also i found out that the plated 200 gr SWC doesn't feed nearly are well as the lead counterpart. I have bought 2000 before i read Walkalong's post about plated SWC not doing as well and why most switched to HP or FP. Should I seat them a little deeper? Oh they failed to going into batt on a fresh mag several times and a couple in the middle.

 

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

If you want a mild Titegroup load, you'll need to back the TG down some and be real careful, as it won't take much of the stuff and it'll be easier to double charge. I think my current mild load for TG is under 4, closer to 3.5 grains.

As far as the SWC, if the gun is throated for it, my experience has been it'll feed, assuming you have the shoulder of the bullet seated "just above" the case mouth. But this is with lead, not plated SWC's. But I see no major reason why these would be different. But I wouldn't buy coated practice bullets and cast my own instead.

Regards,

Dave

 

[Wilburt]

Yeah i want to buy lead but my better half is all crazy about lead poison. She doesn't care how much extra i have to spend to buy the plated version Also the ranges i go to have a no lead policy due to poor ventilation so....

Also Why would 4.8 be starting if 4.0 is a normal light load

 

[Griz44]

For 45 acp all my manuals have the starting load at 4.0. Are you sure you aren't looking at the HP38 data?

 

[Wilburt]

Are you sure you aren't looking at the HP38 data?

200 GR. CAST LSWC
Hodgdon HP-38 .451" 1.225" 4.4 771 11,000 CUP 5.6 914 16,900 CUP

200 GR. CAST LSWC
Hodgdon Titegroup .451" 1.225" 4.8 877 13,400 CUP 5.4 957 16,800 CUP

This was pulled strait from the hodgen website.

What manual are you using?

I am using the tightgroup data. Also i guess i kinda anwsered my own question in that 4.8 shows 877 fps. that is alot stouter than say 771 of hp-38. So i guess if i want a mild TG load i will have to carefully work down below minimum? Guess i wont be using this powder for IDPA unless i do.

 

[Wilburt]

Hoping someone can tell me if there are problems loading light tight group. IE: Extra dirty, unsafe, etc. Still a bit baffled by it.

 

[Walkalong]

I load 200 Gr SWC's at 1.260 to 1.265 O.A.L. and they feed fine in my guns, but some folks have problems with them.

I load the Berrys 185 Gr SWC at 1.190 O.A.L. and it shoots real well.

I load the Berrys 200 Gr HP at 1.200 O.A.L. and it shoots real well also. It will feed in almost any gun.

N310 or N320 is very hard to beat for clean and accurate with plated bullets in the .45. I don't know about lead.

I tried Titegroup and was not wowed by it. I have about 5 or 6 powders I would use in the .45 before Titegroup, although many like it.