super low-velocity .45acp

[taliv]

so, i'm trying to "work-down" a load for steel challenge. any comments are much appreciated.

apparently, the power-factor for this competition/league is 125, which means that since i'm shooting a 200g bullet (L SWC) that I need a minimum velocity of 675fps, which is pretty dang slow imho.

i've been shooting almost exclusively a load that is about 900 fps as my carry ammo. putting aside, for a moment, the wisdom of having this much difference in competition and carry loads, is it feasible to get a velocity this low? at the range this weekend, almost everyone commented on how "hot" my loads were, despite the fact that 900fps is about halfway between starting and max loads. i.e. not really "near" max.

the point being, everyone elses loads were much lower. but... lyman cautions that "never decrease the (starting) charge as an increase in pressure could be encountered".

so... for a 200g lead SWC and the titegroup powder, is there a good load that will put me somewhere around, say, 700 fps? the lowest listed starting load i see is 800 fps, which is 4.5g, and it has a max of 1000 fps over 5.9g.

I figured I would start with 4.0g but before I do, is this safe? as much loading as I've done, this is the first time I've ever had a desire to go below a starting load.

 

[Jim Watson]

I've not done it with Titegroup and can't provide a tested recipe, but a 200 at 700 is not an indecently or dangerously light load. The old Winchester Super Match was cataloged as a 210 at 700 and I doubt it was really that fast. There have been bargeloads of .45 ACP midrange ammo loaded with a 185 or 200 grain SWC and 3.5-3.8 grains of Bullseye, so I strongly doubt 4 grains of Titegroup will cause trouble. You might come to the point of having to either increase the load or reduce the recoil spring, but a full size 1911 is very flexible and will run with pretty light loads on a GI spring.

 

[taliv]

cool, thanks Jim.

you hit on my other concern. this isn't a full-size i'm shooting. it's a wilson compact with the Spring of Doom. I'm hoping 700 fps is fast enough to cycle it though. if not, I will heat it up a bit rather than reduce the spring.

 

[taliv]

update: my first guess of 4.3g of titegroup (I was targeting 700fps) netted an average speed of 724 fps. I feel pretty good about that, especially since the gun cycled very well. no feeding problems with the LSWC either. woohoo!

 

[Clark]

I have shot 45 balls with just the primer in the 45acp case.
They have much higher velocity if the ball is pushed all the way in to the bottom of the case.

 

[The Bushmaster]

Wait a minute Clark...What are you saying? You prime a case and push a bullet clear down to the base with no powder??? One more time Clark, please.

 

[HKGuns]

I have shot 45 balls with just the primer in the 45acp case.

I'm pretty new to this, but I have a very hard time buying the bullet would even leave the chamber.

This sounds to me like dangerous advice, asking for a squib.

 

[Smythe77]

Have used 200gr cast SWC with some darn light loads & even lighter loads in using the 185gr cast SWC. What fps I really do not know though another four chaps are doing the same & with an indoor range with concrete walls we certainly do not need full-house loads for just 20 yds.

 

[halvey]

Wait a minute Clark...What are you saying? You prime a case and push a bullet clear down to the base with no powder???

Yes, that will work. Remember your OAL is realy short so it's raising the pressure and will shoot the ball. This has been done by many before, but its the first time I've ever heard Clark of shooting whimp loads

 

[66gt350]

I've had that happen once...I reloaded some 200 gr JRN, and had one with no powder...The large primers have enough kick to cycle the chamber and the bullet to clear the barrel. Now when I had that happen with a 9mm. The small primer did not have enough powder to push the bullet out the barrel.

 

[308win]

I reloaded some 200 gr JRN, and had one with no powder...The large primers have enough kick to cycle the chamber and the bullet to clear the barrel.

I accidentally loaded two 200gr LSWs with no powder, seated to recommended COL using large pistol primers and the bullet was about 1&1/2 bullet lengths clear of the chamber in both instances. When the round (or roundette if you will) fired it sounded like a pellet rifle firing and the action cycled completely. I was able to drive the bullet back through the camber end of the barrel by cutting a limb about 3/8" in diameter and using it as a ramrod. A good reinforcement lesson in why one should visually check every care after charging.