Too hot?

[ds/ks]

Years ago I got a 45ACP recipe out of a couple different gun magazines:
6.5 gr Unique under a cast 230gr RN.
I've loaded and shot a bunch of these, but have now backed way down. Lyman shows 7.3 gr Unique to be MAX with their 225 gr design, and I used that to justify this. I know not real smart. My brass has never showed any sign of over pressure, but I hate to beat my 1911a1's up. I know what Alliant shows as MAX, i'm looking for an honest opinion.
ds/ks

 

[tiger rag]

Maybe a little warm, I load 6.0 grn unique Has preformed well with 200 swc and 230 lrn

 

[wally]

I've shot 6.6gr Unique with a 230gr hard cast lead round nose and 7.2gr for 230gr FMJ for a long time. I've since dropped down to 6.0gr and the difference is not all that noticeable beyond I can shoot longer sessions at the plate rack with less fatigue when I'm done. I had long brass life with those "hot" loads and never any pressure signs.

Basically I backed off when the "new" cleaner burning Unique came out after I used the last of my stash of the original formulation. Wasn't giving up anything that mattered performance wise, and the 10% more loads per pound helps with the price increases of components.

--wally.

 

[RecoilRob]

I would guess it depends on what you are trying to accomplish.

Military Ball replica load? You were close but probably not quite there with your 6.5 load.

WAY more than most 1911's need to function, so if a target load that works the action is your goal, you can reduce by steps until you find what your pistol's limit is, then stay above it.

I shot some 'Hot' ammo loaded by a buddy (in HIS pistol) that showed NO primer indent in the fired brass. I was shooting hot 10MM a bunch at the time and this load was close to the violence of the max 10's.

I asked him about the lack of indent in the fired brass..........."yea, they are a TAD hot". I stopped shooting them and accused him of blasphemy for abusing the 1911. He stopped the 'experiment' right there..but THAT was some HOT 45 ammo. Yours isn't close to being that hot.

Reduce it if you wish to make things easier on everything/everybody, but you certainly don't need to.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Wasn't giving up anything that mattered performance wise, and the 10% more loads per pound helps with the price increases of components.

Now that's a good reason to back off on the charge if I ever heard one!!

IMO, when you build practice rounds you should use the least powder necessary to insure safety when shooting. (no squibs) As long as the bullet goes where you want it to from a revolver, doesn't keyhole or will cycle a auto-loader reliable it's a good round. Of course I'm talking about practice and plinking rounds not hunting loads or rounds made for practice to replicate your carry ammo.

BTW, I charge 5.5gr W231 under a 230gr LRN or FMJ bullet.

 

[Walkalong]

I charge 5.5gr W231 under a 230gr LRN or FMJ bullet

Excellent choice. I shot nothing but 5.5 Grs W-231 and any 225 to 230 Gr lead bullet in .45 ACP for years. We are not the only ones to have independently settled on that load over the years. It just works.

4.9 Grs will cycle almost any 1911 and is even more pleasant to shoot if you are looking for a lighter load. 5.5 is a better practice load though.

 

[rcmodel]

For many many years, 6.5 Unique and a 230 RN-FMJ was considered a GI hard-ball factory duplicate load.

6.0 with a lead RN was considered the same.

I now see chrono data in magazines & loading manuals that indicate this is much hotter then GI ball ammo.

Go figure.

Is Unique hotter then it was in 1965?
Or is the widespread use of cheap chronographs & more accurate pressure testing methods to blame?

Only the Shadow knows!

I do know that my two 1911's put all the brass in the same pile with 6.5 Unique FMJ, 6.0 Unique cast, and GI issue ball.

rcmodel

 

[Steve C]

6.1 grs of Unique behind a Remington 230gr FMJ chrono's a little to the + side of 850 fps for a typical military ball equivalent from both my Government models and Combat Commander.

6.5 grs of Unique with a 230gr Lead bullet will be over 900 fps as lead will shoot faster than jacketed with equal charges and is a little warm for the .45 acp.

My brass has never showed any sign of over pressure, but I hate to beat my 1911a1's up.

And you never will until your loads get way beyond the typical magnum pressures or about two times the SAAMI maximum for the .45 acp. Typically the only indication you have for a warm load in the .45 acp is recoil and how far your ejected cases are thrown. I've know guys that loaded will into the .45 Super and shot them out of their 1911's without modification. These rounds never blew up but they where repairing their guns after every 1K rounds or getting new ones due to frame cracking. A heavier spring would be a good investment in preventative maintenance if you want to shoot your lead bullets load to address the added battering from higher velcoity recoil.

 

[ds/ks]

My recent 45 ACP loads:
5.3gr. W231
4.6gr. Bullseye
Both are accurate, with Lee tl230rn. I'll try 6.0gr. Unique.
Thanks guys

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Originally Posted By ds/ks:
My recent 45 ACP loads:
5.3gr. W231
4.6gr. Bullseye
Both are accurate, with Lee tl230rn. I'll try 6.0gr. Unique.
Thanks guys

If you liked the load using 5.3gr W231 but wanted just a little more up the charge to 5.5gr W231 and I think you will stop looking for a different load. (IMO of course) Since you already have W231 on hand just load up a few with 5.5gr and see if that makes you happy.