whats wrong with my 45auto loads?

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kneedown4GOD

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hey guys,my name is seth,i am a new member as you can probably tell.i have not been reloading very long,but have had fairly good luck at it.my problem is my .45auto loads are showing to be way slow on the chrony.i am talking some of them 350-400fps on loads that are supposed to be 700-800 fps.these loads are straight out of the speer and hornady books.example using a speer 230grn rn no.4480bullet and 7.8 grns of hs6 coal of 1.260 my average velocity was 396.25 fps.i have more loads and they were all slow and all over the place.i checked powder weight twice with two different scales and all were within 1 tenth of a grain of the book and each other.i am just a bad reloader right?thats what i thought but my .40s&w rounds and my 10mm rounds have been dead on the money with the books.within 50fps of the books and each other.the only thing i have strayed from the book on with the .45 loads is the speer book says use cci primers and the hornady says wlp,s and i have used federal primers on all.everyone says brand of primers should not make that big a difference,so i dont know.sorry for the long post,please help me i just cant get the .45,s figured out!GOD bless,seth.
 
kneedown4GOD, welcome to THR.

speer 230grn rn no.4480bullet and 7.8 grns of hs6 coal of 1.260 my average velocity was 396.25 fps
Click to expand...
That sure is odd. Even if you shot them out of short 3" barrel I don't think you would drop velocity that much. I don't think different brands of primers will drop the velocity by that much either.

How about checking some factory ammo velocity (many list velocities on the box or you can contact the manufacturer) to verify that your chrony is working properly? Is the load cycling the slide reliably? Where is your spent case landing? (near your foot or behind you?) I am assuming that your powder is in good condition.


This is the published load data for 230 gr lead RN with HS-6:
230 gr LRN HS-6 .452" OAL 1.200'' Start 7.0 gr (751 fps) - Max 8.0 gr (859 fps)
Click to expand...
Although your OAL is longer at 1.26", 7.8 gr is near the max load data. If your "alleged" 396 fps load cycles the slide fine and ejected cases land behind you, I would not adjust (increase) the powder charge until your chrony is verified. I am suspecting that your chrony may not be working properly.

Keep us posted.
 
How did it feel when you shot it. Did it feel like about a full power load. Either the chrony was screwing up for some reason or those weren't 230gr projectiles and you were short on the powder charge. Did you weigh one of the bullets to make sure?
 
Are the screens set at the proper distance? If it thinks they are 3' apart and they are really 5-6' apart...
Were you in direct sun?
Did the gun cycle (if it did, you know you are getting specious readings)?
Why are you running a chrono any way? Working up competition loads for power factor?
IMO, every one except match shooters would be better served getting lots of trigger time on target than running a chrono.
 
I'd look at the chronograph with that much difference in velocity. It probably is a light problem. Like some one said, check against a factory load, then you know if it is the chronograph. There is nothing wrong with shooting over a chrono, it is a good way to check out more than velocity. You should not become compulsive with the chrono, but it is a tool just like a caliper or any of the other tools we use. Welcome to the THR !!

Jimmy K
 
To the previous questions, I'll add "How far away from the muzzle did you set the chronograph?" I've found that the chrono screens must be at least 10 feet from the muzzle in order to avoid false readings. YMMV.
 
I believe Ridgway probably hit it.

I can run most of my handgun rounds across my Chrony at 6 to 8 feet away, but I need to back off about 12 feet with my 45s to get consistent numbers.
 
I agree with the assessment that its the chronograph. It might be faulty, or the OP might be too close to it.

I've noticed with mine that 6 or so feet away gives me fine readings with most of my lower power handgun loads, but when I shoot anything loaded with a slower powder (rifles, magnum handgun loads, etc.) than I have to step back to at least 10 or 12 feet or I get extremely low readings if it reads at all.
 
my average velocity was 396.25 fps.
Click to expand...
Got's to be a crony problem!

A 230 bullet at 396 FPS wouldn't even open the slide of a 1911.

If you are getting normal slide function, feeding the next round, and the brass is ejecting a normal distance from the gun?

Your crony numbers are screwy for whatever reason!

rc
 
What kind of readings do you get with factory ammo?
 
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One simple and cheap test for the chrony, a test that you can do every time you use it, is to shoot some 22LRs throught it as a test, before firing other calibers. Velocities of most brands is well known---with standard high velocity right around 1250.
 
bds said:
kneedown4GOD, welcome to THR.


That sure is odd. Even if you shot them out of short 3" barrel I don't think you would drop velocity that much. I don't think different brands of primers will drop the velocity by that much either.

How about checking some factory ammo velocity (many list velocities on the box or you can contact the manufacturer) to verify that your chrony is working properly? Is the load cycling the slide reliably? Where is your spent case landing? (near your foot or behind you?) I am assuming that your powder is in good condition.


This is the published load data for 230 gr lead RN with HS-6:

Although your OAL is longer at 1.26", 7.8 gr is near the max load data. If your "alleged" 396 fps load cycles the slide fine and ejected cases land behind you, I would not adjust (increase) the powder charge until your chrony is verified. I am suspecting that your chrony may not be working properly.

Keep us posted.
Click to expand...
the loads do feel a little weaker than factory,but the gun cycles well.the only puzzler is the chrony has shown perfect for all of my other guns.
 
Ridgerunner665 said:
If the load is as you say....its the chronograph.

Is it level?

Was the sun shining on the sensors when you were testing?
Click to expand...
it was level,cloudy so no sun screens.the odd thing is i checked a .40 s&w load and several 10mm loads,and a 44 magnum and they all show right,only the .45auto was low.
 
TonyAngel said:
How did it feel when you shot it. Did it feel like about a full power load. Either the chrony was screwing up for some reason or those weren't 230gr projectiles and you were short on the powder charge. Did you weigh one of the bullets to make sure?
Click to expand...
they felt a little under powered,but not that bad.i checked the bullets,230 grain right on the nose.like i have said i checked .40 loads and 10mm loads and even a friens .44 magnum and they all show the right fps,only the .45 auto was low.
 
noylj said:
Are the screens set at the proper distance? If it thinks they are 3' apart and they are really 5-6' apart...
Were you in direct sun?
Did the gun cycle (if it did, you know you are getting specious readings)?
Why are you running a chrono any way? Working up competition loads for power factor?
IMO, every one except match shooters would be better served getting lots of trigger time on target than running a chrono.
Click to expand...
my chrony just unfolds and sets the screens automatically.the gun cycles,but does feel a lot weaker than factory loads.that is why i bought a chrony some of my .45 loads just didnt feel right.funny thing is my .40 and 10mm loads feel right and chrony right,only the .45,s do this.
 
JimKirk said:
I'd look at the chronograph with that much difference in velocity. It probably is a light problem. Like some one said, check against a factory load, then you know if it is the chronograph. There is nothing wrong with shooting over a chrono, it is a good way to check out more than velocity. You should not become compulsive with the chrono, but it is a tool just like a caliper or any of the other tools we use. Welcome to the THR !!

Jimmy K
Click to expand...
i should have mentioned it but i have checked factory ammo with it and they show right 800-900 fps.my 40 and 10mm loads also show right,only the .45 loads show low.
 
RidgwayCO said:
To the previous questions, I'll add "How far away from the muzzle did you set the chronograph?" I've found that the chrono screens must be at least 10 feet from the muzzle in order to avoid false readings. YMMV.
Click to expand...
it was exactly 10 feet from the muzzle to the chrony.
 
Crimp said:
I believe Ridgway probably hit it.

I can run most of my handgun rounds across my Chrony at 6 to 8 feet away, but I need to back off about 12 feet with my 45s to get consistent numbers.
Click to expand...
i was at 10 feet,i dont know if that was enough or not.
 
i know everyone is leaning towards chrony problems,but why is it showing perfect with every other gun i have tried,only the .45 loads are doing this.
 
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