Win 231 and 45 acp

[RM]

"Modern Reloading" says start with 4.8g of Win 231 and don't exceed 5.1g when loading .45 acp with 230g jacketed bullets. Are those numbers low? With 5.1g, I did not get close to the listed velocity of 785fps. Thank you.

 

[Walkalong]

That is VERY cautious data, to say the least.

5.5 Grs of W-231 and any lead, plated, or jacketed 225/230 Gr bullet in .45 ACP will shoot well. That is not considered max by most sources either.

 

[loadedround]

For what it's worth the current #14 Speer Manual lists the 230 gr JRN bullet with 231 as follows:
Starting load: 5.6 gr
Max load: 6.2 gr
Your other reference seems to be listing some rather weak loads in my opinion.

 

[chbrow10]

using 5.3 grains of W231 and 230 grain berry's plated RN bullets, chono'd in mild weather, here's my data. bullets are seated to 1.255 or so.

766.1
749.6
737.9
732.9
757.7
747.9
745.7
749.1
733.8
750

average is 747, shot out of a 5" 1911.

my data for 4.9 grains is

712.6
705.5
693.2
694.8
693.2
727.8
686.1
692
698.2
697.6

average is 700, also 1.26" long

 

[Galil5.56]

5.7/5.8 grains of WW231 and a conventional 230 FMJ bullet will pretty much duplicate GI hardball from a 1911. I recently chronographed 6.1 grains WW231 and 230 grain Gold Dots to the tune of 820 fps avg from my 4.4" barreled P220 with an SD of 5.

 

[IMtheNRA]

RM, is that from the Lee book? When I started reloading a few years ago, I too used that manual. I loaded a few test rounds at the low end of the data, and they would not even cycle my G-21. After looking in several more manuals and several tests, I ended up with a great load, but with more W-231 than the Lee manual recommends.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Like "Walkalong" my goto .45 Auto load is 5.5gr W231 under a 230gr round nose bullet. I've found that load to be very accurate in a 5" 1911 and a few other pistols I've shot it in.

Some manuals reduce the charge because they have very short OAL for some reason. Hodgdon lists an OAL of 1.200" with all their 230gr bullet loads. I found that hard to do with most bullets because the profile just doesn't allow the bullet to be seated that deep. I use an OAL of between 1.250" and 1.270". My favorite round uses a 230gr LRN bullet over 5.5gr W231 with an OAL of 1.260". (last 1000 bullets I used were Laser-Cast bullets) Sometimes the LRN bullets I use require an OAL of 1.270" while a lot of the times I can use an OAL of 1.250" with a 230gr FMJ "Ball" bullet.

 

[Slamfire]

I did my own development and decided that 5.5 grains was an excellent load with my 230 surplus FMJ's. The same load should be just at 800 fps with the lead bullets I also use.

Kimber Custom Classic M1911	

				
230 LRN  4.6 grs W231 Mixed Brass WLP OAL 1.250" taper crimp .469"
4-Sep-05 T = 92 °F	
		
Ave Vel =	732.5					
Std Dev =	10.72				
ES	40.15	
High	752.1					
Low	712					
N =	32				 	
						


230 LRN  4.8  grs W231 Mixed brass WLP OAL 1.250" taper crimp .469"


10-Jul-05 T = 84 °F
	
Ave Vel =  767.3			
Std Dev =  14.03			
ES=  52.69			
High =  793.4			
Low =  740.7			
N=  32

		
						
230 LFN Bull-X 5.5 grs W231 Mixed brass CCI300 primers
 OAL 1.20" taper crimp .469" 
			
30-Dec-04 T = 60 °F						
Ave Vel =	797.8					
Std Dev =	32.2					
ES	154.2					
High	858.2					
Low	703.9					
N =	32					
						
						
230 FMJ RN W/W  5.0  grs 231 R-P cases WLP 				
10-Jul-05 T = 84 °F						
Ave Vel =	755.7					
Std Dev =	17.23					
ES	64.39				 	
High	784.8				 	
Low	720.4				 	
N =	22				 	
						

230 FMJ (GI)  5.5 grs W231 Mixed Brass WLP			
OAL 1.265" taper crimp .469					
4-Sep-05 T = 92 °F						
						
Ave Vel =	782.5					
Std Dev =	22.64					
ES	87.93					
High	822.9					
Low	735					
N =	28

 

[Exposure]

chbrow10 said-


my data for 4.9 grains is

.
.
.
.

4.9 Grains of W231 is my preferred load for the .45 I run this under 230 GR. FMJ's in my Reising subgun and it is very accurate and doesn't beat up the gun. Still very hard hitting as well.

For a great plinking load I think 4.9 grains of W231 is ideal!

My chrono data fits perfectly with yours chbrow10. Even though the speed is only in the low 700's this is still a VERY hard hitting load. I have managed to clean up at bowling pin subgun matches on more than one occasion with it.