WST Working Backwards 45acp MBC BE #2

[Blue68f100]

Did some crony work on seeing how low you can load WST and MBC BE #2 (185gr LSWC, blue lube). Shot out of my 1911 with a 14 lb recoil spring, small radius FP stop, 19 lb hammer spring, and a C-More slide mounted. Shot these out of my rest ( I had to reset gun after each firing) so powder position is probably close to flat or slightly forward from chambering.

Started testing with the temperature at 60F, ended at 72F.
Distance 25 yrds.
Wind was 10 mph from 7:00. This is the lowest the wind as been in weeks.

Winchester list 4.4 gr as min, I used 1.250" for my OAL, just a thumb nail thickness showing on the shoulder. Shot 2 mags of 5 shots each to get a better idea of what the velocity is doing. These loads were dispensed using my RCBS 1500 then checked and adj as needed using my GP250 with a acceptable range of ±0.02 gr.

Load Velocity ES SD
4.4 782 30 9 Crony at 7'
4.3 742 22 8 Crony displayed erroneous data at 7' (1625 fps) , Moved to 8'
4.2 725 67 19 ES Opened up
4.1 704 66 22
4.0 687 58 18
3.9 668 57 18
3.8 666 88 23
3.7 654 56 16
3.6 630 36 10 Best group, low crony numbers
3.5 617 58 17
3.4 600 57 20 1 full gr under min, gun is still feeding rounds without issues

This powder is case sensitive if you go too low. It's also reverse temp sensitive, looses velocity as temp goes up.





I stopped at 3.4 gr which is s full grain under suggested min load. This gave a velocity of around 600 fps. Surprisingly my 1911 was still fully functional at this low charge. In the shooting rest it was barely tilting the arm/gun up. From 3.9 gr and lower I loaded after completing the previous load. Did not want to pull down if it failed to function in my gun. This 1911 is has been impossible to limp wrist, feeds flawlessly.

I will do some more test with powder back at further date. I'm having problems with my right wrist and hand. Had surgery several years ago on my wrist, very bad cartilage damage. Having pain in several areas of my hand, doctor suggested a couple of things to try. Will know soon. One exercise increased the pain, so it's going the wrong way. Going to have to find lighter weight.

 

[Charlie98]

Nice write up. I have 3# of WST because I used to use it in my 12ga loads... but now that I don't load shotshell, I'm trying to use it up in .45ACP. It's a good powder for .45, it's just temperamental, for sure.

 

[N555]

I found precisely the same thing. WST is a great plinking target load for 45acp 230gr too. I think I was loading about 4.6gr under 230gr fmj and getting nearly single digit SD in the 700fps range.
But I was looking for a silencer, HP load (using cheap fmj bullets to get close to "the load") and 700fps was not going to cut it. I pushed the load up to where I was getting over 800fps but then my SD was like 70 to 100fps and accuracy was terrible.
With the recoil boosted osprey silencer on the 1911 would cycle what I thought was stupid light wst loads, looks like wst is such a snappy powder that it will cycle well below the min even without a boosted silencer.
Don't try to hot load wst, don't try to push it and it's a perfect 45acp powder. Let it do its thing and it will do it very well.

 

[Charlie98]

I don't really like WST with 230grn .45's... I prefer to load it under 200grn bullets. In both cases, I have to redline the load to get reasonable velocity and 100% cycling, and with it's temperature idiosyncracies I don't like to push it with heavier bullets. You're right, though... try to push it too hard, and your accuracy goes out the window.