Ww231 = .45acp

[schmeky]

Messing around with my accurized CZ-97 at the local indoor range the other day. Took a couple of different handloads with me. Had about 30 rounds loaded with 5.0gns 231, 1.235" OAL, pushing a 200 LSWC. I know this pistol is accurate and I've squeezed off some impressive groups with it in the past. This one was the best. I don't do this often. This is a clean, low recoil, tack driving load. Gonna' try it in my Les Baer this weekend. 231 is hard to beat in a .45ACP.

 

[rfwobbly]

I don't know why everyone knocks W231, it's great stuff.

Congrats on a fine pistol, a some great reloading, and a good looking target.

 

[Walkalong]

Very nice shootin'.

Yep, W-231, lead, & accuracy, and the .45 ACP is a very good mix. I have posted before, if 5.0 to 5.5 Grs W-231 and a lead 200 Gr SWC won't shoot for you, you have a gun problem.

 

[dwhite]

What brand of bullet?

All the Best,
D. White

 

[mongoose33]

Good shooting.

I do have to say, though, that for SWC, those holes aren't very sharp.

 

[schmeky]

Walkalong,

You're the reason I did the 5.0gn of 231. I've dabbled around with 4.4-4.6gns of 231 and have been very pleased. But 5.0 seems like a sweet spot, so you were right on the money.

The bullets were the last of a batch of Dardas 200gn LSWC's. I use Missouri Bullets 90% of the time and just loaded up a batch using 5.0.

This is a "best" group, definitly not typical. Makes going to the range worthwhile

 

[Cloudpeak]

I worked through loads of 4.0 to 5.0 grains of W231 using Lyman 200 SWC (452630) bullets. My accuracy loads in my CBOB were 4.6 and 5.0 grains. I settled on 5.0. 4.6 and 5.0 loads were also the most accurate in a 5" Springfield loaded I used to own.

 

[floydster]

To me 231 is just as scary as tightgroup as far as a double charge is concerned, I'm going to stick to Unique, Red Dot and Trail Boss, I love the TB in my 45's. I'm going to be super careful in using up my TG, Bullseye and 231and that's going to be the end of that powder.

I know I'm super cautious, but-----my eyes aren't that good anymore at 73.

Floyd

 

[Walkalong]

That is one thing I like about WW-231 and AA #2. They are both very light colored and easy to see in the case. I understand about worrying about double charges. When I catch up with you, and my sight, naturally, gets worse, I may switch too.

 

[1SOW]

Mongoose, that target backing looks a little atypical. almost like carpet?
I'd like to be able to load and shoot that group in my 9mm.

 

[docsleepy]

way to avoid double charges

This idea may help with the concern about double charging.

I had the same concern with loading 38special with W231.

I bent up a brightly colored paperclip so that it has wings that lay on the cartridge mouth and a central tail that dips right down to the powder. Kinda like this:


| |
| |
--- ---- <---cartridge mouth catches here
| |
| |
---

I use that to check every single 38sp load. The powder should JUST touch the bottom tail. If you double charge a cartridge, it is

OBVIOUS!!!!

because it goes a long way up that tail. Takes only a moment to check a shell, move right along through 25 or 50 of them in less than a minute and you know for certain that none of them are double charged.

gordon
edit: the drawing didn't come out right.....maybe I can get aphoto on when I'm back at home some time

 

[ArchAngelCD]

W231 is my go-to powder for the .45 Auto. I feel it's the best .45 Auto powder out there although I have used some AA#5 at times with good success too.

 

[45ACPUSER]

TG and 231 are not in the same class for double charges. Operators of reloading progressives need to be vigilant. I burned a lot of 231 over the years....but now like N320 for other reasons...

Many moons ago a shooting buddy with a ransom rest loaded from 4.5 to 6.0 with 231.
We fired off 10rd groups in a couple different guns. We had excellent accuracy thru the powder charge range. We had sweet spots at 4.7/5.4/5.7gr. We used lighter recoil springs with the lower charges to ensure reliable function. My wimp load for the 625's had been 4.7gr. for many years....till I decided there was too much unburnt powder and tried a few others before falling in love with N320. I have fired off many 8# of TG. Sort of sooty for sure and scorches the cases, but it is better and not having unburnt powder.

 

[Walkalong]

W-231 is a much better .45 ACP powder than Titegroup, for several reasons, and yes, N320 is superb.

 

[jfh]

Like everyone else, I found an excellent 4.8-5.0 gr. 231 load with a 200-gr LSWC (H&G 68(?)) and set up my 1911 accordingly. For the higher power stuff, I prefer #5.

Interestingly enough. that 4.8-5.0 231 / 200 LSWC range works awfully well with 10mm as well--at least in my guns. I worked it up a long time ago, and I still have a few K of those older 200-gr. LSWC (really a shouldered truncated cone; seats deep--too deep; minor bulges) that I need to shoot up.

Jim H.

 

[schmeky]

My current go to powders for .45 are Clays and 231. I took a batch of each the other day to my local indoor range to do an informal shoot out between these 2 powders.

231 won out because it produces the same, if not marginally better accuracy than Clays, but the clincher is 231 produced noticeably less smoke with hard cast bullets.

I like the VV powders, but I don't like the price. Not knocking VV's at all, I'm just a cheap b_stard.

 

[USSR]

Don't mean to hijack the OP, but since we're talking .45ACP, has anybody ever used Solo 1000?

Don

 

[Walkalong]

Years ago, yes.

W-231 beat it (and everything I had at the time) out in accuracy in midrange plus loads, but it wasn't far behind. It burns very clean at the low pressures that .45 ACP target loads run at, and is a good choice. I have been meaning to pick up some more to try in a couple of things.

 

[EddieNFL]

The very best I ever used in .45ACP was 452AA. I stacked it against 231 on several occasions and it always came out on top; target, chrono and recoil. Of course, once W-W figured out it worked so well, they discontinued it.

 

[USSR]

Yeah, Walkalong, I use it for my 12 gauge shells simply because it is so clean burning, and I was wondering if that characteristic carried over to handguns.

Don

 

[Blind Bat]

I do have to say, though, that for SWC, those holes aren't very sharp.

My thoughts exactly.

Don't mean to hijack the OP, but since we're talking .45ACP, has anybody ever used Solo 1000?

Do a search over at BrianEnos forums. Lots of people seem to love S1000 for 9mm pb loads. 147gr 9mm lcn's worked fine but I couldn't get S1000 to work well with CMJ's without going wayyyy over max. Unfortunately, the S1000 data is wayyyy out of date and supposedly lots vary quite a bit. Hopefully, someone publishes good data in the 2010 books.