I need some help, I can't remember and I lost my notes on .45ACP

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Last time I loaded for .45ACP, I think I loaded some 3000 cartridges or better. Since I never longer compete, it took a good while to shoot them all up. We've also moved and I can't find my notes related to .45ACP laods and cartridge length.

I'm loading for an Officer's Model 1911 style pistol with a bullet barrel, no bushing. I'd like a "practice" round for the wife to use. Strong enough to operate the slide and have a tiny bit of snap, but not hot enough to pound her wrist, as she's got some arthritis in her right wrist.

I need help remember the cartridge overall length, crimp (yes, I know it's somewhat intuitive) and powder charge for the following:

1. 200 grain lead semi-wadcutter, H&G #68 style mold. (Lee tumble lube version)
2. Mixed headstamp cases
3. Magtech large pistol primers
4. Titegroup powder

Thank you,

Dave

PS I hate these parts of getting old: I can't remember anything, I can't run across the street any more without something hurting and I can't sleep when I want to.

[Cherokee]

Well, I can't help much although I understand the memooo...whatever problem. I usta use W231 and W452, now its WST with the 200 SWC.

[dubber123]

Hodgdon data: "200 grain lead semi-wadcutter, 4.8 grains Titegroup, C.O.L. 1.225", 877fps." This was listed under "start loads" Hope this helps.

[handyrandyrc]

Hodgdon data: "200 grain lead semi-wadcutter, 4.8 grains Titegroup, C.O.L. 1.225", 877fps." This was listed under "start loads" Hope this helps.

I was going to say the same. I've gone as low as 4.5 grains (down-loaded just a hair), and still have good shooting bullets that cycle well.

[NVcurmudgeon]

Traditional standard target load with H&G 68 has been 3.5 gr. Bullseye for many years. I preferred 4.2 gr. WW 231 because it was just as accurate but cleaner burning. IIRC, mv is 750 fps.

[Drifter]

Dave,
A few months back I bought a thousand 200gr. lswc from Oregon Trail and worked up a load using any where from 3.6 to 4.7 grs. of Titegroup going up .1 gr. at a time and all would cycle the pistol reliably. Shooting from a pistol rest I found that the 3.9 gr. had the tightest group in my (new at the time) STI Trojan. I know this load is below min. but it works in my pistol. I found that my c.o.l. needed to be 1.230 to chamber because of a short throat in the STI. I've since started casting my own boolits and am getting ready to work up another load for them, again 200gr. lswc.
Drifter

[35remington]

If the bullet is the H&G type or a close replica, COL is in the vicinity of 1.250-1.255 for me, as this leaves a bit of shoulder above the case mouth. Anything much longer runs into the leade on my Bar-Sto barrels. I've seen suggested OAL with this round to vary from 1.240-1.260, and you've gotta try a few dummy rounds and cycle them through a springless 1911 to see what seems smoothest.

Like the other poster mentioned, somewhere in the vicinity of 4.5 grains Titegroup should work.

The biggest secret to getting a 1911 to run 100% is to avoid the "gamer" eight shot magazines with smooth followers and parallel feed lips. Colt magazines with tapered lips and a gradual release point or tuned GI magazines are far more reliable than the big buck WilMcKimTripPro magazines.

[Crash_Corrigan]

I have had great success loading a cast 200 Gr SWC or 208 Gr LRN with both Bullseye and Clays. Bullseye works very nicely with 4.3 gr and Clays works very well with 4.0 grains. These group well and function perfectly with the Taurus 1911 that I have. Recoil is very manageable and you might even go down from there to a less robust round. I just always keep in mind to lube up the frame rails and slide with a gob of grease applied with a Q tip and all the innards with Break Free. With the right lube I can go over 1,000 rounds shot in :Fire: one day without having to clean the gun. I have never had a FTC or FTE with this weapon. I know gun tests mag just ripped it for bad sights and lousy mags but I do not agree with them. :confused: My 1911 has over 10,000 rounds though it and I have not had any kind of problem with it. Using the original mags and some old 7 shot colt mags I can get the barrel real hot and really make my reactive target dance. Dan:castmine:

[Bandit46]

Another excellent Target load with the 200gr. SWC is 4.0 of Red Dot. Makes 735-750fps and is Deadly at 25 yards. You may have to change the recoils spring with the lighter loads to get the gun to function properly. a 22lb hradball spring won't
work with them.

[flinchnjerk]

5 " Gov't. 200 gr. LSWC
c.o.a.l. 1.255; .469 crimp; mixed headstamps; Fed. 150 primer; 4.2 Titegroup.
Avg.MV 763; low 748; high 788. Functioned fine with 16 lb. recoil spring.

[Dale53]

I have loaded the .45 ACP for many years. (75,000 rounds in five years for just ME[smilie=1:).

I arrived at a system that works with most all .45's. I prefer the cartridge headspacing on the bullet. Use your own barrel as your bullet length gauge. Tear down the pistol, hold the barrel straight up an down with the chamber up. Seat the bullet too long, and gradually seat it deeper, keep dropping it in the the chamber until the base of the cartridge is even with the hood (or a couple of thousandths shorter). With most .45's this will have the shoulder on the SWC sticking out from the case just a bit. Of course, you cannot exceed maximum cartridge length for the magazine.

This method has the advantage of consistent headspace (spell accuracy) and the confidence to know that the bullet is not seated TOO long. Barrel chamber depth varies and "one size fits all" does not optimize YOUR pistol. This method will.

I had a pistol that had been chambered too deep. When you fired a round and examined the primer, it appeared to have been an overload (primer extruded and extremely flattened). However, it just had excessive headspace. Being without funds, at the time, a new barrel was out of the question. I did a bit of research (not so easy in the days before the internet, a feller had to actually read books and such:mrgreen:) and tried head spacing on the bullets. It worked extremely well and all "pressure signs" disappeared. Functioning was world class.

Since that time I have loaded for many, many 1911's and this method, while not necessarily the ONLY method works extremely well. And-d-d, it is easy to check seating depth with out the expense of even one thin dime. It works with both cast and jacketed, but with jacketed you have to be sure and leave a little room for those derned ol' bullets with such inefficient construction, don't cha know:mrgreen:. With jacketed, it is necessary to have the bullet just a bit below the hood (a few thousandths instead of flush) due to the fact that lead will seat where a hard jacket might not.

Dale53

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Gentlemen,

Thank you for all the posts, you've gotten me very quickly back in the ballpark and refreshed the old man's memory.

Dale53,

I'm going to try the seating method you suggest, as I'm only loading the cartridges for the wife's gun and it sounds like an excellent method with cast boolits.

Regards,

Dave

[Harmon_Greer]

standard IPSC load for the 45 with titegroup and 200 grain semiwadcutter bullets is about 4.6 grains. it makes the 165 power factor in a full size gun( bullet weight X velocity/1000) only downfall is the amount of smoke generated by titegroup powder and lead bullets.

Use Winchester super target and your smoke will be cut in half