First cast bullets out of my new 1911

[Cloudpeak]

Below is a picture of a group I fired yesterday from my new SA 1911 using the first bullets out of the new Lee, 6 cavity mold I received the other day. The mold worked great. Even better than the 6 hole Lee in 40 S&W that I have.

The COL was 1.16 inches. 1.25 inches seems to be the most recommended OAL but these bullets, loaded to this length, would not chamber. I had to go down to the 1.16 inch length to get the cartridge to chamber. In researching different bullets, I don't remember reading anything about having to seat this bullet so deep. A charge of 5.5 grains of PP was pretty accurate, too, BTW.

I did have one FTF. The bullet jammed on the top of the camber on the way in. I shot 50 rounds and this was the only problem. My bench is a folding metal sawhorse with a square of plywood screwed to the top and I forgot my short seat so the group was shot, kneeling and the sun was on it's way down and I was kind of rushed. I'm going to load up more rounds and take my time and see if I can get some better groups.

Cloudpeak


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v620/WyoBob/Guns/DSCN1290.jpg

[OLPDon]

The only thing bad about good groups is lack of excucses. Did you do the upgrades trigger, hammer, ect yourself? Beautiful Colt!!! Casting can be quite addictive.
Now I seem to collect more molds then I have time for, last count about 60 in number, guess I need to start collecting more of the things to use them for!!!!!
Don

[35remington]

Cloudpeak, the bullet you have has a shorter nose than the H&G #68 design, and loading it to an OAL of 1.250 will result in the SWC shoulder striking the rifling, resulting in just what you experienced-no chambering.

An OAL of 1.250-1.260" is correct for the longer nosed bullet (see picture of the other 200 SWC Lee sells to get an idea of the bullet I'm talking about). The longer OAL of the H&G pattern bullet is intended to duplicate the feeding characteristics of hardball, which the 1911 design was designed around. The FTF you experienced is typical of bullets loaded to a too-short OAL for proper feeding from a 1911.

The bullet you have is very accurate, but if feeding problems persist you may consider it due to the bullet shape you've picked rather than a problem with the gun. Many 1911's need to be worked over, or magazine geometry needs to be changed, before cartridges with a similar OAL to what you're using with your bluntnosed 200 grain SWC will work properly.

If it doesn't feed 100% you can just put up with it or buy the H&G pattern bullet to substitute. It is very accurate also, and feeds flawlessly in any halfway decent 1911 with good magazines.

Nice gun, BTW.

[eljefe]

I have had good luck shooting lead swc out of my springer. I have the mil-spec,
and the bullet is a lyman 452460 over bullseye and/or reddot. I can't remember the cartridge oal, but just loaded them to the crimp groove. I crimp with a lee factory crimp die. Which weight and style bullet are you shooting?

Your group is superb, and the pistol is beautiful! Is that a loaded? The only complaint, and it's minor, that I have is the sight on mine. The trigger seems a little heavy, but I haven't measured it. It does break pretty clean. I sure don't get groups like yours!:)

[45nut]

Thats how pistols oughta shoot and I sure can't find anything wrong with the looks.

[imashooter2]

Nice! Looks like you are all set to try Slughammer's 1911 Ballistic Challenge:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=9800

[Cloudpeak]

The only thing bad about good groups is lack of excucses. Did you do the upgrades trigger, hammer, ect yourself? Beautiful Colt!!! Casting can be quite addictive.
Now I seem to collect more molds then I have time for, last count about 60 in number, guess I need to start collecting more of the things to use them for!!!!!
Don

The gun is a Springfield Armory full size, loaded. It's stock, haven't done a thing to it---(yet, and probably won't) I've put 300 rounds or so of WWB and about 50 loads of cast lead reloads through the gun.

I'll try some farther distance as I get time. I was mainly interested in short range, low power loads for ouir club's steel plate shoots. I have the gun sighted in at 7 yards for that.

CP

[Cloudpeak]

Cloudpeak, the bullet you have has a shorter nose than the H&G #68 design, and loading it to an OAL of 1.250 will result in the SWC shoulder striking the rifling, resulting in just what you experienced-no chambering.

(Other good info snipped)

Nice gun, BTW.

Thanks for the info. Man. I thought I'd researched bullets for this gun better. Hopefully, this bullet will work out OK. On the bright side, the Lee 6 hole mold has about paid for itself in the bullets that I've cast so if I have to buy a different mold, I'll be in good shape.

Side note, my wife and I went to UNL as did our two daughters. We lived in Lexington for 35 years before moving to Wyoming. I have many fond memories of Lincoln.

Thanks, Cloudpeak

[Cloudpeak]

I have had good luck shooting lead swc out of my springer. I have the mil-spec,
and the bullet is a lyman 452460 over bullseye and/or reddot. I can't remember the cartridge oal, but just loaded them to the crimp groove. I crimp with a lee factory crimp die. Which weight and style bullet are you shooting?

Your group is superb, and the pistol is beautiful! Is that a loaded? The only complaint, and it's minor, that I have is the sight on mine. The trigger seems a little heavy, but I haven't measured it. It does break pretty clean. I sure don't get groups like yours!:)

I'll write down that Lyman number in case I need it.

The bullet is a Lee 200 gr SWC tumble lube design. I use a similar bullet in my XD40 SC with great results.

The 1911 is a loaded with the target sights. This is my first 1911 and I'd only put a mag or two through a 1911 before buying this one. Compared to my XD, the trigger is wonderful. Remember, the group was shot at 7 yards. I'll do more tests later on at greater range but I did buy the gun for steel plate shooting (and because, dogon it, everyone should own a 1911. I like this one so much I may sell my Ruger Blackhawk flat top 44 mag that I've owned since 1969 and buy another 1911 with a shorter barrel.

Cloudpeak

[Lloyd Smale]

that bullet is a close copy of the lyman swc and though i havent shot it in TL version the standard lubed one works great. Its a finky bullet for seating dept though. It needs to be seated so that just maybe a .10 of an inch of shoulder is showing maximum. That especaily goes for my spingfields as the ones ive had and have seem to be cut with chambers that are on the short side. Heres what i do to my full sized guns. I polish the feed ramp run 15lb wolf variable rate springs and wilson mags and ive found that cures about 99 percent of the feeding troubles. The 15lb springs will work for ball ammo but if your doing a steady diet of it id step up to a 18lb. The 15s will reliably run ammo as light as a 200 with 3.5 grains of bullseye.

[mag_01]

Nice job---very addicted hobby---almost becomes work---Told my wife I'm going to hire someone to help me reload----again nice job---Mag

[Cloudpeak]

I shot another round of targets with different powder charges at 14 yards (Power Pistol 4.8 grains to 6.5 grains). The 6.5 grains of power Pistol was, once again, the tightest group. 4 shots in .82". (Naturally, there was one flyer taking the group out to 1.12". The only trouble I had was, on two occasions, feeding the top round off the mag as I pulled the slide back to load the first round. All following rounds fed fine. On the two FFF, the cartridge lodged in the chamber. Had the "point" of the bullet been fuller, I think the top rounds would have fed fine. I'll load a few boxes and see how I get along but I imagine I'll end up looking for a different shape bullet. I do have 2000 bullets coming from Penns (1000 SWC, 1000 rounds TC) so will see how these designs feed before I go looking for another mold.

Cloudpeakl

[eljefe]

I got an order from Penn earlier this year; the H&G 68 design in 200 grain.
I am pleased with the bullet, and it fed and functioned perfectly in my pistol.
It was just too darned hot to cast as much as I would have liked this summer.

I may have to give that power pistol a try. What velocity are you at with your loads?

[Cloudpeak]

I got an order from Penn earlier this year; the H&G 68 design in 200 grain.
I am pleased with the bullet, and it fed and functioned perfectly in my pistol.
It was just too darned hot to cast as much as I would have liked this summer.

I may have to give that power pistol a try. What velocity are you at with your loads?

Yep, it seems like it's too hot or too cold here to cast, a well. That's why I took the lazy guy's way out and ordered from Penn's. I should probably just buy my bullets as I imagine it would be more cost effective but casting is just so darn much fun!

Sorry, I don't have a chrono so don't know the velocity. I was more interested in finding a soft shooting, non leading load and velocity wasn't a criteria. I had hoped to come up with a softer shooting load but the groups with powder loads from 4.8 to 5.5 or so were larger than the 6.5 grain load of Power Pistol so, for steel plates at 7 yards, I guess a guy should go with the most accurate load. If I get time, I may play with the Penns bullets and various powders and see if I can come up with a very mild, accurate load.

Cloudpeak

[Topper]

NIce going Cloudpeak.
That was the first bullet mold I purchased for 45ACP and it has performed well for me.
I didn't have a lubrizer at that time, and the TL bullet was the easiest and cheapest route.
As far as feeding, if the barrel ramp is throated properly, it should feed fine as long as the bullet is not to large in diameter.

[scrapcan]

So how close to the peak are you? My wife is from Story/Sheridan. Here is a webcam of the area looking toward cloud peak. And as picture shows there is a reason it is called the cloud peak wilderness. Hope the link works.


http://www.wyvisnet.com/images/photos-main/cpwa1.jpg

If you get a chance you should go to the Gillette Gun Club and look up Marty Brown, if you already don't know him. Good guy and he has worked hard for that club to put on handgun shoots.

Sorry to hear you have been a NEBR. And I hope you know what that big N on the stadium in Lincoln spells. I am from a small town right on the WYOBRASKA Border, and spent the last few days hauling sugar beets in NEBR land. So feel like I can give (and take) a little ribbing.
Do you wear red on game Day? Saturday was nothing but red in every car that I passed while driving the truck. I was always told that the best birth control in Nebraska is a Huskers game, too busy glued to the tube to cause problems.

And one more and then I will shut up and take my beatings from the other side of the line (all in fun of course). What is the best thing about NEBR? Seeing it in your rearview mirror.

All other Nebraskan, please do not feel like it is a personal assault and run me off the road later this weak as I am on vacation from my real job doing harvest in western Nebraska.

Take care (and from a Wyoming Native, welcome and please stay a while).

[KYCaster]

The only trouble I had was, on two occasions, feeding the top round off the mag as I pulled the slide back to load the first round. All following rounds fed fine.
Cloudpeakl


Cloudpeak: Lock the slide back, seat the magazine, then release the slide by depressing the slide stop. That may improve your first round feeding problem. Springfields usually feed most bullet styles very well.

Jerry

[Cloudpeak]

Cloudpeak: Lock the slide back, seat the magazine, then release the slide by depressing the slide stop. That may improve your first round feeding problem. Springfields usually feed most bullet styles very well.

Jerry

I'll give that a try. Thanks. I've been pulling the slide back from the closed position and just pulling the slide off the slide stop. I wouldn't think there would be much difference but, you never know.

CP

[Cherokee]

I think you will find the TC design to feed well in your 1911. That has been my best bullets for 30 years, even though I like the H&G 68 and lyman 452460. For reliability, I go with the TC.

[scrapcan]

There is a good discussion of bullet seating for different styles in Jeryy Kuhnhausen's book ( not sure I spelled his name right) I don't have time a the moment to post his discussion, I am on my way out the door. Will try to get it poseted int eh next couple of days. Or maybe someone else has the book and can get it.

I used it to seat swc for a box stock auto ordanance that is standard mill speck barrel and it will feed anything you want if you follow what the book says. I also found a magazine lip forming tool in a book and built one to modify cheap military mags for an earlier release time and lip configuration. That helps also, or you can use new style mags.

[milsurpcollector1970]

I have found that good magazines help a great deal in the 1911. I have 2 Ed brown mags.

Wilson also makes some good ones.

At $25 a piece they are not cheap but the crappy mags that most mfr's give you are a pain in the ...

[scrapcan]

Finally got a chance to look up the info in Jerry Kuhnhausen's book on seatingof semi wadcutter style bullets.

here is what it says on page 56 "3A. In this case - headspace is the same as #3 (Headspace is at "go" plus the usual .008" to .010", typical of many civilian pistols). But, the bullet has ben properly seated, without expansion of deformation, {at .012" to .015" exposed shoulder) and the case has been lightly taper crimped. Bullet shoulder diameter remains at .452" and does not interfere with headspaceand does not crush against the chamber's leade. it is ready for smooth engagement with the rifling"

I used a chamber cast and this came out pretty close to the chamber cast.

just thought I would pass along the info from the book.