Backwards SWCs?

[Josh Smith]

Here's a thought:

Could one SAFELY load a SWC backwards in 45acp?

I'd think that the lessened combustion space would make very low target charges more efficient.

Additionally, at subsonic speeds, I'd think that the trailing nose would help stabilize the boolit a bit, maybe enhancing precision.

I know folks used to do this with WC loads in .38spl for other reasons, but I've never heard of anyone doing it with SWC boolits for the reasons I described.

I must tinker, but wish to do it safely.

Regards,

Josh

[xdmalder]

You could do it but you would probably have no accuracy. There is a reason boat tail cast bullets shoot badly.

[Josh Smith]

Why is that? Blowby?

Regards,

Josh

[reddog81]

I think it'd only work in a revolver. I've never heard of anyone loading bullets that way. I imagine if the accuracy was good someone else would have figured it out by now.

If if you want more efficiencies with light loads you can always seat a bullet deeper than normal.

[Texas by God]

You've just changed a bullet to a slug. I bet it does not shoot more accurately.

[xdmalder]

My guess is the shape and slant of the SWC would force pressure to that tiny lip and you would start to get a lot of gas cutting.

[xdmalder]

Bevel base cast bullets aren't known for their accuracy either. That is why you want a sharp corner on a cast bullet of best accuracy

[luvmy40]

They probably wouldn't feed well either.

[scottfire1957]

My guess is the shape and slant of the SWC would force pressure to that tiny lip and you would start to get a lot of gas cutting.

This is not how pressure works. Pressure works equally in all directions, and can't, to rephrase a tad, "concentrate" on one point, or, as quoted, on the tip of a bullet.

When water boils, the vapor pressure of the water is exacting the same force in all directions of the boiling vessel. You only see it at the top of an open vessel. The roiling of the water in an open vessel, i.e. a pot, is the water overcoming atmospheric pressure, briefly.

[ioon44]

In my experience bevel base bullet will shoot as accurate as plain base bullet, I have shot tens of thousands of both kinds over the years.

[TenTea]

Why not pick up a .45 caliber wadcutter mold?

Saeco 453 (not my photo)

[mdi]

Besides the accuracy issue (?) I would think feeding would be a problem. I know my 1911 wouldn't feed wadcutters and most guns would have to be heavily modified to feed them...

[runfiverun]

you can do it safely.
just take into consideration the extra case space your gonna use up.

I say give it a try and observe the holes in the paper.
I will tell you, you ain't the first one to try this.

[fredj338]

It would go bang for sure, but accuracy will probably suffer. If it were all that great, don't you think someone would be winning national championships with such a rig???? A lot of people want to reinvent the wheel, but cast bullets & BE shooters have been around for over 100yrs. Not much is new.

[mdi]

Experimenting is good. "I wonder what would happen if..." thinking is good. But ya gotta think too, like "will this blow up my gun?" Not to be confused with "Here, hold my beer..."

Unfortunately, there's been fellers thinkin' fer many, many years on most all this stuff, and ain't a lot that ain't been tried. But nobody says ya can't try it fer yersef...

[TexasGrunt]

There's a big difference between a HBWC loaded backwards and a SWC loaded backwards. You never see anyone loading SWC bullets backwards in .38 SPL.

[Josh Smith]

you can do it safely.
just take into consideration the extra case space your gonna use up.

I say give it a try and observe the holes in the paper.
I will tell you, you ain't the first one to try this.

Hello,

Thank you.

What results did others have?

Guys,

I was tempted to buy a .452 wadcutter die, but I'd rather not drop the coin until I figure out if I like it. I'd also prefer a tumble-lube style, like Lee's for the .38spl.

I'm actually going for terminal performance as well as precision. I sometimes have whacky ideas and this is one of them.

I did load several dummies with backward boolits today, and hand-cycling shows this latest .45 Government build to feed them just fine, just like empty cases.

Regards,

Josh

[Boolseye]

boat-tailed wadcutter

[broomhandle]

Hi Josh,

Please report back to us on your results! By the way, exactly what weight do you have in mind?

Good Luck,
broomhandle

[Josh Smith]

Hi Broom!

I'll definitely report back. I need to cast more boolits; I stopped casting for too long and so melted down a bunch of boolits that were starting to oxidize. I've loaded everything I've cast new.

Hoping to do this maybe this weekend.

I've also been trying to extrapolate a starting charge. Would 2grns 700x be too light from a government barrel, do you think?

(Guys, Broom helped me get a complete Gewehr 88/05 "S" for $37.50 some years ago!)

Regards,

Josh