Lee 230 Gr TC Win 231 load

[Mrbrent]

Hello all, I have searched and searched but haven't fount any info on this combination here. My cast boolits weight in at 233-235 grains from WW ingots. I am using a Lee 452-230-TC mold. For now tumble lube with lee Liquid Alox. I have lots of Win231 powder so I am looking for loading data from someone that may have used this combination. I would like to know OAL info as well. I will be shooting this in my 1911 4.25" commander size pistol just target practice and fun so 740-800 FPS range.
Thanks everyone!

[mpbarry1]

from Lazercast:

230 Gr Round (OAL 1.260)/225 gr FP (OAL 1.205):

231 Min 4.5 gr at 728 FPS, Max 5.1 gr 830 fps

Start .3 gr below max.

[35remington]

From a 4.2 inch barreled Ruger P97 45 ACP:

5.5 grains W231
Lee 230 TC loaded to 1.220."
830 fps

Seating depth will affect velocity to some small degree. Generally these bullets are loaded within the range of 1.200-1.220" depending upon the throating of your particular barrel.

[RobS]

I used the Lee 230gr TC boolit with 5.2 grains of 231 with a coal of 1.19 to 1.205. IIRC it yielded around 830 fps or so from my 5 inch barrel.

[Carolina Cast Bullets]

Not much sense in my chiming in, all of the above reflect my fav load

5.0 grains HP38, same boolit, same COL

BTW WW231 = HP38
exact same powder, different packaging. Ask Hodgdon's, they will confirm. They just dont pubish it. Been this way since H took over Winchester powders

H414 = WW760
H110 = WW296 as well.

Jerry
Carolina Cast Bullets

[Char-Gar]

There are many loads for 230 grain cast bullets and 231 powder. Just stick to the suggested loads and work up toward the max loads, watching for pressure signs and you will be OK.

[Mrbrent]

Thanks everyone!

[Mrbrent]

From a 4.2 inch barreled Ruger P97 45 ACP:

5.5 grains W231
Lee 230 TC loaded to 1.220."
830 fps

Seating depth will affect velocity to some small degree. Generally these bullets are loaded within the range of 1.200-1.220" depending upon the throating of your particular barrel.

I was loading this at 5.2 Grains of Win231 at 1.22 and they worked great in my Dan Wesson CCO. I recently picked up a Springfield TRP and they are to long. I haven't tried how much shorter they need to be but it seems after I removed the barrel when I drop the rounds into the chamber that due to the shape of the Truncated cone I will need to set the bullet deeper. Not begin real experienced at the cast boolits I am trying to figure out how much deeper I can set it. I haven't tried but I may need to go in the neighborhood of 1.19 or so. I want to be safe. Any wisdom??
Thanks

[35remington]

Mr, a lot of 1911 barrels are fitted with some gap when the barrel is in battery. That is, there's some space between the hood and the breechface when the barrel is in its closed position. In this instance, it is possible for the case rim to be above the hood and still chamber correctly.

If your pistol has this gap, attempt to measure it with a feeler gauge to get an idea of its dimension.

Then you'll know what to do.

Any deeper seating of the bullet when used with fast pistol powders will raise the velocity and pressure. You may need to adjust your charge downward a tenth or two to compensate if your gun will not tolerate anything but a short overall length.

Since the 1911 runs somewhat better with longer overall lengths, if my barrel was such that only quite short lengths were acceptable, I'd have it throated. This allows for more satisfaction in every respect.

A more gentle throat, or more properly, a longer angle to the origin of the rifling (leade) is often kinder to cast bullets anyway.

[Mrbrent]

Mr, a lot of 1911 barrels are fitted with some gap when the barrel is in battery. That is, there's some space between the hood and the breechface when the barrel is in its closed position. In this instance, it is possible for the case rim to be above the hood and still chamber correctly.

If your pistol has this gap, attempt to measure it with a feeler gauge to get an idea of its dimension.

Then you'll know what to do.

Any deeper seating of the bullet when used with fast pistol powders will raise the velocity and pressure. You may need to adjust your charge downward a tenth or two to compensate if your gun will not tolerate anything but a short overall length.

Since the 1911 runs somewhat better with longer overall lengths, if my barrel was such that only quite short lengths were acceptable, I'd have it throated. This allows for more satisfaction in every respect.

A more gentle throat, or more properly, a longer angle to the origin of the rifling (leade) is often kinder to cast bullets anyway.

After looking more closely at this today I don't have much of a gap between the barrel and the breech face. It is a very tight gun. I had a few thoughts, first was just to seat the bullet a little deeper. I did this with a dummy load and found I had to go to 1.185 to get it to drop in to the chamber. So knowing this my load data is 230 grain truncated cone lead boolit, 5.2g of Win231 powder and winchester LPP primer with COL 1.185" I pulled out my two loading manuals and read up on the bullet seating depths and found that they recommend dropping a few grains of powder off the charge on a rifle round that has no leade where the bullets are seated to touch the rifling. Since this is a handgun round and I am not really close to max load ( manual shows 4.9 to 6.2) of the Win231 I am not sure I really need to reduce the charge. What does anyone think about that? I couldn't really find anything talking about min OAL.
My other thought was to change bullet types like a standard RN or SWC that may have enough clearance to not hit the rifling so quickly. This would require a new mold.

[35remington]

At that overall length, and with a 5.2 grain charge, it is my opinion that you'll still be okay, but I don't like a 1911 that compels me to load that short. You obviously have a very abrupt start to your rifling immediately ahead of the chamber.

As I mentioned, the 1911 does better, reliabilitywise, with a longer OAL. It may work fine, but that's my own preference, knowing what I know.