Kevinkd
07-20-2012, 09:36 AM
Hey all, first time poster (long time lurker). Been casting at least 25 years (man I'm old LOL).
Anyways, in Canada (stopped pistol shooting a few years ago, but kept shooting rifles) and I'm starting to get back into pistol shooting. I've cast up some nice 110 gr and 158 gr Lee's for my smith 686 - shoot beautifully. 110's I have to size (just a smidgen <technical term because they swell the case too much. 158's as they fall out of mold shoot nice. 110's about 2" group and 158's about 3" group free hand at 25 yards. More than enough for me.
All lead used is a home mixture of battery top pins (got about 600 lbs of it), linotype, 50/50 solder and indoor range scrap. I figure its about 92/4/4. Not too hard and not too soft. Yes, 4% tin may be a bit much but it pours SOOOO nicely and I've got LOTS of it all.
Now, the .45 acp. I use the lee TL-452-230-2R. Gun is a new Remington R1 - 1911 clone. The boolits have to be sized to .452 (otherwise they swell case).
I've tried lighter loads (3.5 clays or 4.5 Bullseye) just to see how it shoots. It shoots really nice - 2-3 inch group all day long at 15 yards which is fine by me. However the group is 13" low. I tried some factory loads (J-word) 230 grains from a few different companies (S&B, aluminum case surplus, Winchester, norinco) and they all shoot decent but within a few inches of the bullseye.
So I loaded up some of my lees (after thoroughly cleaning my barrel - love the 1911 - so easy to clean ) and used 4gr clays and some 5gr Bullseye. Still hitting low for both max loads - about 8 inches now. Tried different crimps to increase pressures but minimal if any change. Not sure where to go from here.
Oh, 1 other thing. I've noticed on almost ALL factory loaded J-word rounds that the primers are flattened like crazy. You can see bolt face lines on them which I thought meant excessive pressures?. Out of my gun or almost anyones (no one reloads around here it seems so I pick up tons of range brass - yay me). Yet, my primers from my homeloads arent flattened out like that, they seem almost normal?
Any suggestions? I'm debating on increasing the loads .1 gr a step cause maybe the pressure is still safe, but for now just frustrated.
rant off - LOL.
thanks
Anyways, in Canada (stopped pistol shooting a few years ago, but kept shooting rifles) and I'm starting to get back into pistol shooting. I've cast up some nice 110 gr and 158 gr Lee's for my smith 686 - shoot beautifully. 110's I have to size (just a smidgen <technical term because they swell the case too much. 158's as they fall out of mold shoot nice. 110's about 2" group and 158's about 3" group free hand at 25 yards. More than enough for me.
All lead used is a home mixture of battery top pins (got about 600 lbs of it), linotype, 50/50 solder and indoor range scrap. I figure its about 92/4/4. Not too hard and not too soft. Yes, 4% tin may be a bit much but it pours SOOOO nicely and I've got LOTS of it all.
Now, the .45 acp. I use the lee TL-452-230-2R. Gun is a new Remington R1 - 1911 clone. The boolits have to be sized to .452 (otherwise they swell case).
I've tried lighter loads (3.5 clays or 4.5 Bullseye) just to see how it shoots. It shoots really nice - 2-3 inch group all day long at 15 yards which is fine by me. However the group is 13" low. I tried some factory loads (J-word) 230 grains from a few different companies (S&B, aluminum case surplus, Winchester, norinco) and they all shoot decent but within a few inches of the bullseye.
So I loaded up some of my lees (after thoroughly cleaning my barrel - love the 1911 - so easy to clean ) and used 4gr clays and some 5gr Bullseye. Still hitting low for both max loads - about 8 inches now. Tried different crimps to increase pressures but minimal if any change. Not sure where to go from here.
Oh, 1 other thing. I've noticed on almost ALL factory loaded J-word rounds that the primers are flattened like crazy. You can see bolt face lines on them which I thought meant excessive pressures?. Out of my gun or almost anyones (no one reloads around here it seems so I pick up tons of range brass - yay me). Yet, my primers from my homeloads arent flattened out like that, they seem almost normal?
Any suggestions? I'm debating on increasing the loads .1 gr a step cause maybe the pressure is still safe, but for now just frustrated.
rant off - LOL.
thanks