.45 acp impact

[kartooo]

just picked up an A/O 5" parkerized.
very reliable and pretty accurate. with my 230gr and 4gr of clays i am hitting dead on.
with my 200 swc and 4gr of clays very low. don't want to mess with the fixed sights.
how do i get it to come up with my 200gr swc ?? less powder and maybe a weaker spring to compensate ?

[captaint]

How low is way low?? I would say yes to both the options you mentioned. You could also try a slightly slower powder - but in the good 45ACP range, there really isn't a lot of diff. Do try it, though..Mike

[texassako]

A lighter boolit with the same charge is usually going to print lower in a handgun because of less recoil/muzzle rise. I would try more powder, rather than less.

[Andrew Mason]

A lighter boolit with the same charge is usually going to print lower in a handgun because of less recoil/muzzle rise. I would try more powder, rather than less.

i was under the impression that the action of recoil takes place after the bullet has left the muzzle.

[texassako]

i was under the impression that the action of recoil takes place after the bullet has left the muzzle.

Recoil begins when the bullet begins traveling forward. Newton's third law with lots of variables. A quick look at the OPs loads shows the 230gr is midrange and probably about 750fps while the 200gr is a start load and only about 700fps(Lyman). Heavier and faster has to push back harder, tipping the gun up more in your hand until the bullet leaves the barrel.

[DougGuy]

Gotta figure in dwell time in the barrel as also. It's likely the 200gr is leaving the barrel before it flips up far enough to hit point of aim. If the 230gr could be loaded a bit hotter, it may hit at a lower point on the target. I have a compact .45 that shoots 230gr TZZ FMJ lower than 200gr LSWC and 200gr HP.

TZZ 230gr FMJ = 2" below point of aim @7yds
200gr SWC= Dead on @7yds
CCI "Lawman" 200gr JHP = 2" high @7yds
Hornady 230gr XTP +P = Dead on @7yds.

I would jockey the charge weight 1/2 grain with each boolit and observe what that does.

[fredj338]

Way low is what? I go back & forth all the time between 200 & 230gr running sim PF (mass x vel), POI is pretty much the same to 25yds, the 200 maybe an inch lower, not a big deal unless shooting Bullseye comp. You can try increasing vel to get recoil impulse up. I have never bought into bbl dwell time as my own testing shows heavier bullets almost always print higher than lighter, regardless of vel. Run a 230gr @ 800 & a 185gr @ 800, dwell time is identical, vel identical, the 18gr prints quite a bit lower. The only variable is recoil.

[kartooo]

i'm shooting at 25yds.
the 230gr is hitting even a bit lower than i prefer. i like aiming at the white of my target just under the black so i get some white outline on either side of my frt site. with the 230gr i am aiming center of bull to hit center. with the 200swc i have to aim about 3" high to hit center bull. conditions were not the greatest this a.m. it was pouring !! we have a roof over the shooting positions but to set up the target at 25yds i got soaked evertrytime. it didn't bother me , i had a new toy i wanted to play with and squeezed off 50 of the 230's and 50 of the 200's
no leading and perfect function.
i'll add some more powder for next time out.

[fcvan]

I bought a parkerized plain Jane Springfield Armory 1911 back in 1987 and it was well regulated to 230 ball ammo with the stock sights. I had a buddy talk me into putting on some 3 dot sights that look great, are easy to pick up and align but print low. I keep thinking I should file down the front sight but know it will negate the front dot. I could drill a new dot and paint it white.

At combat ranges there really isn't a problem. Shooting at soda cans from 50 to 100 yards requires changing the sight picture considerably. A couple months ago, a buddy let me shoot his race gun that is equipped with a LitePipe front sight. The sight picture was amazing and fast to align. I am now thinking of not only filing down the sight and then drill through the sight and put in the LitePipe filament in the sight. If that doesn't work I can always replace the sights altogether with Novak 3 dot adjustable sights.

[Bigslug]

Well, a fixed sight 1911 is going to be regulated for 230 grainers at 25Y - that's just the way Uncle Sam intended it.

Ramping up the 200 grain pill may make it hit even lower still. Muzzle starts climbing as soon as the bullet starts moving. A slower round with more time in the gun can equal higher impact on target (this has usually been my experience at ranges where trajectory hasn't become a major issue), but if it's kicking less to begin with. . .

Try the min and max loads side by side. Only way to be sure.

Also, though it's a touch unorthodox, you can take a 12:00 hold on the black bullseye. Some guys do.

[kartooo]

after all the bad lee and lyman molds i fell in love with a 3 cavity 200gr swc accurate mold.
they are round and fall out of the mold at .452, leave nice holes in the paper,cycle well, tight groups too.
i might be filing the frt sight.

[mroliver77]

hmmm,
Both my SAI Loaded 5" and My Colt Commander seem to shoot everything dead on. I am now partial to a couple of Mihecs 200gr boolits and have not been shooting much ball weight. The 200 shoots pretty flat with "manly" loads. I have whacked coon and chucks at 100 yards.

I have been running "TiteWad" powder for the last couple years. I hate to say it but it has replaced "Bulls Eye" for me.
J

[noylj]

I like adjustable sights on my guns.
For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
Is the bullet moving? Then there must be a reaction. At the very least, if there was no reaction of the case pushing the gun back, for a microsecond there would at least have to be a reaction to push the gun forward due to the bullet drag on the barrel.
Lots of things going on and it's a miracle one can get accuracy from a light hand-held pistol...
Then, there is the hand-held effect where your grip is different from mine and the bullet fired by you will not necessarily hit where the bullet fired by me will hit.
If you don't want to adjust the sights, can you simply live with where the 200gn bullets print?

[kartooo]

i have adjustable sights on everything i own.
this thing just looks so dam good to me as is.
it reminds me of my ol army days. when you became a short timer in Germany they pass out good jobs.
we had a bank on post open on tues and thurs run by German civilians. i got to sit there and guard it with a trusty GI 45
72544

[Mike Kerr]

I have found 4.3 gr (nominal) of clays will produce very similar POI with 230 gr bullets and 200 gr bullets (but there is a difference). I hold center of black. Since you hold at 6 o'clock (approx) to acheive similar POI I would have to do some adjustments to make sure but I believe the increased load which will be closer to max for the 230 and more midrange for the 200 may help you. I don't think I would be filing the sight until you get closer with your load.

[noylj]

Then, to honor it, keep it fed with 230gn RN bullets and enjoy. Fun guns don't need any further justification.