Colt Combat Elite Cast Boolit Questions

[RetMSgt]

I am sorry if this has been posted numerous times, here it goes... My Colt has had a very low diet of jacketed rounds through it--new gun. I've recently started reloading and have had great luck with my LMT .308. I decided to try my .45 but with case from the tutelage of an old family friend.

I slugged my barrel to .451, I am lucky enough to have a bunch of .452 RN cast boolits (lubrisized) on hand that I picked up in Roswell, NM--Zia's Gun Shop. I did a bit of reading first and was pretty surprised that a lot of the literature call's for these to be seated to 1.200 OAL, seemed kind of short? I did this with 4.2 grains of Titegroup, Win Cases and Federal 150M. I crimped to .471 after I seated them--used RCBS TC dies.

The gun shot and fed great, boolit went where the front site was. I was pretty impressed and happy until I pulled the barrel. After just shy of 50 rounds the throat was leaded up pretty good. I let it soak in kroil--nastiness ensued. I ended up using copper chore boy to remove remaining (stubborn) lead.

I did look at my throat, pretty good step in there. I also did a plunk test with a dummy round and I had zero issues with .250-.260. Too big of a jump or should I look to have my barrel reamed per?
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?232061-1911-Throating

Not the greatest pics...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v235/engineguy129/20150706_084847_zpslvsuu37v.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/engineguy129/media/20150706_084847_zpslvsuu37v.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v235/engineguy129/20150622_214239_zps34f0z4bd.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/engineguy129/media/20150622_214239_zps34f0z4bd.jpg.html)

[DougGuy]

Throating will help with leading as it ever so slightly increases the diameter of the freebore just in front of the headspace ledge, just this by itself takes away most if not all of the edge that would be shaving the boolit as it exits the case mouth.

Also real hard alloy can cause leading, as will hard lube.

[RetMSgt]

Sounds like a lot of variables to think about. Thanks for the info.

[Boogieman]

hard bevel base boolits with a light load. try loading long, 1.260 if it will plunk test. loading a little hotter might help

[MGD]

I agree, load a little hotter to get the bullet to obturate.

[RetMSgt]

Thanks for all the replies, I'll bump the charge up a bit. The 4.2 was a bit on the low side and 4.8 being max. A tidbit that I accidentally left out; 80% of the leading was in the throat area.

[AnthonyB]

RetMSgt:
I think throating will solve your problem. I bought a reamer based on the thread you linked but didn't have the balls to use it after what I perceived to be a bad start. IMO, this is a job for a pro or someone who has been successful before.
Tony

[Deep Six]

Those look like the average commercial 45 round nose cast bullets. Probably 92-6-2 alloy (too hard), hard lube (need softer for 45), and bevel base design. All of these are likely contributing to your leading issues.

Before I spent money removing metal from the barrel, I'd cast some of my own and try those. Use more like a 96-2-2 alloy, flat base bullet design, and a good soft lube like Ben's Red or Felix. Also bump up the load as others have said. I bet your leading issue is at least significantly reduced if not eliminated.

[Silver Jack Hammer]

RetMSgt, DougGuy can certainly sweeten up your Colt with a throat job, but don't ignore Deep Six's identification of the prime suspect in your leading problem: hard lube. Whether you buy boolits from Roswell or anywhere else you'll get lube that is too hard because it is designed to be shipped. Store bought boolits are almost always cast with alloy that is too hard and the lube used is too hard. Bulk casters that sell their product manufacture boolits that ship well, not shoot well, hence leading is a problem. Then shooters buy J-words instead of cast their own -I digress. If you have DougGuy throat your Colt and cast your own boolits you'll really enjoy your Colt.

Casting is a great joy. Lubing your own cast boolits with superior lube will convince you to not buy again. I use Lyman Alox, which is not even the quality of Ben's Red and get no leading. Shoot em sticky, my three (3) Colt 1911's feed great without wiping the lube off.

I cast Lyman's 452374 with scrap alloy junk lead over 6.0 gr of Unique COL 1.27" and get zero leading. After firing my Colt's look dirty however everything just wipes clean.

[HABCAN]

What they said...........+1!

[30calflash]

One other thing that wasn't mentioned, it could be your cases are not getting flared enough for the bullet to be seated.

A friend, NRA master level bullseye shooter, had leading issues come up. Went thru special cleaning, different loads, etc. No change. New barrel goes in, same load trials, no change. He increased the flare on the case mouth a little more than he had and leading disappeared.

He did a lot of testing in the day, trying to squeeze 1/4" more out of the pistol for his level of experience. He ended up a high master in bullseye before he retired from 'the game'. I take his word on things like this very seriously.

At least you don't have to purchase something to try it.

[RetMSgt]

Thank you for all the responses! I went ahead and loaded up 10 rounds with an increased charge. I am going to see how this shoots tomorrow morning and if I have any difference in leading.
4.4 grains of Titegroup
Fed 150M Primer
Winchester Cases trimmed exactly to .893
Commercial cast (local--see first post) .452/230 RN
OAL of 1.200 (per Titegroup's website)

I do have a question. I am not keen on "winging it" and would rather ask since I have not been reloading for very long. One of the the other recommendations was to bring my OAL up to 1.250-1.260. Given that I am primarily using Titegroup at the moment, would I still start off at minimum charge--pressure difference?

Here is the info off their website (clicky)--snipped:
144226

I would like to work through process of elimination. The last two would be to send my barrel off to Doug as previously mentioned. Making my own boolits is on the horizon, but I need to learn to walk before I can run. Much thanks!

[Boogieman]

1.21.200 is the minimum oal any thing longer will lower pressure Most 1911's feed 230gr. RN boolits best at 1.250-1.265" Both my Colts a 1991A1 & a O.M. like 1.260" Shorter loadings can move forward in the mag. under recoil and get ahead of the extractor during the feeding cycle This leaves the round stuck with the boolit against the top of the barrel hood.