Seeking advice on .45acp Unique & Lee TL452-230-2R to mimic Factory Ball

[Pooka]

Hi All,

I've recently returned to reloading and casting. I casted a batch of Lee's TL452-230-2R from wheel weights this weekend and powder coated for the first time...thanks for the help Smoke!

The rounds will be shot through a Gov. 1911 and a Glock 30s with Wolf barrel.

Before I get at it I was hoping to get some advice on my proposed recipe...I trying to get as close to factory ball performance as possible.

I was thinking 6gr of Unique with an OAL of 1.260. Brass and primer will be a mix of what I have laying around...

Thoughts?

Thanks and Cheers

[rintinglen]

I think your OAL is just about perfect, but I would run 5.8 grains of Unique to more closely match Ball ammo. 6 grains is just a smidge higher, but not unsafe. It might hit a bit off from POA for that reason.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

My 1911 likes 4.6gr of win 231 under a 230gr boolit but i think the load your looking for is 5gr of bullseye under a 230gr boolit
but this is going on memory

[Pooka]

Thanks Rintin. Lucky Dawg I’m out of 231 and have pounds of Unique but thanks for the reply!


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[knifemaker]

Look for a load of Unique that will give you 830-850 FPS in your 5 inch barrel and that should duplicate factory hardball ammo.

[JBinMN]

Hi All,

I've recently returned to reloading and casting. I casted a batch of Lee's TL452-230-2R from wheel weights this weekend and powder coated for the first time...thanks for the help Smoke!

The rounds will be shot through a Gov. 1911 and a Glock 30s with Wolf barrel.

Before I get at it I was hoping to get some advice on my proposed recipe...I trying to get as close to factory ball performance as possible.

I was thinking 6gr of Unique with an OAL of 1.260. Brass and primer will be a mix of what I have laying around...

Thoughts?

Thanks and Cheers

If I am not mistaken using that boolit( I do) OAL @ 1.26 is gonna run your boolit out past the first TL ring if ya measure down from the tip of the nose of the 2R boolit.
It should be fine, (I run mine at 1.23-1.24), but the Lymans C.B.Manual say to run the TL452-230-TC @ 1.17 OAL, and since the TL-452-230-2R is 0.670" & the TL-452-230-TC is 0.624", and the TL grooves & "lands" part of both boolits is the same, the difference in the boolit length is 0.46. Using the suggested OAL for the TC at 1.17 from the Lyman C.B. manual & add in the 0.046 for the longer boolit(2r), ya get 1.216"(1.22"), for an OAL, if ya consider the TL base of the boolits are the same & the weight is the same. Only difference really is the Nose length of the boolit...

You can do as ya like, but I load both of them boolits & load the TC one at 1.18-19" & the 2R one at 1.23"- 1.24". Meaning I let them stick out just a bit from the "suggested" OAL in the manual, allowing for less pressure to build behind each one & I also stay back at least 0.1gr. down from Suggested Max. loads for powder. ( actually, about 0,4 grains)
Still, well into the safety margin...

Just saying how "I" do things. YMMV, of course.
;)

G'Luck!
:)

P.S. - I did not look for other powders for ya & what to use. You can look up your own loads.
;)
I run Red Dot in mine the most, then some other fast powders like Bullseye, 700X & Clays.

[Pooka]

Thanks for the in-depth reply JB, much appreciated


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[AnthonyB]

6.0 Unique under an RCBS 45-230CM or 230 gr. BD45ACP is my favorite 45ACP load.
Tony

[AnthonyB]

Forgot to say OAL is what fits in the magazine for me. Glocks will take longer than Colt's will take longer than Shield will take longer than XDS. Throating from DougGuy is your friend...
Tony

[JBinMN]

Thanks for the in-depth reply JB, much appreciated


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Sure! Glad to help if I can!
:)
:drinks:

Here is a set of pics & a post I made a lil while back about almost the same thing.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?353086-seating-question&p=4273534&viewfull=1#post4273534

I made some measurements when I was trying to help out in that post, & then found out my calipers were off calibration a few days later, + I was not feeling well so I was a lil"sloppy" in my mesurements then, but the point is the same... Anyway, so I went a got a new calipers just the other day, and I used those new ones for the measurements I gave you in the post a little while ago.

[ I re - measurd my "dummy rounds" that I use for setting the "seating depth" and that is why the numbers for the rounds OAL here are just a bit smaller than the ones in the other post I refer to above.]

Glad to have been of a lil help & once again,
G'Luck!
:)

[charlie b]

Do you have the Lee load data? Just use what they recommend. I guess if you did not buy the Lee dies you probably don't have that data. I'll see if I can find it.

[Pooka]

That would be great Charlie, thank you

[charlie b]

Well, sorry to say I could not find mine. Must have tossed it in a move. Also checked on line and Lee does not publish that data separately.

Sorry I could not be more help.

PS I did find several references to Richard Lee's reloading manual, which is the basis for all the loads included in Lee die sets. Information on that reveals that he compiled his information mostly from powder manufacturers. Based on that I'd go to Alliant and get their information on Unique loadings for the .45

[JBinMN]

A good list of resources:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?337910-CB-load-data-online-sources

Here is Alliants Reloading manual online:
http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/default.aspx?page=/reloaders/index.aspx&

Here is a load for a 230gr. Speer LRN using Unique:
http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/RecipePrint.aspx?gtypeid=1&weight=230&shellid=35&bulletid=63&bdid=184

They are worth bookmarking for future reference.
;)

G'Luck
:)

P.S. - Starting loads are 10% of max. listed. Meaning your 5.8 - .58 = 5.2 suggested Start. IF ya did not already know that.
;)

[Pooka]

Thanks, JBinMN I had been to Alliant's site but did not see the online-sources thread you shared. Much appreciated.

Thanks too, CharlieB I had searched for Lee's data online as well and came up empty also :-(

I did dig up an old Lyman book I have (49th edition) which calls for min of 5.5 to max of 7.3 of Unique for their 225 gr RN #452374 at a OAL of 1.272. I also found a copy of Richard Lee's Second Edition of Modern Reloading that I had stuffed away in the garage...forgot I owned that! The interesting thing is for 230gr lead his starting load for Unique is 5gr and his never exceed load is 5gr wth a min OAL of 1.19. Most feedback I've recieved on here as well as other recipies I've found online range from 5 to 7 plus...

I ran into an issue with my powder charger on my Dillon 550 so off it went to get repaired. Once it is back I think I am going to load up 3 batches @ 5, 5.8 & 6 with a 1.260 OAL and see how they preform.

[Boogieman]

Lyman's 7.3gr. load has been questioned before. Alliant Powder gives 5.8 as max. with a 230gr. bullet.