.45ACP loads for lighter springs.

[dearslayer]

A while back it was recommended that I change out the springs in my Ruger SR1911 .45acp to have more controlled handling which I did .The pistol now has a 13 lb recoil and 17 lb main spring and I was at time shooting 230gr copper plated bullets using if I remember correctly about 3.5grs of Vitavuori 310 and it shot fine . I want to load some COWW lead cast 200gr SWC boolits for the first time in this pistol. I found in the Lyman cast bullet 4th edition handbook a load for a Lyman #452630 200gr ( #2 alloy ) using Win231 with starting grains of 5.4 and max of 6.1. Given the pistol has lighter springs should I start at less than the minimum charge?

[Paper Puncher]

I can load down to 4.5 gr 231 200gr SWC (H&G 130 casts heavy) in my Springfield and still cycle.
Lyman 452460 (200gr) in Lyman Cast Bullet 3rd edition has a starting load of 4.0 gr 231.
With the H&G I didn't see any difference in accuracy (at 50ft indoor range) with loads going up or down in powder. YMMV

[mehavey]

The pistol now has a 13 lb recoil and 17 lb main spring

How are you differentiating between a "main" spring and a "recoil" spring on a 1911 ?

[wv109323]

Those are pretty light springs. My experience leads me to believe that 4.0 g. Of 231 would function pRoperly. The 200 g. SWC has a sweet spot of 4.2 g of Bullseye or 4.6 of ww231.

[45DUDE]

+1 for Paper Puncher for target loads. Look for the brass to eject about 4-5 feet with the right setup with 4.5 of 231.

[Char-Gar]

How are you differentiating between a "main" spring and a "recoil" spring on a 1911 ?

The main spring is in the Mainspring housing below the grip safety. The recoil spring is a bigger spring under the barrel.

Colt factory Mainsprings are 22-23 lbs and the recoil spring is 16 lbs. A 19 lb mainspring will give positive ignition and decrease the trigger pull weight, but go no lower or risk poor ignition of the primer. The Colt Gold Cup recoil spring is 14 pounds for lower bullet weight and velocity loads, but the 16 pound regular spring will function with those "target loads" as well as factory hard ball level loads and protect the pistol better as well. With a 16 lb recoil spring, you can shoot any load you want and not have to remember which recoil spring you have in the pistol, not change it as you change loads.

[dearslayer]

Thanks so much. I'll start at minimum charge and work back at .3 grains at a time from 5.4 - 4.2 until I have perhaps FTE and then move back up one charge. At least then I will know what the minimum charge will be. I hope I got that right and I understand

[David2011]

My minimum charge in a 1911 sends a 200 grain boolit at 645 fps. It’s a steel plate gun. It took lots of work to get 100% reliability.

[dearslayer]

I just happen to be listening to a reloading podcast on my drive to work and it's actually about undercharging as opposed to overcharging a load. They say that under charging can be just as catastrophic as overcharging. If you don't have enough pressure to move the bullet then the pressure doesn't go anywhere until the brass gives or it has enough pressure just to get the bullet into the rifling and all the gases back up and exit through the chamber. I'm quoting this from the podcast. So with the reduced loads that I just made should I be concerned or at what point should I not use those loads? Listening to the podcast now has me wondering.

[slughammer]

I just happen to be listening to a reloading podcast...... So with the reduced loads that I just made should I be concerned or at what point should I not use those loads? Listening to the podcast now has me wondering.

With 231, don't worry about it. With magnum handgun and rifle cases it becomes a concern. With low pressure W231 loads you will have no worries.

For a light steel plate load I used to run WST but had a bigger velocity spread. I switched to 4.5gr of W231 with a 200gr HG68 and found consistent velocity with excellent accuracy.

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

[dearslayer]

With 231, don't worry about it. With magnum handgun and rifle cases it becomes a concern. With low pressure W231 loads you will have no worries.

For a light steel plate load I used to run WST but had a bigger velocity spread. I switched to 4.5gr of W231 with a 200gr HG68 and found consistent velocity with excellent accuracy.

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

Good to know. It's amazing how quickly the responses come, and the number of responses there are, to help out a less experienced caster/reloader.

[mehavey]

200 grain boolit at 645 fps.

Is a 16# recoil spring working for that load?

I ask because while the load below will work w/ 14# for a two-handed grip, it will stovepipe off-hand.
(In other words, a 13# spring would likely be best)
https://www.thehighroad.org/index.ph...#post-12237838

[44MAG#1]

What is the purpose of these loads if it is appropriate to ask?

[mehavey]

Light loads are for Bullseye/Nat'l Match competition -- where you want wear & tear on the competitor minimized,
-- and especially in timed & rapid fire, where you want fast recovery from shot-to-shot.



(Otherwise I'll run hardball Lym#2/Lyman 452374/225gr with 231 to average 870fps/17-lb spring.)

[44MAG#1]

I was curious as to why the OP was wanting loads like he wants.
If it is competition what kind?

[mehavey]

Bullseye/Nat'l Match
See page 15-16

[44MAG#1]

Bullseye/Nat'l Match
See page 15-16

Is that what the OP is using them for? I am familiar with the NRA Bullseye loads for competition.

[mehavey]

(Otherwise I'll run hardball Lym#2/Lyman 452374/225gr with 231 to average 870fps/17-lb spring.)

[Rich/WIS]

No longer compete in Bullseye competition but my favorite load is the Lee copy of the H&G 68 in front of 3.1 grs of Bullseye. In a Springfield Armory Range Officer with a 10# recoil spring and a 19# hammer spring the empties fall within 4-5 feet. Have shot thousands of these and have never had a failure of any type. Why 3.1 grs, because that is what my fixed rotor powder measure drops with the 3 gr rotor. The Lee mold is a bevel base and I milled the top down to flat base which weighs in at 190 grs cast from range lead and a bit less with COWW. My stash of CCI primers were bought when the price was $30-32/k and figure this is costing me about a nickel a shot. Not sure what an equivalent load of WW231 would be, have always used BE.

[gwpercle]

I just happen to be listening to a reloading podcast on my drive to work and it's actually about undercharging as opposed to overcharging a load. They say that under charging can be just as catastrophic as overcharging. If you don't have enough pressure to move the bullet then the pressure doesn't go anywhere until the brass gives or it has enough pressure just to get the bullet into the rifling and all the gases back up and exit through the chamber. I'm quoting this from the podcast. So with the reduced loads that I just made should I be concerned or at what point should I not use those loads? Listening to the podcast now has me wondering.

The podcast is spewing horse pucky ... if the boolit is undercharged the boolit will not exit the barrel .
A large pistol primer and no powder will shove the boolit into barrel throat . There will be no catastropic failure the case will not rupture with a powder charge that does not cycle the slide .
Bring a range rod when dealing with low charges and check the barrel every shot to make danged sure the boolit has left the barrel .
This info is from 40 years of shooting and reloading 1911 - 45 acp . 20 years NRA Bullseye Match Competition .
Don't believe what the podcasters are saying ... it's just horse pucky to scare you .
But ...make sure the barrel is clear , boolit stuck in barrel is real when working with powder puff light loads .
Gary