Looking to load some .45 ACP 220 grain cast boolits with 231 powder. Anyone use this combo?
Looking to load some .45 ACP 220 grain cast boolits with 231 powder. Anyone use this combo?
"Courage is not the absence of fear.”
Disarming is a mistake free people only get to make once...
I do not presently load for .45 acp. In the past, I did load 5.1 grains of W231 with a 230 cast commercial RNL. The load cycled fine in my Government length 1911. No pressure signs or anything negative associated with the load. As long as you do not seat the 220 bullet ridiculously short, I don’t think you will have any safety issues with 5.1 grains of W231 and a 220 grain bullet. Whether or not it cycles will depend on your firearm and its recoil spring(s).
If I ever get a 80’s or early 90’s Sig P220, and a Hi Point carbine, I will probably acquire a Lee tumble lube 230 RN mold and powder coat the boolits. I will definitely try 5.1 of W231 and see how the guns like it.
Last edited by Divil; Today at 05:09 PM.
Thanks for the info.
"Courage is not the absence of fear.”
Disarming is a mistake free people only get to make once...
Not for 220 but 200 & 230. Its a good all around powder for 45acp, any bullet type. Same as current hp38 btw.
EVERY GOOD SHOOTER NEEDS TO BE A HANDLOADER.
NRA Cert. Inst. Met. Reloading & Basic Pistol
When Unique dried up, I got some 231 and load it for a 190 SWC in .45ACP.
Gone are the days of wooden ships and Iron men.
I doubt we shall see their likes again.
Spoken by a US Coast Guard station commander.
Upper East Coast. Circa 1920.
I've shot buckets of 200g HG68 backed by 231. Usually in the 4.8 to 5 grain range. That was back in the 80's and 90's. Then fell into a lifetime supply of IMR PB,and 700X so don't use much 231 anymore. Do have a cpl pounds of it. I always liked it though. Good luck with your shooting.
Thanks. From my researchI plan to load 5.0 grains of it, for a velocity of around 800 fps, just standard stuff.
"Courage is not the absence of fear.”
Disarming is a mistake free people only get to make once...
I loaded 4.2-4.6 ww231 with 200 swc both H&G 68s and the deeper seated Lyman 452460. I don’t know your boolet but the above loads are no where near max and should be fine.
Scatter,I've never shot formal bullseye competition so take this with that in mind. I do have an indoor range,as well as outdoor though and have had LOTS of time behind a 1911. On which, besides the obvious issue of "technical accuracy"(benched,Ransom,etc)... how the recoil impulse effects your shooting is in my thinking,as important. Maybe moreso. Takeaway is, be aware of how the power level helps you.... experiment with this. Finding that sweet spot on recoil can really boost your confidence.
Lee 230 gr with 5.2grs of w231 Is about all I shoot in my old Ballister Molina now. When I shot indoor it was around 3.5gr of W230 and a 200gr swc and went to same load of W231 when I ran out of 230.
I used it for years shooting combat matches with 5.2 grains of W231 and a 200-grain cast SWC. Use the same load in both the 1911 and a S&W 25-2. james
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |