200gr LSWC load data

[SOA1911]

57K, I briefly got to try both Competition and Clays (Canadian) this evening, and I was very impressed. I have no chronograph results because I shot at our indoor range during normal, evening business hours, but I came away with two powders that I can supplement (not replace) for WST. I used a 200 gr. SNS Casting .452 LSWC Hi-Tek poly bullet over either 4.0 gr. Competition or 4.2 gr. Clays, CCI 300 primer, quality mixed brass, OACL of 1.250", and a .470 crimp. I shot both loads out of a Dan Wesson Valor with the O.E.M. recoil spring. Both loads were extremely accurate (comparable to WST with this bullet) and very pleasant to shoot. They were so close in felt recoil that I began staggering each bullet in my magazines until I determined that the Clays load shot a bit softer than the Competition load. I bet if I loaded 3.9 grains of Competition, that I would not be able to differentiate between the two. However, I really like the way Competition dropped from my powder drop (i.e. dead-on 4.0 grains each and every time). Overall, I am very pleased with both powders.

[SOA1911]

Yes, the DW Valor is a good test platform, but there are a bunch of quality, lower priced guns chambered for the .45 ACP that we can all enjoy. As you know, I am a big fan of Ramshot powders, as well as some of the other powders offered by Western Powders (e.g. AA #2, AA #5, etc.). I was looking for a powder to supplement WST, which has become nearly impossible to find in my area, and I may have found two that will fill the gap in my .45 ACP loads (i.e. Clays and Competition). I get a lot of ribbing from my friends because I enjoy trying so many different powder combinations. Last night some of my friends were loading thousands of 9mm Luger rounds on a Dillion 1050 (wow, amazing fast!), but I will stick to my Hornady LNL progress press and my RCBS single-stage press--at least for now. Man, can that 1050 crank out ammo!

[Steve RA]

Clay Dot is a good replacement for Clays (Australian) as that is what it was designed/made to compete with.  You can use the same amount and it will be very close to the same velocity wise.

[SOA1911]

57K, indeed, the Ruger SR1911 is a great value in a quality 1911. I really enjoy mine. As for my Hornady LNL press, I have owned it for years, and it has proven to be very reliable. In addition, I am with you on True Blue, and I have been telling my friends that it is extremely versatile. (Thank you for introducing it to me.)

 

Steve RA, I have never used Clay Dot, but some folks really like this powder, especially for the 200 grain LSWC.

 

As far as the Ramshot Competition powder that I just used, it meters as well as any powder that I have tested. At some point, I am going to try it with one of my favorite .45 ACP bullets--the Hornady 230 gr. XTP. 

[SOA1911]

57K, Good catch on the WSF and WST post. I appreciate the tip on using Silhouette and the 230 HRN XTP. I will give it a try. I checked my records, and I have in fact used 6.9 gr. of True Blue under the 230 XTP at an OACL of 1.230". (This load proved to be very accurate from several 1911s.) 

 

 

 

[fatman73]

I really like 231/hp 38 with a 200 grain swc. 5.7 grains is very accurate in every .45 I own

[mlm]

Depends on the OAL. In my 5" 1911 5.3-5.4 gives me a 172.5 pf for USPSA. OAL is 1.245-1.250.

Mike

[Hammerman]

A word of warning.  The Canadian Clays is not the same as the old version.  I always used 4.1 grs with 200 lswc and always was around 170 pf.  I just opened a new can of the Canadian stuff and loaded up the same load for area 2 and it would only make 163 pf, and that was after they had to shoot all my rounds.  I specifically weighed each load to make sure that I was at 4.1 grains and I was using magnum pimers.  I didn't have time to chrono, and didn't expect it to be that far off.  Lesson learned.  I'm going to up the load to 4.3 and see if it will work.  If not, I'll have to go over max load or find another powder.

[SOA1911]

Hammerman, thanks for the tip. I need to tell a friend of mine this fact. He loads Clays almost exclusively in his .45 ACP guns. Recently, I bought a pound of Canadian Clays, and I was pleased, but I have never used it before.