EMC(SS) Posted January 15, 2011 Share Posted January 15, 2011 (edited) Going to start reloading 45ACP. Clays seems to be a popular choice for lite loads. I have heard that it can be difficult to meter. Anyone using a Lees ProAutoDisc for Clays? Also are there any other powders that "mimic" Clays performance? Thanks! Edited January 15, 2011 by EMC(SS) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danny Posted January 15, 2011 Share Posted January 15, 2011 I have no problem with it on the dillon , the only other powder that is close is the old winchester superlite, which is hard to find now . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangucci Posted January 15, 2011 Share Posted January 15, 2011 I have been using it with the Lee Proautodisc for about 500 rounds so far without a problem for .45 acp major and .40 s&w minor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psychephylax Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 I find it meters consistently with my Lee Pro 1000, I load a 200gr LSWC with 4.3 grains of Clays. I don't remember which cavity # it is but I think it may be .57 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMC(SS) Posted January 17, 2011 Author Share Posted January 17, 2011 Thanks for the help! BTW what OAL are you using for the 200 GR SWC? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psychephylax Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 Thanks for the help! BTW what OAL are you using for the 200 GR SWC? I aim for about 1.260-1.265 range but it depends on the bullet manufacturer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOT QUITE RIGHT Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 I use clays in a hornady and it meters excellent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoonerPast Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 Don't know about Lee equipment. To your other question, the performance of VV320 feels quite similar to me. It is really different powder, though. It is heavier (more dense) than Clay's. Taking the same amount, volume wise, the 320 weighs more. When you compare the load data, you'll see that to get the same muzzle velocity requires more grains of 320 than Clay's but they occupy a very similar amount of space in the casing. In the gun, I don't think I could tell the difference between one round loaded with Clay's and one with 320. They are both really good for my needs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMC(SS) Posted January 20, 2011 Author Share Posted January 20, 2011 Thanks everyone for the info. My Lee AutoDisc is doing fairly well with the Clays (using 3.9). The bullets are giving me some problems though. I am using Ranier 200 Gr SWC. I seated the first batch to 1.225 (from Hogdons manual) and had quite a few FTF. Second batch I went to 1.260 and still had some FTF. Next batch will be 1.271 and hopefully will work better. I am using an XDM 45 and have used LSWC (purchased at my local range) in the past with no difficulty. I am wondering if the XDM just does not like the Ranier? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik S. Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 Another here that has no metering problems in my Dillon. I have more issues with extruded powder than with flake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmccrock Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 Ok, I had a bunch of metering problems with Clays and a Dillon 550. I have to keep the 550 REAL clean and heavily lubed so it is smooth enough to meter Clays correctly. By problems, I mean, with Clays already kindof hot for 45acp and 230gr FMJ at major PF plus some margin, 0.2gr too much flattened some primers. My long term solution is using 230gr LRN bullets which require a few tenths less powder to get major. Otherwise Clays shoots so soft I am not willing to change right now. Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMC(SS) Posted January 20, 2011 Author Share Posted January 20, 2011 So far the rounds I have fired using Clays have been both accurate and soft shooting. I am still having some FTF problems with the Ranier SWC. I settled on 1.240 for seating depth and have added additional crimp. I still had 4 out of 30 FTF right on the shoulder of the bullet. I may just need to switch to LRN or Berrys plated RN. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psychephylax Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 Have you tried something between 1.260 and 1.271? I would give 1.265-1.266 a try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangucci Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 My current load for a springfield 1911 is with precision 200 grain SWC bullets and I have to keep the length at 1.275 or I will get a three-point failure to feed jam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMC(SS) Posted January 22, 2011 Author Share Posted January 22, 2011 I tried the SWC at 1.265 and had several more FTF. I then loaded up some Berrys 230RN to 1.270 and they worked perfectly. I will try loading the SWC to 1.275 but I will wait for my case gauge to arrive before I try again. BTW the SWC loaded to 1.265 also FTF in a friends Springfield 1911 so I guess going long will be my last shot with those. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psychephylax Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 I tried the SWC at 1.265 and had several more FTF. I then loaded up some Berrys 230RN to 1.270 and they worked perfectly. I will try loading the SWC to 1.275 but I will wait for my case gauge to arrive before I try again. BTW the SWC loaded to 1.265 also FTF in a friends Springfield 1911 so I guess going long will be my last shot with those. I would try a different manufacturer's SWC if the ones you have don't work in several guns at "ok" OALs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMC(SS) Posted January 22, 2011 Author Share Posted January 22, 2011 Good suggestion on trying a different brand. I sort of figured they would all be the same but it makes sense. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h8dirt Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 So far the rounds I have fired using Clays have been both accurate and soft shooting. I am still having some FTF problems with the Ranier SWC. I settled on 1.240 for seating depth and have added additional crimp. I still had 4 out of 30 FTF right on the shoulder of the bullet. I may just need to switch to LRN or Berrys plated RN. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h8dirt Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 So far the rounds I have fired using Clays have been both accurate and soft shooting. I am still having some FTF problems with the Ranier SWC. I settled on 1.240 for seating depth and have added additional crimp. I still had 4 out of 30 FTF right on the shoulder of the bullet. I may just need to switch to LRN or Berrys plated RN. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h8dirt Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 Rainier plated SWC's are problematic in many guns. My Wilson hates 'em. My kimber's and Colt's tolerated them. I switched to Laser Cast SWC's and have not had another problem in hundreds of rounds. FWIW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMC(SS) Posted January 30, 2011 Author Share Posted January 30, 2011 h8dirt ... thanks for the tip on the Laser Cast. I will give them a try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordonm1 Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 xd45 is well known to have problems feeding swc bullets. My Tactical won't. I use round nose and hollowpoint bullets for it. Maybe they were supposed to fix that in the xdm but I was not hopeful they would. The xdtalk forum had a bunch of guys talking about the feed issues a couple years ago. Fired case gets pulled straight back and hits the sharp shoulder of the swc at the top of the mag. Fired case often gets caught in ejection port.... I prefer the Precision 200g rnfp. My xd chamber is short. I have to load to 1.200" OAL for the Precision but get good accuracy. Missourri Bullet Co makes a good naked lead 200rnfp for the xd45. Cheap too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik S. Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 I know I've already contributed to this post, but I did some measurements the other day with my 550 and Clays. I measured out 20 charges set for my target 3.8 grains and they weighed a total of 76.22 on the scale. Granted there could be one or two that significantly dropped below or came out above, that still equates to 3.811 per charge....off by .011gr. Pretty consistent and shows that most likely there are NOT significantly high or low charges. I've done this with fewer charges and weighed them to "eliminate" the normal distribution effects of throwing 30+ charges. After dividing, they still came out with +-.01-.02 grains per charge. I was VERY impressed since this is the kind of accuracy I usually put in to rifle loading. Even my $140 Redding micrometer powder measure can't throw an accurate charge of Varget Time for a trickler I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMC(SS) Posted February 2, 2011 Author Share Posted February 2, 2011 My Lee Auto Disk seems to be doing pretty well with the Clays. As to the SWC issue with the XDM ... I still find it interesting that it ate 2 boxes of SWC reloads purchased at the range but not the Ranier. As someone pointed out there are many guns that have issues with the Ranier SWC so it is not totally fair to say that the XDM will not reliably feed all SWCs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryO Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 Clays meters very well out of my Dillon 650. Can't imagine why it wouldn't becuase it is fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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