Steve D.

How about a good "solvent bath" for a quick dip and then dry on a towel?... Anybody know of a good product for this like acetone, alcohol, brake cleaner, ?, etc???

Really Interesting commentary regarding this powder and peoples Likes & Dis-Likes of it. I have never shot any of these 200 XTP's throught this gun before so I had better try to tailor it to the chamber as one fellow mentioned with the "Plunk & Twist". I drop them all in the Dillon gage but not in the gun's chamber. Strangely though, I was able to quickly rack the slide through a full magazine of these reloads 3-4 times without any hang-up or setback and I definitely didn't see any rifling imprints in the nose of the bullets. OSAGEID: What bullet have you been loading on top of that TG and what have you found to be a good OAL for your USP and Mk23? I am really curious. I'm at work so I can't view the video right now but I will definitely check that out when I get home. Thanks Any helpful suggestions welcome. I had better get something squared away because I have 600 185 gr. XTP's from the Hornady program that are waiting to be seated.. Thanks

In reply to TWODOWNZERO: I stand by my impression / knowledge that a full-sized USP is a much softer-shooting gun than a 1911 with "factory" loads in each. I am a firm believer that the double-spring on the guide rod does a Hell of a good job. I am expecting the TG to perform well with 9mm but now I know why it is not considered a real big powder for .45. I am really eager to see how the Clays goes with this cartridge because it sound like it is super popular. With respect to the note of caution that I "sit down with a manual and be real careful or I might hurt myself"....please spare me the "helpful advice" there. My rounds are extremely uniform in charge and dimentions as evidenced by the very small SD numbers that closely match the published velocity spec. per charge-weight. I am also not experiencing any more set-back than 1-3 Thousanths after stacking a magazine and racking them quickly thru the gun 3-4 times to test. I actually noticed where the "edge" of the hollow-point in one of the XTP jams had been chewed or cought, but even that did not cause any noticable set-back. I am the biggest "uniformity Geek" you could ever meet. I don't mind admitting that I only turn out 100-150 rnds an Hour because so much intermittent charge weighing (on a $110.00 digital scale) and frequent caliper-checking of OAL and Crimp Dimention takes place during a couple-hour session. I also don't proceed to load until my measure is consitntly throwing "at weight or +.1 / -.1" for 20 charges in a row. It just struck me as odd when the last couple thousand made up of Hornady semi-wad-cutters, Berry's Semi-WC's and Berry's 230 RN's all ran without a single hitch and likewise all manner of factory ammo over the years. As a final step I drop all my ammo into a Dillon Chamber Gage as I fill the ammo trays. Couple this routine with Ultra-Sonically cleaned brass after it has been de-primed and you should have some pretty hi-quality stuff. The "other things you've described" would probably have been a better way of stating "things you've complained about". There are some great Gurus here that have many more years of experience in reloading (and serious shooting) than myself and that is why I turn to this forum for insightful, constructive and experienced advice.

Never had a Chrono before. Insert battery, put-up Marsian Ears with difusers, switch-on, aim accordingly and fire.. Repeat trigger-pulls until as many shots as you would like to record and review have passed through the ears. Press simple button-commands to review / tabulate data. Recored every shot with only first shot in a new string occasionally showing slow. Never rejected a shot or showed Err. Did Hi, Low, Extreme Spread, Average and Std. Deviation calculations automatically. So simple it's brilliant. GREAT piece of equipment!

Before this weekend's range time my new Pro-Chrono Digital arrived to be used with my first loadings of TG and 200g. H-XTP's. Loade 50 at 5.0-5.1 and 50 at 5.4-5.5. A few things I noticed, some good and some bad.. (off topic but that Pro-Chrony is just flawless!) 1.) This powder cetainly is cleaner-burning than the W231, and more-so still, than the Bullseye I have been using for the last few-thousand rnds. It almost looked like a "heat-coloring" effect on the side of the ejected casings rather than the carbon from W231 (or soot for Bullseye). 2.) It is Very consistent with SD's of 13-15 fps for the 4 strings (2 for each charge-weight) I clocked. These strings were 16-20 rnds each. 3.) It is like a "Nasty Dry-Hack Cough" in Recoil Impulse / Gun-Feel compared to the old-fashioned W231 & Bullseye Loads! The heavier 5.4-5.5 load was really Harsh and Rambunctious and even the light 5.0-5.1 was too snappy by a long shot. Bullet speeds were right where they should have been according to the H-Manual of 845 for Light and 891 for Hi charges. This was observed through a full-sized H&K USP which has been the softest-shooting .45 I have ever fired. I just think of how rotten this powder must be through a 1911.. I will NOT be using this stuff for .45 any more. I hope it shines in the 9mm (what I actually bought it for) as many have written here before. Another Problem: My USP has NEVER choked on Any Ammo Before yesterday. Many thousands of every description down the pipe on this machine and NEVER a failure or jam.. I loaded all 100 rnds. of 200 gr. XTP to 1.235 OAL and I had 4 F-T-Feed Jams where the cartridge wedged in the final stage of chambering. 5-6 others required a little "forward assist" into battery. Do you think the OAL of 1.235 was that bad if the manual called for 1.230 for this load?...I would not think 5-Thousandths would do jack..? I can't help but suspect that this harsh recoil characteristic was somehow screwing-up the "timing" of the gun's cycle... What do you Gurus think?

It looks like maybe there is some water-staining on them. I think Midway probably bought them as "pennies on the dollar" damaged inventory from a shipment or warehouse that had flooding or something similar. I can see nothing other than un-even coloration on some and most look free of the staining...

Nice prices on .224 V-Max bullets of various weights. Not identidied as Hornady and the 100 cnt. boxes are generic. Just got 600 in 53, 55 and 60 and was really psyched to see the little Orange polymer tips on everything!

Hello All, Strangely there is NO "CLAYS" load data in the current Hornady Manual for .45 ACP. It seems funny since there is so much good commentary for the "CLAYS and 45 ACP" combination here in the forum. I have 600 (free) 185g. XTP and now it's time to roll'em... I have used Bullseye and W231 in .45 so far with good results. This wekend I put together a few hundred with Tightgoup (which IS in the Hornady Manual) that I actually bought for 9mm Testing / Experimentation. I am wanting to explore the more modern cleaner powders for both .45 and 9mm. Can you guys float me some CLAYS and 185g XTP loads to start with? I never load at max. I usually run a 100 at a lower charge and a 100 at a Medium charge to see which one I like best for "feel", smoke, gun-operation, etc. I run this through a full size H&K USP (that is absolutley a "One Ragged-Hole Maker"..) I am NOT a competition shooter, just enjoy bull-shooting at 150-200 rnds a range visit a few times per month. I am an Accuracy hound and shoot primarily for groups... Must shoot Jacketed or Plated though as barrel is Polygon-Rifled. This is MY golf and it goes "BANG!" instead of "WHACK"..

I just bought 1 Lb. each of Clays and Tight-Group for .45 and 9mm respectively. I read great accounts of these two powders for their two calibers here in the forum BUT I also read many people are happy with good-old W231 being used in BOTH cartridges. I have Not shot ANY of these two other powders before, nor started with them in the press yet. I have just been using W231 and Bullseye. I shoot Jacketed or Copper-Plated over Medium loads for paper targets at 50' Only and do not compete in any organized events. I run 150-200 rnds through the guns at each session and clean after each time at the range. If W231 is Accurate, Comfortable-Shooting, Inexpensive, meters-well, etc. BUT is a little extra fouling or soot...are those other two powders still that much "better"? I was curious what people's thoughts were here but I am also going to be finding out for myself in the next couple of weeks.

Great Input as Usual...Thanks very much gent's.

Just curious why I see so many refferences to 1.120, 1.125, 1.115, etc. in the Forum when Hornady's Manual lists 1.060 for the 125 Gr. HAP in 9mm (Hornady told me over phone to just use the XTP OAL). I loaded a couple hundrd to a length of 1.066 last night over 4.3 of W231 but I hope the accurcy doesn't suck because they are so short compared to what dimensions other people are loading to. Any feedback / comments please? Thanks as always

Hello Gentlemen, What would be Highest Precision Dies for Finished Dimensions and Run-Out / Seating Accuracy that can be used in a H-LNL AP? I'm more interested with low volume Quality Target Ammo for a match AR than I am with hosing down targets at the range. I do not want to go to the Single-Stage press level of detail, but as close as I can sensibly get with the LNL Progressive. Thanks as always for sharing your fantastic information & experiences. Steve

Wow, that was fast. I hope all is well over there in Naples this evening. I am writing from up / over here in Stuart. The non-branded 124 gr. JHP "made in USA" .355's look really nice. I need to munch through 500 HAP's I have and then I think I will get 500-1000 of those slugs you have there and see how they fly. Are you able to share who makes them?...I always do my best to buy american, so the Armscors are probably out for me. Thanks, Steve D.

Hi Steve, Great site you have and probably will be ordering some slugs from you soon. It does not say that Armscor bullets are "made in USA" as it does under a couple of the others you carry. Where are these bullets manufactured? Thanks for any input. Steve D.

I see Hornady raves about consistantcy and accuracy of Power Pistol in the 8th Edit. relaoding manual as it relates to tested loads in 9mm. Does it make sense that this is the powder they are using in their own (very expensive) loaded amunition? How do folks here like P-P in the 9mm loadings? Thanks as always for your expertise and in-put. SD

Wow, I just did some math on the http://www.handloads.com/calc/loadingCosts.asp tool and realized what kind of money these bullets are really worth... Bought LNL-AP and the Magnum Ultra-Sonic Tank. 600 Rnds of 185 gr. .45-XTP bullets. Hornady 45 ACP "Custom Grade" pistol ammo in 25 Rnd box= $17.00 ea. 25 rnds. x 24 boxes = 600. 24 x $17.00 = $408.00 Primers, Powder, Free once-fired brass, free XTP bullets x 600 carefully-loaded Rnds = $25.68! Thank you Very Much HORNADY!

Hi Noylj, I actually have created this little crater by being "extra-certain" that the primer is all the way seated at he end of a cycle with the arm. I guess you could call it "noobie paranoia" regarding getting those primers seated below the cartridge head every time... I still think I will put a little stud in the frame flush with the surface so the divit does not diminish the seating depth of the primers by a thousandth or two ( I think I may have lost .001 already). Overall, though, I am absolutley happy with this new contraption. Just finshed rolling another 150 rnds. of 5.6 Bullseye under 200 gr. Hornady HAP-SWC. The measure was crazy-consistent at 5.5-5.6 back and forth for the whole run when periodically weighed. The seating depth and necks also stayed spot-on. I am psyched...this stuff could pass for high-grade match ammo at about half the price of store-bought regular "white-box" type fodder.

UPDATE... March 11, 2012 I bought a LNL-AP a couple weeks ago and it has really been good to me so far. I was presice in the die set-up procedure with Dillon Dies and cleaned the dickens out of all internal powder passages with Acetone and it has produced very tight-spec. ammo right from the first pull. I really like this thing (I don't have any other loading experience to compare it with, though)) and feel comfortable with the investment. It is interesting how much you need to shut out the world and focus as a beginner. I can see as one get's into a practiced rythem this can generate a few hundred rounds an hour, but I am going real slow and methodical presently at about 60 rnds. / Hr. The good thing is that all cartridges are dropping right into the .45 chamber gage and the variations in OAL and Neck Dia are only + / - .001 of the desired mark. The powder charges have been extremely consistent also after flushing all interior passages with Acetone. Never more than .1 gr. off as I pull one out of shell plate every 20 rnds. or so and weigh. Also have a "PowderFunnel's" PTX which works GREAT and that allows me to put a powder-cop just after the charge. Watching that little white "O-Ring" pop-up to the same height at every pull is real easy on the nerves. I have no concern of blowing-up my pistol (or worse) as a result of that little rod going up and down. All in all I am pretty well set-up. Only critcism thus far is that Hornady should have put a flat stainless stud or "pill" set into the press frame where the underside of the primer-plunger contact the aluminum to be actuated. Aluminum is Soft and Primer Plunger is hard...making a dent digging down into press-frame under shell table. I will probably drill a little hole and epoxy a cut-off stainless bolt to sit flush in the hole eventually. No biggie... Steve D.

I'll bet you got it now... Internal passages cleaned with acetone finally did it for me. Now it just throws super-consistent charges from round 1 to round 200. I also tumble about 15 charges into a zero'ed shell and weigh them to prove that the measure has "settled-down" from the filling process and powder-baffle. After that it work GREAT / AWESOME!

The Dillon .45 dies that I have used so far have been making ammo at +/- .001 OAL and Crimp dimensions of the target number. I'm feeling pretty good about that. On a side note, it is amazing how sizing effort is reduced to almost the weight of the LNL AP Press Handle alone when a microscopic amount of RCBS Sixing Wax is spread onto the casings by your finger when you pick them out of the pile to put in the shell-plate. Normally it is not much effort but the wax make it nearly un-noticable. So far the LNL is making really nice ammo and I am enjoying my entry into a new hobby.

Hello Jericho76...I feel your nerves. I too just finished loading for the night in .45 ACP, 200gr. plated Berry's SWC's and W-231... I hope this is a decent combo with 5.4 - 5.5 grains of powder because I just rolled 200 of them... I would reccommend buying a Dillon Chamber gage from Brian E. as it takes ALL the concerns out of chambering dimensions. They are cheap and worth every penney. I also mic. each 3-4th round as I take them out of tub. I am loading to 1.245-1.250 in OAL and my crimp area goes about .471 - .473. Even at that very light crimp it still leaves a slight ring around the bullet at the seating depth. All of these rounds drop into the gage with ease but no slop. I know you have to be very gentle in crimping these Berry's as you don't want to create an upper and lower half of the plating shell that will peel-off in flight. This is now only 300 Total rounds that I have loaded in my life but the gratification is already coming-on strong. Come to think of it I just put another $40.00 against the cost of the equipment with these 4 boxes of ammo. 5000 to 6000 rounds of reloading will have paid for the press and all the fixin's and I will shoot that in 4-5 months easy. Best of Luck and be safe, SD

Woops..I guess I did it backwards then.. I loaded 100 rnds. on Saturday Night and shot'em on Sunday. Nothing blew-up and all the bullets flew straight. One box was with 5.1 of BE with 200 Hornady flat-point HAP and secong box was 5.7 BE with same bullets. Brought along my LAST purchased box of Fed. Am-Eagle 230 hardball for a "control" 5.1 Softer than Federal, 5.7 a little hotter than Federal and no discernable difference in accuracy of different rounds from my HK-USP. I am no tournament marksman, however, so I am sure some of the dead-eyes here would be able to see a difference. Very gratifying to roll & smoke your own... Hornady LNL AP was super! Using Dillon dies from Brian living in wrong-colored press and for a dead-beginner everything went really well. Now look out CCI, Winchester, Federal, Remington (etc.), I'm about to start turnin' out some ammo...ha, ha. Next batch WILL be with W231 to see the difference in burn residue, felt recoil, etc. SD

After setting up the very nice Dillon dies in the Hornady LNL AP I am getting dummy rounds (no primer or powder) that are .001 to .002 Longer than Reloading Book of 1.245" and Crimp Dimension of .0005 to .001 Smaller than the recommended .473" When I knock them out in the inertial "hammer" puller there are NO signs of the bullets being creased, compressed or showing a ring where crimped. All bullet-sides calipers out at .451 after pulling... These dummy rounds drop right into the Dillon Chamber Gage and headspace the same or a tiny-bit lower than American Eagle new. The bullets are 200 FMJ-CT HAP Hornadys. Looking forward to nice round holes instead of years of "Hard-Ball"... Will be shooting in HK-USP. I think I will start with Bullseye and do-up 50 each in 3 different charge weights to see how things feel and fly. Any ccomments on the Dimensions Above would be great. Thanks, Steve

Thank everyone for your input. Tonight I will start dropping charges in cases with the making of my first rounds ever. I ended up going with W231 and Bullseye for the first two pounds of "training-wheels" powder. I think I will probably end-up with Tightgroup eventually as it seems to be so overwhelmingly used here with very experienced reloaders & competitive shooters. Steve

Any harm in using Acetone rather than Hornady cleaner and dry-lube to maintain zero-deposit cleanliness in the "Powder Exposure Parts"? Similar to brake cleaner it flashes-off and leaves Nothing Behind... Also, does the Hornady Cleaner & Dry Lube help in protecting any of these parts from corrosion developing on the surface? If so, that is a strong point in it's behalf. I am kind of a stickler for no signs of surface corrosion on machined parts. If not Hornady cleaner / dry-lube what would you recommend to treat the OUTSIDE surface of the dies, powder rotor, etc. to keep them looking new? Thanks