Switch From Ww231 To Titegroup In .45acp?

[lliden]

Hi Folks. I've been happily shooting my .45ACP reloads for years, but wonder if I can improve my rounds with a different powder. I currently load 200gr LaserCast lead SWCs over 5.6gr of WW 231. OAL - 1.251" with a taper crimp of .469-.470. Starline Brass, Winchester primers. Makes Major in my STI, but is very smoky. Would I be better switching powders from 231 to Titegroup? Or something else? What would the advantages be of switching? I'm happy with the accuracy, and everything feeds fine. Whaddya think?

[g56]

I also use 231 in my 45 ACP loads, with no noticeable smoke on an indoor range.

When I shoot my PPC match 38 with lead wadcutters and 231 I get a lot of smoke, jacketed bullets and 231 yield no noticeable smoke.

More than likely the smoke you are getting is from the bullet lube, not the powder.

[uscbigdawg]

My father swears by Clays (not Universal...regular) in his Kimber.

I picked up a couple of pounds of it off a prize table a couple of years ago and gave it to him. He loves it and has stuck with it.

I'd like to offer more, but I use AA #5 (or 7...can't remember). It's gunky and nasty, but shoots flat.

Rich

[Tom Mainus]

I use straight clays in my 625 revolver and love it. Clean and very little recoil.

[scooterj]

Winchester Super Target is the go to powder for me in .45

[Tokarev]

My guess, too, would be smoke from bullet lube. I've used Laser Cast's 185 .40 bullet with good acuuracy but the lube's much smokier than that used by some other cast bullet manufacturers.

[Rockwell]

I have been shooting 200gr. Laser Cast SWC, 4.7 grains of titegroup, federal Large Pistol primers, in my .45 with a power factor that is usually 170 in my Kimber. I have noticed smoke, especially shooting into the sun. I agree with the other comments that you are getting most of the smoke from the bullet lube. As far as an advantage in switching, I guess that maybe you could conserve about a grain of powder per round, or maybe not.

[trickpony]

I use Vita N320 with Precision SWC's in my .45. Really clean and less recoil. I switched from 231.

[JD45]

IIiden, I used to shoot the same W231 load that you shoot, and I switched to 4.8grs. of Titegroup with the same 200gr. SWC. I still see smoke and can't seem to judge which load smokes less. The load with W231 did seem quite a bit louder though(more of a sharp ear-spliting "pop"). The average accuracy of TG is a hair better in my 1911, and the lower price is a nice bonus.

[Run n Gun]

I too used 200gr LSWC over 4.7 grains of Titegroup and they were smoky, especially in still air. Recently I tried the same load with 200gr Master Blaster’s moly bullets… I now shoot in a smoke free zone! If your loads are smoky it’s NOT the Titegroup.

Ed

[Duane Thomas]

I switched from W231 to Titegroup. You can get the same velocity with Titegroup using a lesser powder charge than W231 - more rounds per pound of powder is always nice. The main thing for me though was I found Titegroup MUCH cleaner burning than W231. Titegroup does leave a fair amount of, for lack a better term, soot around the muzzle and front of the slide. The good news is that this stuff is so fine it doesn't cause any real fouling. I once put almost 5,000 rounds of Laser-Cast 200-gr. LSWCs over 4.7-gr. Titegroup through my .45 without cleaning it. And it was still smooth. I only cleaned the gun eventually because I had it apart for something else said, "Oh, what the hell." But I didn't need to clean it.

I'll admit I've recently started playing around with Clays. Like Titegroup this stuff also produces very fine soot that seems to cause no problems. The difference is it produces a lot more. 200 rounds of Titegroup and you've got some grey powder fouling around the front of the slide. 50 rounds of Clays and the entire slide looks like it's been Parkerized.

[Guest Larry Cazes]

After years of trying different powders for 200 and 230 grain bullets, I have settled on Winchester WST as the best choice for me. Squeaky clean in major loads, moderate to low recoil, and extremely accurate. Before finding WST, I also used quite a bit clays. Clays shoots very softly but is just a bit too fast for either of these bullet weights. The loads were very temperature sensitive and 168pf loads for 230 grain bullets intermittently showed pressure signs such as primer flattening. You could use rifle primers but then you are just covering up the fact that your pressure is way above SAAMI specs. WST also meters extremely well though my Dillon measures, is widely available, and is cheap.