Zero 230 gn FMJ Loads

[Quick Draw McGraw]

Looking for Zero 230gr FMJ loads for my SIG GSR XO 1911. Does not like EXTREME plated bullets. Currently use Titegroup, Unique, & HP38 for powders. Thanks, Bob.

[DougCarden]

4.0 grains of CLAYS with a 230 is hard to beat....

DougC

[Quick Draw McGraw]

COAL?

[DougCarden]

With the ogive on the 230 Zero I load to 1.230. You should make up a couple dummy rounds, start at 1.250 and chamber it, and make sure it will fit in the chamber, then extract and eject out ok.

Once you find what you like, then tighten up your seater stem, set the crimp at .468-9, and go to town....

Good Luck,

DougC

[fastarget]

With the ogive on the 230 Zero I load to 1.230. You should make up a couple dummy rounds, start at 1.250 and chamber it, and make sure it will fit in the chamber, then extract and eject out ok.

Once you find what you like, then tighten up your seater stem, set the crimp at .468-9, and go to town....

Good Luck,

DougC

Doug,

Any chrono numbers on the short aol 1.230 , I have been running mine 1.255, I noticed that most 45s feed well in the 1.25-1.255 range.

I have been reluctant to go shorter fearing high pressures. My shortest load is with a 185 HBRN at 1.240.

[pjb45]

hmm, I thought the 45 ACP was a low pressure round?

Additionally, was the 1911 designed for a 1.2 AOL.

If you load your ammo too long some magazines will not function reliably. The angle of the follower can decrease thus putting the bullet in a more perpendicular angle to the front and back wall of the magazines causing friction which can result in FTF or stoppages.

Bottom line is many guns run very well with a 1.2 AOL. Minimum SAAMI is 1.19 - I believe

Edited December 29, 2010 by pjb45

[DougCarden]

In my guns, 4.2gr CLAYS with Fed primer at 1.230OAL in my Revo is around 740ish, and in my 5in .45s it runs around 760 ish.

Hope this helps....

DougC

[Aircooled6racer]

Hello: I load to 1.230" and started that since the Kimber I had at the time would not take anything longer with Precision moly bullets. My load is 3.9 grains Clays and 230 grain Precisions with Winchester WLP primers in a 5" 1911. Thanks, Eric

[fastarget]

Well, I am in agreement with you all then,,,,I was reading all these posts with people loading to 1.275....

Ok, I have loaded some RN bullets before to 1.265, and they functioned ok, not consistent in my kimber, so so in the nighthawk, and not well in my Baer/SVI.

Reading The wilson combat insert from a magazine package, it recommended 1.250......so I started shortening the oal......found that 1.250-1.255 ran beautifully. All the guns were cycling 1.250 100%.

Then I get gifted 5K of 185 HBRN, and I went down to 1.240 or a bit less looking for a practice round to use all these bullets , cycled fine, needed a bit more powder (I was running 4.3 clays), accuracy was good, but was not sure how far to go and be safe.....the 1.235-1.240 for the HBRN was dictated by the end of the shank as max insertion limit.

Edited December 30, 2010 by fastarget

[DougCarden]

Nope, you are on the right track. Might I also suggest using a little more taper crimp? Try some ammo with the .468 crimp, then try some down at .462 and see if your group tightens up.....

4.5 or so should get you around 140-150PF that should function your 5in guns as well.....

Good luck,

DougC

[planenut]

I see you have Titegroup.

I made some 230 Zero FMJ with Titegroup and got the following results from a Colt Commander 4.25" barrel, PMC Brass

4.4 Titegroup, WLP, 1.265 OAL, 734FPS High, 700FPS low, 710fps avg, 24FPS ES, 7FPS SD

4.66 Titegroup, WLP, 1.265 OAL, 765FPS High, 743FPS LOW, 753FPS avg, 22FPS ES, 6FPS SD

I only fired about 20 rounds of each and plan on doing more at 4.5 grains of titegroup and shortening up the OAL after reading this thread.

Hope this helps.

Edited December 30, 2010 by planenut

[Quick Draw McGraw]

Thanks for all the responses. I too have reduced my COAL to 1.250 -1.255 and voila my SIGruns much better. Loaded the Zero's to my usual 1.26 at first and noticed the ones that didn't feed had little dents in the bullet nose. Reduced the OAL and problems went away. Bob

[planenut]

What load did you end up running Bob?

[Quick Draw McGraw]

Planenut: Zero 230 gr fmj Winchester Brass, WLP,

Titegroup 4.6 & 4.7 gr

HP-38 5.6 gr

Also plan to try some with unique powder. OAL 1.2550

Don't have a chrono. But Titegroup shot the best.