.45 Cal new to reloading w Dillon - Advice

[USN Mike]

Hello Dillon enthusiasts! My family spoiled me greatly for Christmas this year and bought me a used but useful Dillon 550 - I have patiently viewed the video and reviewed the forum and set up my press and am producing my first set of .45 ammo. Each of my kids and in laws bought be different powders (Bullseye, Hodgdons Clays, Hodgdon HP38, Hodgdon HS6, Hodgdon Titegroup and Winchester WSF) so I have quite an assortment.

My problem is that my bullets are apparently not common - they are Rainier 200gr plated RN .45 bullets - none of my reloading manuals (Lymans 49th, Hornaday's 7th and Speer's No.13) have the data that I need in them for these bullets and the proper load (I am told to be looking for data on lead round nose 200 gr since the Rainiers are plated). I will be reloading more, but wanted to start with the .45 (to be used in a vintage Combat Commander and a SIG P220).

Since Hodgdon Clays seems to be very popular for .45 reloaders, have used 3.6gr of H-CLAYS powder, with the 200Gr Rainier Plated RN bullet, seated at an OAL of 1.225". I am looking for a nice paper target load, not self defense or hot stuff at all.

Am I in the right ballpark? Am I safe?

Thanks very much for the advise and help,

Mike

[ParaGunner]

Always start with a smaller charge than recommended and work your way up to what you want. Also I normally loaded my 45acp rounds to 1.24-1.25 oal.

[John Wayne]

Sounds like you raised your kids properly.

Try typing any combination of these words into your main search engine...200 grain .45 load You should find a lot of info, just take it with a grain of salt. You should look for a consensus amongst people who load the 200 gr. and reduce a little for starters. Hope this is helpful

[USN Mike]

Always start with a smaller charge than recommended and work your way up to what you want. Also I normally loaded my 45acp rounds to 1.24-1.25 oal.

That is one of my concerns - I see different lengths for different loads and do not fully understand the impact if I use what I have here - the info that I am using is reported to be very soft and no where near any power limits, purportedly does not meet Minor Qualification (really not sure what that means though).

But before I go out and try one, wanted some community support that this seems reasonable to be a starter load.

Thanks again, appreciate the response.

Mike

[USN Mike]

Sounds like you raised your kids properly.

Try typing any combination of these words into your main search engine...200 grain .45 load You should find a lot of info, just take it with a grain of salt. You should look for a consensus amongst people who load the 200 gr. and reduce a little for starters. Hope this is helpful

This is helpful - does this imply that as long as I use the minimum load data for a 200 gr bullet that I will be okay (regardless of if it is a wad cutter, ball, hollowpoint, etc)? I was concerned over the different types and shapes of bullet - but I guess that since they are all constrained to the same diameter and weight then they must all be the same length and therefore seat the same way in the bullet to form the pressure chamber?

Thanks again for answering my silly question, just don't have anyone here to ask for advice.

Michael

[USN Mike]

I may have posted my question yesterday on the wrong forum, looking back it appears that it should be in this area rather than beginners. I hope that it is appropriate to post here -

-----

Hello Dillon enthusiasts! My family spoiled me greatly for Christmas this year and bought me a used but useful Dillon 550 - I have patiently viewed the video and reviewed the forum and set up my press and am producing my first set of .45 ammo. Each of my kids and in laws bought be different powders (Bullseye, Hodgdons Clays, Hodgdon HP38, Hodgdon HS6, Hodgdon Titegroup and Winchester WSF) so I have quite an assortment.

My problem is that my bullets are apparently not common - they are Rainier 200gr plated RN .45 bullets - none of my reloading manuals (Lymans 49th, Hornaday's 7th and Speer's No.13) have the data that I need in them for these bullets and the proper load (I am told to be looking for data on lead round nose 200 gr since the Rainiers are plated). I will be reloading more, but wanted to start with the .45 (to be used in a vintage Combat Commander and a SIG P220).

Since Hodgdon Clays seems to be very popular for .45 reloaders, have used 3.6gr of H-CLAYS powder, with the 200Gr Rainier Plated RN bullet, seated at an OAL of 1.225". I am looking for a nice paper target load, not self defense or hot stuff at all. Is it acceptable to use any 200gr bullet reload data (powder minimum and OAL) to use for the Rainier plated RN? This number of 3.6 is the lowest that I can find anywhere to be conservative to start with - I've made 20 to take to the range and try.

Am I in the right ballpark? Am I safe?

Thanks very much for the advise and help,

Mike

[GrumpyOne]

When loading plated bullets, use lead data, as there is no difference between the the two. Find a recipe for 200 grain LRN and use it.

Another helpful tip is go to the powder manufacturers web page. They generally have data available there.

Hodgdon's website shows a 230 grain LRN with a starting load of 3.5 grains of Clays, with an OAL of 1.200, so yes, you are safe. In fact, if you wanted a softer shooting load, you could lighten the charge a bit, say down to around 3.4. Should be a very nice load to shoot.

[FLSlim]

Wow, a great Christmas for you. I guess I wasn't good enough!!! I don't use Clays, but a quick check of a manual (Lyman) certainly suggests that 3.6 under a 200 gr. lead or plated would be a rather light load and would be safe. I'm sure some Clay-users will chime in.

[twodownzero]

I'd work up to the 4 grain range, maybe a little more. That'll give you a major load or just under.

Nice to see that you're from Champaign. I lived there for two years prior to this school year. If I was still there, I'd come over and help you set up that Dillon.

If you're an employee of the University of Illinois, look into joining the FSFSP.

[noylj]

What do your reloading manuals tell you?

You are shooting a plated bullet, so you will want to start with a load for lead bullets.

In general, changing from LRN to LSWC to LCFP involves a change in COL and the basic starting load remains the same.

You can look for load data for your specific bullet and you will never find it (unless you just trust whatever pops up on the internet).

You, your magazine, your gun, and your barrel will determine the COL that is right, not some one from on high. When I started loading in the mid '70s, there was very little talk of COL. You knew that loading data was rare, loading data for a specific bullet was generally unheard of, and you learned how to work up a load carefully. This involved creating inert "dummy" rounds as one sets up the dies and using the gun's barrel and the gun itself to verify that the rounds would chamber and feed. Keep the dummy round, properly labeled, so you can return the seating stem to the correct position. Keep seating separate from crimping.

You do not load any ammunition until you have established a COL that fits your magazine and feeds and chambers in your gun using at least on inert "dummy" round. You always want the longest COL that functions reliably for a specific bullet in your gun. The loading manuals show the recommended MINIMUM COL in almost all cases.

Start with 4.0gn of 231/HP-38 and work up to 5.5gn. Your actual max may be higher (and it may be lower), but that is the range you will most likely find to be very accurate.

Your COL will probably be around 1.225-1.250. The bullet needs to be seated deep enough so the round chambers easily. Some RN bullets have an ogive that requires seating much deeper than a SWC. In these cases, working up from the starting load, or even 0.5gn below the starting load is a requirement.

The .45, being a low pressure round, will generally perform best with a fast powder. Bullseye, Solo1000, Red Dot, AA2, and 231/HP-38 are all very good. Clays and N310 tend to show non-linear pressure increases as they get close to a max load.

[twodownzero]

cross posted

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=120307&pid=1360744&st=0entry1360744

[USN Mike]

What do your reloading manuals tell you?

You are shooting a plated bullet, so you will want to start with a load for lead bullets.

In general, changing from LRN to LSWC to LCFP involves a change in COL and the basic starting load remains the same.

You can look for load data for your specific bullet and you will never find it (unless you just trust whatever pops up on the internet).

You, your magazine, your gun, and your barrel will determine the COL that is right, not some one from on high. When I started loading in the mid '70s, there was very little talk of COL. You knew that loading data was rare, loading data for a specific bullet was generally unheard of, and you learned how to work up a load carefully. This involved creating inert "dummy" rounds as one sets up the dies and using the gun's barrel and the gun itself to verify that the rounds would chamber and feed. Keep the dummy round, properly labeled, so you can return the seating stem to the correct position. Keep seating separate from crimping.

You do not load any ammunition until you have established a COL that fits your magazine and feeds and chambers in your gun using at least on inert "dummy" round. You always want the longest COL that functions reliably for a specific bullet in your gun. The loading manuals show the recommended MINIMUM COL in almost all cases.

Start with 4.0gn of 231/HP-38 and work up to 5.5gn. Your actual max may be higher (and it may be lower), but that is the range you will most likely find to be very accurate.

Your COL will probably be around 1.225-1.250. The bullet needs to be seated deep enough so the round chambers easily. Some RN bullets have an ogive that requires seating much deeper than a SWC. In these cases, working up from the starting load, or even 0.5gn below the starting load is a requirement.

The .45, being a low pressure round, will generally perform best with a fast powder. Bullseye, Solo1000, Red Dot, AA2, and 231/HP-38 are all very good. Clays and N310 tend to show non-linear pressure increases as they get close to a max load.

Wow - thanks for the thoughtful and educational response - I do appreciate it - and it makes sense - I cross listed this after going back and looking at the forum "rules" that seem to indicate that it should not have been in the beginners section (although I am definitely a beginner).

Thanks for taking the time for the answer and helping me be safe!

Mike

[GrumpyOne]

I posted in your other thread.

[gordonm1]

I have 30k reloads down my 220. On 200 gr, it always preferred near max powder charges for me to get hits. I am not a great shot by any means but that was all I found. Never had luck with 230gr. Your gun may be different.

[ima45dv8]

Merged cross-posted topics here.

[GrumpyOne]

Merged cross-posted topics here.

Thank you! I was getting confused which one I was in!

[John Wayne]

You are going about this endeavor the right way but, once you fire your first few rounds you'll see there was little need for any anguish and how satisfying a hobby reloading is.