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45 acp


para5

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I am shooting 200 swc (jackeded) and am looking for what seems to be the best powder make and charge for this bullet. I have been using HP-38 for my lead. I just loaded 6.3 grs of 231 and got 860 fps out of it. I have seen data for SR7625 SR4756, HS-6. What is the softest but will still make major.

Thanks for your time

Rich

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Hello Rich,

I have used Vihtavuori N320 with plated 200gr FP, max oal (cant remember how long but would just fit into singlestack mag) and 5.0 grains made just over 170pf. Might try with a bit less for starting load esp. if you want to try shorter oal.

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My load was a plated West Coast SWC over 4.5 grns of straight Clays (slightly over book load so use at your own risk) and the best OAL seemed to be 1.245. Regards, D.

PS if I did it again & could not locate Clays, I would try N310 or possibly N320.

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I had very good results with Win SuperTarget. Percieved recoil is low and it burns fairly clean. It's been about 5 or 6 years since I've loaded for 45 so my recolection of charge weights is not very good. You should be able to get load data from the Win reloading data.

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Guest Larry Cazes

I would also suggest winchester WST. Just as soft shooting as N320 and burns very clean. Furthermore, it is easily available and significantly cheaper than any of the VV powders.

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Here's something a bit different! A number of years ago, when a whole bunch of us were shooting 45's, we used the following.

250gr Flatpoint cowboy bullets

3 grains Clays

Bullet was seated very short just covering the cannalure

Shot SUPER soft but the gun cycled slowly and at time some of us found we were actually faster than the gun...

This is about the softest load I have ever used, regtardless of cal.

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I use the Black Bullet (Precission). 230 Gr Rn over 3.9 gr of Clays will make major without much to spare. 4.0 gr of Clays gives me a comfortable cushion.

Clays is really quiet as well as soft. I have used VN 320 and will again- its good also.

Regards,

:):):)

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  • 2 weeks later...
Here's something a bit different! A number of years ago, when a whole bunch of us were shooting 45's, we used the following.

250gr Flatpoint cowboy bullets

3 grains Clays

Bullet was seated very short just covering the cannalure

Shot SUPER soft but the gun cycled slowly and at time some of us found we were actually faster than the gun...

This is about the softest load I have ever used, regtardless of cal.

I go 3.3 Clays and man is it soft shootin.

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I am shooting an open gun in .45 (insert laughing here) lol

Berry's Plated 185 HBRN with Clays, 4.6 to 4.7 will get me major (165) but I am loading 4.9 to help work the comp a little bit.

The large hollow base of the bullet really affects the pressures making them lower.

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4.3 gn of Clays behind a 200gn Masterblaster Bullet - 170pf and very soft. Been accused of being under pf. Winchester primers.

Gun is sprung a little light (12lb recoil, 17lb hammer), slide cycle time is just about perfect for me.

Load also functions in a 3" Kimber and a Glock 36.

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  • 2 weeks later...

200 grain bullet over a starting point of 4.4 grains of Winchester Super Target. It's clean, not temperature sensitive like HP38 or its twin sister WW231, meters well and at least around here I can find it easily.

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CSEMARTIN,

I tried the 230's but found I much prefer the 200's. I don't have my chrono results handy, but I found that using N310, 230's had more muzzle flip and recoil than 200's even when the PF was lower by ~10. Of course, my gun, my load, YMMV, etc., but I'm very confident that the 200's are better.

The 4.0 I said to start at probably won't make major, but that's why it's the "starting" load ;) In my 5" Briley barrel, 4.6gr makes 176PF with a Bear Creek 200SWC.

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OK here's some more detailed information...

4.6gr N310

West Coast 200gr SWC

Vel. mean: 891.1fps (178 PF)

SD: 15.9

4.6gr N310

Bear Creek 200gr SWC

Vel. mean: 882.0fps (176 PF)

SD: 14.6

(this is from a 48-round sample, very solid data)

4.1gr N310

Berry's 230gr RN

Vel. mean: 684.3fps (157 PF)

SD: 35.1(!)

(all mixed brass and Winchester primers, all chrono'd the same day with the same PACT MkIV)

As you can see, at least with this particular selection of components, the 230 load is very inefficient relative to the 200 load. You'll have to take my word for it that the recoil and muzzle flip of the 176/178PF 200 load was notably less than that of the 157PF 230 load.

However, others have had different results, so take mine with a grain of salt. If you already had a bunch of 230's, it's definitely worth giving it another try. In fact, I'd love to see some data on how the velocity scales and the SD changes as you move up from, say, 3.8gr to 4.2gr in .1gr increments.

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