Good Starting Load

[6mmppc]

Hello every one, Im a competitive benchrest shooter with two teen sons who shoot competitive high power. My youngest, 14, is starting to shoot action pistol. We have two 5 inch 1911's in .45acp. Im looking for some advise on bullet size and starting loads, (im a big VV powder fan) would like to try some plated bullets. I do a lot of reloading now so I dont have a lot of time to experiment but do take the time to develope a load. I chrono everything we shoot. Any other advice would be helpfull. Thanks to all, Bob

[Guest Larry Cazes]

Bob, I load 200 grain WestCoast plated for my .45s . My load is 5.2 grains of Winchester WST, a WestCoast RN 200 grain bullet, Winchester LP Primer, OAL = 1.260". This averages 168PF in my Valtro. Remember to back off 10% and work up since this is just about the manufacturers max load. Soft, very clean, and acurate in all of my single stacks that I shoot L10 with.

[AikiDale]

230 grain over 4.0 grains of Clays makes a nice .45 load

[Guest Larry Cazes]

Aiki, does this make major in a 5" gun? I have not been able to make major PF in any Clays load without seeing severe pressure signs.

[Hank Ellis]

For USPSA .45 loads, the two most common projectiles are the 230 RN and the 200 SWC. The 230 tends to give the sensation of a 'push' while the 200 has more snap. Try them both. I prefer the 230. Others prefer the 200. Either one works depending on the feel you're looking for.

Projectile material is an issue. Lead is cheap but the smoke can be a factor if shooting indoors or say under a table. You'll never wear out a barrel shooting lead. Jacketed is relatively expensive but there is virtually no smoke. You can wear out a barrel shooting jacketed. In the middle is the moly coated black bullets such as from Precision. A little more expensive but reduced smoke. I use lead for practice and Precisions for match.

Practice load:

230 GAT LRN, 4.1gr of Winchester Super Target, any serviceable brass, Winchester primers, 1.260 OAL

Match load:

230 Precision RN, 4.1gr of Winchester Super Target, Winchester brass, Winchester primers, 1.260 OAL

Both give about 740fps for a 170PF out of a Springfield 5" 1911.

[AikiDale]

Aiki, does this make major in a 5" gun? I have not been able to make major PF in any Clays load without seeing severe pressure signs.

IF I remember correctly I got about 167 out of my Kimbers with it using jacketed bullets. You need less powder with lead. The Hodgdon manual says 168 with a OAL of 1.2, I think mine was 1.25.

Hodgdon .45 ACP Data

[spook]

Bob, welcome to the forums! Since you're a big Vihta fan, and you want to shoot plated bullets, I'll just give you my own recipe:

230 grain plated Frontier RN (the US equivalent would be Rainier)

4.7 grains of Viht N320 (I currently use 5.2 to make major, but 4.7 is great for

starting out)

Federal LP 150 primers

OAL 1.250"

Vith N320 with a heavy 230 grain bullet will give you a nice soft shooting load that packs a punch. Recoil is more of a big push, than a "snap". The combination is capable of major Power factor and will still be soft shooting.

Good luck.