Reloading X-treme 200 SWC with 45 auto 1911.

[Gunsmoke55]

Does anyone have experience with these plated SWC For a 45 auto 1911? Curious what COAL folks find works best with 45 auto 1911. I have set up my Dillon for coal of 1.2075 and that give about a thumb nail of bullet to case mouth space. I did dummy round and it plunks nicely in my. 45 auto barrel.  I am considering: Unique, AA#5, and possibly Herco, having tough time finding data. Probably will use Speer. #12 Edition data and ladder load. Anyone have experience they can share?

[himurax13]

Your OAL will depend on your barrel. Depending on a plunk and spin test, it could be between 1.220 to 1.275. Crimp will severely affect accuracy/tumbling. I try to use the least amount possible. I prefer faster burning powders like regular clays, titegroup, 700x, Win 231, etc.

[Farmer]

I find that they feed the best in my guns (not 1911’s) at 1.240. Of course you have to make sure they plunk in your bbl. At that length I’m using 4.3g of e3 or Clays. If you’re using the #12 Speer just use their data for their plated SWC and that should get you close. Of the powders you listed, Unique,  while not ideal would probably work the best unless you’re going for fire breathing loads. 

[MuayThaiJJ]

My latest load has been: Load #18: 3.6 Clays, 200gr SWC, 1.23" OAL

[Gunsmoke55]

Thanks MuayThaiJJ, Himurax13 and Farmer for your experience with this bullet. At this point, coal 1.2075 seems shorter than needed despite plunk and spin. I think I can go longer. I will pull the dummy round, and do plunk and spin testing on my barrel starting at 1.270 (but not shorter than 1.230).  Not looking for fire breathing speed. Speer #12 manual shows Unique and AA#5 having a wider range between the starting load and max load power weight. Further online research of Western Powders data and Hodgdon place the 200 grain SWC in Berry’s plated and even the LC lead LSWC showing pressure data. I see some powders with higher pressures in data. So, will choose from Unique, Titegroup and Silhouette, hoping the 1911s cycle good without any FTFs

[Farmer]

As a side note with SWC bullets I always like to keep a fair amount of the shoulder sticking out of the case. Reason being is that I have two Rugers that when they extract the fired case sometimes the rim will catch on the mouth of the loaded round in the magazine and peel it back. Doesn’t happen all the time, and not saying you’ll have a problem but since I started loading them a bit longer it hasn’t happened. I think for light target loads the TightGroup would work a bit better than Silhouette or #5. Those are both good powders but are dirty at lower loadings. Just my 2 cents. 

[Gunsmoke55]

I like cleaner burning. Hodgdon site shows Titegroup with leadcast bullet about my same coal length. Might use that load data. Thanks

[zzt]

I load lighter than Farmer.  My bullseye load is 3.4gr e3 under a 200 LSWC at 1.240" OAL.  731fps and SD 5.35 with a WLP.  726fps and SD 4.97 with a CCI 300.  Both are super accurate, with the CCI slightly more so.

 

None of the powders you mentioned are suitable unless you want hot loads.   Personally, I would not load 4.3gr of Clays under a plater 200gr,  That's major PF.  Clays is quite spikey at higher pressures.  Aliant e3 is easy to find.  It is a shotshell powder that happens to work superbly in 9mm minor, 40sw major and minor  and 45 ACP major and minor.  That being said, I prefer Solo 1000 for 45 major.

 

BTW, if you are a bullseye shooter, X-Treme 200 PSWC were the least accurate plated bullet I tried.  The most accurate  was the old Rainier.  Currently, Berry's is better than X-treme.  Good, cast LSWCs are better than all of the plated and coated, with the possible exception of Precision Gen2 coated SWC.  They are every bit as accurate as LSWCs in my 45s.

[zzt]

23 hours ago, Gunsmoke55 said:

I like cleaner burning. Hodgdon site shows Titegroup with leadcast bullet about my same coal length. Might use that load data. Thanks

 

Then don't use Titegroup.  Hotter burning, smokier and dirtier than almost anything else.  The only thing it has going for it is it is cheap.

[Farmer]

On 2/27/2023 at 3:40 PM, zzt said:

I load lighter than Farmer.  My bullseye load is 3.4gr e3 under a 200 LSWC at 1.240" OAL.  731fps and SD 5.35 with a WLP.  726fps and SD 4.97 with a CCI 300.  Both are super accurate, with the CCI slightly more so.

 

None of the powders you mentioned are suitable unless you want hot loads.   Personally, I would not load 4.3gr of Clays under a plater 200gr,  That's major PF.  Clays is quite spikey at higher pressures.  Aliant e3 is easy to find.  It is a shotshell powder that happens to work superbly in 9mm minor, 40sw major and minor  and 45 ACP major and minor.  That being said, I prefer Solo 1000 for 45 major.

 

BTW, if you are a bullseye shooter, X-Treme 200 PSWC were the least accurate plated bullet I tried.  The most accurate  was the old Rainier.  Currently, Berry's is better than X-treme.  Good, cast LSWCs are better than all of the plated and coated, with the possible exception of Precision Gen2 coated SWC.  They are every bit as accurate as LSWCs in my 45s.

The 3.4 of E3 shoots very soft but I have to stay at 3.6 to get full function in all my guns. I should have noted above that the 4.3 would be max. Going to edit it. 

[Farmer]

On 2/25/2023 at 12:56 PM, Farmer said:

I find that they feed the best in my guns (not 1911’s) at 1.240. Of course you have to make sure they plunk in your bbl. At that length I’m using 4.3g of e3 or Clays. If you’re using the #12 Speer just use their data for their plated SWC and that should get you close. Of the powders you listed, Unique,  while not ideal would probably work the best unless you’re going for fire breathing loads. 

Correction: The 4.3 of e3 is max and even more so for clays if loading at 1.240 or less.  

[Gunsmoke55]

I found a powder WST that I had heard was a favorite for many for 45 ACP and the x-treme plated 200 SWC bullets. Here in People’s Republic of Vermont; half kidding…propane is being squeezed out by legislature…only half kidding, see, talking high taxes and of living, I’m not being political. But, this WST. The reloading stuff is scarce. The 2 gun store around me have even resorted to selling used stuff they got I don’t know where…estates? Like bullets, cases, dies going for lower prices. I saw a few pounds of WST came in and I grabbed me a pound. Plan to make up some initial test loads with coal of 1.236 in the 1911s to see how they feed and cycle. Anyone else using WST for 45 ACP?

[Gunsmoke55]

Heard WST is clean burning powder.