My .45 Needs More Powder To Make Velocity - Why?

[wsimpso1]

Hi, my 45 ACP has always needed more powder than book values to make velocity, and many of the loads are dirty too, even when other folks report the load to be clean.

I know that it is not a miscalibrated scale because I have other guns (rifles and a Para in .40) that match up very well on velocity vs powder charge. I also know that it is not a miscalibrated chorngraph because I have lined up mine and others and recorded shot-by shot on them, and they are usually within a few fps, with the differences between gadgets looking fairly random.

A couple of for-instances:

Using Rem primers, N310, and Montana Gold 230 FMJ, I needed 4.7 grains to get 750 fps, and it was DIRTY;

Same batch of Rem primers, WIN 230 g FMJ and 5.0g of N320 to get 750 fps, but at least it was clean;

Now I am trying to get N310 to work with 200 grain Master Blasters, and it takes 4.7 grains to go 875 fps, and it is a little dirty.

The barrel is stainless and came from Olympic Arms about 15 years ago, but never saw much shooting until 2004, when I started USPSA and IDPA. It has about 4000 rounds through it, and the N320 load with WIN is quite accurate and repeatable. Probably should stay with it...

My suspicion is that the barrel is a little large in land and groove diameters, so I may be best served to fit a new barrel. What do you folks all think?

Billski

[Patrick Sweeney]

Is it reliable? Accurate? Does it clean up well enough? Then leave it alone. Some barrels are slow, some fast. There is no guarantee that the next one will be any faster than the one you have. So what that you're using as much as half a grain more per shot to make Major. At half a grain a shot, you'll have to shoot something like 85,000 rounds to pay back $100 of new barrel.

[Canuck-IL]

2 maybes to consider...

Folks in BE are always complaining about how dirty Bullseye and 231 are ... they're a lot better with just a little more crimp ... .468 - .469

I don't know the size of MG bullets but Berry's plated are .452, usually a typical lead size, while Rainier's are .451...perhaps you should try some .452s...?

/Bryan

[blackdragon]

I agree, Check your bullet diameter. Use Win 231, Save yourself some$$$$

Ivan

[Harmon]

use federal 150s, they are hotter than the remingtons and will light the powder easier...possibly giving a cleaner burn.

also you can save major coin by using plated bullets instead of jacketed and CLAYS instead of N310..titegroup instead of N320.

[Canuck-IL]

+1 on Clays for clean and cheap but, it doesn't meter in a rotary drop like the V V powders...have to watch closely to catch the occ. bridging and resultant light load.

/B

[wsimpso1]

Thanks to all for the responses.

I am not trying to save money by buying a new barrel and then reducing powder charges. Cone on now... And I already have the N310, and would like to use it up on something. I am a recoil wimp, and would love to reduce recoil a bit, which is where MB bullets and N310 come in. If the barrel does not like the ammo, it is no good. The current barrel likes WIN 230 FMJ's, but not the lead bullets (leading and inaccurate)

Now, if installing a new, ramped, cut rifling barrel that likes lead bullets lets me get to PF with less recoil and the lead bullets will pay for the new barrel in 6000 rounds, that is a Win-Win-Win deal and I should go for it over this winter. I am still thinking about that...

Billski