The Brit. Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 Hi, I'm in the process of setting up to reload for the new .45acp revolver I will be buying soon. I've got two different powders on my reloading bench at the moment, Red dot and Vhit N340. Anyone have any experience reloading .45acp in revolvers with these powders? The revolver will have a 12" barrel (due to the crazy UK gun laws) so the reccommended 5 grains of Red dot on the reloading web page will have to be lowered slightly (they used a 5" barrel) . I've thought of starting at 4 grains and working up in .1's until I make a P.F. of 175. The primers I have are Magtec and the brass is all once fired from several different manufactures. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bwana Six-Gun Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 I have no experience with the two powders you mention, however I have used N-320 (4.7 gr.) with a 230 gr. bullet, both jacketed and cast with good results. Velocity from my 6" S&W is in the 725 to 730 fps range and accuracy is better than I am. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Mainus Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 I have used straight clays, vv320 and am now using vv310. I think they are all so close that you can't go wrong with any of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyT Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 II have found the 45 ACP to function very well with Calys and WST powder with either, lead, Rainier or FMJ bullets. Both are clean burning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bad Flynch Posted April 4, 2006 Share Posted April 4, 2006 The only things that I try to avoid are 1) loads that do not group well, and 2) loads whose pressue peak occurs as the bullet crosses the barrel-cylinder gap. Having the pressure peak at the barrel-cylinder gap gives a lot of noise, flash, and increases the leading on the cylinder face (when using lead bullets). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schutzenmeister Posted April 5, 2006 Share Posted April 5, 2006 Try this ... you'll save some time over loading in 0.1 increments. Both loads you suggest are well within the normal range (per the books) for the 45 ACP. Load 5 or 6 rounds at 4.0, then load 5 or 6 rounds at 5.0. Chrono all and record your results. Plot the averages of the two. From that you should be able to determine the approximate range where the powder charge will yield the results you desire. Then take and load a couple 3 to 5 test groups whose charges bracket the predicted point you're looking for. Evaluate the results based on power, recoil, and accuracy. Select your load and mass produce it. (If you want to get REAL fancy, you can plug all the info into a computer and do linear regression analysis on it, but I prefer the low tech approach ... It gives me less headache!) For the record, I use about 4.2 of Clays and a 230 FMJ to get about a 170 PF in a 5" 625. (Remember ... Here in the states EVERYTHING is major at 165 ... none of this 160/170 two-step!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Brit. Posted April 6, 2006 Author Share Posted April 6, 2006 Thanks for the info and advice. I did the tests along the lines you mention. I've settled on two loads. First is for IPSC with a 230grn plated tmj and 4.4 grns of Red dot. Av FPS 787. (P.F 181) Second load is for steel plates using a 230grn RNL and 3.8 grns Red dot, which gives an Av. FPS of 767. (P.F 176) I'd like to try somes Clays as it gets a good report on here. I've just checked on the burn chart d/l from the Vhit web site and it's showing it to be at the top of the tree! Any idea of a start load since I'm using a 12" barrel?? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schutzenmeister Posted April 6, 2006 Share Posted April 6, 2006 My book (The Complete Reloading Manual for the 45 ACP) shows 3.5 as the starting load for Clays and a 230g LRN ... 3.7 for a 230g FJM. A plated bullet, I would think, should fall somewhere in between. NO ONE lists data for a 12" barrel in this round that I'm aware of, so you'll have to experiment. I would think 3.5g would be a perfectly safe place to start. (That's what I'm planning to load for my practice rounds ... 3.5g and a 230 LRN. For match I'll use 4.1 to 4.2g and a 230 FMJ. PF about 170 in a 5" barrel [uSPSA Major load is 165]) However ... for steel plates, why do you want so much power? Are they set all that heavy that you need the power to knock them into the next county? I'd recommend a somewhat lighter load for steel unless there is a floor you must meet to compete. It saves wear and tear on you and the gun and should allow you to actually engage the plates faster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Brit. Posted April 6, 2006 Author Share Posted April 6, 2006 Thanks for the Clays load info. I'll be getting some of it soon and I'll let you know how I get on. Re: the steel load. It is for a speed steel comp to be held at Bisley as part of the Phoenix meet. This is a large venue by London and is to encourage the use of long barreled revolvers, .22 s/a, centre fire (pistol) calibre rifles etc. The organisers require a minimum of 750fps to ensure that the lead bullets disintergrate on impact. Plated and FMJ are not allowed. The plates are fixed to posts and you must make it 'ring' to count, set against the clock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schutzenmeister Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 That being the case, and unless you must make an on the clock reload, I would suggest finding a much lighter bullet so as to reduce your recoil at 750 fps ... Perhaps a 155 SWC, if you can find them ... Just a thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Brit. Posted April 8, 2006 Author Share Posted April 8, 2006 That being the case, and unless you must make an on the clock reload, I would suggest finding a much lighter bullet so as to reduce your recoil at 750 fps ... Perhaps a 155 SWC, if you can find them ... Just a thought. I've looked around and the lightest .45acp bullet I can find is a 200 grain lead SWC. Is it worth it for the 30 grain drop in weight do you think? Plus if I need to throw a reload in, RNL will load smoother than SWC. One other thing I noticed when I was shooting my steel load the other night, the sound of the round going off sometimes differed. It was that noticable than some one commented on it from the club room. (My range is indoors, the club room is the next room along) This was with red dot. I use a Dillon RL550B and the powder thrower is brand new. I'm thinking that red dot doesn't meter too well? When ever I check the powder weight it is within 1 or 2 tenths. Would 1 or 2 tenths make the noticable sound difference? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewokUk Posted April 8, 2006 Share Posted April 8, 2006 Ian, If you want, I can get you some 185 grain LRN that is pre-ban & as hard as nails! This is what I was using before moving up to 230 grain & shoots pretty well & hardly leads at all. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmccrock Posted April 8, 2006 Share Posted April 8, 2006 One other thing I noticed when I was shooting my steel load the other night, the sound of the round going off sometimes differed. I have not used Red Dot. But it could be position sensitivity: if the powder is closer to the primer, it ignites more readily than if it is closer to the bullet. I do not believe that ~4 grains of any powder in a 45acp case should have a problem, but I thought I would mention it. To test: lower the muzzle, raise up to firing position, and fire. Then tip the muzzle up (pushing the powder back to the primer), lower to firing position, and fire. Difference? Then there is a problem. My experience was light loads of 231 in a 38 spec revolver. Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Brit. Posted April 8, 2006 Author Share Posted April 8, 2006 Ian,If you want, I can get you some 185 grain LRN that is pre-ban & as hard as nails! This is what I was using before moving up to 230 grain & shoots pretty well & hardly leads at all. Mike Hi Mike, didn't know you posted here ! Thanks, I'll take you up on your offer. I'll ring you at home next week and see when we are shooting the same airsoft comp so I can pick them up from you. Just let me know what you want for them. One other thing I noticed when I was shooting my steel load the other night, the sound of the round going off sometimes differed. I have not used Red Dot. But it could be position sensitivity: if the powder is closer to the primer, it ignites more readily than if it is closer to the bullet. I do not believe that ~4 grains of any powder in a 45acp case should have a problem, but I thought I would mention it. To test: lower the muzzle, raise up to firing position, and fire. Then tip the muzzle up (pushing the powder back to the primer), lower to firing position, and fire. Difference? Then there is a problem. My experience was light loads of 231 in a 38 spec revolver. Lee Lee, That's interesting. I'm going to the range tomorrow so I'll try what you mentioned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harmon Posted April 9, 2006 Share Posted April 9, 2006 The Clays powder should be the ticket for 45 acp loads, i dont know how well they would do in a 12 inch revolver, i would start with 3.5 grains and work up till you get where you want to be as far as velocity is concerned Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewokUk Posted April 9, 2006 Share Posted April 9, 2006 (edited) Hi Mike, didn't know you posted here ! Thanks, I'll take you up on your offer. I'll ring you at home next week and see when we are shooting the same airsoft comp so I can pick them up from you. Just let me know what you want for them. Don't bother ringing just yet, I'm stuck in Saudi Arabia & after that I'm moving on to Azerbaijan. I'll give you a call when I get back Edited April 9, 2006 by ewokUk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyT Posted April 9, 2006 Share Posted April 9, 2006 I have found WST to be very clean burning and it meters exceptionally well in the Dillon 550. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Brit. Posted April 10, 2006 Author Share Posted April 10, 2006 One other thing I noticed when I was shooting my steel load the other night, the sound of the round going off sometimes differed. I have not used Red Dot. But it could be position sensitivity: if the powder is closer to the primer, it ignites more readily than if it is closer to the bullet. I do not believe that ~4 grains of any powder in a 45acp case should have a problem, but I thought I would mention it. To test: lower the muzzle, raise up to firing position, and fire. Then tip the muzzle up (pushing the powder back to the primer), lower to firing position, and fire. Difference? Then there is a problem. My experience was light loads of 231 in a 38 spec revolver. Lee Lee, I tried what you suggested about lowering and tipping the muzzle before firing. It didn't seem to make any difference whichever way I did it. I must be getting an 'oddball' load every now and then. I hope to get my hands on some Clays soon and will be trying that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmorris Posted April 13, 2006 Share Posted April 13, 2006 +1 Clays Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D_4_Ever Posted April 14, 2006 Share Posted April 14, 2006 (edited) If you like Red Dot (Fast, Large flakes -> designed for shotgun & rifle rather than pistol loads), you might try the new (re-formulated) Alliant Unique. I used that for many years with both 1911 and SW 625 (gosh I miss that wheel-gun sometimes...). Unique is slower burning, but it is nice and clean burning now and cheaper - compared to Clays or N320. I've been using Alliant PowerPistol w. the .40 for a while. Not bad, but I'm going to N320 soon (for the .40). Good Luck w. finding your loads. Edited April 14, 2006 by D_4_Ever Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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