Please help with a new Steel load.

[ddj8052]

I am trying to develop a new load for the Steel Challange. I am trying to use 230 gr Montana Gold HP's with Clays. The load I loaded for yesterdays monthly Steel Challenge was 3.5gr of clays and the 230gr Montana Golds. It had way more recoil than I would like. I was using 3.5 gr of clays with 205 gr Bear Creek Molly coated LFN. This load had much less felt recoil, but it is dirty so I was hoping the Monta Golds would be a little cleaner, and they were. Does anyone have any load data for this particular combination? The gun I am using Springfield 1911 with a Barsto Barrel. I am right now thinking of droping the load to maybe 3.2gr of clays. Thanks for any help you guys can give me on this.

[DougCarden]

You have two options:

One, order some Berrys 185 HBRN (hollow base round nose). They have the same shape as the 230s, but are hollow in the base. Then put a 10lb spring in your gun, and start loading with the CLAYS until the gun locks back on the last round. You should then be good to go for the match or add .02 grain of powder for insurance with the gun dirty.

Two, still put the 10lb spring in the gun and go down from your loads you have with the MGs until the gun locks back.

Remember, if you go with the Berrys, use the regular crimp die, such as the Dillon. DO NOT use a Lee factory taper crimp die and only take the rough edge off the bell of the case with the crimp die. DO NOT over crimp or crimp much at all with the Crimp die on the Berrys bullets and they will shoot well for you.

Remember you want the gun to shoot accurately for the long range stages. When you have the loads that cycle the gun, then load some up .03 to .05 grain up and see if there is an accuracy difference. You may find that adding some more powder will give you a big accuracy increase with just minimal recoil.

Good luck and see you there!

DougC

[ddj8052]

You have two options:

One, order some Berrys 185 HBRN (hollow base round nose). They have the same shape as the 230s, but are hollow in the base. Then put a 10lb spring in your gun, and start loading with the CLAYS until the gun locks back on the last round. You should then be good to go for the match or add .02 grain of powder for insurance with the gun dirty.

Two, still put the 10lb spring in the gun and go down from your loads you have with the MGs until the gun locks back.

Remember, if you go with the Berrys, use the regular crimp die, such as the Dillon. DO NOT use a Lee factory taper crimp die and only take the rough edge off the bell of the case with the crimp die. DO NOT over crimp or crimp much at all with the Crimp die on the Berrys bullets and they will shoot well for you.

Remember you want the gun to shoot accurately for the long range stages. When you have the loads that cycle the gun, then load some up .03 to .05 grain up and see if there is an accuracy difference. You may find that adding some more powder will give you a big accuracy increase with just minimal recoil.

Good luck and see you there!

DougC

Doug,

Thanks for trying to help. I have a few questions though. I am trying to use the MG's because I already have them. So, I would like to stick with those if possible. Later I will experiment with other bullets. Where should I start as a base for the MG experimentation? Second, I already have a 11lb recoil spring and switching to a 10lb is not a big deal. But what do you mean by "untill the gun locks back? do you mean untill the slide locks back? If so, I guess I am back to the same question about where to start loading from.

Thanks again for the input. Juan

[DougCarden]

No problem, Juan. Hope I can help.

the 11 lb spring is fine.

Your goal is to load down until the gun still functions under stress and is dirty. To do that you have to load down in increments of .02grains until you find the load that the gun wont run. Then load the next .02grain load up. You want to be able with a dirty gun shoot 100rds or so with no malfs. This load should also lock back empty on the last round.

I am lazy and load a couple of each and then put one in the mag and shoot it. If the gun locks back, then I add .02gr and shoot a couple hundred of them to see if it will run the gun. If it does I then load .02grain more for insurance for a match, dirty gun, etc and call it good.

I would load some at 3.0gr of CLAYS and go up from there. If it runs the gun, try those, if it doesnt load some up higher and try them. Load 10rds of each and see what you can do first. Dont load a bunch up as it wastes bullets and time.

Give that a whirl and see what happens!

DougC