jnorine Posted April 18, 2003 Share Posted April 18, 2003 Hi Guys, I've been reloading 45 acp for the past 5 years mainly with Bullseye and W 231 and just picked up a Lb of Clays. I started off with 3.7gr and a plated 230gr and it seems to shoot OK. Does anybody else out there have a good accuracy load for this powder? Most of my shooting is with a 5" Govt. Model. Thanks, Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlos Posted April 18, 2003 Share Posted April 18, 2003 I have burned many pounds of this powder in .45 ACP. Try 200 grain bullets - West Coast plated ones, over 4.5 grains of Clays. I load the RNs to 1.260 and SWCs to 1.240 w/ great results. Lead bullets of the same weight may require less powder while jacketed may require slightly more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gm iprod Posted April 18, 2003 Share Posted April 18, 2003 This is what I use for a Para P14. 200gr Lead Semi Wadcutter. Start 3.6grains Clays = 765fps = 153. Max 4.3 gr = 890fps = 180pf. I found in this gun 4.1 = 860fps = 171pf was the best. This was the average of 10 rounds. Extreme spread around 35fps. Hi - 876 Lo- 841. 841fps = 168pf. Which may go low at some matches. If you are going to use in competition go for the top load as none of mine went below 878fps = 175pf. ES was 41fps, the groups were a little tighter at 4.1grains. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted April 18, 2003 Share Posted April 18, 2003 gm iprod, Have you tried Titegroup? If so, how would you rate it versus Clays - recoil, consistent velocities, cleanliness? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n2299 Posted April 18, 2003 Share Posted April 18, 2003 For plinking, I have found 3.7gr Clays with Montana Gold 230gr CMJ to be extremly accurate in my single stack .45s(Colt, Kimber and Valtro). For IPSC major, I load 4.0gr with the same bullet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnorine Posted April 18, 2003 Author Share Posted April 18, 2003 Thanks for all the responses. Actually, I'm currently using West Coast Bullets plated 230's and have thought of going to the 200's just to try them out. I still have just shy of 1000 of the 230's though and haven't been able to get out much so it could be a bit. Thanks again, Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blkbrd Posted April 19, 2003 Share Posted April 19, 2003 I tried out 180s and 200s but found that 230s shoot much softer with less blast at major, IE I can shoot 230s faster. I use 230gr. West Coast plated RN, at 1.25" with 3.8 gr. Clays, 738FPS, 169.7PF, SD is 8. This is at 75 deg. F. out of a 5"Kimber singlestack, 12.5 Lb. recoil & 17 Lb. mainspring with a Wilson buffer. It is very soft and clean, no signs of pressure and the cases are even clean inside and out. With 200s & WCPRN I used 4.4gr Clays to make major at 1.25" good shooting just more blast, and slower splits. I still want to try 250gr. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gm iprod Posted April 20, 2003 Share Posted April 20, 2003 Duane, Clays is slightly bulkier, somewhat faster, and a bit cleaner when not loaded to max. Titegroup is dirty when not loaded in and around full speed. Accuracy about the same, but I could get a little more velocity out of tightgroup before I hit pressure problems. Obviously due to it being a slower burning. I have done direct comparisons with Clays and TG in the 38Super and I feel clays is not the best powder for anything other than low recoil steel loads, in that cartridge. I love the Titegroup with a Zero 185gr JHP, pushed along at 925 out of my P13, it is quite punchy but not in a nasty way. Real accurate and just makes Major. The same load works wonders on Goats out to 50yards through a Marlin 45Carbine. Never checked the velocity but could be up to about 1150 fps out of the 18" barrel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougBarnes101 Posted April 20, 2003 Share Posted April 20, 2003 I use 4.7 grains of Clays with a Precision Bullet 185 gr SWC. Works good for me. I don't have a chrono so I can't say if it makes major but it is accurate and the blast isn't bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JT Johnson Posted April 21, 2003 Share Posted April 21, 2003 ... and just picked up a Lb of Clays. Did you notice that a pound of Clays is only 14oz? I came to the end of my first "pound" and thought I should be able to load another 500 rounds or so. I liked either 3.8 or 3.9 at 1.260 oal for 230 lrn. Been shooting lots of 200 SWC with 4.1 grains at 1.250 oal. Josh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gm iprod Posted April 21, 2003 Share Posted April 21, 2003 It's not a pound, it's a can. It only hold 14oz as that's all the Clays they can reasonably fit into the size container that Hodgdon use. The same problem exists with Titewad, and thats a ball powder. i am working on using that as a Steel Plate load for the 38Super at present. Burns real fast and is quite clean. Duane, I will try some in the 45ACP and let you know what I find out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted April 21, 2003 Share Posted April 21, 2003 Thanks, man. That would be interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlos Posted April 21, 2003 Share Posted April 21, 2003 GM iprod: I agree w/ you on Titegroup v. Clays. I have done the direct comparison using 200 grn WestCoast Plated RNs and SWCs both loaded to just over US-major (165pf). Shooting impulse out of a .45ACP Edge w/ 14 lb spring was identical as were the splits. Outdoors, the loads were difficult to tell apart. Indoors, Titegroup (which is a ball powder) seemed to give a sharper report, but was not bothersome. The difference was cleanliness. Clays seems to leave a very light grey coating. Titegroup left noticeably more residue and it was black. I found it to be dirty, but otherwise comparable to Clays (at a cheaper price). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnorine Posted April 21, 2003 Author Share Posted April 21, 2003 Yep, I noticed that it was only 14oz. It would have to be a bulky powder to use the light (3.7-4grains) loads listed and have reliable ignition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renaissance7697 Posted April 24, 2003 Share Posted April 24, 2003 3.7 Clays with 230 grain lead or copper coated/plated 4.1 or 4.2 Titegroup with same. 1.255-1.260 for Round nosed Clays is softer recoiling and cleaner Titegroup leaves (either a residue or unburnt powder) I like straight CLAYS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sledgee Posted April 24, 2003 Share Posted April 24, 2003 I like 4.7g Clays under a 200 LSWC. Cleanest load I've ever shot. I got the load from Bill Wilson's little 1911 Maintenance Manual. I haven't chronoed it, but felt recoil is slightly less than hardball. Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkeeler Posted April 25, 2003 Share Posted April 25, 2003 What is considered clean? By what means? The article in the Blue Press by Duane was that my understanding was about how much unburned powder was left and TG had less unburned powder. I have used W231,N320,Titegroup. I noticed that W231 left black residue on the muzzle of the gun and on the feed ramp... N320 as well asTitegroup left a grey residue on the muzzle but still had residue on the feed ramp. So what is considered clean does Clays leave anything on the feed ramp? .45 acp 230gr MG FMJ 5" Kimber 4.8gr N320 5.3gr w321 4.5gr TG all at 170 PF Can you use Clays and get 170PF and still be safe? Thanks Bkeeler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LC Posted April 25, 2003 Share Posted April 25, 2003 Yes......My favorite major load is 3.9 grains of clays over a west coast plated 230 grain RN. I use winchester primers as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsking45 Posted April 26, 2003 Share Posted April 26, 2003 I like 3.4 grs of clays with 230gr lrn makes 170 pf oal to 1.255. With tite group there was alot of unburnt powder left behind Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n2299 Posted April 26, 2003 Share Posted April 26, 2003 I like 3.4 grs of clays with 230gr lrn makes 170 pf oal to 1.255..... rsking45, you are able to make major with just 3.4gr of Clays(Plain) with a 230gr LRN? What kind of fps are you getting? I need at least 4.0gr to make major with Montana Gold 230gr CMJ with the same OAL 1.255. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkeeler Posted May 5, 2003 Share Posted May 5, 2003 I loaded some Clays this weekend here are the results. 4.0 Clays 230gr Star FMJ 1.250 OAL .468 crimp New Starline Brass 745 745 735 745 740 755 735 743 736 739 High:755 Low:735 Average: 741.9 Average PF 170614 ES:20 4.0 Clays 230gr Star FMJ 1.245 OAL .468 crimp Mixed Range Brass 746 759 749 758 746 746 785 751 733 746 High: 785 low:733 Average: 751.9 AveragePF: 172937 ES: 52 I started at 3.7 Clays and worked up to these loads. All shot from a Kimber 5". about 72 degres and overcast day. Seemed to me that these were softer shooting than Titegroup and cleaner. I also tested some Titegroup if anybody wants the Titegroup results let me know. Thanks bkeeler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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