Milmauler Posted May 18, 2008 Share Posted May 18, 2008 Hi; I'm new to reloading, about 1000 rounds so far. I would like to lighten up the recoil of my DK1911 Smith & Wesson 45. I'm using 4.7 grains VV320, Lasercast 200gr LSWC's at 1.250 & this is minimum according to VV. This gun has never had a jam right from new, never failed to extract & is accurate, I would like to lighten the recoil though. I see that when you go to a lighter bullet much more powder is needed, why? VV cautions against loading with less than minimum listed charge. I want to stay with Lasercast as I get no leading & the VV is great. I can drop down to a 180 LSWC, it just seems that with more powder I'm not accomplishing much. Thanks, Randy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ignatz Posted May 18, 2008 Share Posted May 18, 2008 I come from more of a NRA Bullseye background and your 200 gr bullet with about 3.7-3.8 grs of Bullseye powder makes a nice target round. You might have to put a lighter recoil spring in your pistol for the reduced load to function. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Burtchell Posted May 18, 2008 Share Posted May 18, 2008 If you don't mind switching powders. 4.4 grains of Clay's with a 200 grain bullet is a very soft load. I would recommend a 14# recoil spring with that load. 3.8 to 4.0 grains of Clays with a 230 grain bullet feels even softer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Burtchell Posted May 18, 2008 Share Posted May 18, 2008 (edited) I come from more of a NRA Bullseye background and your 200 gr bullet with about 3.7-3.8 grs of Bullseye powder makes a nice target round. You might have to put a lighter recoil spring in your pistol for the reduced load to function. Rob's load recommendation is spot on too. Many years ago I shot Bullseye competitions and his load is the standard for that sport. I have shot gazillions of rounds with that load. Dirty, but very soft and accurate in most all guns. Edited May 18, 2008 by baerburtchell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seth Posted May 18, 2008 Share Posted May 18, 2008 My load of choice (based on BE recommendations and a few tries) is 200gr LSWC and 4.2gr Clays loaded to 1.225". I have tried the 230gr 3.7load and found I like the LSWC better -- little snappier, little cheaper, nice clean hole you can see at 25 yards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revchuck Posted May 18, 2008 Share Posted May 18, 2008 Randy - Are you looking for a load for use in USPSA/IDPA, or a reduced load for Bullseye and/or plinking? The traditional 3.7 grains Bullseye/200 grain LSWC is a reduced load; some of the others above will be heavier (but still nice to shoot) since many of us aren't used to thinking out of the USPSA/IDPA box and our ammo has to be at a certain minimum power level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Burtchell Posted May 18, 2008 Share Posted May 18, 2008 Randy - Are you looking for a load for use in USPSA/IDPA, or a reduced load for Bullseye and/or plinking? The traditional 3.7 grains Bullseye/200 grain LSWC is a reduced load; some of the others above will be heavier (but still nice to shoot) since many of us aren't used to thinking out of the USPSA/IDPA box and our ammo has to be at a certain minimum power level. Good Point !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milmauler Posted May 19, 2008 Author Share Posted May 19, 2008 Hi Again; I was waiting for email notification of replies & didn't get this, I'm back.I am starting to shoot at Tues. night league. I believe this is USPSA sactioned, they have the book out on the registering table. I want to stay with VV powder as it just about wipes out of the gun with a cloth. I am hoping someone can tell me why lighter bullets need so much powder. I bought some 185gr Hornadys to try & they take 5.4gr of 320 compared to 4.7 for the 200gr. Again, these are both minimum loads. I'll try talking to VV & see if its really a safety issue in using some less powder. Thanks, Randy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milmauler Posted May 19, 2008 Author Share Posted May 19, 2008 I think I know what the problem is. Your recomendations are all faster burning powders than I am using & If I use VV310(this has almost the same burn rate as Bullseye) I can use the same light 3.7gr charge mentioned. This should solve this. Thanks for the help, Randy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SingleStacker45 Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 I think I know what the problem is. Your recomendations are all faster burning powders than I am using & If I use VV310(this has almost the same burn rate as Bullseye) I can use the same light 3.7gr charge mentioned. This should solve this. Thanks for the help, Randy I to am looking for a minor power load for uspsa production class. I'm trying 185gn montanna gold HP and 4.5 of clays which is the minimum on the hogdon site oh and 1.230 OAL. Any suggestions for something better? Mule Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyT Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 Foir 200 gr. LSWC at about 720 fpos I used 3.6 gr of Clays. For the 185 gr. LSWC 3.8 gr. HS-700X gives ca 720 fps and 3.8 gr. VV N-310 gives ca 790 fps. All three loads were superbly acurate for bullseye psitol shooting. The 720 fps loads were also very easy on the shooter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 I am hoping someone can tell me why lighter bullets need so much powder. Well...basically...because they are lighter. There is a power range that the gun will want to run in. It is, more or less, determined by the bullet weight and the velocity of the bullet. We multiply the bullet weight by the velocity (and then divide by 1000) to get a "power factor". If you lower the weight of the bullet, it needs more velocity to get to a similar power factor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milmauler Posted May 31, 2008 Author Share Posted May 31, 2008 Thanks everyone, I'm using 3.7 grains of VV310 now & this is a nice accurate light target load. My stock spring works great. I didn't realize that you are working with the bullets inertia & that is why light bullets need more powder for a decent burn or power factor as Flex said. I appreciate all the good info. on this site, Randy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chirpy Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 If using lead bullets is OK, try to find some 152+- SWC. I use them with WST and they feel like mouse farts. Bullseye shooters around here use them a lot. Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soe400club Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 I come from more of a NRA Bullseye background and your 200 gr bullet with about 3.7-3.8 grs of Bullseye powder makes a nice target round. You might have to put a lighter recoil spring in your pistol for the reduced load to function. Rob's load recommendation is spot on too. Many years ago I shot Bullseye competitions and his load is the standard for that sport. I have shot gazillions of rounds with that load. Dirty, but very soft and accurate in most all guns. Sir for the bullseye load with the 1911, what pound recoil spring you recommend? 16 or 18? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Burtchell Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 (edited) I come from more of a NRA Bullseye background and your 200 gr bullet with about 3.7-3.8 grs of Bullseye powder makes a nice target round. You might have to put a lighter recoil spring in your pistol for the reduced load to function. Rob's load recommendation is spot on too. Many years ago I shot Bullseye competitions and his load is the standard for that sport. I have shot gazillions of rounds with that load. Dirty, but very soft and accurate in most all guns. Sir for the bullseye load with the 1911, what pound recoil spring you recommend? 16 or 18? 10# or 12# Edited May 28, 2011 by Paul Burtchell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirty whiteboy Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 I'm working on some light loads with N-320. So far, 5.0 grs under 200 gr JFP Montanagold bullet, oal 1.200-10. Getting about 690 fps out of a well used Glock 21. That's about 138,000 power factor! Sweeet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe D Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 My favorite ESP load is either 3.0 of Clays or 3.5 of TG @ 1.250" OAL and a 200 lead SWC. Velocity is about identical at 685 fps out of a 5" Kimber. 25 yd groups are way under 2". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reptoid Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 Magnus 185 Swaged SWC-HP (OAL= 1.255") over 3.8 Grains VV 310....clean, light recoil, and deadly accurate. I use a Wolff 14lb. variable recoil spring with a Wolff 18 lb. mainspring. Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DWFAN Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 3.8gr clays and a 185 LSWC. Nice soft accurate load. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noylj Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 Are you sure about that warning? N320 just isn't a powder that has problems with light loads. I have gone down to 3.8gn and found 4.2gn was a very nice load. The only "warning" I find is as follows: The data in the loading tables were obtained at an ambient temperature of 68 degrees Fahrenheit and relative humidity of 55%. The values obtained were under carefully controlled conditions and may vary from those obtained with your firearm, specific component lots, loading dimensions, and loading procedures. The maximum charges must NEVER be exceeded. Start loading with the starting load according to the loading data. If there is no indication of the starting load, use 15 % lower charge than the listed maximum. When loading cartridges for which the listed charge is 10 grains or less, after firing 10 rounds at the minimum weight (15 % below maximum), increase charge weights by 0.2 grains and fire another 10 rounds. Repeat this procedure, if necessary, until you reach, but do not exceed, the maximum listed charge. The same process is followed for heavier charges except that charge weights from 11 to 25 grains use increments of 0.5 grains. For charges over 25 grains increments of 1.0 grains will be correct. Nothing there says NOT to go below the starting load and Bullseye shooters have been doing so for years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noylj Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 If you don't mind switching powders. 4.4 grains of Clay's with a 200 grain bullet is a very soft load. I would recommend a 14# recoil spring with that load. 3.8 to 4.0 grains of Clays with a 230 grain bullet feels even softer. I show a couple of manuals list 4.4gn Clays as max and Clays is NOT a powder to play with at max loads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DWFAN Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 If you don't mind switching powders. 4.4 grains of Clay's with a 200 grain bullet is a very soft load. I would recommend a 14# recoil spring with that load. 3.8 to 4.0 grains of Clays with a 230 grain bullet feels even softer. I show a couple of manuals list 4.4gn Clays as max and Clays is NOT a powder to play with at max loads. Plus, those loads probably make Major PF. Not what I would call "Light 45 Target loads". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reptoid Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 Google "Bullseye-L 45ACP Reloading Data" and you'll be able to veiw alot of load data from the accuracy guru's who compete in Bullseye competition.(I tried to post a direct link but this forum won't let me because I'm a "new'b")LOL Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fred5876r Posted August 27, 2011 Share Posted August 27, 2011 (edited) Nobody has mentioned WST. I like 4.2 with a 230 MG CMJ. Soft and clean. Edited August 27, 2011 by fred5876r Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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