Lead 200 gr SWC for .45 auto

[JKSNIPER]

Been reading stuff here and elsewhere about "problems " with SWC bullets.

I recently purchased 500 of lead 200 gr SWC .45 cal to use in my son's Kimber SIS model and my Para-Ord LDA .45.

I hav not loaded any of them yet...been busy prepping the brass and doing other stuff.

Please tell me I did not make a mistake buying these!

Thank you,

JK

[scribble]

I only used 200gr LSWC in my Kimber and Taurus with no problems. Some guns like them and others hate them just gonna have to try and find out.

[kframe_mike]

Usually you can get these to work in about any 1911 by playing with OAL.Load a few at 1.23 and a few at 1.25 and see what works better.You'll be OK.-Mike

Edited September 12, 2008 by kframe_mike

[Aristotle]

My Dan wesson absolutely hated them at all different lengths. Don't feel bad, I bought 1k rounds to experiment with and ended up selling them to another fellow shooter.

Edited September 12, 2008 by Aristotle

[wide45]

Doublestack Para's have no problem with SWC.

[HSMITH]

Leave your dies set for hardball and your 45 will run SWC bullets unless something is wrong with the gun, seriously, leave your dies alone and it will run. Screw around with trying to set the OAL to some number out of a book or from a buddy and you will probably have problems.

[JKSNIPER]

Thanks Guys.

I'll try loading up 100 rounds or so at the length I already have the dies set up for.

Dunno if this is right but I got tired of fudging with the bullet seating die and could not get it right so in desperation I put a round of factory ammo in it, lowered it down until it contacted the round then tightened up the lock ring.

I had a Black Hills SWC round in it when I set it so it should be good to go with the SWC reloads.

JK

[Singlestack]

My SS likes them @ 1.245

[HSMITH]

JK, you accidentally discovered the ancient chinese secret to making a 1911 run with different bullets, if the gun is reasonable it will run any bullet you can get in the case with those die settings. 185 grain and lighter bullets will have you changing things, stay at 200-255 grains and you will be good to go.

[Seth]

I love em. My Springfield eats them like candy and NEVER jams. Best part is that you can score a 25 yard target from where you LAMR!!! Nice big clean holes.

I've shot just under 10k of them this year.

Edited September 13, 2008 by Sethmark

[Merlin Orr]

Make sure your magazines are correctly set up. If the mag does not present the bullet to the center of the bore you will have problems. On a ramped barrel check and tune the mags to let the bullet hit high and centered on the ramp.

[TM262]

My STI likes them about 1.240 OAL. You should be able to get them to work. I prefer them over round nose bullets because I like the nice round holes.

[twodownzero]

My STI likes them about 1.240 OAL. You should be able to get them to work. I prefer them over round nose bullets because I like the nice round holes.

My Kimber has chowed down 2,000 of them over the last few years.

200 grain LSWC are great. 230 LRN recoils lighter, though.

[JKSNIPER]

Thanks more guys.

I've been loading them on my Lyman Turret press.

Beginner reloading here so no dillon...yet.

Good because it makes me go slow and be careful.

Loading the SWC into brass cleaned using the Lyman red tuffnut cleaner.

Then I resize/deprime.

THen use the trimmer to trim them down to the setting in the manual.

Hit the casings with primer pocket uniformer and then reprime with a Lee Auto prime tool.

Using CCI primers and Clays powder (4.0 gr)

Hopefully they will function just fine when I get to the range with my son.

JK

[JakeMartens]

I have been shooting 200gr lswc for the last 9 years

( www.bulletworks.com or www.magnusbullets.com )

I have ran thousands of these through lots of different 1911's.

I set my Dillon 550 up 8 years ago and have not changed anything on it since.

1.25 oal

4.3 grains of Clays (I load this because usually the 200gr bullets wiegh in around 195-197)

.470 crimp

WLP primers

I have yet to not make major with this load, it has ran consistantly 167-168 power factor.

I have ran this load through Colts, Kimbers, Nowlins, Springfield, Sig and S&W (sorry no Para) 1911's

I run a 16 pound recoil spring, I like the quick snap feeling with this load.

Some will say that Clays and lead is too smokey, and it does smoke, but it has not really brothered me shooting outside. Inside with no exhaust system can be a little rough especially if you are standing in the same spot. If you got 8 round array through a barrel you might have some smoke issues.

If you click on my video link (anything other than the Illinois Sectional, I was shooting a 40 Limited) you will get an idea of what I am talking about.

[JKSNIPER]

Thanks Jake.

The videos are cool.

A-3 Texas star fudged with you eh?

JK

[z40acp]

If you are talking about the H&G 68 200 grain SWC, it is a great bullet design. And like HS said, the profile outline contacts in the same areas as the FMJ which is one of the keys to making it work 100%. I use an OAL of 1.256. I don't know what style ramp barrels are on the Kimbers but, you need to have a throated ramp. Plus if you use mags that hold the round up higher {like the cobras} your hood needs to have a chamfer, not all 45's have this. These bullets when molded correctly are very accurate. I prefer them over the 230 RN. They used to be very popular in USPSA that is why you will notice that the Dillon dies seating stem matches perfect. RCBS and Lyman do not match.

Edited September 13, 2008 by z40acp

[werewolf45auto]

I shoot 200gr SWC in all three of my kimbers and the OAL is the real key to reliable feeding. Alos I find that Win. 231 is the best combo for me. 231 is a lttle dirty but I know many who shoot this combo in their 1911's .

[JKSNIPER]

In one of the Wilson mags my son has it seems like the first round off the top (8 round mags) always goes in about 1/2 way and then stops.

If I cycle all the rounds through the weapon and then reload it up again it feeds it in but I measured the OAL and I'm not too long.

Coming in at about 1.25-1.26 depending on how the caliper rotates that day.

JK

[JKSNIPER]

Just came back from the range earlier and the Kimber shot just fine with all the ammo we brought to use even my rookie reloads with lead 200 gr SWC rounds.

I think the weapon is getting broken in.

Also it may have helped that I basically bathed it in slide glide after the last cleaning and cycled it several times and then wiped off the excess.

Thanks to all for your suggestions.

I will be trying the loads recommended here.

I have the rest of my pound container of Clays to use up so I'll try 4.3 gr of Clays along with my 4.0 grains.

I really need to get a chronograph and see what they're coming out at.

I also have a pound off Titegroup that I'll use when the Clays runs out.

JK

[degenerate023]

my kimber custom II eats my 200 swc loads all day long and is very accurate in doing it....if your going to be doing it i would suggest using moly coated ones....i use precision and bear creeks...also i heard masterblaster sold their tooling to somone else and they are up and running...molys smoke less and you dont get a wax build up in your dies...which can lead to seating depth increase if you dont clean the seating die regularly ....for seating depth i just start high and adjust the die down till i have about 1/32" of a shoulder above the case....ive heard good things about clays but i personally use 5.5 of winchester 231...gotta love the huge hole they punch in targets

[TonyT]

My PO14-45LDA accepts LSWC bullets without any feeding problems. These smae LSWC's also feed without problems in my Dan Wesson, SA Trophy Match, S&W 945 and S&W 645. I can't speak for the Kimber.

Been reading stuff here and elsewhere about "problems " with SWC bullets.

I recently purchased 500 of lead 200 gr SWC .45 cal to use in my son's Kimber SIS model and my Para-Ord LDA .45.

I hav not loaded any of them yet...been busy prepping the brass and doing other stuff.

Please tell me I did not make a mistake buying these!

Thank you,

JK

[hph1911]

The 200 LSWC (H&G #68 profile) is all I have loaded in the last 10 years. I haven't had any problems in my or my daughter's Springfield Armory 1911 or my son-in-law's Kimber. I have used most of the popular brands of bullets without any trouble. Wilson Combat has a note with their magazines not to exceed 1.250 OAL to properly work in their mags. All of my loadings are from 1.240 to 1.247 in that range. Try that and see if it helps. Happy shooting.

[JKSNIPER]

Well so far we've fired about 300 of the 200gr LSWC rounds using 4.0-4.3 gr Clays load.

No probelms other than a couple times the round failed to chamber.

The round was examined and no obvious problem was found so it was placed back into another mag where it chambered and fired just fine.

I think the failures were due more to the weapon being gunked up than anything wrong witht he ammo itself.

JK

[JimBo1]

I bought a new 1911DK in June. It doesn't like semi wads, its no fun when shooting

IDPA to have to clear jams. Ball does better but out of a full mag, there is always

1 that will not chamber all the way.

I called Dillon and reviewed my measurements with them, they're right on.

The 1911 will be going back to Smith, it doesn't seemed to be tuned properly.

Jim