N350-200 gr lswc(.45)

[toojon]

Anyone using N350 with a .45 200 gr LSWC? The reloading manual shows it used with 230gr FMJ but not with the 200gr LSWC. Is there a reason?

[Carlos]

Hi John - N350 is far too slow for use in a .45 for anything besides maybe rifle use. For softer recoil (a big benefit in IPSC or IDPA use where the power factors are easily met by the .45), you will want to use a faster powder like N320 or even N310.  Alternatively, you could use Hodgdon straight Clays (quite fast) or the old standby Win 231 (though its quite dirty compared to Hodgdion or V V).

I once loaded some 200 grn plated H&G68 SWCs over V V 340 (just a bit faster than 350) for use in a friend's .45 open gun of yester-year - a Caspian .45 w/ a compensator, a mag well, and "high cap magazines" (10 shot each). This was once the hot setup in IPSC and I wanted to try it with a slow burning powder to get the comp working and N340 was what I had on hand  - gawd did it kick! I woudl be surprised if the old .45 single chamber comps took out 20% of the recoil!

Do a search on the reloading forum on "45" and see what powder guys are useing - bet that most of it will be fast.

[keary]

Hello.

On the contrary, I have found N350 to be my 45acp powder of choice.  With N350, I was able to safely reproduce factory load velocities in my stock H&K USP45 and G21.  For some odd reason, N350 is super accurate in both guns.  As for recoil, I notice very little added felt recoil with N350 versus N320.  My advice is try a pound of N350 and see how it works for you.  Good luck and safe shooting.  

Keary

[Newguy]

I used N 340 with a 200 gr. SWC at IPSC power factor. Incredibly dirty and left such large flakes that it impeded the operation of the gun. Was a lot cleaner at near-max levels.

[Carlos]

Hi Newguy and welcome. Interesting that N350 was dirty at low pressure - I found the same thing w/ Hodgdon's Titegroup: very clean at high pressure (like .40 Cal major loads) but dirty in low pressure loads (like .45 165PF major). What powder are you using now?

[Newguy]

Carlos,

Thanks for the welcome. VV N340 was so bad it left flakes. Titegroup at low velocity is a little sooty but cleans up easily. I've been using Titegroup for a while but am now thinking about Clays--pretty impressed with lower recoil and less noice than TG.

[Carlos]

Agree w/ comment on less noise w/ Clays in .45 over TG in .45 - did not really notice until I shot it indoors; made the .45 sound more like an open gun! Actually, not that big of a difference but it was there. Thought I heard that TG had a high percentage of nitrocellulose - soething like 37% - which might account for the noise.  

As for shooting quality in .45 ACP w/ 200 grn plated bullets and at the same velocity, I found all other characteristics of Clays and TG to be nearly identical. The only differences were soot left by TG and noise. Did you notice that TG tented to leave soot in a "U" shaped pattern down one side of the outside of the case? Looks like pressures were too low to properly seal the case mouth.

[Dan Bone]

I've noticed that sooting pattern on the brass. I have (4) 1911's and they all do it. So it's not the gun/barrel. Next I was blaming the bullet/powder combo. I'm using Montana 200 gr Jacketed. Vice my old load of a Lead SWC.

[BamBam]

Carlos - I have just started playing around with Titegroup, Clays, and W231 in my STI .45 and I could not figure out where the strange "burn" pattern on my brass was coming from.  Sounds like exactly what you were describing.  It came from either the Titegroup or the Clays because those were the only two loads I was playing with on the day I saw the strange soot pattern. I was also bouncing between 230 grain and 200 grain loads that day so I can't be sure which was the culprit.  You say its the Titegroup with 200 grains?  Wonder why?  

I am trying to determine the best load for both 200 gr jacketed and 230 grain jacketed with each powder, and then decide which I like better between the best 200 gr load versus the best 230 gr load.  I had been shooting 230 grain with W231 and I found it a bit sluggish when cycling.

[Guest bulm5]

350 is way too slow , you will have unburnt powder all over you.

[Newguy]

TG is the one that leaves the strange burn powder on the brass. Doesn't seem to hurt anything though. With TG at least I always know which brass is mine.  Loaded at the same PF (165-170) I don't see much difference between TG and Clays.

[Perf40]

I'm using 8.8 gr. of N350 behind a Rainier 200 FP in 45 ACP.  I get 1000 FPS with this combination.  I'm shooting this load in a Les Baer comp gun.  I use this for bowling pins.  I don't get any unburned powder but the cases are much dirtier than my 40 S&W pin loads (7.6 gr. of N350 with a Rainier 180 FP and a OAL of 1.225").