.45ACP OALS

[11thACR]

 Ok folks I have just started loading for the .45ACP round. I have been reloading on and off for about 30+ years but only rifle and revolver ammunition.Here is my problem every where I look on the firearm forums the OAL. for  the.45ACP for any specific bullet is different,this is one reason I have stayed away from semi-auto reloading,I Would like to ask someone on this forum to give me anOAL for this round using the following bullets: Speer 200gr SWC TMJ 185gr RemJHP .I will be using Clays and Titegroup as per the powder mfgs. recommendation. George M.

[Thomas Moore]

just a suggestion, purchase a few handgun reloading manuals. they all have slightly different suggested OAL. i use 1.250

[TheOtherErik]

In my .45 I use a 1.255 OAL with  185gr or 200gr  lswc. You may have to experiment a little to see what length feeds best in your gun.  You may also want to measure some factory loads to see what length they are loading to.

Erik-

[Carlos]

11thACR- welcome brother.  I hear you - I was there just 2.5 years ago without your rifle/revolver experience. over 13,000 .45 reloads later, I commend you on your choice of straight Clays powder - I think it is the perfect powder for .45  at 165 PF and bullet weights between 230 and 185.

Now, your question: the man you need to hear from is a member here known as CSTgunsmith (or something like that). He is writing a book on loading the .45. You can read up on bullet designs and read CST's excellent posts by doing a search on "H&G" or "68" - both of those refer to a classic long nosed SWC (to which the Speer soft lead swaged and plated "TMJ" is similar) usually found in 200 grain guise.  I loaded the similar WestCoast 200 plated SWC over 4.5 grns of straight Clays at 1.245 for most of my first season.

As for the "best" 200 grn SWC OAL, there are 3 theories I can identify as seeing here on the web:

1) Load SWCs (any SWCs) so just a hint of shoulder is exposed above the casemouth - usually less than 1.245" This seems to be an old, time worn idea from the days when .45s all used unsuported, non-ramped barrels. Times change, but this may still work.

2) Load as long as possible - about 1.262 in my STI Edge .45 for H&G style SWCs. Apparently long loading is required in the .40 caliber S_I guns and that problem has creeped into loading advice for other calibers.  Not sure its required of every caliber though - maybe not needed in .45.

3) Load to the OAL that works in your gun. This is good advice. Here are some hints that helped me: I sacrifice 4 or 5 cases and bullets making up test dummies for a load I am developing: the first one gets crimped and measured for OAL, then I load it in the mag and rack the gun as fast as I can to simulate firing (or at least come as close as I can at home) I listen for smooth feeding and re-measure OAL for set-back after chambering; a little setback is OK - too much setback with Clays powder can be bad ju-ju. Assuming there is not too much setback after one test dummie, I load 3 or 4 more and load up the mag with the 4 or 5 dummies - push down on them and make sure none of them are draggin on the front of the mag - that kind of OAL will cause all sorts of headaches. Rack all of them through the gun to test. Assuming all is well and there is enough crimp on the plated test jobbies, load 50 or so and test out over a chrono and you are set. Careful not to use too much crimp on plated bullets because accuracy will end up in the toilet; a Lee brand "U" carbide die (like a small base rifle die) can prevent set-back AND let you crimp light.

Now, as for Titegroup, I tried a pound and outdoors it "felt " the same as Clays when both are loaded to 165PF. Neat powder, very high nitro content (like 37%) and it ran dirty at the low pressures of the .45 ACP. It apparently runs much cleaner in the higher pressures of the .40 and 9mm. Now indoors, it seemed MUCH louder than Clays - plus more flash. Still, the price is right, the chrono readings were good and acccuracy seemed OK. I like my nice clean Clays better. Please report back to us what you discover.  Regards,

Douglas

[11thACR]

Gentlemen, I truly appreciate the help on this subject I just got my OAL gauge from Mid-Way USA,have also taken the barrel out of my Gold Cup to check OALs( oh by the way limited 40 for your own personal edification I have at least 5 different loading manuals .I cannot believe that you thought I was ignorant enough to be reloading for over 30 years with out at least a few.) The problem is that the 185gr Rem JHP are generic to a degree and the different loading manuals give an OAL of any where from 1.175 to 1.230 and the Speer manual says that the OAL for this round is1.275,Speer says the same thing for the 200gr MC WC,this is why I was confused.

        This is a great forum,I have learned alot about reloading the .45ACP.My plans are basically to do some informal Bullseye shooting so if someone sees something wrong with using the 185 and 200grs please speak up.

                              Again Thank you

                                  George M.

 

                                           

[11thACR]

Carlos;

Is the set back you are talking about due to the bullet hitting the rifling and being pushed back into the case,or is it from the crimp not being tight enough?One thing I don't have to wory about is a lot of wasted rounds any thing I have problems with I'll shoot in my 625.

       You are right about light T/G loads being somewhat dirty the front of the cylinder on my S/W625 sure don't look too good after an outing at the local range. The Clay powder is new to me,I've used a lot of T/G in .38 and .357s with real good luck/accuracy.

                                            Hang in There

                                                George M.

[George D]

1.275 is the MAXIMUM OAL for the 45ACP. I shoot a 200 gr LSWC based on the H&G #68 and seat it 1.245 with Win 231 powder. I found the velocity figures in the Speer manual for their 200 SWC to match almost exactly what I got from my chrono using their stated loads.

[Duane Thomas]

I can't understand the "Titegroup is dirty at the low pressures of the .45 ACP" stuff. I mean, I believe what you're telling me about your results, but personally I'm up to about 2,500 rounds through my Wilson .45 since the last cleaning (4.7-gr. TG, Laser Cast 200-gr. LSWC, 1.250" OAL) and the gun is still slick and smooth with very little build-up.

[EricW]

DT -

Revolver....need we say more?  Ever shot anything through a revolver that was "clean?"  Revolvers are cool, but I don't miss scrubbing chambers and forcing cones one bit.  No powder's gonna fix that little issue...

E

[George D]

I shoot WST through my revolvers. Seems pretty clean to me.

[Duane Thomas]

"Revolver....need we say more?"

Ah. Now it becomes clear....

[Thomas Moore]

11thACR,

i did not think you were ignorant, but if you've been loading for over 30 years then you should know to make some loads and test. repeat the test several times with different lengths and powders. the same load in minnasota will not produce the same results in florida. i'm sure you have a chrono, so test, test, test.