Need Help W/.45acp Feed Problem

[lliden]

Hi Folks. I just entered my first IPSC match, and won the unclassified "class." So now I have the bug! I have a question, and I hope you can give me some advice.

I shoot an STI Edge in .45ACP. I like the .45 and find it to be very versatile, while I realize it isn't the popular caliber in IPSC. My normal reloads are a LaserCast 200gr semi-wadcutter, over 5.5gr of Winchester 231, with a Winchester primer. I use Starline brass, seat the bullet to an overall length of 1.251", and a taper crimp of .469". This combination seems to fit in my mags and feed flawlessly. But I would like to try plated bullets in order to reduce my cleaning time. Unfortunately, I'm having difficulty finding a load for plated bullets that feeds reliably.

If I load West Coast or Ranier 200gr SWC plated bullets to the same length as the lead LasterCasts, I have a failure-to-feed about once every magazine. If I shorten the overall length, the problem seems to happen even more frequently. As the rounds are stripped from the mag lips, and just before the case slips under the extractor, the front of the case and bullet contact the top of the barrel chamber while the lower portion of the case contacts the barrel ramp. At this 45-degree angle, the round gets "stuck" and will not feed into the chamber. Same story with my Wilson Tactical Elite, which seems to feed almost everything else. It looks to me as if I should increase my overall length. But if I go over 1.260", the rounds get stuck in my STI magazines. The do seem to feed OK from my Wilson single-stack magazines, however.

So my question is: To what length should I load plated 200gr semi-wadcutters so they feed reliably? Is there anything else I should tune to improve feeding? I've polished all the feed surfaces, barrel ramp, extractor, etc. And I've made sure that the extrator is not too tight. But neither of my .45s will feed the plated loads reliably.

Whaddya think? Thanks in Advance

[Rufus The Bum]

Just my opinion, but I have never seen a 45 using semi wadcutters function 100 percent. Years ago, I tried 200grn swc and had all kinds of feed problems, I switched to 230 grain RN and have had NO problem since.

If you are looking to reduce cleaning time, might I suggest www.precisionbullets.com They are Moly Coated and they work great, theres no better lead bullet on the market. I belive their about $45/thousand.

[Run n Gun]

lliden,

I too use Laser Cast 200gr SWCs and I too tried to use West Coast’s plated 200gr SWCs for the same reasons with similar results. I’ve ran many tens of thousands of LSWCs through several different 1911s flawlessly and just KNEW I could make West Coasts work… I was wrong. I adjusted the extractor, polished both the breach face and the feed ramp as well as the hood and even radiused the chamber mouth slightly, played with OAL (1.255 worked best) and with the crimp, changed mags… nothing worked. Things got better, maybe 1 or 2 round a hundred, but as you know we need 100% reliability!

If you look closely at the West Coast bullet you’ll see the nose is shorter and the meplat is wider than a true H&G 68 and that difference is (apparently) enough to cause trouble in some guns.

I really like SWCs because they make nice BIG round holes that my old eyes see better, especially when I drift one into hard cover at warp speed! And for me, they are the most reliable feeding bullet I’ve tried. YMMV

Good luck, and welcome to the forum!

Ed

[tightloop]

Rufus

Sorry to disagree with you, but I have shot well over 750K rounds of H&G 68 .45 ammo with little or no problems. It is how you set up your gun, have it ramped and throated, load your ammo. Mine was loaded to 1.250, with a .470 taper crimp. Brought home enough gold not to question that part of my shooting.

[statichead2k]

We tried SWCs in our Kimber super match .45 and it was no go. We had malfunctions way too often. Changing OAL had seemingly no effect.

We unded up using west-coast 200gr. round nose with either 4.1 universal clays or 5.2-5.4 w231 OAL is 1.265-1.268, (yeah, long). Or crimp is about what you are using .469-.471. These loads function almost flawlessly in her Super Match and my Gold Cup.

We also chamber guage every single round, and full size resize twice. Once on a lee single stage that I use only for decapping/sizing and once on the Dillon as we load.

Sorry I don't have any chrono info for either powder.

A trade off is thelack of a nice big hole, but if you are looking for hits you are slowing down, or so I was told.

[Glock9]

Have you looked at the Precision Bullets ?Percision Bullets

I've been using them through my Kimber Eclipse and the 200 SWC feed flawlessly. They are a coated lead bullet that do not use lube and fire without the smoke and barrel leading.

[Jamie McG]

I second Rufus and Glock9 precision bullet, I have been using them for a little over a year and not a problem you cannot beat the price, and reliability. I use 230 rd. by the way I have ran atleast 18k through my colt govt 5" and have never cleaned the barrel. when I first started ipsc I had always cleaned the gun after every time I shoot it, then this guy tells me there is no need to(clean the barrel) for the type of shooting we do in ispc, we are not shooting groups at 50 yrds. he also explained that after every shoot the next bullet stripes out everything and actually fills any microscopic cracks in the barrel, so far so good. by the way he has a Les Bear and about 20+k through his barrel, I have been ordering the precisions for 5 other shooters I shoot with and no one has complained yet. just something to think about for your ipsc gun.

[Jamie McG]

The do seem to feed OK from my Wilson single-stack magazines, however.

I had a few matches that every stage I had a feeding problem, then I cleaned my mags and problem left, if they're working out of the wilson(which I use) try cleaning the other mags. 90% of feeding problems are from the mags. Hope this helps Jamie

[Run n Gun]

Glock9 jamie mcg,

Thanks for the tip! While I’m not entirely comfortable with moly-coated bullets after reading Wil Shuemann’s warning, I am getting tired of handling lead. I’m encouraged by your reports and, when I get through these last 2K of lead, I’ll give Precision’s 200 SWC a try!

DVC

Ed

[Guest Larry Cazes]

Unfortunately, I too have never been able to get the 200 SWCs from west coast to feed 100%. I do, though, use their 200 and 230gr RN bullets exclusively with great accuracy and reliability. The lead exposure a shooter gets even outdoors using unplated lead bullets is too much for me to be comfortable with. To each his own.....

Larry

[Carlos]

lliden - I started out EXACTLY like you - using a 45 Edge & lead 200 SWCs over 231. Shot the Westcoasts & had the same occasional "ramp stall" though the preferred lemgth for the plated SWCs seemed to be 1.240" OAL. A gunsmith friend believes the ramp stall is caused by the soft pure lead in the core & thin copper jacket of the westcoasts (WCs) deforming upon hitting the chamber & taking the forward momentum out of the slide. Next time it happens, take a look at the nose & look for a really large dent. I switched to the 200 RNs at 1.260 & they work - NO one can argue w/ a round nose loaded to 1.260 - its just some batches from CW shoot better than others. You might also look at the 185 Hollow base plated round nose; a better powder would be straight Clays but you would be well served to use a Lee "U" die w' this powder to prevent any possibility of bullet set-back, lube w/ One shot & approach w/ caution. You will note that Hodgdon loes not list a Major load for Clays & 200s. Regards

[Jeff Matzka]

I've tried all the various bullet configurations for the .45 acp - 200 gr. LSWC, 255 gr. LSWC, 185 gr. FP, 185 gr. HP, 185 gr. Truncated cone, etc. I really love the nice clean holes the LSWC's leave, and I finally got the 200 gr. version to function 99.5% of the time...but gun cleanup and the excess smoke finally turned me off the lead projectiles. I tried Zero Bullets 230 gr. FMJ's from Roze Distibution a few years ago and haven't looked back. 110% reliable, no smoke, and since I'm using Clays as a propellant, cleanup is really easy. All this talk about West Coast's 200 gr. jacketed RN's has me curious, though. I may try a sample pack to see how I like them.

[pbcaster45]

A few weeks I was checking out some cast bullets for my Ruger Bisley, Puma M92, and Beretta Stampede all in .45 Colt. I wanted a single bullet design for all three. I was looking at a box of 200 gr. LRNFPs from Hunters Supply and the store owner mentioned that they were very good in the .45 ACP too. I was dubious, that but since I could shoot them in my .45 Colts I decided to try them. They worked better than any other 200 gr. cast bullet (H&G #519, H&G #68, etc.) I'd ever tried. They don't cut the clean holes a swc does but they feed 100% with outstanding accuracy. I just seat them in .45 ACP cases the same way I would in a revolver (even with the crimping groove) and taper crimp. It's a Magma design, here's the link to Hunter's Supply, look under Cowboy Bullets Part #B45LC200F: http://www.hunters-supply.com/

[Newguy]

I'm not sure of the design of the WC or Rainier bullets, but I've had BIG problems getting Berry's to feed--may be a similar design. I had to load them very short. I've never had good luck with plated bullets in terms of loading or accuracy.

Precision is good bullet but you'd better be organized. Last I heard, Dave is backed up 6-8 weeks. BTW, I don't think they're moly coated--some sort of polymer IIRC. When you add shipping to Precision's prices they're not all that much cheaper than plated or even jacketed bullets.

BTW, I've been using 200 LSWC out of a Les Baer and have had zero feeding problems. They're the most reliable bullets I've found.