Jon Merricks Posted May 2, 2001 Share Posted May 2, 2001 I'm starting to reload for 45 and can't remember some of the loads that had been suggested before. I was going to try Viht powders( 330 or 340?). But have not deceided what brand and weight bullets. Any suggestions. Will bullet shape make a diffrence? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Capizzo Posted May 3, 2001 Share Posted May 3, 2001 Jon, I'm assuming that you're reloading for USPSA competition, so power factor counts and "lethality" of a bullet doesn't. Base on that, I like a 200 gr. SWC from Precision Bullets with 4.6 grains Viht N320. Also same bullet with Hogden's Clays powder, don't remember charge weight. Bullet weight and shape is personal preference and what you're gun will eat. Some are omnivorous and some are pretty picky. Precision has a new 200gr round nose I'd like to try. If you'd like more load info, feel free to email me. Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Sweeney Posted May 3, 2001 Share Posted May 3, 2001 Jon, Barrels will vary in the velocity they deliver (I once built identical .38 supers that had a 50 fps difference in velocity, firing the same load) so you will have to use a chronograph when working up your load. The most reliable and accurate bullet I've tested is a hard lead H&G 68, 200 grains. The current loads I've been testing (with some pistols delivering sub-inch groups at 25 yards) are: 4.6 of Viht N-310, or 4.6 of Titegroup. Depending on the barrel, they will be right around USPSA Major. They are both clean, soft in recoil, and accurate in a host of guns. (I just finished testing 30+ guns for accuracy and function.) If you need more power, as in pin shooting, you need a slower powder along the lines of WW-231. Patrick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter K Posted September 16, 2001 Share Posted September 16, 2001 Jon, a standard load is a 200 grs. SWC Lead (WM-Bullets or Peter Jebens Bullets) with 4,2 grs of Viht. N310. It´s very accurate! I use this load for Bullseye. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avalanche Posted October 4, 2001 Share Posted October 4, 2001 Where can I acquire Mr. Sweeney's book? I am wanting to find a great load for USPSA shooting. I have a Les Baer Premier II in .45. A friend of mine sent me this recipe: Oregon Trail 200 gr. L-SWC OAL 1.25" Taper crimp.468 Vihtavuori N-310 ( This is Mr Sweeney's recipe) My Dillon 650 should be arriving any day. I need hints/help with load recipes, bullets, powders, etc.. and where/what to get. I see a like for titegroup and vihtavuori. Oregon Trail bullets? Laser cast? Lead vs jacketed? Primers, brass, etc... Thanks again, esp Mr. Enos. GREAT SITE/great people What is H&G? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Sweeney Posted October 4, 2001 Share Posted October 4, 2001 The book will be out in Nov/Dec. Brian and I have been trying to get some for him to put on the site, but the hitch is the publisher. They'd be happy to ship Brian, say, several hundred books. A dozen? I'm not sure the shipping department would know how to pack them. H&G. Hensley & Gibb, mould makers and casters of a couple decades ago. Their #68 design was a 200 grain lead semi wadcutter that had almost the overall length of a 230 RN. The front corner of the nose intersects the arc of the round nose where the rn contacts the feed ramp. Clever design, and the Gold standard for reliable function in 1911's. Do not use the short-nosed 200's that you might see some Bullseye shooters using. It is less reliable. They fuss over it for two reasons: It has a longer bearing surface, and thus more potential accuracy. And more of the bullet is in the case, decreasing case capacity, thus requiring less powder for a given velocity. Both are illusory advantages, and not needed for IPSC shooting. If you told Dillon that your 650 was to be in .45 it should already be set up for the correct die height, etc. If not, any reloading manual can walk you through the process of adjusting your dies. If you have a chronograph, start loading at 4.4 gr V-310 and work up until you are shooting a 168-169PF load. If you don't, and your club doesn't chrono regularly at the club matches, load two batches, one of 4.6 and one of 4.8 V-310. Shoot them over sandbags and use whichever shoots most accurately in your gun. Either should be close to or just over Major, and at a club match that is what counts. I tested a Heavyweight Monolith for the book. It was very painful to have to put it into a FedEx box and send it back, but I already have too many 1911's. (Heresy, I know, but true.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted October 4, 2001 Share Posted October 4, 2001 Patrick, What about the tite-group? How is it in 45? It seems to be pretty popular right now. Is it a good deal cheaper than Vith. ? Clean? We are talking "B" class and below here. I know you guys are up on the learning curve quite a bit. What is a good load for beginners for the next 10,000 rounds or so? If a guy can save a buck or two here and there he can afford to practice more. (Patrick, I am the one who sent Avalanche your recipe. Thanks for BEing here.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave pasos Posted October 4, 2001 Share Posted October 4, 2001 Pat have you test a LB Premier II or a Sv single stack in 45 yet? Which is a better buy? What 45 would you recommend buying at this point to shoot L10? thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avalanche Posted October 5, 2001 Share Posted October 5, 2001 Patrick, I am with you regarding Monolith Heavy. Drooling!! Thoughts on Monolith Heavy Commanche? WHEW!! Think it could be made in 5"? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Sweeney Posted October 5, 2001 Share Posted October 5, 2001 You know, this is a bit embarassing to admit, but I have no idea what these powders cost. When I asked for samples for the book, I received 34 pounds of powder. When I asked a while back for samples to test the 400 Cor-bon, I received something like 50-60 pounds of various powders. I have no idea what they sell for. (Yes, life is good.) For Titegroup, I load Oregon Trail 200 L-SWC's to 1.245" OAL over 4.6 gr. This is right on the line in velocity, in some guns it makes major, others it doesn't. Again, chrono in your gun. I didn't try the LB Premier II, Les was kind enough to send me the Monolith and the publisher wanted a wide net cast. I didn't get a chance to try an SV, due to a mixup. But Sandy is correcting that for future writings. Dave, what level of L10? Basic beginner, aspiring B/A shooter mvoing up, or the gun to get you to GM level? If your buddy wants to try L10, and he isn't sure, get a Springfield Loaded. If he doesn't like it, you can always buy it from him. For those wishing to muscle up from the middle, get a Nowlin Match Classic. I have held off sending the loaner back because I just can't bear to part with it. For a gun less than $1500 it drills one-hole groups, is fitted to perfection and has a beautiful trigger. And it looks good, always an important consideration. If you're going to make a run for GM you already know what you want in a gun, but I might suggest the Nowlin with adjustable sights, an SV, STI or a Heavyweight Monolith. If you can take the weight, it is a dream to shoot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avalanche Posted October 12, 2001 Share Posted October 12, 2001 I see Vit 310 and 320 mentioned. What about 330 for these loads. Difference between 310, 320, and 330? As alwats, THANKS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Sweeney Posted October 12, 2001 Share Posted October 12, 2001 330 is a step slower. The only reason to use it would be if your particular handgun shot a 330 load more accurately than a 310 or 320 load. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avalanche Posted October 12, 2001 Share Posted October 12, 2001 UGH !!!!!! I just bought a pound. Hmmmmmmmm? Thanks Eh...at my level right now I probably will not notice any difference, at least I hope not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave pasos Posted October 13, 2001 Share Posted October 13, 2001 So Pat you would recommend 320 for the a 200 gr 45 load? What about the Super Target? What do you think about a SA Operator build up for L10? thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Sweeney Posted October 15, 2001 Share Posted October 15, 2001 N-320 is a bit faster than WW-231, and would be a very good choice for 45. Viht shows a starting load of 4.8 gr making 902 fps, for a 180PF. Back up a little bit and you're in like Flynn. Springfield makes good guns. I like the Loaded one they sent me for the book so much I bought it. (No, gun writers don't get free guns, at least not very often.) I didn't really "need" another single stack 1911, but when an accurate and reliable one comes along at a good price, why hesitate? The Operator (with the light rail out front?) would be a good base for L10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave pasos Posted October 15, 2001 Share Posted October 15, 2001 Pat, have you ever tested the Wilson CQB. What were your impressions? And how do the SV singlestacks compare which would be a better buy? thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Sweeney Posted October 16, 2001 Share Posted October 16, 2001 Yes, Wilson sent a CQB. Very nice gun. The checkering is especially nice, and the two-tone "tactical" finish seems to stand up well to hard use. I'm sending it back one of these days simply because I have to, and Wilson wants more money for it than I'm willing to part with. (Writers may not get them free, but the steady stream of loaners sure does warp our perspective on cost/value.) I was not able to get a loaner from SV for the book due to a mixup in communications. Sandy is correcting that for a future article. The ones I fondled at the Nationals were definitely nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avalanche Posted October 29, 2001 Share Posted October 29, 2001 Zero vs Mt Gold vs Ranier for my .45? I have Oregon Trail 200 gr L-SWC but want to try something other than lead. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Sweeney Posted October 29, 2001 Share Posted October 29, 2001 Get a box of each and see if your gun prefers one to the others. The only true test is in a Ransom rest, or have someone like Brian shoot groups over sandbags. Otherwise, you're testing you more than the gun or load. The two dozen guns I tested in .45 were all over the map in their preferred ammo, with one exception: Oregon Trail 200 L-SWC. It posted top-three group averages more often than the next two combined. I sometimes wonder if we shouldn't practice with jacketed to reduce lead exposure, and shoot lead for accuracy in matches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted December 11, 2001 Share Posted December 11, 2001 Another vote for the Oregon Trail/Laser-Cast 200-gr. LSWCs. I've been using them for the past year. They're harder than hell, ZERO leading even after thousands of rounds. Also another vote for TiteGroup: 4.7-gr. loaded to 1.250" does me fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Merricks Posted March 11, 2002 Author Share Posted March 11, 2002 Oregon Trail LSWC? I place an order with them on the SWC but they said they did not make a LSWC am I missing something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted March 11, 2002 Share Posted March 11, 2002 ?? Bullet weight ?? Caliber? (45 right?) Better ask them again. Here is their website. http://www.laser-cast.com/ (Edited by Flexmoney at 1:27 pm on Mar. 11, 2002) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Merricks Posted March 11, 2002 Author Share Posted March 11, 2002 Yup, 45acp 200gr I see the SWC but none with the L for Long. Or maybe Im blind. http://www.laser-cast.com/AllBullets.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Schwab Posted March 11, 2002 Share Posted March 11, 2002 The 200 gr SWC you see is the one you're looking for. The L means Lead. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Merricks Posted March 11, 2002 Author Share Posted March 11, 2002 Oh! I thought someone told me it ment long. Kind of like the H&G 68. Thanks for the info. Now I really feel stupid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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