DogmaDog Posted November 29, 2003 Share Posted November 29, 2003 I'm trying to load 155 grain bullets for my .45 for shooting steel. A couple weeks ago I took 3 sample loads to the range and shot them and found that with a 14# spring, the weakest wouldn't cycle the weapon, but the two more powerful loads worked fine (though the slide was sluggish). I went ahead and loaded a couple hundred rounds with a powder charge between those two heavier loads (4.3 gr WST is what I used...power factor of about 125). Tonight, I installed a 12.5# spring, and shot those rounds at a match. I had failures in which a new round was chambered, but the empty case somehow wound up behind the fresh round, holding the slide open. My question is: What is the fix? I'm thinking the problem could have been because it was a lot cooler tonight at the range than two weeks ago. Or it could be that the lighter spring doesn't work for some reason (maybe the slide hits the frame too hard, and bounces back into battery before the casing has time to eject?). Possible fixes seem to be: a lighter spring (10#?), back to a heavier spring (14#), or load the things hotter. What are your thoughts? Thanks, DogmaDog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted November 29, 2003 Share Posted November 29, 2003 I think your cases aren't making it to the ejector. I'd try a lighter spring. PF125 is really a foofer load in 45. I'm surprised that you aren't getting unburnt powder gook all over the place - or maybe you are.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted November 29, 2003 Share Posted November 29, 2003 Just to continue a theme... The idea is the get a load that works...feels good...but, most importantly, lets you perform better (on the CLOCK). Trying to get real close to 125pf may, or may not, be a false goal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tightloop Posted November 29, 2003 Share Posted November 29, 2003 Try 4.6gr of WW231. I have shot this under a 200 gr bullet and it is VERY soft but will take over a popper it you hit it in the sweet spot from 20 yds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DogmaDog Posted November 29, 2003 Author Share Posted November 29, 2003 Flex, I agree, but having never tried wimpy loads in my gun before, I thought it might be worth a shot. 125 PF isn't a specific goal, but I was trying to see just how low I could go. Both as a point of interest in reloading, and to see how it would be to shoot. Anyway, I did notice a whole lot of smoke with the wimps last night, so I probably will give 'em a little more juice. Will have to go get a light spring, too. Thanks, DD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slughammer Posted December 1, 2003 Share Posted December 1, 2003 I use WST for making major and find it's great for that. For lighter loads (200 @ 750) I found W231 had about half the extreme spread for velocity. Hope you find the accuracy you need, my Bar_Sto didn't like the 155's no matter what powder I tried. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew B Posted December 2, 2003 Share Posted December 2, 2003 I found that I really disliked the 155's in a .45. Snappier than other bullet weights. I tried 155,185,200 and 230. I got less gun movement and felt recoil with the 200's. I believe that I settled on 3.0 grains of Bullseye for that. I used it to shoot steel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Larry Cazes Posted December 2, 2003 Share Posted December 2, 2003 I spent a few months experimenting with 155 grain berrys. My conclusion was that the most reliable and softest load could be had shooting 230 grain ball under a very light load of clays somewhere around 3.4 grains. Lighter bullets do not neccessarily translate to less recoil and muzzle flip. Larry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Sweeney Posted December 2, 2003 Share Posted December 2, 2003 As you get closer to 125PF, you are slipping farther down the pressure curve. You might find somehting in the 135-140 range more reliable. I think the slide might be so sluggish that the ejector can't really tap the case off the extractor. If accuracy is the problem with 155's, I found one solution. On the long-nose skinny 155 cast, the seater die doesn't really contact the nose well enough to keep it straight. I soldered an extension onto a spare seater, and lathe-turned it so it contacted the bullet shoulder and not the nose. The seater contact is now square, and the loads are much more accurate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DogmaDog Posted December 2, 2003 Author Share Posted December 2, 2003 Thanks for all the good insight! The steel matches I shoot are man on man on racks of 5 8" plates at 25 feet, so I don't think "accuracy" really even enters into the equation much. I think I'll try a weaker spring and punch up the fower factor to 140 or so, and see how that goes. Then some 231 or Bullseye may find its way onto my reloading shelf. Thanks, DogmaDog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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