.45LC bullets in .45 auto

[bluekouki86]

Locally the shortage has not eased up so I bought a box of Suter's Choice 200gr round nose flat point .452 lead bullets designed for .45LC. These bullets have a cannelure (sp?) so I have a few questions. Going in a 1911. Federal 150 primers, Winchester 231 powder. I'm mainly concerned about an overpressure from seating too deep.

1. Should I crimp above or below the cannelure?
2. What OAL should I be looking for?
3. I was thinking about starting with 5.4gr of win231 sound about right?

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Like with any semi-auto loading you load to the barrel, not the bullet. Do the plunk test and use that OAL ignoring the cannalure.

As for powder charge, according to Hodgdon you are up near the top of the charge range with a powder weight of 5.4gr W231. Hodgdon lists a charge range of 4.4gr to 5.6gr W231 under a 200gr LSWC with an COAL of 1.225".

 

[bluekouki86]

Great, thanks! The Lymans manual said start at 5.4gr 231 with 200gr lead bullets, but I would like to start on the safe side obviously.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Yeah, Lyman is still using the load data available to us before the lawyers started writing load manuals instead of the ballistics experts. That is one of the reasons I own that manual.

 

[bluekouki86]

I haven't been around that long, so I didn't realize they had scaled back so far from older books. Would you still recommend I start 4.4gr or would I be ok starting at 5gr?

 

[Rule3]

Do they look like these bullets from MBC??

If so, yes you can use them in 45 Colt and 45 ACP seat them to the cannelure but just a very light taper crimp to remove the flar as they space on the case mouth. You do not want a roll crimp as used on the 45 colt.

I like these bullets as I can use then in both calibers, they started selling them for 45 ACP as some of the original SA XD's would not fee SWC.

Same bullets, different alloy and name

http://www.missouribullet.com/details.php?prodId=60&category=5&secondary=14&keywords=

http://www.missouribullet.com/details.php?prodId=78&category=5&secondary=13&keywords=

 

[ArchAngelCD]

IMO and only my opinion, since the 45 Auto is a low pressure round the danger of damaging your gun or yourself is minimal I see no reason why you can't start @ 5.0gr. That charge is right around the middle of the range which is fine IMO.

When I do load a 200gr LSWC my charge of W231 is 5.5gr just so you know where I'm at. I find that load to be very accurate in my 1911 but of course don't start there, work up from the 5.0gr load you decided to start with. (although the older manuals go all the way up to 6.0gr)

 

[bluekouki86]

Well I loaded a test batch ranging from 4.8gr to 5.8 gr. and ended up with an OAL of 1.170 to fit my barrel. Crimp worked well at .470". They all shot and cycled my action, but I think the 5.4 gr was the most accurate of the bunch. I'll continue to develop on this load. Thanks again for all the help!