Please look at my .45ACP load data (question) >

[Flt Simulation]

This is my first post here, so a hello to everyone ... I have a reloading question or two for you folks:

I load only .45ACP right now. I reciently purchased 1,000 "Bear Creek" 230 gr polymer-coated lead RN bullets. I load all my .45ACP with W-231 powder. The problem is that I can't find any load data for this particular bullet anywhere.

Some people have told me that all I need to do is use the load data for any 230 gr RN bullet using W-231 powder ... Well, depending on who makes the bullet, bullet length varies alot from manufacturer to manufacture.

The Bear Creek lead RN bullet I bought is exactly 0.67" in length ... I like an OAL for a 230 gr RN bullet of 1.24" because my Colt Gold Cup feeds this length very good without any malfunctions, and a 1.24" OAL cartridge passes the "plunk test" on my gun really well (see photo below):




Since bullet length varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, bullets of different lengths are going to have a different internal case pressure when fired as long as the powder load used, and the OAL is the same for each of these bullets.

So, my question is .... How do you determine how much powder to use in lets say these Bear Creek bullets if I want to load these bullets with an OAL of 1.24" everytime? ... Certainly I will need less powder than if I had loaded a shorter RN bullet also set to an OAL of 1.24" since the longer Bear Creek bullet will setting deeper in the case.
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Here is how this load I worked up looks in a diagram:

1. You can see that by adding together the length of the case (0.89") and the length of the bullet (0.67"), we will get a total measurement of 1.56"

2. Then we subtract this measurement of 1.56" with the desired OAL that we want (1.24"). That leaves us a bullet seating depth of 0.32" as in my example diagram below.




I was lucky with this Bear Creek bullet in that when I pressed the cartridge to an OAL of 1.24", fortunatly the shoulder of the bullet (red arrows) pretty much aligns with the mouth of the case as you can see by the photo below:




But again, with a bullet seating depth of 0.32", do you think that 5.1 gr of W-231 powder would be a good overall charge?

I guess the proof in all this would be to use a chrono and find out what the actual velocity of the round is ... then slightly increase or decrease the powder load in order to get lets say a velocity of 820 fps? .... agree / disagree?

Thank's for reading all this
.

 

[rcmodel]

Don't worry about it so much.

Hodgdon says:
230 grain LRN
1.200" OAL
W-231 Powder

4.3 grains Start load = 699 FPS - 12,200 CUP
5.3 grains MAX = 834 FPS - 16,900 CUP

So, 5.3 grains aught to be just about right to match GI hardball.

After you work your way up to it from the starting load!

rc

 

[huntershooter]

If you chrono the load, the velocity will be an indicator of chamber pressure.
800-850 FPS with 230 gr. Jacketed Ball is pretty standard.
Lead (due to better lubricity than copper) should develop less pressure @ same velocity than jacketed bullets.

 

[john16443]

Welcome to THR Flt simulation. You appear well on your way to reloading success with these bullets, and rcmodel has provided you with very sage advise, ie. start at a lower charge and work up. Use this lower charge with the max COL that will function in your magazine and gun (pass lunk test) and experiment from there.

I shoot Bear Creek bullets and use lead data for them with W231. The Hodgdon site is an excellent place to start. Your photo shows a seated bullet just where I would seat it and verify with the plunk test. Since you indicated yours pass this test, consider this a good minimum COL, and increase in very small increments until it fails the plunk test. Then back off about .005" for a small cushion. I'll bet 1.26" COL will pass the plunk test in your barrel, and function just fine. Since the 45ACP is a low pressure cartridge, you generally don't have to be overly concerned with bullet length variations affecting final case pressures with a 230 grain bullet. NOT SAYING THERE WON'T BE AN EFFECT, just indicating it shouldn't be that significant. My opinion is that any pressure variation between different lengths of 230 grain LRN bullets will be the equivalent of 0.10 grains of powder if that. I'm suggesting you back off the 5.1 grains 231 and start at 4.8 grains for this bulet weight. My bread and butter load is 5.0 grains 231 with the Bear Creek 200 grain RN hollow base bullets seated to the shoulder like your photo, and they're longer than the 230 grain bullets.

Here's a link to a compilation of various bullet lengths and sizes in 45ACP. http://forum.m1911.org/showthread.php?t=77249 I use this as a guide when I get a new bullet so that I can compare lengths to others I've used in the past. I'll use the total length as an indicator of what my COL may be to seat the same length of the bullet body into the case as my known good load. Then I'll adjust as necessary to pass the plunk test if needed, and work up powder charges from there. Start near the minimum load and experiement to see what works best for your needs.

 

[Flt Simulation]

Thank's everyone for all the good info. Very helpful


"john16443"

For some reason, this message board won't let me quote you, but here is what I wanted to respond to:
I'll bet 1.26" COL will pass the plunk test in your barrel, and function just fine.

I will tell you something interesting about my Gold Cup ... I had a reload round that was an amazing 1.30" OAL (way over the max spec). Believe it or not, that long cartridge passed the "plunk test" in my gun!

I could have shot it, but it might have been too long for a Colt 8 round magazine.

 

[rcmodel]

GI issue 230 grain FMJ-RN is loaded to 1.266" - 1.271" OAL.

Thats what your Gold Cup is throated for.

rc

 

[1KPerDay]

For some reason, this message board won't let me quote you,

click the little blue "quick reply" box at the bottom right of the post you want to quote, and then check the "quote message in reply" box below the post window. Remove whatever text you don't want to quote.

FYI