rookie questions

[ammopoor]

1. I'm using w231 loading 200FN 45 with large CCI primers and getting peppered every so often after shooting. Stuff is blowing back in my face. Is this from my powder or primers or is 5.7gr too hot of load what gives?

2 What is the advantage of faster burning powder in pistol loads? I'm thinking about trying titegroup,WST, or VIHT N320 instead of w231. I want clean powder and metering well.

Right now I'm loading 9MM, 40S&W, and 45acp with W231
Please help

 

[Run&Shoot]

I have not experienced this but read once that having burning powder spewed back in your face can be a sign of primers not fully seated. That is, the primer should get kind of squished into the primer pocket creating a seal all around. If not fully seated then there is a tiny gap around the edge of the primer through which gases can escape. Worth checking your primers.

Fast burning powders use the least weight to get a certain velocity, especially with lighter for caliber bullets. therefore you can get slightly more loads per pound of powder, which makes it slightly cheaper.

Some of us would rather have a slower powder taking up more volume to make it harder for a double charge harder to slip by unnoticed. Also, on average (not always) a slower powder that fills the case can give more consistent velocity (= accuracy) because the powder doesn't have room to shift around.

I use W231 for my lightest loads, but for full weight bullets (e.g., 230 gr in .45ACP) I prefer something a little slower such as AA #5, Unique, HS6, etc.

 

[NavyLCDR]

5.7gr does seem to be slightly over the max on hodgdon's website (5.6gr is their max for SWC, though.) It looks like W231 doesn't generate a lot of pressure though. What do your cases look like after firing? Are they black along the sides? This would indicate improper case expansion in the chamber resulting in blow back.

I think you'll be a lot happier with Titegroup. And it's easy to remember, I load 230 gr bullets and it's 4.5 gr for the .45

 

[The Bushmaster]

I use W-231 in my .45 ACP, 9mm X 19, .38 Special and some .357 magnum loads and I don't have that problem...I'm at a loss here.

 

[Shoney]

How are you measuring the charge?

If you are loading on a progressive, you can have a plus or minus 0.2 grain variations or more. If your load is at 5.9 or higher, the pressure may not reach dangerous levels with 231 and your powder is not being completely burned, therefore being thrown to the wind.

 

[1911NM]

Interesting. I am loading 5.5g of W231 behind a Berry's Plated SWC 200g in my .45acp. Snappy but very controlable load which burns very clean for the powder. W231 meters very well, and within 0.1g in my Hornady CAPD. I am really reaching, but if your OAL is a little long, or not enough taper crimp? Might either of those throw powder? I would think you would catch insufficient primer seating depth in having poor ignition due to first pin strike only seating the primer. Let us know how this progresses.

 

[Virginian]

With light loads of 231, I have experienced unburnt powder blowing back in my face if the wind was wrong with shotguns worse than handguns.

 

[jfh]

Over the years I have pretty well settled in with 5.2 gr. of 231 for my 200-gr. lead bullet recipes. That's usually clean-burning. The variation in burn has been mostly a function of a) bullet lube on one brand of bullet, and b) possibly the BHN variations in different bullet brands.

On occasion, I have tweaked the problem out--usually by varying the crimp. Otherwise, I live with it.

Here, it sounds like blowby to me--so I'd see what tightening the crimp does, after I backed the load up a bit.

I don't think ammopoor is near "real overpressure" issues yet, but my experience is much like Run&Shoots--I use 231 for the lower end loads, and #5 or others for the higher end loads.

Jim H.

 

[rcmodel]

What kind of pistol are you shooting them in?

Any indication of early unlocking, (primer dents are long streaks instead of round)?

Are your "200 FN" bullets jacketed, plated, or lead?
Speer #13 lists:
5.0 grains max with 200 gr. lead.
6.3 max with 200 gr. jacketed & plated.

Ever any problems with factory loads blowing stuff in your face?

rcmodel

 

[ammopoor]

Thanks guys for the responses I'm loading Berrys 200FN On Lee classic turret with deluxe Lee dies set up as instructions. I've set the factory crimp die up with 3/4 of a turn for a moderate crimp not real hard where you see an indentation. I'm letting these loads go down a Taurus Pt 1911. The overall length is right at 1.222 to 1.228 with no feed problems. I also have no excessive case markings or bulged primers. I also am beginning to believe it is unburnt powder and reson why I'm thinking about different powder for .45, my 9mm and 40 don't seem to have these problems. I'll let you guys no what I find out. Thanks again

 

[1911NM]

You might not see the over pressure primer signs on a .45acp 1911 as you would see in a rifle. It's a low pressure round. One other thing RC has reminded me of is timing. Maybe time for a new barrel link? What are your locking lugs looking like?