I posted elsewhere that I will be attending my first match, an ICORE match. I've had a change of plan as to which gun I will be shooting. I'm going to borrow a friend's S&W 625 4" stainless, the one that's been discontinued.
I understand that many shooters reload their own 45 to a soft shooting to minimize recoil. I'll be shooting production ammo, so I'd like to get some suggestions.
In a revolver, you can load a 230 grain bullet all the way down to 550 fps and still make ICORE PF.
If you don't load, the slowest 200 or 230gr load you can find should work, but I suspect it will be more like 700+ FPS. I haven't bought any commercial .45 ACP in 10 years.
Posts: 1586 | Location: Oklahoma | Registered: 23 August 2007
I have given up on the sissy loads and aspire to shoot at least 165 PF out of the .45 ACP all the time and every time. Unless you have a good reason to shoot 125 PF (arthritis or another medical condition, for example) I think you'll be better served by using stronger ammo. It tends to instill better shooting technique. I traded away my 8 shooter and shoot very little steel or ICORE these days. If I do shoot the occasional ICORE match I'll use my 165 PF USPSA ammo.
Okay, then what do you think would be the best bullet type, (and brand) considering the fact that I'd be using moonclips? I'd like to order some ASAP. RNL?
I picked up some boxes of Hornady 200 gr. XTP JHPs @ 900 FPS - they shot very well and easy recoil out of my SW1911. I haven't run any through my 625 yet, but imagine it would be easy to put several hundred rounds of that load through it in a s day. XTPs are known for accuracy.
Randall
Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light. - Dylan Thomas
Posts: 922 | Location: SE Wash. State | Registered: 10 September 2007
Has your pals 625 had the charge ports chamfered? If so, a wider selection of bullet profiles will feed more easily. If not, I might be tempted to stick with a FMJ round nose, for ease of reloading alone. You'll have a great deal of fun, so enjoy the experience! Your doing it with a FINE revolver!
Posts: 4973 | Location: Left Coast | Registered: 25 August 2005
Originally posted by Spotteddog: Has your pals 625 had the charge ports chamfered? If so, a wider selection of bullet profiles will feed more easily. If not, I might be tempted to stick with a FMJ round nose, for ease of reloading alone. You'll have a great deal of fun, so enjoy the experience! Your doing it with a FINE revolver!
No, not chamfered. So if FMC RN is good, what is bad ammo?
Depends on how many sharp angles there are on the exposed portion of the bullets? How soft the lead alloy is, can have an effect too. It's one of those things you have to physically try, in order to see what works best.
Posts: 4973 | Location: Left Coast | Registered: 25 August 2005
My idea of a nighmare load for shooting in a match would be an oversize bullet with big flat nose, rough square corners, and lots of exposed sticky lube!! Good luck on "speed loading" that mess for 150 shots!!
You can use lead bullets, but they need to NOT be as described above.
Posts: 1586 | Location: Oklahoma | Registered: 23 August 2007
If you go over to the Brian Enos Forum and look around the Revolver section, you will find lots of suggestions for good loads.
One that I have tried is 3.9 grains of Clays driving a 230 RN or TC. I use the latter. It was reported on the BE Forum that it will make major, which is a 165 power factor, and is soft shooting to boot. I cannot attest to its making major since i haven't chrono'ed it in my gun, but I can confirm that it is soft shooting and easy to control.
Originally posted by David Sinko: I have given up on the sissy loads and aspire to shoot at least 165 PF out of the .45 ACP all the time and every time. Unless you have a good reason to shoot 125 PF (arthritis or another medical condition, for example) I think you'll be better served by using stronger ammo. It tends to instill better shooting technique. I traded away my 8 shooter and shoot very little steel or ICORE these days. If I do shoot the occasional ICORE match I'll use my 165 PF USPSA ammo.
Dave Sinko
If you're shooting ICORE as USPSA practice, I agree with you. If you're trying to win, that's a deep hole to climb out of. 8-round, moon-clippped, .38 Long Colt loads out of heavy guns make for faster, more accurate second shots, and the number one rule of ICORE is "don't miss!"
FWIW, I also shoot 165 PF loads in ICORE. Just dumb, I guess.
Buck
Posts: 2351 | Location: West Coast of Carolina | Registered: 08 October 2003
