.45 cal 230 gr rn loads for semi-auto

[440turner]

I have seen on a major forum on 1911 semi-auto's wich is what this load is for, I have a 1911-a1 Springfield and see not many people load the OAL the same. I have a Hornady #45177 bullet and question what I should set the OAL to. I have a Lyman reloading manual that does not show this bullet but it does have the speer #4480 wich is set to 1.275 OAL. I have another source that has a LRN 230 gr bullet set to 1.200, is there a difference in a lead bullets OAL compared to the equivalent JRP wich is what the #45177 bullet in question is. Does anyone have a publication that states what the OAL should be, and what charge of Unique I should start and max out with, or have a link to the bullet load info.thanks

[handgunner356]

For the 230LRN I've seen OAL of 1.190-1.270", I prefer to keep them 1.230-1.250" myself. Load range of 5.0-5.8grs of Unique are listed with the top running 850fps.

[m657]

You may have noticed a variation in OAL listed in different loading manuals.

This drove me nuts for some time. Then an older reloader buddy told me the differences are equivalent what time we think it is.

One watch says one time; compare it to someone else and you now have 2 times; and a third watch will have yet another time. Who is right?

What I finally settled on for my own loads, were something in the vicinity of what was listed (as I usually check in 3 or 4 sources) and find one that reliably works in my pistols. Sometimes I use the OAL off a factory-new round as main indicator.

Good luck.

[Beemer-mark]

I load mine at 1.200. I had / have a number of 1911's that with the ammo loaded to 1.275 would not eject (if your trying to remove a loaded round).

[Steve C]

OAL varies depending upon bullet design and the particular barrel you are going to shoot it in. Listed OAL's are for the most part simply a guideline. The SAAMI not to exceed OAL is 1.275" for the .45 acp to be shot in semi auto's.

First and foremost the cartridge must chamber completely without the bullet engaging the rifling. Hand loaded rounds should be checked in a gauge or the chamber of a removed barrel and compared against factory round fit. OAL should be adjusted as needed.

[moxie]

I've settled on 1.238" OAL for 230 gr. RNL. This seems to work fine with a variety of 230 gr. bullets from different makers. A charge of 5.0-5.2 grs. Unique is a nice light target load.

[440turner]

thanks I appreciate the info and will make sure my loads eject with the OAL I go with. I seen most people on the above mentioned forum used bullseye as their powder of choice does anyone have any reasons for why I should or should not use this powder. I notice the window for the charge of Unique is very small that to me makes an undesirable choice for powder, please keep the load recipes coming and dont worry if another powder is used im not scared to but a new powder if it measures better or has better all around performance, thanks again

[handgunner356]

I don't think the range for Unique is that small, it seems to work well with light charges also. If you are wanting just light loads then you might find Bullseye a better choice. But if you want anything close to factory standard 230 then I would use the Unique, it'll allow you to get a higher velocity with less pressure.

[Skip Sackett]

The OAL is determined by the recipe which is determined by the powder being used.

There are AA#2 230gr loads at a one OAL and a Unique load very well be a different length. If you want to seat deeper than the recipe calls for as a minimum you will need to reduce the powder charge to accommodate the change. If you lengthen the OAL you may have to increase the powder charge to get your semi-auto to cycle.

If your semi-auto likes a short OAL, find a powder that has that length as part of it's recipe. Or you can do some load development. Once you make a change in OAL all information concerning pressure is thrown out the window. That doesn't mean you cannot develop a safe load, you just have to work at it. To me, that's half the fun of handloading!

[moxie]

440turner, Bullseye works just fine in the .45acp for 230 gr. RNL bullets. In fact it ends up being one of the cheapest to use as you use less. Try a starting load of around 4.5 grs. Look at some different load books for more options.

[LoboGunLeather]

I've been using Bullseye in .45 ACP for over 35 years with both jacketed and cast lead bullets. For general range use I use a load that will reliably cycle my pistols (with 230-grain cast lead RN I have found that 4.8 grains works in all of my guns, including those with much heavier recoil springs).

OAL with lead bullets will usually be shorter than with FMJ's. Lead being heavier than gilding metal, the cast lead bullets will be a little shorter (assuming the same nose profile) than the FMJ's. Once again, OAL is determined by what will reliably function in all of my pistols. Anything that will run through my WW1 and WW2 pistols will run through the newer models with larger ejection ports.

There is no reason to load maximum charges in .45 ACP. The increases in velocity are relatively small.

Shooters in some of the competitive sports, using highly specialized pistols, probably experience more difficulty in load choices. For the more standard models I have found the .45 ACP is very easy to work with.

[440turner]

Thanks for all the info., the gun wich is a loaded springfield loved the ammo i made for it. I agree with not loading max charges for the range, I loaded some 185xtp's with 7 gns of Unique and also some 230 gn rn with 6 gn of Unique and set the oal to 1.175 for the 185's and 1.255 for the 230's. I did have two shells, both were the last bullet out of the clip and each got wedged in the ejection port after firing, any ideas on why this is anyway 2 shells out of 150 isnt that bad and I only have put 400 rounds through this gun so far.

[m1gunner]

No matter what load you settle on for the 1911 platform, your recoil spring must be a match for that loading. If your shells eject too far, your spring is too weak. If the shells barely make it out of the gun, your spring is too stiff for that load.


I went through the load/spring match dance 20 years ago, and don't remember the specefics, but my gun is balanced for 230 gr LRN and 6 gr of Unique. Accurate, and never a problem.

[Jeff423]

I just measured a factory (whitebox) 230 gr, FMJ and used that for my reloads. I don't remember what it was but I have used this length for a couple of years and my rounds have cycled fine.

Jeff

[Aticus]

440turner the Hornady 7th edition lists bullet 45177 at an OAL of 1.230 and Unique loads from 5.1 to 6.1. That's on page 900. For the 230 LRN I use Lymans loads for the 225 LRN. Don't remember the page and I'm too lazy to look it up, just happened to have my Hornady book out.

[oldRoger]

As a slightly off topic point of interest, my P220 magazines limit the OAL which I can use. I have a few hundred rounds loaded with the H&G 68 (200gr) and while they work fine in various 1911s and S&W 3rd gen pistols they would not fit in the P220 mags.
So I had to reseat a bunch of bullets about .030” deeper.

[41Rem]

Here is my fav. 4.0 Gn of Clays COL 1.255 with a 200 Gn SWC. Makes major power factor (850fps) for IPCS from my Kimber classic 5"
Very accurate and soft recoil.

[mack1]

I would look in a hornady manual and start there. as stated above as you storted oal case cappacity is reduced and pressure can go up fast. You are loseing cap at a higher rate than in a bottlenecked case

[Fishslayer]

I usually go with 1.25" on any round nose bullet. Most published data is in that neighborhood. Any 230gr round nose is going to have pretty much the same volume for a given OAL. Stick with the published data and you'll be fine. The .45ACP is a low pressure round anyway. As mentioned, no need to go near maximum loads. I've found that above 4.6gr of Bullseye LRN & Berry's Plated bullets started "patterning" instead of "grouping."

Bullseye powder's been around longer than I have. I started with it because it's one of the most popular powders for the .357 & .45ACP I load. LOTS of data available for it. And a little goes a long way. Lots of loads per pound. It's dirty, though, & I've been messing around with Green Dot. Not as popular, but the published data I've found lists loads pretty close to Bullseye.

[Noah Zark]

Originally Posted by Jeff423

I just measured a factory (whitebox) 230 gr, FMJ and used that for my reloads. I don't remember what it was but I have used this length for a couple of years and my rounds have cycled fine.

Jeff

For over 35 years I've used a variation on this, as instructed to me by a salty E7 competitive Marine marksman:

When reloading the 45ACP for 1911s and using RN or JHP/JHC bullets (non-SWC) , to adjust the seating depth use a bullet seating die top punch for RN bullets, and use a loaded factory 230 gr cartridge as the dummy for adjusting the top punch, regardless of the style of bullet you are loading. Then seat one bullet in an empty, unprimed case and, and try it in the magazine and cycle through the weapon by hand. If it fits the mag and cycles out the 1911, you are good to go.

The reason the Gunny told me this works is because not all commercial bullets for reloading have the same profile as a GI 230. But if you use a RN top punch and adjust it using a factory 230 RN round (preferably USGI, said the Gunny) whatever bullet you load with will contact the top punch and will thus "fit inside the parabolic envelope of the 230 gr RN bullet profile, and this is crucial to functioning in the 1911."

He went on to add that "your bullet might have a flatter point, and if you load just to a set particular OAL, then that bullet will sit out a bit, perhaps too far for the magazine, perhaps too far such that the ogive contacts the weapon's feed surfaces in the wrong spots, causing stoppages. Same if you simply set a bullet too deep in a 45 ACP case -- you are asking for feed ramp hangups.

Since I don't stoke the 45ACP cartridge when I reload, there's no need for me to adjust bullet seating depth to accommodate a given powder charge. My reloads stick pretty close to GI velocities, and clock out well under 900 fps at their hottest. The Gunny's advice has not let me down in over 35 years.

YMMV.

Noah

[buckbeans]

Noah
Excellent post!!
I learned something new today.

[Fishslayer]

Thanks for that, Noah. I'm gonna give it a try. I also go light on the powder for .45ACP target loads so I've never been too concerned about case volume.

Next batch of Berry's Plated 200gr SWC I roll up I'll give the Gunny's technique a try. If the batch I have now don't work in the bottom feeder they'll go in the wheelgun. No FTF issues there...

[Noah Zark]

Originally Posted by Fishslayer

. . . Next batch of Berry's Plated 200gr SWC I roll up I'll give the Gunny's technique a try . . .

I never tried it with SWCs. Only FMJ, RN, and JHP/JHC. Good luck though!

Noah

[Fishslayer]

Originally Posted by Noah Zark

I never tried it with SWCs. Only FMJ, RN, and JHP/JHC. Good luck though!

Noah

Last trip to the range I had a grunch of different loads to try out (I'm a n00b trying to find out what works in my guns) and left my notebook at home. No idea if I even had the Berry's with me, since I am stricken with CRAFT disease. (Can't Remember Any Fine Thing ) The 200gr Berry's plated SWC are a significantly different profile from the Redline LSWC in the same weight. The Redlines fed just fine in my semi but leaded up my 1950 Target something awful.

[440turner]

I just bought a bag of 500 .45 LSWC 185 gn's for my 1911, having some trouble with coming up with published data on this load, kinda leaning toward around 5 gn's of Bullseye and set to about 1.200 OAL

[Fishslayer]

Originally Posted by 440turner

I just bought a bag of 500 .45 LSWC 185 gn's for my 1911, having some trouble with coming up with published data on this load, kinda leaning toward around 5 gn's of Bullseye and set to about 1.200 OAL

5 gr of Bullseye is pretty standard for 230gr FMJ loads. I would look at data for 200gr LSWC for your bullets. Loads of data for 200gr LSWC.

As with any data, check multiple sources. Alliant's website lists some loads.
http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloade...35&bulletid=62

They're also included here.

http://handloads.com/loaddata/defaul...Powder&Source=

Ummm.... I would definitely check any loads listed on forums against manufacturer's published data and be wary of anything that seems out of the ballpark.

[Skip Sackett]

Just got back from the range with a nice load for a 230gr LRN in the 45ACP. These were cast here at home and water quenched right out of the mould. The mould is a Saeco 294456 which turns out a bevel based 230gr round nose bullet that simulates a hard ball bullet, much like the H&G #34.

I just got this mould and will be using it in 45Colt too. In "Ruger Only" type of loads for a 45 Convertible and a Puma Rifle in the same caliber.

This load was put into Winchester 45ACP brass with Wolf Large Pistol primers an OAL of 1.265" and 5.3gr AA#2. The results were fantastic, both at the target and across the chronograph. Function in the PT1911 was flawless and of course there was no problem with the M625JM.

The numbers shook out like this:
M625JM:
Low 900fps
High 914fps
Avg 906fps
ES 13.6fps
SD 5.3fps

From the PT1911:
Low 899fps
High 914fps
Avg 904fps
ES 15fps
SD 5.19fps
On these last rounds I should have written down the numbers as I ran them across the chronograph. Must have had just one high one.

All of the bullets hit well within a 2" Shoot-N-See at 15 yards shot 2 handed from support. When I went to shooting rocks on the berm at 25 yards, it seemed to me that a rock jumped every time I shot. Good enough!

So, let me recommend some smith crazy bullets over 5.3gr AA#2 for a good place to start.

Hope this helps!
Here is what they look like:

[canoe on the yukon]

As others have said,it depends on bullet profile,not just weight.For many years I used 230 gr rnl in my 1911's that would be technically referred to as a semi wadcutter round nose (this is not an oxymoron).The shaft of that particular bullet is a full caliber,sharp shouldered wadcutter while the nose is a standard round nose.I have no idea whether your bullet is that type.If it is,the following may be helpful.

With the above described 230 gr cast round nose,I found the seating depth to be about perfect with an OAL of 1.235.Others have rightfully stated the proper way to check chambering by dropping the loaded round in the chamber of the pistol.The case head should not extend past the barrel hood and the round should drop in with no resistance.

I'd recommend that you bell the case mouth no more than necessary before seating and then use a very slight taper crimp afterward.Lots of powders to choose from.I was always pleased with Unique for the 45 auto.5.8 gr of Unique behind that bullet gives a velocity similar to factory 230 hardball.

[m657]

FWIW---I've never found a recipe with 185 g anything that I liked in 45 acp or LC.

But that's just me, YMMV.

[chaneyd]

5gr. Bullseye 1.230OAL