I did this a couple weeks ago but didn’t post it here. As there’s been some interest in my 44 Special 700x thread, I’ll put it up.
I found a good deal online late last year on “Blue Bullets” 230 grain coated LRN’s and decided to load up some cheap 45acp. I lucked into a substantial amount of 45acp small primer brass that up until recently I disdained. Now I’ve come to realize the advantages of flexibility, especially when supplies are sporadic.
Anyway, I got a 650 pack of Blue 230gr coated LRN’s, free brass, a single pound of 700x powder I got very cheap pre pandemic, and Fiocchi small pistol primers. I was basically given the 700x. Only have one pound and it was unopened. I’d heard about the difficulty of metering it in a Dillon. That’s no lie! It took me a bunch of fiddling to get it to drop consistently at a charge in the range I wanted. I settled on 4.6 grains, where the powder measure behaved. Hodgdon says 4.4-5 grains are good for this bullet and 45acp.
I loaded up a few for test I last week and they cycled just fine in a 5 inch Gold Cup. I didn’t chrono at that point as we’ve been getting almost constant rain. Based on those results I loaded up two Fiocchi sleeves for 300 rounds. Shot it again today over the chrono, dodging rain.
230gr “Blue” LRN
4.6gr 700x, 1.24” COAL, Fiocchi SPP
5” 1911: 870fps
4.25” 1911: 850fps
Guns are a mid 80’s stainless Gold Cup and a blued Enhanced Commander. The load ended up being a little faster than I expected but within the range listed on Hodgon’s page. The extreme spread was VERY consistent. Considering the metering issues I was surprised by this. I’d vowed not to buy any more 700x, but I can’t argue with the results. Guns were cleaner than my usual 200 grain SWC with HP-38 load, cases are clean, and velocity was extremely consistent. Recoil was basically lively GI ball. Ejection dropped the casings in a nice pile.
Overall I’d call this a rousing success! I really don’t want to buy more 700x, but I cannot argue with the results…..
It’s supposed to rain more this afternoon so I’ll be loading up another 300 rounds.
ETA - you can see a line on the bullets from the seater. I’m seating and taper crimping separately. Seating die is the Dillon with the swappable stem, crimping is an RCBS. I’m using the round nose stem but it’s still leaving a little line. I’m not upset about that, just an observation.
I found a good deal online late last year on “Blue Bullets” 230 grain coated LRN’s and decided to load up some cheap 45acp. I lucked into a substantial amount of 45acp small primer brass that up until recently I disdained. Now I’ve come to realize the advantages of flexibility, especially when supplies are sporadic.
Anyway, I got a 650 pack of Blue 230gr coated LRN’s, free brass, a single pound of 700x powder I got very cheap pre pandemic, and Fiocchi small pistol primers. I was basically given the 700x. Only have one pound and it was unopened. I’d heard about the difficulty of metering it in a Dillon. That’s no lie! It took me a bunch of fiddling to get it to drop consistently at a charge in the range I wanted. I settled on 4.6 grains, where the powder measure behaved. Hodgdon says 4.4-5 grains are good for this bullet and 45acp.
I loaded up a few for test I last week and they cycled just fine in a 5 inch Gold Cup. I didn’t chrono at that point as we’ve been getting almost constant rain. Based on those results I loaded up two Fiocchi sleeves for 300 rounds. Shot it again today over the chrono, dodging rain.
230gr “Blue” LRN
4.6gr 700x, 1.24” COAL, Fiocchi SPP
5” 1911: 870fps
4.25” 1911: 850fps
Guns are a mid 80’s stainless Gold Cup and a blued Enhanced Commander. The load ended up being a little faster than I expected but within the range listed on Hodgon’s page. The extreme spread was VERY consistent. Considering the metering issues I was surprised by this. I’d vowed not to buy any more 700x, but I can’t argue with the results. Guns were cleaner than my usual 200 grain SWC with HP-38 load, cases are clean, and velocity was extremely consistent. Recoil was basically lively GI ball. Ejection dropped the casings in a nice pile.
Overall I’d call this a rousing success! I really don’t want to buy more 700x, but I cannot argue with the results…..
It’s supposed to rain more this afternoon so I’ll be loading up another 300 rounds.
ETA - you can see a line on the bullets from the seater. I’m seating and taper crimping separately. Seating die is the Dillon with the swappable stem, crimping is an RCBS. I’m using the round nose stem but it’s still leaving a little line. I’m not upset about that, just an observation.
