.45 load question

hello all,

After waiting many years I have finally stared to reload. My first batch of .45 loads did not come out as well as I had hoped (not enough power to cycle the slide in a colt 1911 (stock spring in gun)). I will be getting a chrono soon to see what the velocity is but here is the load data:

Clays- 4.5gr
fed brass and primer
185 gr speer JFP
OAL- 1.195

Due to shortages of primers I bought pre-primered federal brass and followed the exact specs from the Hodgdon site. I have seen results from individuals that used even less powder so I wonder what I am doing wrong?
Steps I took:
1- size then expand cases
2- champher cases
3- load powder
4- load bullets and check OAL

One thing that comes to mind is that even though this is new brass I did expand it after sizing- could this be the issue?
Any thoughts?

Thanks!

i use a load of unique that is just under 6 grs
with the 200 or 230 gr cast bullets all is good ,but with a 160 gr cast bullet it becomes a single shot.
it doesn't even move the slide.
the chrono might not tell you too much here.
you might not have enough inertia to move the slide enough.
the spring you have might be 20-22 lbs.
you did everything right ,but this load just don't make YOUR gun happy.
maybe a lighter spring ,maybe a bit more powder. or a different powder.
you are finding out why they call them "pet loads".
going off the top of my head the max load should be near 5 grains,try going up to 4.7,4.8. etc.

thanks. I thought I was doing ok but was not sure.

The max is 4.9 so I will try a few batches in increments of .1 till I reach that. I see what you are saying about the gun specific loads. I have a few .45's so I will try the different loads with them as well.
When I got my first power all that was available was Clays in a 4lb container so I obviously want to use this powder in as many of my loads as possible :)

Thanks for the responce

You don't say in which gun... I remember some thread about one of the modern polymer guns not cycling properly with less than 230 grainers.
I don't know what they were thinking to market such a gun...

kg

my buddy tested my first batch in his colt 1911 from the 80's. I have started to make up some small batches of 4.6, 4.7 and 4.8 gr loads to test in my 45's.
I do remember something about a modern gun not working well unless it had 230's in it but thought that was the Glock. My main .45 is a ruger that has never had a single failure with any factory ammo I put through it. I will experiment until I find a load that works across the board in each of my .45's.

The only thing that stinks is that I have finally started reloading during a bad time so I have to make due with the components I can find.

i bought one of the first ruger k-90dc's
it would feed and fire anything i tried in it,
it didn't care how it was held upside down sideways whatever it always fired, fed and ejected.
couldn't hit myself in the foot with it,but it always worked.

I think your powder choice is your problem. Clays was available for a reason; nobody wants it.

Read this thread:
http://www.texasguntalk.com/forums/r...r-problem.html

If you look hard you can find some decent powder and for a .45 try to find something fast burning like Bullseye or Red Dot.

It's not a good time to start reloading with the lack of inventory but if you're patient and hold out for what you want/need, you'll find it. Locally here I find that calling around doesn't work very well, they want you in the store. Do a day trip to all your local suppliers. I just got a buddy of mine to buy a progressive and he's found just about everything he needs; you've just got to work at it these days.

My first thought would be to reduce your recoil spring, but since your shooting jacketed bullets your probably wanting more velocity/power.
So keep adding a tenth of a grain of so, until you get reliable function and the performance you want.

BTW Clays is a very popular powder for USPSA shooters using 230 grain bullets.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Earplug

BTW Clays is a very popular powder for USPSA shooters using 230 grain bullets.

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Which Clays? Apparently there are several Clays powders and the first challenge is figuring out which one you're loading. Then, if it's so popular why cant you find load data on the stuff? Most of what I find Googling Clays Powder is people complaining about the stuff. I know I've never heard of it but then I make decisions about components based on their fit and function to the particular cartridge I'm loading, not how cheap a per load cost I can finagle.

So Clays is famous for 230 gr bullets?:?

Several options for you, Go to the Winchester Hogdens (sp) web site and look at there data.
Go to the Brian Eno's forum and check out the reloading forum.

guys- just to clarify- I am using "clays" not "international clays" or any other variant.

I made a few more batches with higher powder ( last batch is 4.8) and hopefully in about 2 weeks will go to the range with a few different .45's and will try them out.
I will post my results.

On a seperate note I also loaded a few batches with unique. Unfortunately with a 185gr TMJ the load specs are all over the place so I think I may have loaded to low. Speer #14 manual lists it at 5.0- 5.8 gr but all the others list it starting at about 8gr. very weird.

Get a bottle of Bullseye and be happy...My Colt Government model works well with Bullseye, Green Dot, Blue dot and Unique...Depending on my load and bullet.

Swamp, just looking over that link, it appears to be talking about Universal Clays in the 45 Long colt. This would be a fast burning powder in a rather cavernous case. If GP1 has "Clays" as he states, that is a pretty popular powder for the 45 ACP. Though it is normally used for 200gr bullets.

FWIW, I have used Uni-Clays in the 45 ACP and 9mm with fairly good success.