newbe reloader question

[tlhorne]

Hi folks, silly question, and i am still studying and new at reloading. But, what weighs the most in everyone's train of thought as to which order of ingredents gives the fastest and best reciepe for reloads? one for 9mm target loads and one for 45 target@230 grn and one @ 45 JHP.

[runfiverun]

i use a medium slow powder that fills the case well and don't beat the gun up.
something like unique in the 45.
and if using cast i go with a slow for cal powder.
going fast ain't really on my mind.
safety is.

[Paul B]

Hi folks, silly question, and i am still studying and new at reloading. But, what weighs the most in everyone's train of thought as to which order of ingredents gives the fastest and best reciepe for reloads? one for 9mm target loads and one for 45 target@230 grn and one @ 45 JHP.

Well, no question is silly or stupid for that matter. Sometimes it can be difficult to give a proper answer though. Several powders work quite well in the two cartridges you're asking about. Bullseye, W231 and Unique immediately come to mind. Bullseye was the original powder for the .45 ACP with 230 gr. FMJ bullet as specified by the military. Five grains seems to stick in my mind for some reason but that may not be right.
My person choice for 9MM and .45 ACP has been Unique, but since I was given 9 pounds of W231 I'm going to try that one in both cartridges. I use it a lot in .38 Spl. as well.
All I shoot in my handguns are my own home cast bullets. If cast bullet are the way you plan to go, on 9MM, slug your bore before buying any commercial cast. Nominally, the 9MM is supposed to have a groove diameter of .356". I have three 9MM handguns and all have groove diameters of .357" except one which is .3575". I size my bullets to .358" and accuracy is great. The .45's I size to .425" and that seems to work well in a serious bullseye gun I have.
My bullets of choice are the 125 gr. Lyman #356402 for the 9MM and the SAECO #068 for the .45 , that bullet being a clone of the H&G #68, one of, if not the best target bullet for the .45 ACP at 200 gr. That bullet has fed without flaw in every .45 ACP handgun I've used. in an almost totally unaltered Colt Combat Commander, no trigger job, no slide tightening, the tiny stock factory sights, that 200 gr. load is good for 2" at 25 yards if I do my part. The only thing that was ever done to that gun was when I polished the feed ramp and throat as both were quite rough and caused jams. Twenty minutes with a Dremel tool and Cratex polishing tips and now the gun will almost always feed empty cases.
Bullseye and W231 will feed though a powder measure better than Unique which means more care is needed if using that powder. Some feel it burns dirty but I'm thinking much of that comes from the lube on the cast bullets.
As far as loads go, you can use the starting load for jacketed bullets with cast bullets and work up. If the max load turns out to be safe in your gun (It should be, but work up first.) you might find that the velocity will be higher that what it would be shooting the jacketed bullet.
Paul B.

[Guesser]

I tend to load for a variety of guns and I want my 45 Auto to work in all of them, I shoot two revolvers and two semi-autos in 45 ACP, so it took a while to work around to one for all. Much the same for 9MM, two semi-autos and one revolver, I don't much care for 9MM but everybody has to have at least one. Finding one load that works for all is my goal and I'm not very particular as long as it cycles and ejects, accuracy is way above me any way. All my guns shoot better than I do.