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Posted: 6/20/2008 3:02:26 PM EDT
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So I just loaded up a bunch of rounds on my single stage Lee press (still waiting to set up my SDB) and came across an interesting thing. I loaded a bunch of 200 gr lead SWC over 5.5 gn Winchester 231 which according to my Hornady manual is a safe load at 850 fps, only one step up from minimum load. I just happened to check out my Lee manual and it says that 5.5 is the max load for .45 acp with that bullet. So here's my question. Assuming that there's a variance of .1 gn, making my charges 5.4-5.6 gn, am I going to blow my gun up if I shoot these? Also who is correct, according to Hornady the max load for this bullet/powder combo is 6.5 gn W-231, not the 5.5 gn of the Lee manual. The last thing I needed was for this to become more confusing. Thanks for all the help. |
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My short answer, as I heading out the door - This is the reason we start with loads that are less than the maximum in published data, and test to see what is safe and meets our needs in our own guns. A tenth of a grain in a mid weight charge had best not be a problem because your measure can't throw with that precision. Every tenth requires respect at maximum loads. One other detail for you to check - I'll bet the Hornady data is for a jacketed bullet that can run at higher speeds than the lead bullet. |
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Thanks for the quick responce. The Hornady manual lists 5.6 gn as a moderate charge with 6.1gn@900fps and 6.5gn@950fps as the loads above it. The only load below it is a 5.2gn@800 fps load. These loads are for 200 gn lead bullets. I haven't been reloading long, but I have started on either the lowest or the second lowest load when I began developing a load. I wasn't planning on cross referencing both my manuals as I usually pick up the Hornady first because it's easy to read and follow. |
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I don't believe that any re-loading manual is intending to hurt anyone. It's hardly a matter of: Who is RIGHT or WRONG? Or, which manual is BETTER? ____________________________________________ The differences, that one will find in various manuals............perhaps, has to do with each individual's (writer/editor's) threshold (or definition) of, "What is an acceptable/safe load." Also, note that various manuals will use different firearms and barrel lengths to "test" their load data with. And, we all know that individual results will vary.  IMHO, the safe bet, is to.........."Start low and work your way up." Aloha, Mark |
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I was using 5.7 grains of WIN231 with a 200 grain cast round nose wadcutter for IPSC, made major no problem. My colt 1911A1 from 1943 liked them, but 5.5 grains was the most accurate for me.hotgun.gif |
Your data is correct, exactly as listed in Hornaday #7. My notes show I have tried 5.5 grs, 6.0 grs, 6.3 grs, and 6.4 grs W-231 with 200 gr cast lead bullets. Loaded to 1.250 for OAL. 6.4 is .1 gr below max listed, and was a max load in my 1911. Feel good about shooting your load. For a light target load with 200 gr lead bullets, W-231 is a good choice. Sometimes the data in different manuals will conflict. Different guns, different bullets, different test equipment, all add up to different results. It is best to look at several reloading manuals to get an idea of the powder charge range. Then begin with the starting load and work up. Which you did. |
| Thanks everyone. I didn't realize that there could be such different charges listed in each manual. I loaded up 100 with 5.5 gn and another 100 with 5.0 gn just to see the difference. The OAL is 1.257 as recommended by the company that cast the bullets. Important lesson learned. |
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Thanks guys. These are going to be shot out of my 1911 hopefully on Friday. I was going to go out last Saturday, but it rained in the morning and out shooting spot is in the woods and my Geo Prism wouldn't make it through the mud real well. Range report coming asap. |
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I haven't used 231 is quite a long time, but my recollection squares with comments above, that in the 5.6 to 5.8 grain range was a major load. Going to 6 or more gives me the hinky feeling. Hodgdon's website says that 5.6 grains is max load but seems a hair conservative to me. It also says that 5.6 gives 914 which is a coincidence that concerns me when I look at hdbiker's data above. So I'd stay under 6 if it was me. |
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Range Report. No blown up 1911, so I guess the load was acceptable. It didn't show any signs of over pressure as far as I could see. Lots of smoke which was neat. The 5.5 gn loads had moderate recoil, but not so much that shooting 100s of rounds would be uncomfortable. Shot 100 rds due to a thunderstorm coming in. Loads seemed to be a little more accurate then the Blazer I had been shooting previously. I am still a novice shooter so I'm sure accuracy is a little better then I could do. Will be loading up some more rounds to build up a little stockpile before I go shooting again. I wish I had the money to get the dies for my Dillon square deal, so I'll be single stage loading for a while. Anyone want to trade some .40 S&W SDB dies for some .45 acp? |
| Nowadays, between the internet and my load manuals, I have about twenty different sources for load data. I look at them all to decide min/max amounts then start loading test rounds for a trip to the range. For handgun ammo I go in .1 or .2 grain increments. I always come up .5gr from the lightest load listed and down .5gr from the max listed. I have found that the majority of my good loads fall slightly more than half scale for each powder/bullet combo. I hardly ever load test rounds at the max listed. YMMV. |
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