Bucksnort1
New member
I have 50 45ACP LSWC in 205 grains.
I find no recipes for 205 grains.
May I load them as 200 grain bullets?
I find no recipes for 205 grains.
May I load them as 200 grain bullets?
45ACP LSWC
- Thread starter Bucksnort1
- Start date
GE-Minigun
New member
I would...
Yes. An old rule of thumb with cast bullets is that any bullet within about 6-grains should be counted as the same thing (and that was for 38's, so I would expect the 45 to be proportionally bigger). Cast bullet alloys cast to different weights from the same mold, so it is common for them to be off by that much. As always, knock your maximum load's down 10% and work up when you change a component. This is not because of the lead bullet's weight but because some designs seat deeper than others, and seating deeper raises pressure.
Bucksnort1
New member
unclnick,
Some of the bullets weigh in at 200 grains.
Some of the bullets weigh in at 200 grains.
Consider them 200gr bullets. Your gun won't know the difference, and your load data won't know the difference.
You're looking at approximately a 2-2.5% weight variance and while that's something to be concerned about in high power high pressure rounds, in the .45acp with lead bullets, and usual pistol ranges, I doubt you'd see any significant difference, and its likely you won't find any actual detectable difference, either.
though it does give you a "good excuse" for your flyers!
You're looking at approximately a 2-2.5% weight variance and while that's something to be concerned about in high power high pressure rounds, in the .45acp with lead bullets, and usual pistol ranges, I doubt you'd see any significant difference, and its likely you won't find any actual detectable difference, either.
though it does give you a "good excuse" for your flyers!
One caveat.....
When you load a semi wadcutter, seat the bullet so the shoulder is just over flush from the case. If you seat deeply you will get malfunction problems as the round hangs up at the case lip, if you seat them out too far, chambering problems. That trick works in 9, 40 and 45 with SWC bullets. Lead bullets are best with moderate loads of fast powder like CLAYS, Bullseye or 231 but seating depth is the biggest trick with that type of bullet.
When you load a semi wadcutter, seat the bullet so the shoulder is just over flush from the case. If you seat deeply you will get malfunction problems as the round hangs up at the case lip, if you seat them out too far, chambering problems. That trick works in 9, 40 and 45 with SWC bullets. Lead bullets are best with moderate loads of fast powder like CLAYS, Bullseye or 231 but seating depth is the biggest trick with that type of bullet.
Great advice, rc, and one that's not often seen in print. I leave about 1/32" of full diameter bullet body showing above the case mouth. A good "plunk" test will tell the conscientious reloader if his OAL is too long. In use, I think of that thin, almost nonexistent ring of lead as a shock absorber as the round is funneled into the chamber. Rod
Yes, that's true and your picture showing head space in a barrel plunk test is great but magazine length and feeding will help determine what is best. My description of just over flush with a semi wadcutter seems to work 99% of the time in ANY gun you feed as an easy rule of thumb. One of the problems making a longer load that is on the ragged edge of reliability in one gun is that it may lead to failures in another gun due to variations in magazine length and chamber cut. I'm sure people could fine tune loads longer than above flush by a few thousandths for a particular gun but they risk creating a load that will not always be reliable in all guns if you feed more than one. I've seen similar problems with even winchester vs remington 115gr JHP. The more rounded remington bullet is more sensitive to length than the more pointy winchester design because it is full bullet diameter for more of the bullet length. While 9mm max length specifies 1.169, often factory loaded FMJ bullets and hollow points are seated to 1.20 to 1.135 for overall reliability. The 124gr Hornady xtp is also one that is full diameter for a long portion of the bullet body. If you load to max spec in any particular cartridge with any particular bullet, expect to run into issues with either magazine fit, headspace issues with the full diameter part of the bullet hitting the rifling before the chamber closes or feeding problems.
Better to copy a reloading manuals recipe for actual length for a tested round than use maximum length number for the cartridge.
Better to copy a reloading manuals recipe for actual length for a tested round than use maximum length number for the cartridge.
Jim Watson
New member
Some of us have differing thumbs.
I have seen head to shoulder dimensions given of 0.936" and a bit less.
My old rule of thumb was to seat a SWC to headspace with the shoulder against the lands, plunking with head flush with the barrel hood, as shown in an Unclenick diagram.
That worked for me when I just had one .45 but nowadays I am phasing over to roundnose.
I have seen head to shoulder dimensions given of 0.936" and a bit less.
My old rule of thumb was to seat a SWC to headspace with the shoulder against the lands, plunking with head flush with the barrel hood, as shown in an Unclenick diagram.
That worked for me when I just had one .45 but nowadays I am phasing over to roundnose.