[recoil junky]

OK, picked up the new Springfield 1911A1 "Loaded" today along with some ammo because I'm not set up to load for it yet. I've loaded a barrel full of 40S&W's for the Glock 22 using Starline brass so I've got the reloading part figured out.

My question is this:

Can you load +P brass the same as "regular" brass? I see on Starline's web sight that their +P brass has 2 grains (of water) less capacity than their "regular" brass.

I will be using for the most part (practice) Bullseye, CCI LP primers, Starline brass, (in either +P or regular) and Rainier Ballistics "leadsafe" 230 grain RN bullets.

RJ

 

[unclenick]

It won't make any significant difference for target loads. In QuickLOAD if I start with a 200 grain LSWC over 4.0 grains of Bullseye in a case with 27 grains of water capacity, I get 703 fps. In a case with 25 grains of water capacity I get 729 fps. Dropping the load about 0.165 grains (last 0.005 grains my interpolation) brings the load down to a velocity match in the smaller case. Peak pressures are 7925 and 8455 for the two loads. The smaller charge needs the slightly higher pressure to keep velocity up because its making a smaller total gas quantity.

 

[Motor31]

As long as you are not pushing for max velocity the case should not be that much of a difference. You can certainly reduce your loads about 10% and then work back up just to be safe.

FWIW I stopped using bullseye in large capacity cases like the .45 due to the load density. It's too easy to get a double charge in it and no0t notice it. I switched to Red Dot and Green dot powder. Even though they are marketed as a shotgun powder they have great data for loads for handguns in many manuals and on the powder website. The loading density is better as they are a bulkier powder per weight of charge and it makes it easier to spot a suspicious powder level in the case. I have had good luck with the loads using those powders. A side benefit is since they are shotgun powders they are more often available than the regular "pistol" powders.

 

[Bill M]

In theory there is no reason not to care which brass you shoot as long as the correct loading data is used. In practice though, the +P seems to be a problem looking for a place to happen. There is little to no reloading data out for +P brass. There is also the issue of getting +P and regular brass mixed up. Starline also charges more for it. Just my opinion but introducing +P brass into the mix seems like inviting headaches down the road.

I agree with unclenick that light loads should make no safety difference. But as pressures go up, that safety zone goes away pretty quick.

 

[recoil junky]

Yeah, I kinda gave up on the idea of +P brass. I'm looking at some regular Starline brass as I've had great results with it in the 40S&W.

So far I've been shooting American Eagle 230 grain ammo and it's been working pretty well. I think I'll "save" the Federal brass for bar killin' loads and use the Starline for practice, when I get set up with another Lee Pro 1000. It will be ordered here in another week or so, along with brass and bullets.

RJ

 

[Bill M]

Yeah, I kinda gave up on the idea of +P brass. I'm looking at some regular Starline brass as I've had great results with it in the 40S&W.

So far I've been shooting American Eagle 230 grain ammo and it's been working pretty well. I think I'll "save" the Federal brass for bar killin' loads and use the Starline for practice, when I get set up with another Lee Pro 1000. It will be ordered here in another week or so, along with brass and bullets.

RJ

RJ,

FWIW, I have been shooting mostly Starline brass in my Glock 45's for about 8 years now. It has been great brass. Never had a failure of any sort. My "hot loads" are just factory duplication loads so the brass is not strained much. Starline is great.

 

[nagib otayek]

800x

For years, the only gun powder I could get was the 800X, and worked up loads for almost any round I needed to reload, mainly pistol ammo. Now in reloading manuals, I find very little or no information concerning the use of this propellant in handgun reloads. I have a considerable amount of 800X and would like to use it in 45 ACP, with 200 gr. round nose cast bullets. Any suggestion about the possibility and powder weight. My handgun is a 625 S&W revolver in almost new condition.

 

[Skull13]

I've had good results for top velocity loads using Accurate Arms No7 high loading density without excess presure.

 

[curiousgb]

My favorite 45acp load is a 200gr lswc over 4.5gr of WST.

 

[Bill Mannatt]

RJ,

FWIW, I have been shooting mostly Starline brass in my Glock 45's for about 8 years now. It has been great brass. Never had a failure of any sort. My "hot loads" are just factory duplication loads so the brass is not strained much. Starline is great.

Ditto on the Starline brass. Their nickle-plated brass is what I use for hotter loads in the +P range.Seldom load hot anymore,4.7 grs of HP-38 under a 230 gr. HSM rn lead is what I shoot 300+ times a week.Remington Golden Sabres for carry.

 

[unclenick]

Nagib,

Hodgdon has data on their site for 200 grain SWC. It is:

6.9 grains to start and 7.7 grains maximum.

You're going to be seating a round nose out a little further than the 1.225" COL used for the SWC of pressure development, so your charge might be a half a grain higher, but I would ignore that to start and just use the above data.

 

[digisol]

As to the brass, won't make enough difference to measure so long as you use the same brand, same load, but together and not mixed, most of my brass were Speer .45 Auto

I have loaded countless thousands of 45 acp, my stock failsafe match winning target (most accurate) easy shooting load that needs a lighter main spring or you will get jamms coming and going, was always using 4.2g Red dot with a 200g swc hard coated lead pill out of a modded Colt Gold Cup national Match.

Primers 7/10, 10 being as per PMC factory ammo.

Burn 98%

8lb main spring

Feeds 99%

dead on accurate. 1" @ 25 yds

Have also used win 231 for a while to finish a tin used on the 9mm, lost the actual load but have the results, same bullet, was faster / snappy recoil, burn 99%+, primers 7.5/10, slightly less accurate 1.5" @ 25 yds.