Reloading Help

[tempey]

I started reloading for .45ACP and loaded and shot about 500 rounds of 230 LRN with 5.8gr of Unique and I loved the accuracy but I didn't like how dirty it was so I bought some W231. I loaded some test rounds today and none of them were as accurate as the Unique loads. Does anyone know if this is common or know of some accurate loads for W231. I really like how clean it was but if it isn't as accurate as Unique I will just spend the extra time cleaning.

 

[M67]

Hey, I use 5.9 grains of Unique with an overall of 1.25"

It's dirty but seems to shoot good :thumbup:

I've never experimented with W231, but I know a guy who shoots a ton of .45 and 9mm and uses HS6 with pretty good results.

When you think of a 1911 being dirty, just remember the test it was put through so the army would adopt it. 6,000 rounds continuously without cleaning and when it got too hot they dunked it into a barrel of water, cooled it, then kept shooting. Never missed a beat, and just imagine how clean that powder was

Edit:

looks like I had my history a little off there, here was the actual testing:

On March 3, 1911, the Army began a torture test. Each pistol would be fired 100 times, then allowed to cool for five minutes. After each 1,000 rounds the pistols would be cleaned and oiled. After 6,000 rounds, the pistols were tested with deformed cartridges, some with bullets seated too deeply, others not seated enough. The test pistols were soaked in water, mud and even acid. Browning’s design passed every test without a single failure—the first of any firearm to survive such a 6,000-round test.

http://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/colt-1911-history/

So....not as dramatic as I originally thought, but still tough. Unique may be a bit dirty, but hell, if it works...

 

[harkamus]

I started reloading for .45ACP and loaded and shot about 500 rounds of 230 LRN with 5.8gr of Unique and I loved the accuracy but I didn't like how dirty it was so I bought some W231. I loaded some test rounds today and none of them were as accurate as the Unique loads. Does anyone know if this is common or know of some accurate loads for W231. I really like how clean it was but if it isn't as accurate as Unique I will just spend the extra time cleaning.

Did you measure the cartridge length to your handgun? There is no end-all be all measurement for all guns across the board for a single caliber. Make an overlength dummy cartridge and measure that, then subtract .002 inches and you should be good to go. You want some jump distance before the bullet engages the rifling. Then make a cartridge (without powder) with the new measurement and do a chamber check. The cartridge should not engage the rifling. You'll know this by sound and feel. If you can press on the cartridge and it kind of snags, it's touching the rifling.

I use VihtaVuouri and Montana Gold bullets, so I can't help you on component selection since I use some of the best.

 

[Les Snyder]

not an answer to your question... but if you are not absolutely set on using 231, there are better modern powders for the 230 load....Hodgdon Clays and Winchester Super Target (WST) are both shotgun powders available at skeet and trap ranges at good prices, and are much more temperature stable than WW231...I don't recommend Clays for any other pistol cartridge due to its fast peaking burn rate, but WST is IMHO the "modern unique" and works for most any pistol cartridge