.45 acp query

[LariatBob]

Greetings.
Just got a new bacth of round nose 230 bullets from Rock Mountian Reloading. Have been using them for years with absolutely no issues.
New batch is much "rounder" than the previous.
I have been seating them to 1.274 with the older bullets. I seat first to depth and then taper crimp. i check each and every one for proper chamber with a spare barrel. I always use 4 gr of Clays.
The new batch of bullets engage the rifling closer to the bullet tip. I end up having to seat them at 1.20 before the case will head space correctly in the chamber. That means that there is .07" less space in the casing. They are of course noticably shorter.

I asked the guy at RMR if he thought there would be any problems with overpressure and he said "It will be okay to seat it that deep. It's such a low pressure round anyway and I'm assuming you aren't trying to load +p+ loads for it right? It may increase pressures a little but it shouldn't be so much that it will hurt anything. What gun are you shooting these from?"

I told him that I shoot these from my Kimber 1911's and he said "Yeah, your kimber can handle those just fine."

Not that I doubt him or assume that he is an expert, I wanted to ask the forum what the thoughts were.

Thank you for your opinions. I can post pictures if needed.

[Zombie Steve]

Less case volume = higher pressure. Clays is a pretty fast burner, and has a quick pressure curve. You'll probably be fine, but what would it really take to re-work the load? 25 rounds?

It's clearly a very different bullet... I'd start over.

[Great-Kazoo]

I've switched over to unique, with good results , accuracy and function wise. As ZS mentioned rework the loads, shouldn't take more then 25 rounds, if that.

[Zombie Steve]

Unique is a classic in .45 auto (and .45 Colt... and .38 special... and mid-range .44 mag... and mid-range .357). Just run it on the warm side like any medium burn rate powder so you get decent combustion. I only ever shot Clays with a 200 gr lswc, but it worked great, and it was probably one of the softest shooting loads I've ever come up with.

These days, I'm shooting WSF and a 230 grain tc cast boolit. 195ish power factor, but that's what a .45 is supposed to be, dammit.

[Great-Kazoo]

Unique is a classic in .45 auto (and .45 Colt... and .38 special... and mid-range .44 mag... and mid-range .357). Just run it on the warm side like any medium burn rate powder so you get decent combustion. I only ever shot Clays with a 200 gr lswc, but it worked great, and it was probably one of the softest shooting loads I've ever come up with.

These days, I'm shooting WSF and a 230 grain tc cast boolit. 195ish power factor, but that's what a .45 is supposed to be, dammit.

You forgot, Suppressed My ruger 1911 really likes a 200 gr lswc with 5gr unique.

[earplug]

Clays is a great 45 ACP powder.

[sportbikeco]

First what does your data say? min oal, max charge?

How do the projectiles compare in length to each other? This + oal will tell you how much space you are loosing not simply oal.


Hodgdons web site says 1.2min 4.0gr max @ ~17kpsi for both pb and fmj. Id say you are fine with the change.

but...

I don't typically load book max on anything, in your case id switch powder if you are after velocity, lots of good performers in 45auto. Ive had lgood luck with W231, Bullseye, Unique, red dot for target stuff.