I cranked out a short batch of 45 ACP reloads, this time with 5.4 grains of W231. I used the same 1.220” OAL and CCI primers as before. The Beta Master reports that from the Rock Island, average velocity for ten rounds was 840.8 fps with an extreme spread of 34.52 fps and standard deviation of 10.86 fps.

From the late-80's Springfield 1911A1, average velocity for ten rounds was 856.1 fps with an extreme spread of 28.19 fps and standard deviation of 9.84 fps.

These are excellent numbers for 45 Auto reloads in range pick-up brass. Bumping the load up improved the standard deviation and extreme spread by 25-30 percent. The primers looked about like any other .45 load and fired casings show no strain. I’d achieved the velocity and consistency I was looking for; what remained was to see if useful accuracy followed.

I plinked around at 25 yards a little, accomplishing nothing remarkable. We’d driven in from Atlanta the night before and I was still tired. So I picked up brass & took a break, before moving back to 50 yards. I pulled out five loads in Winchester cases, took a rest on the range bag and sent ‘em downrange at a 50 foot bull. Elevation was perfect but he group landed on the right edge of the paper. I wasn’t dissatisfied at all with it.

My only complaint with my wadcutter load was that it didn’t shoot flat enough for 50 or 100 yards. That might sound a little silly, but I like to plink at those distances and I’m not above busting a coyote with a pistol. I always shoot better on three dimensional targets, so I stapled up an old target box which was maybe three feet tall. Here’s what it looked like from 25 yards.

My little batch of reloads was depleting so I pulled out five more, this time in nickel Federal brass, and moved my hunting chair back to the 100 yard line. I used the top six inches of the box as an aiming point, crossed my legs and used my left knee as a rest as I fired from a seated position. I lost one round off the left edge of the box, but the four I didn’t flub made a nice little cluster right in the middle of the box.

Closing thoughts- according to some references this is a tenth of a grain over the recommended max, for a similar 230 grain bullet. Use at your own risk. Also, at 1.220” OAL the shoulder of this bullet is just kissing the rifling of the Rock Island’s barrel. I was tempted to shorten it, but at that length it feeds perfectly in barrels with either the wadcutter or GI throat. It shoots great and it produces the numbers I wanted. It’s works- and I ain’t fixing it.

get those results with all my pistols/revolvers.

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Sincerely,

Hobie

Thanks Hobie. There aren't many things I am OC about, but making a reload produce the velocity and accuracy I want is one of them. All my handguns have fixed sights, so each load also has to match POI at a useful distance, with whatever else I shoot in them.

A year ago I ordered 2-3K of those from Wideners and used them all up. I also shoot lots of 230's with a similar shape that I get "locally" , but the slightly smaller nose of the 225's seemed to be a little more forgiving OAL wise. I'm happy to have a source for more.

At 770 or so fps, I was getting a bit of leading in the grooves. At 840 fps, it has all but disappeared. I'm guessing the bullet is obturating and filling the grooves better at the higher velocity. Either way, I'm not looking that gift horse in the mouth.

nm