lead vs. jacketed same recipe?

[Cap]

I generally load a 200 gr. MontanaGold jacketed flat point in my 1911 Gov't. using 4.7 - 5.1 gr. of Titegroup. I recently purchased a Para P14 from a fellow shooter who recommended using 4.4 gr. of Clays with a 200 gr. LSW (his favorite load) in this gun.

My question is can I use the 4.4 gr. of Clays with my JFP bullets without a problem? I would start there, chrono it and go from there to achieve the velocity I'm looking for. BTW Hodgdon does not provide info on this bullet/powder combo.

Thanks
Cap

[haggis]

It usually requires less powder for lead bullets than jacketed ones of the same weight and shape to get the to same velocity. For example, Titegroup - 4.4 gr for 230 gr lead = 4.8gr for 230 gr jacketed. Bullet shape (really bullet surface contact area with bore) has some effect, i.e., 200 gr LRNFP (smaller contact area) requires more powder for the same velocity as 200 gr LSWC (larger area).

BTW, 4.4 gr Clays w/ 200gr JHP is 0.1 gr over maximum load. Start at 3.9 gr and work up. Maximum velocities will be considerably less than with Titegroup. You won't make Major power factor in IDPA/USPSA.

Check here:
http://www.hodgdon.com/

Buck

[Cap]

Thanks for the reply Buck

I had checked hodgdon's site but I must have selected an incorrect search term as I did not see data for the 200 gr. bullet. Just checked again and you are quite correct. This raises another question. As reported on the Brian Enos forum, a large number of USPSA shooters are using Clays with 200 gr. jacketed bullets and making major with 4.4 gr. Here's a quote from an USPSA shooter on that forum.

"The load I use for 200gr MG JFP is 4.7grs of Clays, with an OAL of 1.21 and Federal Primers. This makes 174PF in my STI Sentry. 4.6grs makes 170PF and 4.8grs makes 176PF.

The hodgdon data for a 200 gr. JHP is for a COAL of 1.155" but in the 1911 most shooters use a COAL of close to 1.225" or so.

[LeMat]

Just wanted to chime in and say that when I was shooting USPSA, I was loading those same bullets with 4.7gr of Clays.

What was really nice though, is that Montana Gold is only 7 miles down the road and I was able to go in and purchase "seconds".

It's been a few years since then and I'm not sure they do that anymore.