.45 ACP Reload Help

[dickttx]

Have several new things going and hit a bump.
1. Recently got a new Colt Rail Gun. Have put 300 rounds of commercial white box type 230 ball thru it. I wanted to try some reloads.
2. Over the past couple of months I have accumulated a Lee Classic Turret and all the accutriments. I used these for the first time to load 12 rounds using MBC 200gr RNFP and Lee's manual, for 5.1 gr Unique. I started with the recommended disk of .53. After throwing several trial loads I weighed the charge and was only getting about 4gr. I kept trying different disks of progressively larger size until I came to .71. This was a considerably larger hole than the .53, but I weighed 10 consequetive throws and got 5.2 on ALL of them. With this disk I began loading the 12 rounds, single stage, while adjusting all the dies. I weighed the 1st, 5th, 10th and 12th charges and all were 5.2gr.
I took these out and shot them and all functioned perfectly, and with approximately the same POI as the 230 gr ball.
3. With the success of the 12 rounds under my belt, I went back in and loaded the rest of the 100 rounds of RP brass I had. Everything went nicely and after about 25 total rounds I inserted the indexing rod and started using as a turret, still weighing every tenth round. After about 80 total rounds I started noticing a little higher powder level in the case. I started weighing again and was now getting about 5.3gr. I finished those 100 rounds and continued getting 5.3.
After supper, I went back out to load another 100 rounds, this time it was WW cases. I was still getting 5.3gr, however, as I progressed on that 100 rounds I could again see a little more powder in the case. By the time I finished those I was getting about 5.9 gr. When I went back to the house I checked my Lee guide and it showed that particular loading to be a very narrow range, I believe, 5.1 to 5.3. Checked my other manuals and on line and kept coming up with about 5.5 of Unique for the 200gr lead. Finally found my Lyman book and it had a maximum for that load of 6gr.

My first question is, does anyone have any experience with a 5.5 to 6.0 grain load of Unique with the 200gr LRNFP?

My second question is, is it normal for the Lee disks to be off that much (53 to 71)?

My third question is, why was I getting the creep in weight. -- Two thoughts on this, toward the end of the second 100 I was running low on powder. The powder measure was less than half full when I finished. Also, the WW cases were apparently thicker than the RP. I got a definate dragging on the taper crimp die, both going in and coming out.

Appreciate any thoughts and help anyone could give me.

[haggis]

I don't use the Lee powder measure, so I can't give you any direct help, but I know a few tricks that may help you get more uniform charges.

• Some powders meter better when you use a baffle between the container and powder measure. This takes out the effect of powder weight in the measure. Very common on shotgun presses where the measures hold a lot of powder.
• Use the same action when throwing a charge. Bump the leaver down the same way and back up the same way. Usually, it takes a few throws to get things uniform. If your reloading is interrupted for more than a few minutes, go through your startup sequence with the measure again. This is easier with a turret press than it is with a progressive.
• If any part of your measure (except the powder container) is plastic, you can expect some variation due to electrostatic forces. This usually results charge-to-charge variation rather than progressive ups or downs. Metal everything is better, and make sure the press is grounded.

Good luck. maybe someone with Lee experience will chime in.

Buck

[O C]

Not much help on the powder situation, but Haggis had some good thoughts. I just loaded a few hundred rounds of .45ACP using 230gr lswc, (home cast) and 6.0gr Unique. They function quite well in my Combat Commander, Taurus 1911, SIG GSR, and Gold Cup NM. Not too cold, not too hot...Just right.

[pajim]

That is strange normally as powder goes down in mesure charge gets lighter...maybe try using a powder that meters better...I do all my loading on a single stage press so dont know too much of the in's and out's of a turret press I do like to seat bullets and taper crimp in seperat steps makes a nicer job imo....

Have several new things going and hit a bump.
1. Recently got a new Colt Rail Gun. Have put 300 rounds of commercial white box type 230 ball thru it. I wanted to try some reloads.
2. Over the past couple of months I have accumulated a Lee Classic Turret and all the accutriments. I used these for the first time to load 12 rounds using MBC 200gr RNFP and Lee's manual, for 5.1 gr Unique. I started with the recommended disk of .53. After throwing several trial loads I weighed the charge and was only getting about 4gr. I kept trying different disks of progressively larger size until I came to .71. This was a considerably larger hole than the .53, but I weighed 10 consequetive throws and got 5.2 on ALL of them. With this disk I began loading the 12 rounds, single stage, while adjusting all the dies. I weighed the 1st, 5th, 10th and 12th charges and all were 5.2gr.
I took these out and shot them and all functioned perfectly, and with approximately the same POI as the 230 gr ball.
3. With the success of the 12 rounds under my belt, I went back in and loaded the rest of the 100 rounds of RP brass I had. Everything went nicely and after about 25 total rounds I inserted the indexing rod and started using as a turret, still weighing every tenth round. After about 80 total rounds I started noticing a little higher powder level in the case. I started weighing again and was now getting about 5.3gr. I finished those 100 rounds and continued getting 5.3.
After supper, I went back out to load another 100 rounds, this time it was WW cases. I was still getting 5.3gr, however, as I progressed on that 100 rounds I could again see a little more powder in the case. By the time I finished those I was getting about 5.9 gr. When I went back to the house I checked my Lee guide and it showed that particular loading to be a very narrow range, I believe, 5.1 to 5.3. Checked my other manuals and on line and kept coming up with about 5.5 of Unique for the 200gr lead. Finally found my Lyman book and it had a maximum for that load of 6gr.

My first question is, does anyone have any experience with a 5.5 to 6.0 grain load of Unique with the 200gr LRNFP?

My second question is, is it normal for the Lee disks to be off that much (53 to 71)?

My third question is, why was I getting the creep in weight. -- Two thoughts on this, toward the end of the second 100 I was running low on powder. The powder measure was less than half full when I finished. Also, the WW cases were apparently thicker than the RP. I got a definate dragging on the taper crimp die, both going in and coming out.

Appreciate any thoughts and help anyone could give me.

[morecolts]

My first question is, does anyone have any experience with a 5.5 to 6.0 grain load of Unique with the 200gr LRNFP?

nope.

My second question is, is it normal for the Lee disks to be off that much (53 to 71)?

yes. i found that when i was using Bullseye for 9mm, it was throwing less then book.

My third question is, why was I getting the creep in weight. -- Two thoughts on this, toward the end of the second 100 I was running low on powder. The powder measure was less than half full when I finished. Also, the WW cases were apparently thicker than the RP. I got a definate dragging on the taper crimp die, both going in and coming out.

chances are when you were running the press, it was in essence vibrating it causing the powder to settle more. settling will allow you more volume (powder).

Appreciate any thoughts and help anyone could give me.

If youre going to use the press in auto mode, do all of your adjustments in auto mode. always run several rounds thru the press AFTER you do any adjustments. since youre double checking your loads, thats good and keep doing it.

with regards to the inconsistancy in charge vs disk, i just bought the "adjustable charge bar" its $10.00.

[rljatl]

Buy an aquarium pump from Wal-Mart for $6. Tightly tape it to the side of your powder measure hopper. The vibration will improve the consistency of your powder measure throws.

[williamd]

My Lee did not throw as the Lee material indicated it should ... by about 0.5g. I had to go up two hole sizes to get what I needed. It has worked fine but does decrease just a bit as powder level gets low. I weigh about every 20th round just to be sure.

[Grumpa72]

I only use Win 231/HP 38 for .45 acp, 9mm and .40 S&W and it throws it quite accurately - right about .1 low. I know a lot of folks use Unique but the 231/38 sure meters well and accurately. In addition, the disk is the correct one from their chart for the loads quoted. It doesn't do so well throwing HP 335 for my .223 but that is another story.

Forgot to add, that I use the Lee Classic Cast Turret and the disk powder measure.

[dickttx]

When I went back out to my reloading room the first thing I noticed was my scale sitting on the table behind my press, for convenience in reaching it. I think the movement of the press may have caused the scale to move around a little. I know the table is not completely level, so any movement of the scale would affect the zero.
I also shot 50 of the hundred rounds that I suspected might have larger powder charges (more than 5.2/less than 6.0). They did not seem any different than the 5.2 grain rounds.
I moved my scale to the top of an adjacent fireproof 2 drawer file cabinet. There will now be no jiggle.
Appreciate the comments.