Good start with MBC 225 gr. coated TC .45 ACP

[daved20319]

Loaded up my first handloads for my 97 BD, and was able to get to the range today.  In my usual style, rather than starting easy with a jacketed bullet, I went with coated cast bullets from Missouri Bullet Company.  Ordered 3 different bullets, a round nose and a SWC, both 200 gr., as well as a 225 gr. truncated cone.  Only worked up loads for the TC and SWC so far, both using Bullseye powder, new Starline LPP brass, and CCI primers.  Oddly enough, the SWC's shot like crap, at least with the OAL and powder I was using.  Didn't take the chrony along so I don't know the velocity, but they felt snappy, and might simply be going too fast.  None of the groups were very good, but the slower ones were the best of a bad bunch.  All shooting was done at 40 feet, BTW (don't ask), bench rested.

The 225's were a different story.  Best 5 shot group was just over 1.5", worst was around 2.5".  I started off with some AE 230 gr. FMJ as warm-up and as a control, one 5 shot group was just under 3", the other was just over 4".  Same as above on my hand loads, Bullseye powder starting at 4.1 gr. and increasing in .2 gr. increments.  Sweet spot was at 4.7 gr., tightest group, was pretty much dead on POA, and soft shooting as well.  Of course, it helps shooting the 97, it's a big, heavy pistol that really soaks up the recoil.

For those of you that might be thinking, so what, that's not so great, bear in mind, this is only the second time out with this pistol, and the first pistol hand loads I've done in over 40 years.  Plus, I only got back into firearms a couple of years ago, and serious about handguns just this year.  So I figure I'm entitled to crow at least a little .

Will be loading up another batch of those 225's, see if they continue to be good, and I'll be experimenting with the SWC some more too.  Running out of shooting season in my neck of the woods, though, been waking up to temps in the mid-teens, and today's high only reached a little over 40.  If anyone has suggestions on any improvements I could make, I'm all ears.  Later.

Dave 

[M1A4ME]

Bullseye is a good powder for .45 acp loads.  I've used it and Unique for about 40 years now (I keep typing that and then thinking, really???  really?  That long??)  Anyway, my loads for those powders are 5.0 grains of Bullseye and 6.0 grains of Unique.

Your pistol my prefer and slightly different load but those powders will work.  Some guy recommend Red Dot as well.  I've got some Red Dot and I need to find something to use it up in.  Might do some load development work with it and the same bullets you used.  I've been loading those the last year or so but only recently started shooting them for more than just testing during load development.  Got a new XD Tactical in .45 acp that is working great with those.  I never can remember, exactly, what Missouri Bullet Co. calls that bullet style, so I just call it a flat nosed bullet.

We shot some yesterday.  They do okay in my pistol, not sure about my nephew's XD Compact, he was next to me just banging away and I think he shot a lot of rounds and can't tell me which shot better in his pistols (LRN, FN coated or FMJ).

Now that you think you got the best results from 4.7 grains you need to load up some more and do some more testing (functionality and group size) to confirm that is the "sweet spot" for your pistol.

[Radom]

I get better groups with Unique than Bullseye in any/all cartridges that are suitable (.38 Special, 9x19mm, .45 ACP, et al.). To be fair, this may be confirmation bias at this point.

Just to show that I am not totally biased, my favorite powder, IMR SR-4756, is not a stand-out in .45 ACP... :;

[Radom]

Bullseye is a good powder for .45 acp loads.  I've used it and Unique for about 40 years now (I keep typing that and then thinking, really???  really?  That long??)  Anyway, my loads for those powders are 5.0 grains of Bullseye and 6.0 grains of Unique.

Your pistol my prefer and slightly different load but those powders will work.  Some guy recommend Red Dot as well.

Red Dot is a very versatile 12 ga. powder, so a lot of people work up handgun loads with it.  If I could only have one powder, I would wonder who imposed this restriction upon me, and then I would choose between Red Dot and Unique...   

[Wobbly]

Just to show that I am not totally biased, my favorite powder, IMR SR-4756, is not a stand-out in .45 ACP... :;

As long as we're talking obscure and obsolete.... IMR 7625 might be !

[Radom]

Just to show that I am not totally biased, my favorite powder, IMR SR-4756, is not a stand-out in .45 ACP... :;

As long as we're talking obscure and obsolete.... IMR 7625 might be !

My good man, don't get me started on the virtues of IMR SR-7625!  While it is not the apple of my eye, like it's more versatile sibling, I could wax eloquently for hours...

EDIT: In all seriousness, I will probably use up my last 2 lbs. in 16 ga. just to get rid of it. 

[daved20319]

Now that you think you got the best results from 4.7 grains you need to load up some more and do some more testing (functionality and group size) to confirm that is the "sweet spot" for your pistol.

That's exactly what I plan to do, and I may even try a 0.1gr charge on either side, just to massage my OCD a little  .

So in addition to Bullseye, I also have some Win 231, VV 320, and Hodgdon's (sp?) CFE Pistol.  I picked up a pound of each for testing in .45 ACP and 9 mm.  Any load recommendations for any of the above, or suggestions for others I should try?  I'm still trying to find some Alliant Sport Pistol, it's fairly new, but sounds interesting, especially as I'm using coated bullets in the .45.  Later, and thanks.

Dave

[lewmed]

 Mine seems to like any 200 gr. bullet over 4.2 to 4.8 gr. of 231   SWC bullets have to be seated short to feed 100% about .040" of the rim above the case mouth.  Round nose lead, plated, or coated work the best for me.

[Catdaddy2]

Love hearing  this cz 97 talk.

[IDescribe]

Oddly enough, the SWC's shot like crap, at least with the OAL and powder I was using.  Didn't take the chrony along so I don't know the velocity, but they felt snappy, and might simply be going too fast.  None of the groups were very good, but the slower ones were the best of a bad bunch. 

And there you go.  You're above where you want to shoot that bullet with that powder if best accuracy is your goal.

The 200gr SWC loaded with Alliant Bullseye is a classic, winning combination for 50-yard bullseye competitions.  I believe you will find most people using the 200gr SWC for competition with Bullseye to load between 3.9gr and 4.2gr. 

I do not have a wealth of experience loading for this caliber.  Where I have stolen the pet loads of better men than I, I have experienced instant success in terms of accuracy, and where I've indulged my tinkerism and branched out, I have been disappointed.     

Figure out what your goal is.  If it's tightest groups possible, you may find them at or below the published load windows in .45ACP.   Aliant data for the 200gr SWC is 4.2-4.6gr, which is higher than you want to be.

Load up some 200gr SWC at 3.8, 3.9, 4.0, and 4.1, then go out and see what happens. 

I suspect the ladder you just shot was going in the wrong direction.

[daved20319]

Can someone recommend a load specifically for the MBC 200 gr. SWC?  I'm starting to think I might have screwed up.  I'm using the Lyman Load Data book for auto pistol calibers, mostly because they have a fair number of loads for cast bullets.  Problem is, they list 2 different 200 gr. SWC's, but with really different charge ranges.  One calls for 3.5-5.6 gr. of Bullseye, while the one I picked, because the picture matches my bullet better, runs 4.9-6.0, quite a difference.  How do you choose in a situation like this?  They list a mold number and lead alloy, but I don't cast my own bullets, so that info is meaningless to me.  Some guidance here would be much appreciated here.  Later.

Dave

[painter]

I believe you got your guidance in the post directly above yours.

[IDescribe]

Can someone recommend a load specifically for the MBC 200 gr. SWC? 

Yes.

4.0gr of Bullseye 

I still think you should build a ladder in .1gr increments from 3.8gr to 4.1gr so that you know for sure which charge weight is most accurate in your pistol, but if I were a gambler, I'd bet on 4.0. 
 

[IDescribe]

I believe you got your guidance in the post directly above yours.

Also, what Painter said. 

[daved20319]

Okay, I'll go there, but what about the seriously different loads listed in my Lyman manual?  Obviously, not all 200 gr. SWC's are created the same, at least as far as Lyman is concerned.  And since the only bullet dimension typically published is diameter, it's tough making comparisons.  So again, how do you decide which numbers to use in a situation like this, especially for someone relatively new to reloading?  Later, and thanks.

Dave