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Old September 11, 2011, 01:07 PM   #1
spacecoast
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Need some .45ACP revolver target load suggestions

I just took delivery on a S&W 625 and am interested in using it for outdoor Bullseye (25 and 50 yards), so I need some nice soft-shooting target loads for Timed and Rapid Fire. Such info seems to be pretty rare online that's not geared to a 1911 and slide cycling issues.

Does anyone have favorite loads they would like to share? I already have a good supply of 185 grain LSWC bullets and Titegroup, Unique and Accurate #2 powders, so if I was able to make use of those it would be a bonus.

Before I had the 625, I had tried 4.3 grains and 5.3 grains of Unique, but rejected the 4.3 grain load because it wouldn't cycle the slide of my Ruger P345 consistently and the 5.3 grain load seemed "weak". I have recently used 4.7 grains of Titegroup because it works great in the Ruger, but think I could reduce that some for the revolver for less recoil and still get good accuracy.

Any suggestions would be appreciated...
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Old September 11, 2011, 01:56 PM   #2
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4.6 grains of Bullseye. Lead or jacketed ball 230 grain bullet. Anybody's brass and large pistol primers.
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Old September 11, 2011, 02:20 PM   #3
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For conventional pistol match shooting, get 200 grain cast SWC's in the popular H&G 68 shape for Slow Fire, and most anybody's hard cast or plated 185 grain SWC for Timed and Rapid. Get the square base rather than a bevel base design. In a revolver I think you'll find the bevel base offers the throat a little more time to bleed gas through the barrel/cylinder gap, so you get a little more top strap leading and maybe a little more sensitivity to a throat constriction where the barrel screws into the frame. The square base also spends less time clearing the muzzle, so it's less prone to muzzle blast-induced yaw and drift. Get a Lyman M expander die, as their step profile helps any brand seater put the bullets in more straight, and that actually affects group size, I've found.

When revolvers were still prominent in conventional pistol matches, 3.5 grains of Bullseye powder was a common match load and will work well with both the bullet weights I mentioned. If you can find a seating die for .45 Auto Rim brass it should have a roll crimp rather than a taper crimp. That shortens brass life, but the old timers swore the heavier crimp produced better accuracy, so that's something you can try. I see a reduction in MV variation, and for those slow-moving SF loads, when you shoot the full 50 yards rather than reduced targets, that can help. It shouldn't matter for Timed and Rapid.

Use Federal 150 or 150M primers if you get the mainspring lightened at all. They still seem to be easiest to ignite.
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Last edited by Unclenick; September 12, 2011 at 09:41 PM. Reason: typo fix
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Old September 11, 2011, 07:02 PM   #4
spacecoast
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Thanks Unclenick, as usual you share freely from your wealth of information. My 185s (local supply) are a square base design so that's a plus, and I will be investing in some Bullseye the next time I buy powder.

I have indeed lightened the mainspring on the gun and will be using Federal primers, a lesson I learned vividly with my 686 a few weeks ago. There's almost nothing that will ruin a Bullseye match like a bunch of light primer strikes (unless it's a semi-auto that won't feed correctly). I've had both, and the Federals cleared up the problem nicely.
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Old September 12, 2011, 08:28 AM   #5
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The Bullseye load I used for years with great success was 3.8 gr of Bullseye powder, Federal LPP, Midway brass & a 200 gr SWC H&G 68 style.
If using 185 Jacketed SWC I used 4 gr of Bullseye.
these loads would shoot under 2" @50 yds from a Ransome Rest, had soft recoil too. In my 1911, I used a 14 lb recoil spring to assure reliabilty.

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Old September 12, 2011, 03:30 PM   #6
carsinc
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Bullseye loads

Penn's match grade 200 gr LSWC bullets
3.7 gr N310
OAL=1.235"
In a 1911, use a 10 lb spring
For a revolver, this should be a nice light recoil load.
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