45 Bullet Data Question

The_Huntman · January 13, 2001, 09:15 PM

I have a box of Sierra 45 caliber .4515 diameter 185 grain FPJ bullets and would like to reload them. I cannot find anything in my Lyman 47th book about them. What would be a close enough match to reload these? Thanks!

**Bud Helms** · January 13, 2001, 09:22 PM

.45 ACP? The low end of any 185 gr load should suffice for a starting point.

The_Huntman · January 13, 2001, 09:45 PM

That would make sense. What should/would the OAL be? I went ahead and seated one of the bullets and it seems pretty short. Any thougts to help this beginner?

Hunter

Target Shooter · January 13, 2001, 10:38 PM

I seat my 185 grain JHP bullets at 1.250".
You'll have to seat a few and run them through the mag to see if they feed well. After that you can increase or decrease the seating depth to see what works best in your gun.

TS

char923 · January 13, 2001, 11:38 PM

THE_HUNTMAN
My Midway loadmap book list the Sierra 185gr FPJ at OAL 1.239" What kind of powder will you be useing and I will let you know.

The_Huntman · January 14, 2001, 12:23 AM

I have some Red Dot available. BTW thanks so much for the info as it is greatly appreciated.

char923 · January 14, 2001, 12:56 AM

Dont list Red Dot
Only list Accurate No. 2,5,7, Alliant Blue Dot, Bullseye, Unique, Hodgdon HP-38, HS-6, IMR 700X, and Winchester 231. I did find a listing for Red Dot in my Hornady book with bullet at OAL. 1.230
min of 4.1gr for 750 FPS
max of 4.9gr for 900 FPS
maybe this will help you.

**Mal H** · January 14, 2001, 01:39 AM

A little warning Hunter. Similar weight bullets don't always have the same OAL. The OAL is adjusted to the height of the bullet with the objective being to have a fairly constant case volumn below the bullet. As an example, Speer list a 185 gr. TMJ with an OAL of 1.275 and a 185 gr. HP with an OAL of 1.200. That's a fairly significant difference because the TMJ is a tall SWC and the HP is short. It might be a good idea to call the maker of your bullets and see what they have to say.

As for Red Dot, if your bullet is plated as "FPJ" implies, then Speer lists 4.5 grains as the starting load with a max of 4.9 grains. However, if your bullets are copper jacketed, then Red Dot may be a little too fast a burner for them, but I wouldn't be at all concerned about using the same starting point of 4.5 grains. If anything, they will be underpowered with that powder weight and the max will be a little higher than for the plated bullet. Again, a chat with the bullet maker is in order.

char923 · January 14, 2001, 02:58 AM

Mal H
Dont get me wrong, but how can Red Dot be to fast of powder when I show a listing for up to more then 5.9gr of Bullseye, for a Sierra 185gr FPJ bullet at 1.239" ??

**Mal H** · January 14, 2001, 09:18 AM

char923 - You're absolutely right. I was going on the absence of Red Dot in both the Speer and Sierra listings for jacketed bullets. But they do list Bullseye which is even a tad faster. You'll notice I said I wouldn't be at all concerned about using it.

**Bud Helms** · January 14, 2001, 12:34 PM

MalH is correct about the OAL. Max OALs are an ogive thing. Max OALs listed in reloading manuals are usually only accurate for bullets with the same ogive, not weight. That's max. Minimum is a different story as MalH was saying (even thought I think he got the TMJ and the HP reversed ...

).

**Mal H** · January 14, 2001, 01:01 PM

Nope, sensop, they're not reversed. As I mentioned, the Speer TMJ is taller than the HP so the over all length will be longer. (Ref - Speer #12 for 45 Auto) These are only for illustration, your mileage (in thousandths of an inch), with different bullets, will definitely vary.

**Bud Helms** · January 14, 2001, 06:13 PM

If I could only read ...

I was thinking of the bullet. You are talking about the OAL of the cartridge. DUH! Even bullet-to-bullet length, I could still be wrong. Just ignore me. I know everything ...

January 14, 2001, 12:34 PM	#11
Bud Helms Senior Member Join Date: December 31, 1999 Location: Middle Georgia, USA Posts: 13,198	MalH is correct about the OAL. Max OALs are an ogive thing. Max OALs listed in reloading manuals are usually only accurate for bullets with the same ogive, not weight. That's max. Minimum is a different story as MalH was saying (even thought I think he got the TMJ and the HP reversed ...).

January 13, 2001, 09:15 PM	#1
The_Huntman Member Join Date: October 31, 2000 Posts: 39	I have a box of Sierra 45 caliber .4515 diameter 185 grain FPJ bullets and would like to reload them. I cannot find anything in my Lyman 47th book about them. What would be a close enough match to reload these? Thanks!

January 13, 2001, 09:22 PM	#2
Bud Helms Senior Member Join Date: December 31, 1999 Location: Middle Georgia, USA Posts: 13,198	.45 ACP? The low end of any 185 gr load should suffice for a starting point.

January 13, 2001, 09:45 PM	#3
The_Huntman Member Join Date: October 31, 2000 Posts: 39	That would make sense. What should/would the OAL be? I went ahead and seated one of the bullets and it seems pretty short. Any thougts to help this beginner? Hunter

January 13, 2001, 10:38 PM	#4
Target Shooter Senior Member Join Date: May 19, 2000 Posts: 176	I seat my 185 grain JHP bullets at 1.250". You'll have to seat a few and run them through the mag to see if they feed well. After that you can increase or decrease the seating depth to see what works best in your gun. TS

January 13, 2001, 11:38 PM	#5
char923 Senior Member Join Date: February 18, 2000 Location: Anchorage AK Posts: 237	THE_HUNTMAN My Midway loadmap book list the Sierra 185gr FPJ at OAL 1.239" What kind of powder will you be useing and I will let you know.

January 14, 2001, 12:23 AM	#6
The_Huntman Member Join Date: October 31, 2000 Posts: 39	I have some Red Dot available. BTW thanks so much for the info as it is greatly appreciated.

January 14, 2001, 12:56 AM	#7
char923 Senior Member Join Date: February 18, 2000 Location: Anchorage AK Posts: 237	Dont list Red Dot Only list Accurate No. 2,5,7, Alliant Blue Dot, Bullseye, Unique, Hodgdon HP-38, HS-6, IMR 700X, and Winchester 231. I did find a listing for Red Dot in my Hornady book with bullet at OAL. 1.230 min of 4.1gr for 750 FPS max of 4.9gr for 900 FPS maybe this will help you.

January 14, 2001, 01:39 AM	#8
Mal H Staff Join Date: March 20, 1999 Location: Somewhere in the woods of Northern Virginia Posts: 16,955	A little warning Hunter. Similar weight bullets don't always have the same OAL. The OAL is adjusted to the height of the bullet with the objective being to have a fairly constant case volumn below the bullet. As an example, Speer list a 185 gr. TMJ with an OAL of 1.275 and a 185 gr. HP with an OAL of 1.200. That's a fairly significant difference because the TMJ is a tall SWC and the HP is short. It might be a good idea to call the maker of your bullets and see what they have to say. As for Red Dot, if your bullet is plated as "FPJ" implies, then Speer lists 4.5 grains as the starting load with a max of 4.9 grains. However, if your bullets are copper jacketed, then Red Dot may be a little too fast a burner for them, but I wouldn't be at all concerned about using the same starting point of 4.5 grains. If anything, they will be underpowered with that powder weight and the max will be a little higher than for the plated bullet. Again, a chat with the bullet maker is in order.

January 14, 2001, 02:58 AM	#9
char923 Senior Member Join Date: February 18, 2000 Location: Anchorage AK Posts: 237	Mal H Dont get me wrong, but how can Red Dot be to fast of powder when I show a listing for up to more then 5.9gr of Bullseye, for a Sierra 185gr FPJ bullet at 1.239" ??

January 14, 2001, 09:18 AM	#10
Mal H Staff Join Date: March 20, 1999 Location: Somewhere in the woods of Northern Virginia Posts: 16,955	char923 - You're absolutely right. I was going on the absence of Red Dot in both the Speer and Sierra listings for jacketed bullets. But they do list Bullseye which is even a tad faster. You'll notice I said I wouldn't be at all concerned about using it.

January 14, 2001, 01:01 PM	#12
Mal H Staff Join Date: March 20, 1999 Location: Somewhere in the woods of Northern Virginia Posts: 16,955	Nope, sensop, they're not reversed. As I mentioned, the Speer TMJ is taller than the HP so the over all length will be longer. (Ref - Speer #12 for 45 Auto) These are only for illustration, your mileage (in thousandths of an inch), with different bullets, will definitely vary.

January 14, 2001, 06:13 PM	#13
Bud Helms Senior Member Join Date: December 31, 1999 Location: Middle Georgia, USA Posts: 13,198	If I could only read ... I was thinking of the bullet. You are talking about the OAL of the cartridge. DUH! Even bullet-to-bullet length, I could still be wrong. Just ignore me. I know everything ...