Darn, grab the wrong box!

ragwd · May 11, 2012, 01:43 PM

I was buying reload supplies and thought that I grabbed a box of 500 230gr jacketed rn 45acp, and what I really bought was 500 230gr rn 45acp lead. Always shied away from lead in the past, just ignorance I guess. Now I have 500 of the them, not going to run them thru my glock or my hk because of the so called issue with barrels. Not wanting to start that issue, please. I have other 45 acp's with regular barrel. I can get my load info, from my books and the powders web site, just wondering if there is any special precautions or difference between loading lead and jacketed. I will be using alliant Unique powder, new powder for me always used hodgdon in the past. Just wanting to try them all before I quit. Any way if you have any tips for that load or what to watch for when loading lead, Thanks in advance.

PA-Joe · May 11, 2012, 02:03 PM

Just follow the lead loads and you will be fine. Most lead bullets are larger in diameter than jackets so you may notice a ring in the case at the base of the bullet. This is normal. Check to make certain they will chamber correctly. What dies are you using?

bossman · May 11, 2012, 02:06 PM

Billions and billions RN of lead has gone through the 1911. Nothing special to do but load them. Should be all kinds of load info out there for Unique.

ragwd · May 11, 2012, 02:22 PM

My dies are a 3 die set from rcbs, carbide. I noticed in loading jacketed if I dont bell mouth the shell enough I slice a tiny piece of jacketing off when seating, I took that as not enough bell mouth. I am thinking the lead will be more of the same ? Pa Joe, I always measure for col and drop in a barrel every tenth load to make sure the length is consistant and I got the bell mouth out and it slide into chamber. thanks for the replies guys.

Gerry · May 11, 2012, 05:02 PM

Yeah, more of the same except you'll likely have to bell your cases just a little bit wider due to how easily lead is shaved, along with its slightly larger diameter. Just run one the way you're set up now, and adjust accordingly as usual.

I have 2 1911s that have never seen a jacketed or plated round - only homemade lead. Not a problem at all, especially with the lower pressure of the .45 acp, you'll not (normally) worry about leading your barrel.

dwhite · May 11, 2012, 07:29 PM

Careful, once you try them you might like them.

Then you'll wonder what you could have done with all the extra money you spent on jacketed all these years.

Then guilt will set in.

You'll start thinking "Hey, maybe I can recoup some of that money if I start CASTING MY OWN!".

This turns into a very slippery slope.

All the Best,
D. White

Bigdog57 · May 11, 2012, 08:06 PM

A lot of reloaders like the "Flammable Dirt" (Unique), but I have had a lot of trouble with it. Oh, it shoots good groups..... but loading both .45ACP and .38 Special, I have the guns gunked to the point of failure after shooting only three magazines or cylinders through. Just did not work for me - and this was the new 'improved and cleaner' formula. I ended up putting the remainder in the garden.
I favor Red Dot and Bullseye.

Old 454 · May 11, 2012, 08:19 PM

I use lead bullets also for the .45 and really like the HP-38/W231.

Edward429451 · May 11, 2012, 11:46 PM

If they shoot good for you, remember...you too could cast these yourself for about a penny apiece.

ragwd · May 12, 2012, 01:12 AM

thanks for the replies, so I will proceed as normal, working from my books for load info and start low and work up. I know that my jacketed grouped best at 850 to 875 fps as per my chrono, y'all think that will hold true for lead? And I will start looking for my smelting equipment.

Tim R · May 12, 2012, 07:48 AM

If I were loading lead 230 gr LRN bullets in 45 ACP, I would use 4.6grains of Bullseye. Not 4.5 grs not 4.7 grs but 4.6 grs of BE. This is an old Bullseye shooters load. It sure surprized me.

Mike40-11 · May 12, 2012, 08:14 AM

The only difference I see in loading lead is the one you already suspected. Bell a little more than you do for jacketed to avoid shaving the lead.

I loaded for just a couple of days once without enough bell. I was using a Hornandy New Dimension seater with the floating alignment sleeve. Enough lead got stuck up inside it to crack the sleeve. Opps. Didn't take much lead up in the die to do it either. Didn't noticeably increase the loading force either so I didn't notice it building up until it cracked.

joshf128 · May 12, 2012, 09:17 AM

Quote:

A lot of reloaders like the "Flammable Dirt" (Unique), but I have had a lot of trouble with it. Oh, it shoots good groups..... but loading both .45ACP and .38 Special, I have the guns gunked to the point of failure after shooting only three magazines or cylinders through. Just did not work for me - and this was the new 'improved and cleaner' formula. I ended up putting the remainder in the garden.
I favor Red Dot and Bullseye.

To each their own, but I shot about 150 rounds of Unique loaded 200gr LSWC yesterday (5.2gr powder). No malfunctions of any kind in my 1911 and I was able to (finally!) put 5 shots in one ragged hole at 10 yards.

I clean my guns after every range trip anyway and haven't had any problems. I also shot some Bullseye test loads with charges in the mid 5gr range that were a little too snappy for my taste. I might try that magical 4.6gr load and see what it gets me

.

Edward429451 · May 12, 2012, 12:28 PM

Quote:

4.6grains of Bullseye. Not 4.5 grs not 4.7 grs but 4.6 grs of BE.

Interesting. I'm going to try that too. I've shot 5 grains but not 4.6.

straight-shooter · May 12, 2012, 08:19 PM

I cast my own and 5.2gr of Unique has proven to be the sweet spot. Just make sure you use enough flare on your cases so you don't shave lead when you seat the bullet.

As a side note. I was using a Lee 4 die set and found that the FCD was slightly sizing the lead bullet and decreasing the diameter of the bullet by .002 which was enough to make the bullet cause leading in my barrel. I now just use the seater die to also lightly form a crimp and do away entirely with the 4th die. No more leading. Bullet diameter is key here. Never had this problem with jacketed and the FCD.

ragwd · May 12, 2012, 09:21 PM

Thanks for the replies, I hope I like lead as much as everyone else cause it was a box of 500. Thanks again for the help, everyone.

May 11, 2012, 01:43 PM	#1
ragwd Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 2006 Posts: 925	Darn, grab the wrong box! I was buying reload supplies and thought that I grabbed a box of 500 230gr jacketed rn 45acp, and what I really bought was 500 230gr rn 45acp lead. Always shied away from lead in the past, just ignorance I guess. Now I have 500 of the them, not going to run them thru my glock or my hk because of the so called issue with barrels. Not wanting to start that issue, please. I have other 45 acp's with regular barrel. I can get my load info, from my books and the powders web site, just wondering if there is any special precautions or difference between loading lead and jacketed. I will be using alliant Unique powder, new powder for me always used hodgdon in the past. Just wanting to try them all before I quit. Any way if you have any tips for that load or what to watch for when loading lead, Thanks in advance.

May 11, 2012, 02:03 PM	#2
PA-Joe Senior Member Join Date: June 9, 2010 Location: NEPA Posts: 909	Just follow the lead loads and you will be fine. Most lead bullets are larger in diameter than jackets so you may notice a ring in the case at the base of the bullet. This is normal. Check to make certain they will chamber correctly. What dies are you using?

May 11, 2012, 02:06 PM	#3
bossman Senior Member Join Date: November 16, 2010 Location: Arkansas Posts: 996	Billions and billions RN of lead has gone through the 1911. Nothing special to do but load them. Should be all kinds of load info out there for Unique.

May 11, 2012, 02:22 PM	#4
ragwd Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 2006 Posts: 925	My dies are a 3 die set from rcbs, carbide. I noticed in loading jacketed if I dont bell mouth the shell enough I slice a tiny piece of jacketing off when seating, I took that as not enough bell mouth. I am thinking the lead will be more of the same ? Pa Joe, I always measure for col and drop in a barrel every tenth load to make sure the length is consistant and I got the bell mouth out and it slide into chamber. thanks for the replies guys.

May 11, 2012, 05:02 PM	#5
Gerry Senior Member Join Date: December 24, 2010 Location: Canada Posts: 382	Yeah, more of the same except you'll likely have to bell your cases just a little bit wider due to how easily lead is shaved, along with its slightly larger diameter. Just run one the way you're set up now, and adjust accordingly as usual. I have 2 1911s that have never seen a jacketed or plated round - only homemade lead. Not a problem at all, especially with the lower pressure of the .45 acp, you'll not (normally) worry about leading your barrel.

May 11, 2012, 07:29 PM	#6
dwhite Senior Member Join Date: September 2, 2007 Location: Wake County, N. Carolina Posts: 379	Careful, once you try them you might like them. Then you'll wonder what you could have done with all the extra money you spent on jacketed all these years. Then guilt will set in. You'll start thinking "Hey, maybe I can recoup some of that money if I start CASTING MY OWN!". This turns into a very slippery slope. All the Best, D. White

May 11, 2012, 08:06 PM	#7
Bigdog57 Senior Member Join Date: December 2, 2006 Posts: 122	A lot of reloaders like the "Flammable Dirt" (Unique), but I have had a lot of trouble with it. Oh, it shoots good groups..... but loading both .45ACP and .38 Special, I have the guns gunked to the point of failure after shooting only three magazines or cylinders through. Just did not work for me - and this was the new 'improved and cleaner' formula. I ended up putting the remainder in the garden. I favor Red Dot and Bullseye.

May 11, 2012, 08:19 PM	#8
Old 454 Senior Member Join Date: August 15, 2011 Location: Chesterton Ind. Posts: 836	I use lead bullets also for the .45 and really like the HP-38/W231.

May 11, 2012, 11:46 PM	#9
Edward429451 Junior member Join Date: November 12, 2000 Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado Posts: 9,494	If they shoot good for you, remember...you too could cast these yourself for about a penny apiece.

May 12, 2012, 01:12 AM	#10
ragwd Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 2006 Posts: 925	thanks for the replies, so I will proceed as normal, working from my books for load info and start low and work up. I know that my jacketed grouped best at 850 to 875 fps as per my chrono, y'all think that will hold true for lead? And I will start looking for my smelting equipment.

May 12, 2012, 07:48 AM	#11
Tim R Senior Member Join Date: November 30, 2004 Location: God's side of Washington State Posts: 1,601	If I were loading lead 230 gr LRN bullets in 45 ACP, I would use 4.6grains of Bullseye. Not 4.5 grs not 4.7 grs but 4.6 grs of BE. This is an old Bullseye shooters load. It sure surprized me.

May 12, 2012, 08:14 AM	#12
Mike40-11 Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 2005 Location: Missouri Posts: 842	The only difference I see in loading lead is the one you already suspected. Bell a little more than you do for jacketed to avoid shaving the lead. I loaded for just a couple of days once without enough bell. I was using a Hornandy New Dimension seater with the floating alignment sleeve. Enough lead got stuck up inside it to crack the sleeve. Opps. Didn't take much lead up in the die to do it either. Didn't noticeably increase the loading force either so I didn't notice it building up until it cracked.

May 12, 2012, 08:19 PM	#15
straight-shooter Senior Member Join Date: June 12, 2007 Location: North Central Indiana Posts: 436	I cast my own and 5.2gr of Unique has proven to be the sweet spot. Just make sure you use enough flare on your cases so you don't shave lead when you seat the bullet. As a side note. I was using a Lee 4 die set and found that the FCD was slightly sizing the lead bullet and decreasing the diameter of the bullet by .002 which was enough to make the bullet cause leading in my barrel. I now just use the seater die to also lightly form a crimp and do away entirely with the 4th die. No more leading. Bullet diameter is key here. Never had this problem with jacketed and the FCD.

May 12, 2012, 09:21 PM	#16
ragwd Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 2006 Posts: 925	Thanks for the replies, I hope I like lead as much as everyone else cause it was a box of 500. Thanks again for the help, everyone.