Bullseye load - too light?

Casey · March 17, 2001, 07:07 PM

Hello all.

I am getting ready to shoot a recreational indoor bullseye league, shooting at 50 feet. I am using a Kimber Gold Match, with a 12 lb spring and Tasco Red Dot.

The loads that I am trying to get to work are very light, 3.3 gr of Clays with 200 gr D&J LSWC. I have been successful with 3.5 gr of Clays, but decided to try step it down to 3.3 gr and keep the OAL at 1.265" as the Kimber (and just about every other .45 I own) shoots this length well.

The Kimber handles the 3.5 gr of Clays with no problem. It is very smooth, having had many thousands of rounds through it since it was new.

I was just thinking that I have heard that very small amounts of fast powder in a cartridge can be dangerous. Would this round qualify as having a potential to explode instead of rapidly burning? Or am I just imagining problems where none exists?

Thanks

Paul B. · March 18, 2001, 12:09 AM

Casey. JMHO. I have a sneaking suspicion that some of these light load kabooms are accidental double loads. With charges that small, there is a good chance that a double load won't be noticed. A good example is 2.5 gr. Bullseye in the .38 Spl. Double charge it, and the case is till not quite half full. Result? One each kaboom.
I think your load should be OK. Just make sure you inspect the charges before you seat the bullets. Then inspect one more time, just to be sure. Use a good strong light. I've been using light target load for over 40 years, and no kaboom yet.
Paul B.

March 17, 2001, 07:07 PM	#1
Casey Senior Member Join Date: April 25, 2000 Location: Delaware, OH, USA Posts: 279	Hello all. I am getting ready to shoot a recreational indoor bullseye league, shooting at 50 feet. I am using a Kimber Gold Match, with a 12 lb spring and Tasco Red Dot. The loads that I am trying to get to work are very light, 3.3 gr of Clays with 200 gr D&J LSWC. I have been successful with 3.5 gr of Clays, but decided to try step it down to 3.3 gr and keep the OAL at 1.265" as the Kimber (and just about every other .45 I own) shoots this length well. The Kimber handles the 3.5 gr of Clays with no problem. It is very smooth, having had many thousands of rounds through it since it was new. I was just thinking that I have heard that very small amounts of fast powder in a cartridge can be dangerous. Would this round qualify as having a potential to explode instead of rapidly burning? Or am I just imagining problems where none exists? Thanks __________________ "Our job is to give people not what they want, but what we decide they ought to have." Richard Salant, former President of CBS News "To sin by silence when they should protest makes cowards of men." Abraham Lincoln

March 18, 2001, 12:09 AM	#2
Paul B. Senior Member Join Date: March 28, 1999 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 3,802	Casey. JMHO. I have a sneaking suspicion that some of these light load kabooms are accidental double loads. With charges that small, there is a good chance that a double load won't be noticed. A good example is 2.5 gr. Bullseye in the .38 Spl. Double charge it, and the case is till not quite half full. Result? One each kaboom. I think your load should be OK. Just make sure you inspect the charges before you seat the bullets. Then inspect one more time, just to be sure. Use a good strong light. I've been using light target load for over 40 years, and no kaboom yet. Paul B.