235 grain bullets

Bucksnort1 · November 8, 2018, 12:28 PM

I have a bag 'o bullets in 235 grain. They are lead and are round nose. I cannot find any loading data for either the 45ACP or the 45 Colt.

dahermit · November 8, 2018, 12:54 PM

Quote:

I have a bag 'o bullets in 235 grain. They are lead and are round nose. I cannot find any loading data for either the 45ACP or the 45 Colt.

You cannot find any data for 230 grain bullets?

Bucksnort1 · November 8, 2018, 01:25 PM

I have a boat load of data for 230 grain bullets but not 235 grain. Are you saying to use 230 data for 235?

**Unclenick** · November 8, 2018, 01:36 PM

Usually, lead bullets vary a couple of grains or more, depending what mold cavity they fell out of. So, a 2% difference in bullet weight is not a lot of extra weight within normal limits. In QuickLOAD, if I use a charge of 5 grains of Bullseye and I change the weight of a lead 230 grain RN bullet up to 135 grains, the pressure goes up about 200 psi, or about 1%, which is less than the accuracy of the best pressure measuring equipment available. It's about the difference half of a tenth of a grain (0.05 grains) of the 5 grains of Bullseye would make. So the error is well within the normal noise of the loading/shooting system. If you simply start with a 230 grain LRN load that's not a +P load and use that, you'll be more than fine.

P.S.,

Part of the reason this is easy is the bullet shapes are the same. If you had a deep and wide hollow point, necessitating the bullet being seated more than about 0.05" deeper into the case, then we'd run into the need to start thinking about trimming the charge.

T. O'Heir · November 8, 2018, 02:37 PM

"...Are you saying to use 230 data for 235?..." Yep. The 5 grains won't matter.
Measure the diameters too. .45 ACP and Colt do not use the same diameter bullet.

**Unclenick** · November 8, 2018, 03:10 PM

T. O'Heir,

.45 ACP and 45 Colt were different diameters up until around WWII (0.451" and 0.454", respectively), but it was changed. For fifty years after that most 45 Colt revolvers seemed to have cylinder throats for the larger bullet diameter, even though the barrels had 0.451" grooves, and a lot of lead bullet shooters had to learn to buy molds for the bigger diameter and let the barrel size them down if they wanted the best accuracy. Nowadays, though, the cylinders are usually throated for 0.451" too.

Time passes and things change.

Bucksnort1 · November 9, 2018, 10:12 AM

Unclenick,

I measured 45ACP and 45 Colt bullets. They are the same diameter.

Also, after reading your first response to this thread, it brought back memories and reminded me that the hardest part about getting old is, getting old. I believe it's something called umm, let me think a moment, oh yes, memory.

About four years-ish ago, before I departed Colorado for Arizona, I asked the same question about the same bullets and got roughly the same response from you. I found these 235s while reorganizing my bullet storage system but didn't remember about the first time I asked.

Again, thanks for the help.

**Unclenick** · November 9, 2018, 10:54 AM

You're welcome.

If you go to SAAMI's website and download the centerfire pistol cartridge and chamber drawings you will see SAAMI tries to cover both the old and new numbers in one fell swoop just by making the 45 Colt tolerances wide. The bullet spec is 0.456 -0.006", where 45 Auto is 0.452-0.003 for jacketed bullets and 0.453-0.003 for lead bullets. But I am not aware of any manufacturer of either guns or ammunition currently making them differently. They even have the same twist rate for the bores, now.

November 8, 2018, 12:28 PM	#1
Bucksnort1 Senior Member Join Date: July 8, 2013 Location: Littleton, Colorado Posts: 1,121	235 grain bullets I have a bag 'o bullets in 235 grain. They are lead and are round nose. I cannot find any loading data for either the 45ACP or the 45 Colt.

November 8, 2018, 01:36 PM	#4
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,063	Usually, lead bullets vary a couple of grains or more, depending what mold cavity they fell out of. So, a 2% difference in bullet weight is not a lot of extra weight within normal limits. In QuickLOAD, if I use a charge of 5 grains of Bullseye and I change the weight of a lead 230 grain RN bullet up to 135 grains, the pressure goes up about 200 psi, or about 1%, which is less than the accuracy of the best pressure measuring equipment available. It's about the difference half of a tenth of a grain (0.05 grains) of the 5 grains of Bullseye would make. So the error is well within the normal noise of the loading/shooting system. If you simply start with a 230 grain LRN load that's not a +P load and use that, you'll be more than fine. P.S., Part of the reason this is easy is the bullet shapes are the same. If you had a deep and wide hollow point, necessitating the bullet being seated more than about 0.05" deeper into the case, then we'd run into the need to start thinking about trimming the charge. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

November 8, 2018, 02:37 PM	#5
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	"...Are you saying to use 230 data for 235?..." Yep. The 5 grains won't matter. Measure the diameters too. .45 ACP and Colt do not use the same diameter bullet. __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

November 8, 2018, 03:10 PM	#6
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,063	T. O'Heir, .45 ACP and 45 Colt were different diameters up until around WWII (0.451" and 0.454", respectively), but it was changed. For fifty years after that most 45 Colt revolvers seemed to have cylinder throats for the larger bullet diameter, even though the barrels had 0.451" grooves, and a lot of lead bullet shooters had to learn to buy molds for the bigger diameter and let the barrel size them down if they wanted the best accuracy. Nowadays, though, the cylinders are usually throated for 0.451" too. Time passes and things change. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

November 9, 2018, 10:54 AM	#8
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,063	You're welcome. If you go to SAAMI's website and download the centerfire pistol cartridge and chamber drawings you will see SAAMI tries to cover both the old and new numbers in one fell swoop just by making the 45 Colt tolerances wide. The bullet spec is 0.456 -0.006", where 45 Auto is 0.452-0.003 for jacketed bullets and 0.453-0.003 for lead bullets. But I am not aware of any manufacturer of either guns or ammunition currently making them differently. They even have the same twist rate for the bores, now. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

November 8, 2018, 01:25 PM	#3
Bucksnort1 Senior Member Join Date: July 8, 2013 Location: Littleton, Colorado Posts: 1,121	I have a boat load of data for 230 grain bullets but not 235 grain. Are you saying to use 230 data for 235?

November 9, 2018, 10:12 AM	#7
Bucksnort1 Senior Member Join Date: July 8, 2013 Location: Littleton, Colorado Posts: 1,121	Unclenick, I measured 45ACP and 45 Colt bullets. They are the same diameter. Also, after reading your first response to this thread, it brought back memories and reminded me that the hardest part about getting old is, getting old. I believe it's something called umm, let me think a moment, oh yes, memory. About four years-ish ago, before I departed Colorado for Arizona, I asked the same question about the same bullets and got roughly the same response from you. I found these 235s while reorganizing my bullet storage system but didn't remember about the first time I asked. Again, thanks for the help.