Gateway Kid SASS# 70038 Life Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 Well I shot my second Wild Bunch match ever at the CO State Championships. Had a lot of fun but used up all my lead 230 grain round nose 45 ACP. Some of the more accomplished shooters used a 180 or 200 grain semiwadcutter with a lot of success. I usually shoot jacketed 230 grain RN (non CAS) with no problems and would like some advice on three things: 1: Any advantage to the heavier bullet other than it is easier to make power factor? 2: I have a Smith & Wesson 1911 (modern) - I have not used wadcutters in it yet so anything I should know about using a different bullet profile? 3: Whose bullets do you use? (I would like to keep cost down as WB will probably be a side line for me) Regards Gateway Kid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Original Lumpy Gritz Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 Been loading 200grn SWC bullets in 1911's for over 40+ yrs. Use Win.#231 powder. Make sure your 1911 will feed them. Many do NOT. Set your OAL to no more that 1.240". Cheers, LG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Houston # 35508 Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 Round Nose!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tex Jones, SASS 2263 Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 Well I shot my second Wild Bunch match ever at the CO State Championships. Had a lot of fun but used up all my lead 230 grain round nose 45 ACP. Some of the more accomplished shooters used a 180 or 200 grain semiwadcutter with a lot of success. I usually shoot jacketed 230 grain RN (non CAS) with no problems and would like some advice on three things: 1: Any advantage to the heavier bullet other than it is easier to make power factor? 2: I have a Smith & Wesson 1911 (modern) - I have not used wadcutters in it yet so anything I should know about using a different bullet profile? 3: Whose bullets do you use? (I would like to keep cost down as WB will probably be a side line for me) Regards Gateway Kid 1911's were set up to fire the 230 gr round nose bullet. Typically, there are fewer feeding problems using that bullet than any other. Most will feed lighter bullets and different shapes, however, wadcutters may be pushing it. Truncated cone shapes and semi wadcutters can and do work as evidenced by your shooting buddies. My Kimber will feed just about anything but the Colt is more picky. Another point on bullet shapes is that the shape and weight may alter the overall length of the cartridge and some 1911's are sensitive to that dimension. It's trial and error for the most part. Forty five caliber bullets from most any manufacturer (in the correct shape) will work in the 1911. I use Mastercraft 200 gr round nose and taper crimp just below the crimping groove. These bullets can be used in the revolver as well so that the additional cost of loading .45 acp is pretty much the price of brass. As Wild Bunch is not a regularly scheduled monthly match out here, excessive cost is not an issue. More rounds are fired in practice than at a match, however. Good luck. Tex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jefro, SASS#69420 Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 Round Nose!! Yep, most of us in this neck of the woods use the same 200gr RNFP that we use in the 45 Colt. With a Lee factory taper crimp they run smooth as butter. Good Luck Jefro Relax-Enjoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shooting Bull Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 Been loading 200grn SWC bullets in 1911's for over 40+ yrs. DANG yer old!!! To the OP. A round nosed profile in a 1911 is normally much more forgiving when it comes to the overall length of the round. That being said, I've had similar experience to my friend Lumpy with 200 grain SWC. (Although not nearly as MUCH experience as him. ) Once you find the right COL for your gun, it'll run SWCs for years. Just buy whatevers cheapest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gateway Kid SASS# 70038 Life Posted June 20, 2011 Author Share Posted June 20, 2011 Yep, most of us in this neck of the woods use the same 200gr RNFP that we use in the 45 Colt. With a Lee factory taper crimp they run smooth as butter. Good Luck Jefro Relax-Enjoy Ok, I have some 200 gr RN that I use in my rifle. What about the sizing? (please forgive as my reloading manual is at home) Aren't the ACP .451 and the Colt .452 (or vice versa?) Enough to make a difference? Regards Gateway Kid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yusta B. Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 Ok, I have some 200 gr RN that I use in my rifle. What about the sizing? (please forgive as my reloading manual is at home) Aren't the ACP .451 and the Colt .452 (or vice versa?) Enough to make a difference? Regards Gateway Kid I believe the .451 refers to jacketed bullets for the 1911. I shoot .452 230gr Lee RN or 200gr Lee RNFP in mine all the time ........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Original Lumpy Gritz Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 DANG yer old!!! YUP 5 grown "kids" and 7 g/kids MIGHT have a weebit to do with it maybe Earned EVERY gray hair me-gots Cheers, L(OLD)G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jefro, SASS#69420 Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 I believe the .451 refers to jacketed bullets for the 1911. I shoot .452 230gr Lee RN or 200gr Lee RNFP in mine all the time ........ Yep, .452 works fine. Jefro Relax-Enjoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virgil Ray Hality, SASS# 37355 Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 While I don't shoot wild bunch, my Colt 199-A1 feeds SWC very nicely. My 2 cents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rio Brazos Kid Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 It really makes no sense to use Semi-wadcutters in SASS. Those were designed to cut nice, round, measurable, neat holes in target grade bullseye targets. Their feeding in many 1911's, (not all, but most), is very iffy at best, without some TLC performed by knowledgeable gunsmiths. 1911's were designed to feed and perform with Round Nose style bullets, and the 230 gr. round nose bullet is the standard. They however will feed the lighter versions of round nose bullets, so long as the standard OAL of the loaded round is kept close to that of the standard 230 gr. round. YES, SOME 1911's feed other bullets fine, but many do not, or don't with 100% reliability. Therefore is simply a no-brainer to use a bullet style, AND an OAL that you know up front is going to work and feed correctly, everytime. RBK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grayrock, SASS #64093 Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 More rounds are fired in practice than at a match What is this "practice" of which you speak? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackhawkPaul Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 I played this reindeer game for 40 years. Use the ever-reliable RN's or be SORRY every time the WC's cause a feed jam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Flimshaw Sass# 73310 Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 I was just reading some 45 tests on a 1911 website and their springfield armory loaded went from a 4 inch group at 25 yards to a 1.9 inch group at 25 yards with a swc 200 grain bullet, so maybe thats a good reason. Of course these things need to be verified on your own pistol as there all different, also at our distances it might not make any difference.....Doc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rio Brazos Kid Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 I was just reading some 45 tests on a 1911 website and their springfield armory loaded went from a 4 inch group at 25 yards to a 1.9 inch group at 25 yards with a swc 200 grain bullet, so maybe thats a good reason. Of course these things need to be verified on your own pistol as there all different, also at our distances it might not make any difference.....Doc Doc, it's highly unlikely that bullet design has any more than a tiny bit of influence on accuracy, although thru the years I have seen minor differences. The firearn it'self has more to do with that than the bullet design. In CAS, accuracy is secondary, (unless it's ridicously poor), to reliability. At CAS distances, accuracy has little to do with anything, as at our pistol distances, about anything you stick in there would shoot under 2 inches anyway. Reliability trumps pinpoint accuracy in our game. No doubt about it what-so-ever. RBK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bart Solo Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 Yep, most of us in this neck of the woods use the same 200gr RNFP that we use in the 45 Colt. With a Lee factory taper crimp they run smooth as butter. Good Luck Jefro Relax-Enjoy Same in this part of the country. Why buy different when the same you shoot in your 45 Colt will do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olen Rugged Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 Well I shot my second Wild Bunch match ever at the CO State Championships. Had a lot of fun but used up all my lead 230 grain round nose 45 ACP. Some of the more accomplished shooters used a 180 or 200 grain semiwadcutter with a lot of success. I usually shoot jacketed 230 grain RN (non CAS) with no problems and would like some advice on three things: 1: Any advantage to the heavier bullet other than it is easier to make power factor? 2: I have a Smith & Wesson 1911 (modern) - I have not used wadcutters in it yet so anything I should know about using a different bullet profile? 3: Whose bullets do you use? (I would like to keep cost down as WB will probably be a side line for me) Regards Gateway Kid A few things that have not been mentioned: The 200 gr. SWC had two very admirable traits: It is VERY accurate It makes large well defined holes in paper. Neither trait is particularly helpful in WB shooting. There are many .45 cal. 200 gr. SWC bullets out there. I have noticed a trend out on the Interwebs to speak as if all SWC bullets were the same. Not, not, not! The profile you want is the H&G 68. If your bullet maker doesn't specify, go somewhere that does, or suffer a double dose of the malfunctioning blues. The easy way is to use some variety of light weight (185 gr,), round nosed bullet. It is easy to make PF with almost anything .45. Easy equals more fun and less frustration at the range. Arent' we here for the fun? Olen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shooting Bull Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 Arent' we here for the fun? Olen Dang, all this time I been here for the wiminz and the whiskey. But now that I think about it, they's fun too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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