.45 ACP lead or Jacketed bullets?

burninpowder

I would like some feedback from some of you veteran 1911 .45 guys
about loads for IDPA,and some of the other steel plate pistol matches.
I am a 20yr+ handloader and am mostly a single action shooter by choice. I purchasd my first .45 this year and have been shooting with
some friends and would like to work up loads using 230 grn Rn bullets.
My shooting pardner also just started with a 1911 and we are looking to buy some loading supplies in bulk. We are trying to decide
to use jacketed or hard cast lead. We have had good results with our
single action rugers and some custom guns with cast bullets,but were
told with the autos we would build up lead from the fast shooting and
heat. We are both shooting full size springfield 1911's with compensators. We would appreciate any advise,loading imfo, been there
done that help etc.
Thanks in advance for any help,
burninpowder

rldowns3

If you use cast lead you will have to clean it out more often. But that's about the only disadvantage I can think of unless you cast your own bullets and you are shooting for pinpoint accuracy. The only problem I ever had in casting my own bullets is consistency of bullet weight. But if you are just using the cast bullets for plinking....plink away, just make sure you clean out the barrel when it get's leaded up.

rogerreloader

I SHOOT IDPA MATCHES IN CDP CLASS WITH A KIMBER ECLIPSE. I USE RAINIER 230 RN BULLETS WITH 3.8-3.9 GR OF CLAYS(HODGDON) IT WORKS VERY WELL, LOW RECOIL AND NO MUZZLE FLASH FOR LOW LIGHT SHOOTING. IF YOUR PISTOL IS COMPENSATED IT WILL BE ILLEGAL IN IDPA. THESE LOADS DO MEET THE POWER FACTOR LEVEL FOR CDP CLASS.

bobski

listen up......get the best of both worlds...shoot 230 TCJ's. (total copper jacket) they are lead rounds dipped lightly in copper wash coat,(like a 22 is.) they protect the lands and grooves without leaving a build up. and wont melt from the heat of the flames pushing it either. think it out. the back of 230 RN bullets with FMJ's, are open because the lead is poured into the bullet jacket. it leaves the back of the bullet lead exposed to the flame. when it gets hot as its exiting, it can deform the lead. when it hits the air, it cools deformed causing the bullet to fly off balance. i laugh at people that spend 1000.00's on a guns accuracy and overlook the bullet all together. with TCJ's the back of the bullet is coated and the copper protects the lead. bullet flies straight. so...in review...get 230RN TCJ's! the old chief has spoken![;)]

former air operations officer SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 2. former navy skeet team, former navy rifle/pistol team member. co-owner skeetmaster tubes inc.. owner/operator professional shooting instruction. NRA certified instructor.

1911a1-fan

I shoot rainiers or fmj during a match ,on a lead bullet the lead lube burns ,and causes way to much smoke regardless of the type of powder you use ,and can mess up a second shot ,not only that jacketed are sure to feed every time while lead is not ,and why pay the money to shoot in a match ,and then go cheap on a few bullets

Most jacketed or plated bullets are .451 ,while lead is .452 ,this is common ,and accepted ,but in a match grade barrel the .452 will foul up something fierce ,I have seen the first inch of a barrel so fouled with lead ,you couldn't see the rifling


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RadCat

I guess it's my turn at the 2 cents of "been there done that" thing. Ok, here it goes "pardner", I too shoot CAS/SASS. With the amount of bullets we shoot casting is better left to somebody else, unless you really have a nice multiple cavity set of molds, fresh outdoor air to do it in, and a good supply of "casting" lead. Straight pig/plumbers lead is too soft, so you'll need to add some antimony or tin to bring the Brinnell hardnes up to taste. Used to do that years ago, but no longer. Since you shoot single action with Rugers (so do I) it will be simple enough. I purchase "hard" cast bullets from Meister Bullets by the box of 1000, and they are priced very reasonably. My choice is 200gr. RNFP (round nose flat point) they come ready lubed and sized very consistent. I load these bullets in 45LC for use in my two Ruger Vaqueros, and my two lever action rifles (Marlin and Rossi Puma). Now, I shoot a lot, but by CAS rules they must be no more than 1,000 fps muzzle velocity. I also shoot IPSC and very often shoot one of my carry guns, a custom made 45ACP Commander sized stainless pistol, similar to Springfield Armory's V-10 which of course has ten ports in its barrel. I normally use the loadings provided by Vihtavuori for its powders. For the 45ACP I use 6.5gr. of N340and the 200gr.RNFP (hard cast lead) Meister bullets chronographed around 950fps. For the 45LC I use 7gr. of N320 with the same bullets, chronographed around 900fps. I do not experience any undue leading of the barrels, and the accuracy is excellent, 45ACP around 1" at 25 yds, and very close to that with the 45LC. Yes, there is smoke, which goes along with shooting "lubed" lead bullets. I have not experienced any significant amount of "port fouling" in my ported 45ACP barrel, but shooting lead bullets usually means more frequent cleaning anyway. I too, shoot jacketed bullets including the Rainiers mentioned above and Berry's bullets too (similar). Some people recommend sooting a few jacketed bullets after shooting lead bullets "to push the lead out of the barrel", which sometimes I do too, out of superstition. It is infinitely cheaper to shoot hard cast lead bullets than jacketed, of course. Although Rainier and Berry (copper plated) bullets can be had much cheaper than regular jacketed bullets, and they of course do not smoke as lead ones do. But if you "yearn" for that old-fashioned lead & lube smoke, (so long as you're outdoors) go for it.

Der Gebirgsjager

Wheel weights, 225 cast LRN, 6.5 gr. Unique.

rsnyder55

For IDPA, a lot of the shooters around here shoot reloads with lead bullets from Lasercast. Very little leading.

perry shooter

Hello there are 2 things that cause a lead bullet to leave deposits in a barrel. #1 is the roughness of the barrel acting like a file or sand paper on the surface of the lead the best cure for this is go to a harder bullet or jacketed bullet. The second way to leave deposits is by actual melting some of the base of the bullet from heat and Gas cutting along the side of the bullet because of poor seal between bullet and barrel. Beleive it or not pure lead/soft swaged lead with proper lube has a higher melting point then hard alloy and with proper lube seals the bore better. I use synthetic lube and have 2 pistols one Kart barrel one Barsto that each have over 50,000 rounds the still shoot as good or better groups from ransom rest as new and the lead has polished the barrels to where they don't lead. The other plus to the syn lube is it doen't smoke or smell as bad. If you start with a good barrel lead is the way to go but a rough barrel needs Jacketed bullets

bobski

total copper jacket, tcj's, solve all the lead deposit problems. try them!

chuck

I use Lazer Cast lead bullets in all my hand guns, I like them.[:D][:D]