Another lesson learned

[Magoo541]

When working up a load only load a FEW rounds and test.  DO NOT load up 150 rounds if you think you may be on the edge of leads ability to remain a solid as it slides down your barrel.

I loaded up a 150-200 grain RNFP over some "conservative" grains of Bullseye using Lyman's 29.  The problem is they don't list a RNFP, so I started low and worked up to see what I would get.  951-985 fps in my 4.5 XDM is what I got and it shot 5 rounds where I put the sights at 25 yards.  But after 150 rounds at a USPSA match it looked like a pigeon took a lead dump down my barrel and accuracy was a little off on the last stage (6 rounds at 25 yards around a barricade or prone -I took prone just because and cost me 20 seconds on a 40 second stage) even with a stable shooting position and what I thought were good sight pictures I was off the paper on one and only 3 Alphas out of the group.  Don't misunderstand, I had a blast and it was better than being at home with PMSing women/girls but it took a while to get the turd out of the barrel.  Its my 3rd match and I will be shooting more once I finish school next month so I'm just trying some things out before I get serious and these were the only bullets I had available and they were loaded so I figured why not.

I did notice that the majority of the leading started at about 9:00 looking from the breach and flowed over to 1:00 CW.  Could it be that the powder lying on the bottom of the case is creating an uneven pressure wave against the bullet pushing it up into the barrel?  Just curious, maybe switching to Clays and 230 grain bullets (although I picked up 500- 200 grain Hollow Base Round Nose after the match) for a while to see if running bigger heavier bullets slower helps me shoot better. Why?  Because its fun! 

[alfsauve]

I would think Bullseye burns pretty cleanly.  I mean as far as left over residue.

Are my calculations correct, that 197PF.  For competition I down load it some.

[Solus]

Where did you get the bullets?  Might they have been too soft for that velocity?

[PegLeg45]

Where did you get the bullets?  Might they have been too soft for that velocity?

+1

Try a harder alloy.


Also, IF the load you use is one you really, really like, and you don't want to change......invest in a Lewis Lead Remover and put it in your shooting box. I don't know how the matches are set up as for time between stages, but if you have the opportunity during the day, between stages, run one through and get the lead out.

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=21587/Product/LEWIS-LEAD-REMOVER

[les snyder]

you might try a cooler burning "ball process" powder....Winchester Super Target (WST)... helps keep from burning the base off a lead bullet...

in addition to the Lewis Lead Remover, you might try a product called Frontier Big 45... looks like lathe turnings or scouring pad... couple of passes wrapped around an old bore brush.... don't try to pull it apart with your fingers...

[Sponsor]

[Henny]

The first thing you should probably do is slug your barrel and find its diameter and then check your bullets.  They should be at least .001 over the bore diameter.  If everything is checks out try a harder alloy. 

[Magoo541]

Where did you get the bullets?  Might they have been too soft for that velocity?

Badman Bullets, 15 Brinnell, and I loaded these (192.4 pf) along with some at ~900 fps (181.2 pf) and my normal competition load (for two of my three matches  ) at 840 fps (168 pf) and I ran out of bullets.  With three girls, a bad economy and a nervous wife I didn't want to fight over buying more bullets when I had a 150 rounds loaded up on the bench so I just used them.  I did pick up 500 bullets after the match (at $41 they were quite a bit cheaper than the $51 I have paid for the Badmans) but I took a look at them today and they lack a grease band.  Anything I should do different?

As far as this load is concerned I don't see much need for it in the future, maybe pin shooting but I think I'd go to one of the 255 grain bullets made for that instead.  I'm looking at maybe stepping over to Production which is Minor Power Factor (125 pf) only so I'd only need to push these 200 g at 650 fps (130 pf) or 185 grains at just over 700 fps or I could get stupid and run 160 grain bullets at a little more than 800fps.  If I do switch I may look for a less dense powder to fill the case a little better.

The Lewis Lead Remover looks like the answer to cleaning my gun regardless of what I do-THANKS!  Big Frontier 45 looks like it needs to be put to the test as well, looks like I need to prepare the wife 

[Magoo541]

So I got some 230g XTPs for Father's Day and have been trying to work up a good round that'll mimic what is available commercially (advertised ~945 fps out of a 5" barrel).  So I loaded up 3 charges at 3 different lengths to see what that would get me.  Straight out of Lyman's 29 my starting charge was 4.6, then 4.8 then 5.0 of Bullseye.  I stayed away from the max of 5.3 because the listed OAL is 1.243 and I had them loaded at 1.200, 1.220, and 1.240"

An interesting thing happened, as the load got larger and filled the case the velocity deviation tightened up.  I am short of the my goal by quite a bit at 840 but with another .3 grains to go I can get close with Bullseye but not all the way.  It is time to broaden my powder base by 100% and try something new.  Col. Cooper liked Power Pistol, some competitive shooters swear by Clays (different objective though) and I've seen others suggest Longshot, Silhouette and IMR 4756.  This is for a EOWAWKI load that I plan on having a box in my vehicles and Go Bag.

I must say this is more fun than I thought it would be, except for the 9mm I'm loading up it feels like a chore 

[MikeBjerum]

I'm throwing 155 grain .45 lead semi-wadcutters at 1,250 fps with no problems, and I have used a lot of Bullseye to do it.

I use moly coated from BillyBullets.

http://billybullets.com/Bullets.aspx 

[ellis4538]

I did basically the same as m58 only I used WW 452 and then WW Super Target with very little leading.

Richard