Setting up for heavy loads

[rickt300]

My main 45 has an 18 pound spring, a two piece spring guide and some trigger work done to it.  I like it, very reliable and shoots plenty good.  I want my new Hi Standard to be a carry piece for hunting.  I plan on using various 230 grain flat nosed bullets at 950-1000 fps in it for short range hog shooting.  I have decided I don't care for the extended spring guides so this pistol won't get one.  I know I need to get a heavier recoil spring, is a 22 pound spring the one to get?  How does one know when his loads are too hot in a 45 Auto? Is there anything else I would need to keep this pistol running shooting warm loads?

[Mikey]

Hey rick:  a 23- gn flat nosed bullet at 950-1000'/sec is not outside the range of 45 acp reloads and my suggestion is to start with a 20 lb recoil spring kit from Wolf Springs in Ardmore, PA. 

I suggest to start with the 20 lb kit to make certain your brass is positively ejected and that the pistol cycles reliably. 

You could go with what you have to see how the pistol recoils but I would go 'up' 2 lbs of recoil strength at a time until you feel confident with the cycling of the action. 

Which flat nosed bullets do you intend to use??

[rickt300]

I was hoping to find a mold that fits the description.  I haven't looked at whats available yet.  I thought hornady made a full metal jacketed in 230 grains and I might try it also.

[Lloyd Smale]

Id have to agree that at that level id start with a 20lb spring. My rule of thumb is that if a gun wont reliably function it needs a ligher spring and if ejected brass is more then 10 feet away from you your probably using to week of a spring or your spring is getting tired.

[Mikey]

rick:  there are a couple of molds that should do the trick for you.  One is the old Lyman 452423 which is a Keith designed semi-wadcutter for use in the 45 Auto Rim - the slug works very well in the ACP when properly loaded and is my favorite cast loading for the 45.  I believe RCBS makes a 224 or 225 gn slug/mold that is pretty good looking but it is not a swc design, it is more a large flat nose design.  Mag-Tech makes a 230 gn fmj-swc that is a good functioning slug in that it penetrates without deforming.

The 44 Man, also one of our posters, uses some cast slugs in his 45s that look pretty good and shoot just as well - maybe he will chime in and cough up some information as to what they are.  HTH.