45 auto

[abishai]

Veral,
Have you done any WFN's or received reports on them for the 45 auto?
I am considering a 240g-WFN-bevelbase for my Trophy Match, but am not sure how it will cycle.  Is there something comparable which I can try in it?  My barrel slugs at .450" and is smooth.  My brother had put some Federal HST's (he called them "flying ashtrays") through it, and said it cycled them great.  I have tried some "bargain" stuff which was apparently oversize, as it couldn't get more than half of what I tried even into the chamber.  (I quit after just a few attempts.)

Jeff

[Veral]

I've cut quite a few WFN's for 45 autos, which fed nicely, but the customers pretty much all said their guns would feed empty cases.  Also, with standard throating, the WFN has to be seated quite deep to let them chamber, which reduces powder capacity.  Further, the auto doesn't have the horsepower to get good penetration if the nose is two wide, as I've heard of even ball ammo failing to penetrate when the going gets tough.

For the above reasons, I prefer to sell the LFN for 45's, and have had wonderful feedback regarding feeding, accuracy and killing power.  It is suitable in weights from 210 to 250 gr, with 220 and 230 probably being optimum for most reloaders.  I have obtained 1200 fps with a 260 gr using WC820, which was the original Accurate 9.  It burns dirty and fouls the action rapidly, so isn't for a lot of shooting, but if one wants to make an auto into a serious killing machine, I don't believe more power can be had than with a 250 or 260 gr LFN.

[HHI 812]

Veral,
Saw a 260 LFN GC at the Montana Bullets site. Is this similar to what you would make for a 45 Auto minus the crimp? Wondering about trying their bullet first, before I order a mold? Wanted to use it in my 45 ACP, but also have a 460 Rowland conversion for my 1911. John Taffin was getting 1119 fps with his 460 Rowland conversion, using a RCBS #45-255 SWC(260 grain), Lyman 452424 245 gr @ 1231, and a Lyman 452423 230gr @ 1243, and chronoed a Hornady 230 XTP @ 1400+ fps out of my 460 Rowland conversion. Do you have a formula for calculating an estimated velocity on another bullet weight, based of say a heavier bullet and a chronographed velocity? In other words, based of this info, any estimate what velocity a 260 LFN GC might do? Sounds like you prefer the 250-260 LFN for the most power. That would be the best bullet weight for heavy game out my way?? The heavier 260 grain bullet should be better in breaking bone than say a 230 LFN going faster? You actually got 1200 fps out of a 5" 1911 45 ACP? Did it have extra heavy springs or ?? Don't have to worry about a dirty gun, because if I had to use it, doubt I'd get enough time to use a lot of rounds. Thanks, Dennis

[Veral]

The Mt Bullet works bullet without a crimp would be it.  They also have I believe a 230 gr LFN without crimp for the ACP

I don't know that I mentioned it about the 1200 fps 260 gr LFN load in my ACP.  This gun was touchy because of a firing pin problem, and extruded primers into the firing pin hole with factory loads, or full loads from a manual.  But the above load gave no problems, AND the case had to be full of powder to guarantee consistent cycling.  1 grain reduction and it would stovepipe.  Recoil felt odd compared to normal ACP fast powder loads, as the slide absorbed it all without striking the buffer/stop.  Yes I had a strong spring in it.  As I recall, a 16 #, but that was 8 years ago, and the gun got lifted (stolen along with 35 others) shortly after that, so leave a little extra rope here for my memory faults!

  I've received quite a bit of feedback on this heavy load concept, so will expound a bit.  If one reads a bit about ACP loading, one of the factors which is stressed is to use fairly fast powder to get a sharp recoil thrust for positive cycling.  -- To make the auto cycle with very slow powders the concern is to make it light up, which means a fairly heavy bullet to hold it back a bit, compressed powder to insure optimum burn potential and magnum primers are an asset.  Also, the LFN gives more powder room than any ACP bullet out there, because it feeds smoothly when seated out so far it will barely feed up through the clip, with less air space around the nose than a Ball bullet. -  It will still leave a lot of unburned powder, which dirties the gun quickly, a downside I accepted joyfully to get magnum power safely.

I also experimented with 296 powder, which burned dirtier than #9, but cycled the gun smoothly and gave 1200 fps also.  I didn't go into great depth with duplex loads, but by using a little fast flake powder behind the 296, one gets the fire started a lot better  and quicker, which cleans up the burn quite a bit, and by toying with differrent powders, could produce very clean loads and velocities well over 1200 fps.  If there is interest I'll write more about duplex loads.
 

[Lloyd Smale]

ive shot a bunch of acp lfns out of a mold i picked up for a buddy. Its a lbt 220lfngc and if i was going to try deer hunting intentionaly with an acp it would probably be my go to bullet. It shot and fed well out a few of my guns.

[HHI 812]

Lloyd,
You still casting this mold of yours? Veral, would it matter using your 230 LFN @ 1250 fps vs  250 LFN @ 1100 fps for hunting big game? What is advantage/disadvantage of each load in 45 ACP?

[Veral]

Please read the post for the 460 Roland, which right now is next to this.  I've covered this question quite throughly in it.

[bagdadjoe]

I still have my first LBT mold, a 220g .45 FNB (flat nose ball) and it is the most accurate .45 bullet, including jacketed, I have ever shot.  These are flat based...feed fine through all my .45's, even the newest Commander which is box stock, haven't polished the ramp yet...can't say enough good things about these bullets.
I'm shooting a mix of 4 parts WW and one part lino, water dropped and LBT Blue, the soft one over 5.1 grains of 231 or HP38. That's a not too hot load within the published range.