What did you do at your reloading bench today?

guzma393 · Apr 24, 2021

Loaded up some ladder tests for 45 ACP. Will test them out this afternoon. Anyone loaded 185 grain plated berrys hollow base round nose before? Loading it with cfe pistol and i'm a bit concerned that the extra volume caused by the hollow base needs special attention, affecting volume and all. TIA!

Muleskinner · Apr 24, 2021

guzma393 said:
Loaded up some ladder tests for 45 ACP. Will test them out this afternoon. Anyone loaded 185 grain plated berrys hollow base round nose before? Loading it with cfe pistol and i'm a bit concerned that the extra volume caused by the hollow base needs special attention, affecting volume and all. TIA!

Ive never used HB in .45 but i have in 9mm and 38 special and 357 Magnum without issue. What concerns do you have?

PowPow · Apr 24, 2021

guzma393 said:
Loaded up some ladder tests for 45 ACP. Will test them out this afternoon. Anyone loaded 185 grain plated berrys hollow base round nose before? Loading it with cfe pistol and i'm a bit concerned that the extra volume caused by the hollow base needs special attention, affecting volume and all. TIA!

There's already a significant volume leftover after the powder, with or without the hollow base. I've loaded berry's 185 SWC with CFE pistol ((7.5gr), but not RN HB.

guzma393 · Apr 24, 2021

I actually tried a 3 shot ladder with 5.5-6.3gn of cfe pistol and none of them cycled completely and got a bunch of powder peppering my face.

Load spec is 1.25" OAL. Cci spp 45 acp. 5.5, 5.7,6.0, 6.3 grain tests. Loading them on the higher end got a good group at 10 yards but every shot was a failure to feed or a stovepipe. Looks like I'll be trying titegroup or perhaps my oal needs to be a bit shorter.

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk

PowPow · Apr 24, 2021

Where'd you get your load data from?

lazarus · Apr 24, 2021

guzma393 said:
I actually tried a 3 shot ladder with 5.5-6.3gn of cfe pistol and none of them cycled completely and got a bunch of powder peppering my face.

Load spec is 1.25" OAL. Cci spp 45 acp. 5.5, 5.7,6.0, 6.3 grain tests. Loading them on the higher end got a good group at 10 yards but every shot was a failure to feed or a stovepipe. Looks like I'll be trying titegroup or perhaps my oal needs to be a bit shorter.

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk

That’s a 230gr load. Of course it isn’t running right. 185gr the starting load is 7.1gr at 1.260” and that is no hollow base.

So it doesn’t surprise me running more than 10% under starting old it isn’t cycling or completely burning the powder.

IMHO I don’t use CFE pistol in low weight bullets for the caliber just because you need so much. I stick with BE for that.

CFE pistol can work great, but when I need to load up ~7.5gr or so for a plinking load compared to 5.8gr for BE for a plinking load.

A pound goes a lot faster.

guzma393 · Apr 24, 2021

PowPow said:
Where'd you get your load data from?

lazarus said:
That’s a 230gr load. Of course it isn’t running right. 185gr the starting load is 7.1gr at 1.260” and that is no hollow base.

So it doesn’t surprise me running more than 10% under starting old it isn’t cycling or completely burning the powder.

IMHO I don’t use CFE pistol in low weight bullets for the caliber just because you need so much. I stick with BE for that.

CFE pistol can work great, but when I need to load up ~7.5gr or so for a plinking load compared to 5.8gr for BE for a plinking load.

A pound goes a lot faster.

PowPow said:
Where'd you get your load data from?

Referenced it from hodgon website:

Hodgdon CFE Pistol 1.235" 5.5 860 14,000 PSI 6.3 1,005 19,900 PSI - 185 GR. BAR TAC-XP

I just loaded these up this morning on a timeframe as a feeler. Looking back, I didn't realize there was other data for another 185 grain projectile with 7.1-8.1 grains of CFE pistol:

Hodgdon CFE Pistol 0.451" 1.135" 7.1 1,008 15,800 PSI 8.1 1,139 19,700 PSI

Moving forward, i'll bump it up to 7.1-8.1 CFE pistol ladder and/or try out a ladder with 5.0-5.5 TG to see if that's any better. If the TG gives results, ill use that.

Hodgdon Titegroup 0.451" 1.235" 4.3 815 15,100 PSI 5.0 940 19,800 PSI - 185 GR. BAR TAC-XP

Hodgdon Titegroup 0.451" 1.135" 5.0 892 14,600 CUP 5.5 956 17,000 CUP - 185 GR. HDY JSWC

PowPow · Apr 24, 2021

guzma393 said:
Moving forward, i'll bump it up to 7.1-8.1 CFE pistol ladder.

That will work a whole lot better for you! :thumbsup:

I was wondering how when I got my data from Hodgdon I was having to use so much more powder than you...

PowPow · Apr 24, 2021

lazarus said:
CFE pistol can work great, but when I need to load up ~7.5gr or so for a plinking load compared to 5.8gr for BE for a plinking load.

I use CFE Pistol for 9mm, but I did experiment with it for 45.

lazarus · Apr 25, 2021

PowPow said:
I use CFE Pistol for 9mm, but I did experiment with it for 45.

I love CFE pistol in my heavier weight bullets. It is my go to for max velocity 147 and 230gr. XTP. I wouldn’t use it in a short barreled gun, but the pressure curve is way more forgiving for pushing things. BE is my go to for plinking because a pound goes so far.

Now I guess if we didn’t have shortages I wouldn’t mind I get 20-30% less out of a pound of CFE Pistol because it burns so cleanly and I get really consistent velocities if I am running somewhere around halfway between starting and max charges (runs great at max too, but it tends to burn inconsistently at starting charges).

Guzma, yeah the Barnes is all copper, so it is a lot longer. It’s close to a 230gr lead core length, but lighter. So the charge will be a lot more compressed. That’s why there is such a large difference in charges.

Harrys · Apr 25, 2021

250 rounds of 50 caliber S&W from Starline arrived today

PowPow · Apr 25, 2021

Harrys said:
250 rounds of 50 caliber S&W from Starline arrived today

It would be nice to see a pic of the firearm they'll ultimately be deployed with!! :lol:

Harrys · Apr 25, 2021

PowPow said:
It would be nice to see a pic of the firearm they'll ultimately be deployed with!!

Magnum Research BFR 50 Caliber S&W

John from MD · Apr 25, 2021

Harrys said:
250 rounds of 50 caliber S&W from Starline arrived today

You are a glutton for punishment. :lol:

PowPow · Apr 25, 2021

Harrys said:
Magnum Research BFR 50 Caliber S&W

Lovely !!!!!

Is that as "painful" as a Model 29 or more? LOL

Harrys · Apr 26, 2021

PowPow said:
Lovely !!!!!

Is that as "painful" as a Model 29 or more? LOL

It is a bit more recoil but nothing I can't handle. I was at the range last month and shot 60 rounds at 25 yards and 50 yards. Where I shoot they make me use the rifle range and says it is too big for the pistol side. I use it for dear hunting along with my 45/70 Henry carry both. I shot a 138 pound hog in GA at about 30 yards with the 50 caliber. I saw a video where a hunter took down a bison with one at 100 yards with a scope.

Harrys · Apr 26, 2021

John from MD said:
You are a glutton for punishment.

To me the recoil is not as bad as you would think especially with custom loads.

John from MD · Apr 26, 2021

Harrys said:
To me the recoil is not as bad as you would think especially with custom loads.

Well, I guess you can load it so it flies along like a Howitzer and still blows up whats at the other end with that huge bullet. :lol:

Harrys · Apr 26, 2021

John from MD said:
Well, I guess you can load it so it flies along like a Howitzer and still blows up whats at the other end with that huge bullet.

Never thought of it that way. I did load up a couple 500 grain HP rounds it was a bit of a bear. It cut down a 6 inch tree with one shot where my target was maybe my new chain saw. :innocent0

Zorros · Apr 26, 2021

Yesterday, .45 Schofield. Someone on another board sold me new brass to use with a SAA. Loaded at 4.2 gr Bullseye and a 250 g lead FN coated bullet. This resulted from a robust discussion whether a lighter BE load in a big .45 case could explode...lighter was 5.5 gr BE.

What did you do at your reloading bench today?

The #1 community for Gun Owners of the Northeast

Member Benefits:

Active Member

Ultimate Member

Where's the beef?

Active Member

Where's the beef?

Ultimate Member

Active Member

Where's the beef?

Where's the beef?

Ultimate Member

Short Round

Attachments

Where's the beef?

Short Round

Attachments

American Patriot

Where's the beef?

Short Round

Short Round

American Patriot

Short Round

Ultimate Member

Users who are viewing this thread

Log in

Forum statistics