Recipe req. 230 gr Rainier RN

I've found some conflicting data on the web wrt loading the Rainier plated .45 230 gr round nose. A number of sites told of good results using 4.8 gr. of Bullseye as a moderate load. Primers are CCI and my COL goal is 1.557. I was going to roll with that until I saw that recipe characterized as a max load at MD Smith's reloading pages. He even noted that one should cut 10% off for plated. Add to that the fact that he tends to load hot and you can see where the confusion comes in. FWIW, Rainier doesnt publish data. They just suggest that you use loads for the same weight lead boolit.
Anyone have any experience with these? I picked up a 1,000 of them for range fodder and now I'm wondering...

I started with Rainier's 230gr plated RN.

Using titegroup and cci primers - started at 4.6gr, found my happy spot at 4.8gr. Don't recall COL at the moment, but load data suggested 1.200" OAL, and I believe I was under that by a bit, but not much.

My load data shows a 1.155" COL for 200gr rounds, not 230gr.

My 45acp 230gr FMJ load is the following:

Precision Delta 230gr FMJ RN
Winchester W231 5.0gr's
OAL 1.260
Win or CCI large pistol primers

It's a very soft shooting load and runs 100% out of my S&W E-Series 1911TA.

Also, I believe MAX OAL for RN 230gr is 1.275.

*Correction, I had a bit of dyslexia in my previous post. My load data recommended a COL of 1.200" COL for 230gr on titgeroup.

Thank you Flipz for that post, it made me re-check my load data.

Thanks gents. I will apply your suggestions and test.

If your running titegroup - 4.6gr's will be sooty, 4.8gr's will run a bit cleaner, but it'll still leave some soot.

But either load should be a relatively soft shooter.

Had no problems running them thru 2 1911's, a RIA 5" and a Taurus 5", or my 4" M&P .45 or HK USP .45

COL for all 230 Grn LRN is not the same.Ogive determines proper COL. If you cannot find specific data for that exact bullet- perform a plunk test, if the round is going to be loaded for a semi auto. To do so, you need to field strip your pistol. Take a known good factory cartridge, that you know fires and feeds in your pistol.

With the barrel removed from the pistol, drop the loaded round into the chamber, and note where the case stops in the pistol.

Next make a dummy round with your intended use bullet (in your case the plated you speak of) In a case with NO POWDER OR PRIMER, seat the bullet to the maximum COL for the 45ACP 230RN (1.275") Dont crimp the dummy round bullet yet.

Note where the dummy round chambers in comparison to the factory loaded ammo. IF the round seats the same, you could get away with that COL. If the case sticks out further, then slowly seat the bullet deeper, and keep checking until it is the same. Once you reach identical chambering of the round- that is your COL for that exact bullet. Take your calipers, and measure it, and keep it in your records. Next go ahead and apply your crimp, and check how the round chambers. It should freely drop in -in the removed loose barrel. Put your finger on the back of the case in the barrel, and turn the barrel upside down - remove your finger, the round should fall out. If it does, your crimp and COL is proper, and should feed reliably, if there are no magazine issues.

You can save your dummy round for setting your bullet seating die, for proper COL each time -especially if you load a few different bullets in that caliber.

I dont load load Bullseye for 45ACP - Im a fan of Win231. I cast load, and shoot LOTS of 230 LRN (self cast) and use a charge weight of 5.3 grains (which is max for that load) of Win 231. This charge duplicates, factory hardball in terms of velocity, energy, slide velocity, ejection, and POI. Ive ran my cast bullet loads in probably 8 or 9 different 1911s, and my Tommy - and this round has fed, and shot excellent in all of them.

I'll chime in with this:
I used to use Unique in my ,45acp loads. I learned how good Win231 is from our own Deep Creek Rock. Now I load all my 230 gr cast boolits and 230 gr plated bullets the same: 5.3 grs of Win 231. They all shoot cleanly and beautifully. I'll have to look up what I set my die at for OAL. It hasn't changed in hundreds of loads.

Thanks Hooligans. DeepCreekRock, I do use the barrel of one of my 1911s to plunk test my rounds and the specs I noted in my initial post were very close to some examples of factory ball that I have. I was needlessly wordy in my question though. I hate that tendency!
I was really concerned about the conflicting charge data I was finding. You guys have helped with that. I'm loading 4.8 gr of Bullseye behind those plated 230 gr RNs this morning and testing later today. I don't have a chrono but I'm just looking for decent accuracy at 25 yds and reasonable recoil doing it. One day I hope to graduate to casting my own like you fellers.

I run about 4.0 BE and it's super dirty...but it's a sweet and gentle "thump" that I can do okay with when my carpal tunnel acts up. It also lobs the bullets in and I have to hold stupid-high at anything past 50 yards.

Nanook said:

... It also lobs the bullets in and I have to hold stupid-high at anything past 50 yards.

Click to expand...

That struck me as funny. Lobbing a flying ashtray I have to wait until tomorrow to test my new batch. I did notice today while finishing them up that I over flared the brass a bit. My flaring and powder drop die was still set for the Hornady 230 gr. XTP JHPs that I used last time. The base of the Rainiers must be a tad narrower. After applying the factory crimp/resize, they all plunked in my barrel just fine. Lesson learned though to not flare ahead if you're stocking various bullet types.