Handloads for bullseye matches, .45 ACP and .38 SPC???

[oneshotonekill]

I didn't know if any of you guys already had something worked up? I am gonna be shooting in some local club matches and would like to have some good handloads to start out with.

I will be shooting a S&W K-frame with 4" bbl. And I hope to soon be acquiring a Springfield RO, with a 5" bbl.

I know some guys use, PB, Tightgroup, Clays, etc. I know there is no garuntee any of your loads will work in my guns, but if there is a trend in powders that are common it gives me somewhere to start. Thanks

 

[USMC_0311]

I didn't know if any of you guys already had something worked up? I am gonna be shooting in some local club matches and would like to have some good handloads to start out with.

I will be shooting a S&W K-frame with 4" bbl. And I hope to soon be acquiring a Springfield RO, with a 5" bbl.

I know some guys use, PB, Tightgroup, Clays, etc. I know there is no garuntee any of your loads will work in my guns, but if there is a trend in powders that are common it gives me somewhere to start. Thanks

Here is a couple of references but I am not sure how these loads perform out of a 4 in bbl. INGO memeber AllenM Worked up this load and its the best out of my gun. Colt series 70

.45 ACP
200 LSWC
4.3 Titegroup
.003 crimp
CCI primer


The Encyclopedia of Bullseye Pistol

Encyclopedia of Bullseye Pistol

 

[oneshotonekill]

Do you guys cast your SWC's? My buddy has some molds, but he said those and HBWC's were a pain to do. What did you set the OAL too? Or is that critical in pistols?

 

[Water63]

Not sure what you are going to shoot but here is what I am running now in my 686.
38 spl 125 gr Cast TCFP Missouri Bullet co. IDP #6 .356 dia
3.2 Clays running around 900fps
seems to be a great load we shoot plate and it will group better than I can hold light recoil so makes it a great action load.

38 spl 158 SWC
3.2 Titegroup around 820fps
Good load with the heavier bullet you will get some smoke off this one it is on the lighter side right about starting load.

I don't run a 45 ACP now so maybe someone else can help you out there. I like the Missouri bullets they are about 2 -3 days out by mail give them a call great company!

 

[Water63]

Do you guys cast your SWC's? My buddy has some molds, but he said those and HBWC's were a pain to do. What did you set the OAL too? Or is that critical in pistols?

38 spl overal length
125 gr TCFP Missouri IDP #6 1.475
158 Cast SWC 1.475

I use the same setting on the seat die for both loads

 

[USMC_0311]

Do you guys cast your SWC's? My buddy has some molds, but he said those and HBWC's were a pain to do. What did you set the OAL too? Or is that critical in pistols?

Nope, I get mine from Missouri Bullet Company Missouri Bullet Company

OAL on the 185gr LSWC is 1.145

I got to ask AllenM on the OAL on the 200gr, can't find it right off hand.

 

[BE Mike]

To keep things simple, I'd start with Alliant Bullseye powder for both your .38 spl loads and .45 ACP loads. The tough thing is to get good bullets that will group well at 50 yards. Most bullseye shooters use 2.7-2.8 grains of BE behind a swaged 148 gr. Hollow Base Wadcutter for their .38 SPL load. If you load the HBWC too hot, you will blow the skirt off the bullet and obviously this can cause problems. You can seat the HBWC flush. Some like a slight roll crimp. I like a taper crimp. There is nothing wrong with a regular wadcutter bullet out of a .38 spl revolver. Some like the double-ended wadcutter.

I would suggest that you start with a swaged 200 grain Semi-wadcutter bullet loaded with 4.0-4.2 grains of Alliant BE for your .45 ACP load. A very good bullet brand is Zero that you can get from Roze Distribution, Inc. - Zero Bullets and Ammunition. Magnus bullets are also excellent. Overall length isn't critical, but you must insure that you leave a little shoulder exposed and not so much that the cartridge won't feed through your mags. I taper crimp so that the mouth of the completed cartridge is around .470". You may have to get a lighter recoil spring for your SA Range Officer to function well with light bullseye loads. Cast bullets shoot well at 25 yards, but I've found that swaged or jacketed group better on the long line. Use good mags, I like Metalform, and keep your gun wet with oil.

There are some great 50 yard loads with jacketed bullets. The Nosler 185 gr. JHP shoots very well with 4.5 grains of Alliant Bullseye. The Zero 185 gr. JHP also shoots very well at 50 yards with this charge. The only drawback is that jacketed bullets are relatively expensive.

 

[bman1962]

I have been working up bullseye loads for the 45 acp. I use the missouri bullet 185 grn button. 4.3 grn bullseye with OAL of 1.155 and they have been working really good so far. My buddy uses this load at 1.185 in his colt but it won't feed in my new RO.

 

[USMC_0311]

I have been working up bullseye loads for the 45 acp. I use the missouri bullet 185 grn button. 4.3 grn bullseye with OAL of 1.155 and they have been working really good so far. My buddy uses this load at 1.185 in his colt but it won't feed in my new RO.

What lb recoil spring do you use with that load?

 

[bman1962]

What lb recoil spring do you use with that load?

We use a Springfield RO and a Kimber custom target II and both have factory stock springs.

 

[BE Mike]

I have been working up bullseye loads for the 45 acp. I use the missouri bullet 185 grn button. 4.3 grn bullseye with OAL of 1.155 and they have been working really good so far. My buddy uses this load at 1.185 in his colt but it won't feed in my new RO.

I tried the button nose 185 gr. SWC cast bullets. I had feeding issues and also couldn't get them to group well at 50 yards. Long-nosed SWC bullets are a different story. They feed well and group well out of good pistols. BTW, there is a fellow on ebay that sells a neat bullet seater for Dillon dies in .45 ACP. It seats the bullet by use of the shoulder only. This really makes it easy to try out a bunch of different designed SWC bullets without having to adjust the seating die. I have one and it is great. Here is a link:Dillon 45 Cal seating Insert | eBay

 

[bman1962]

I tried the button nose 185 gr. SWC cast bullets. I had feeding issues and also couldn't get them to group well at 50 yards. Long-nosed SWC bullets are a different story. They feed well and group well out of good pistols. BTW, there is a fellow on ebay that sells a neat bullet seater for Dillon dies in .45 ACP. It seats the bullet by use of the shoulder only. This really makes it easy to try out a bunch of different designed SWC bullets without having to adjust the seating die. I have one and it is great. Here is a link:Dillon 45 Cal seating Insert | eBay

That is nice information to have thank you. Do you use the longer nose swc from missouri? We are very new to the bullseye scene and even newer at the reloading and any information is appreciated.

 

[BE Mike]

That is nice information to have thank you. Do you use the longer nose swc from missouri? We are very new to the bullseye scene and even newer at the reloading and any information is appreciated.

I haven't used the Missouri bullets, so I can't comment on them. If you have a bunch of cast SWC bullets in 185 or 200 gr. weight, the Alliant Bullseye charge of 4.0-4.2 should work with the Missouri cast bullets, if that's what you have. Plated bullets, like Rainier aren't liked by the bullseye crowd. I've tried them too. Swaged bullets have always grouped better than cast out of my guns, but your results might be different. My favorite bullets for bullseye pistol competition are Zero 185 gr. swaged SWCHP, (catalog # R-186) or 200 gr. swaged SWC (catalog #R-117) found at Roze Distribution, Inc. - Zero Bullets and Ammunition. Magnus makes a nearly identical bullet and it can be found at SWAGED LEAD BULLETS/38cal-45cal-44cal at .40 CALIBER HARD CAST LEAD If you want to test the accuracy of your pistol at 50 yards, load up some Nosler 185 gr. JHP with 4.5 gr. of Alliant Bullseye powder. The COAL isn't critical, but should be around 1.20". Taper crimp to .470" or so. I've never seen a good pistol that these wouldn't group well with (2" ten shot group or less at 50 yards measured center-to-center). If your pistol won't group 3.5 inches or so with this load, it is time to get a pistolsmith to accurize your gun with a new match barrel, bushing, etc. I didn't develop any of these loads. They were passed on to me and I'm just passing them along. Like I said previously, your recoil spring may have to be replaced with a lighter one, i.e. 14# or so, to function well with these light loads.

 

[Leo]

The load USMC suggested for the 200 gr SWC in the .45 is a good one. I have used it many times, all my .45's are full sized 5 inch barrels. One of them needed a 14 lb recoil spring, but the others were fine with the stock 16 lb spring. I also used the Titegroup powder in .38 wad cutter loads for my 6 inch revolver, but I am not near my reloading notebook to remember the powder charge weight. I am thinking it was 3.5 gr, but do not trust that without double checking.

I found my notebook, 3.5 gr titegroup was my .38 bullseye load under the 158 gr cast SWC bullet.

 

[BE Mike]

Do you guys cast your SWC's? My buddy has some molds, but he said those and HBWC's were a pain to do. What did you set the OAL too? Or is that critical in pistols?

I haven't cast bullets in a long time. I used to cast mostly .45 SWC's for bullseye shooting, but could never get them to shoot as well as the swaged ones I bought. If you have access to casting equipment, bullet metal, a place to cast bullets, and the time, you might go for it. Just about any bullet will shoot well at the short line (25 yards) and that's 2/3 of the match, so it can save you some money. However, IMHO, it is unlikely that you will produce anything of higher quality than you can buy for the long line (50 yards).

 

[oneshotonekill]

I'm sort of resurrecting this thread...I finally got a .45 for shooting matches...I just happened to come across a Colt MK IV series 70 Gold Cup National Match that was way too cheap....I just got my reloading bench built and the room it is in is currently being freshened up with paint and such...when it gets done this weekend I am hoping to be trying these loads in the next week or two.

 

[USMC_0311]

I'm sort of resurrecting this thread...I finally got a .45 for shooting matches...I just happened to come across a Colt MK IV series 70 Gold Cup National Match that was way too cheap....I just got my reloading bench built and the room it is in is currently being freshened up with paint and such...when it gets done this weekend I am hoping to be trying these loads in the next week or two.

Congrats on your new pistol, I am jealous.

Next Bullseye match at MCFG is Aug 20th, at 9:00 am.
MCFG Indy Range - NRA Bulls Eye

Working up a few new loads myself. I bought a couple of boxes of Gunny Zin's Ammo at Camp Perry last week. Looks like Star brass, 185 gr JHP (looks indentical to the Nosler that BE Mike posted earlier), OAL 1.207. At 24 bucks for a box of fifty the price is not bad fro match ammo. Going to make me some that look like his and shoot some groups.

Now that you can use reloads in the leg matches I need to work up a good hardball load.

 

[BE Mike]

I'm sort of resurrecting this thread...I finally got a .45 for shooting matches...I just happened to come across a Colt MK IV series 70 Gold Cup National Match that was way too cheap....I just got my reloading bench built and the room it is in is currently being freshened up with paint and such...when it gets done this weekend I am hoping to be trying these loads in the next week or two.

I used to shoot one of these pistols way back when. They are lovely to behold, but I quickly began out-shooting it in competition. I ended up selling mine and getting a custom match 1911. You may end up having to get some accuracy work done on yours, but maybe not. If you know someone who has a machine rest, see if you can test it at 50 yards with very good ammo. Two weak points of the Series 70 Gold Cup are the roll pin used to hold the Eliason rear sight in place and the collet bushing. The roll pin usually works it's way out and should be replaced with a piece of drill rod of the same dimensions. The drill rod should have a slight crook made in it before being tapped in the hole. A Colt gunsmith did this for me one time. The collet bushing is subject to breakage and should be replaced with a solid fitted bushing. The little spring on the sear that supposedly puts the hammer/ sear engagement in the same place really doesn't work and you can throw it away when you get someone to give it a trigger job. I really don't mean to knock your Gold Cup. They are really basically very well made and of great quality. The finish on those guns was tops. Most just, out-of-the-box, lack the top 50 yard accuracy required for serious bullseye pistol shooting.

 

[oneshotonekill]

This is an older Gold Cup circa 1976...it has had some work done to it, the trigger is awesome. Like I said, it was priced right and I just had to have it of course. I'll try it out and see how it shoots, I doubt I am able to outshoot it but one can only hope.

 

[BE Mike]

This is an older Gold Cup circa 1976...it has had some work done to it, the trigger is awesome. Like I said, it was priced right and I just had to have it of course. I'll try it out and see how it shoots, I doubt I am able to outshoot it but one can only hope.

Mine was of that vintage and I bought it new! Like I said, I'm not knocking the series 70 Colt Gold Cup, they are a pistol I'd be proud to own. They can just stand some tweaking, especially for serious NRA bullseye pistol shooting. Sounds like you landed a very good deal...sweet!