Good load for 1911 - The Firearms Forum

Mykal · 04-03-2004, 11:23 PM

I have been searching for a good load for my Springfield 1911 A1. Today I tried 5.5 gr of 231 pushing a 230 gr RN Rainier bullet. Cases were trimmed to .888. OAL was 1.275. Light crimp. The rounds fed well, and pressure seemed consistant, but the accuracy was not quite there. Any suggestions? What are your pet loads for this classic .45? --Mykal

Smoky14 · 04-04-2004, 07:03 AM

Mykal: Welcome aboard. The experts are fast asleep, coping with DST.
I like 5gr of 231 pushing 200gr SWC lead. It is great for not leading the barrel and quite accurate in my springfield.

The good advice will come when everybody wakes up.

Smoky the early riser

inplanotx · 04-04-2004, 07:38 AM

I use 5.3 gr of 231 with a winchester primer in Federal brass and a 200 gr LSWC. Will group 1" at 25 yards in my gun.

ACC · 04-04-2004, 04:12 PM

I use 5.3 of tightgroup,230 grain(hollow point of fmj) about 880fps
less than an inch grouping at 25 yds, with glock21
C&R AMMO

JohnnyRobotic · 04-04-2004, 08:05 PM

WOW 5.5 of 231 i just reloaded my first ones ever yesterday shot about 50 of them right after making them just to try them out, made them with 4.8 gr of 231 230gr ranier HP, and i'll tell yah not sure if i'm getting better or the light charge made it easier to shoot but i hit everything i aimed at a 50 feet, shooting plate sized steel targets which i could not do a few weeks back.

But the brochure that the guy gave me said the max charge was 5.1 . . .is that just remington playing it safe?

my speer manual says that for 230 gr HP max is 5.6 but they ARE GoldDot, what is so special about the "golddot" type?

Mykal · 04-05-2004, 07:02 AM

Thanks for the replys. I might try going a bit lighter next time. I think I'll try some 200 gr RN next, and a bit less 231. Thanks again for sharing your data. --Mykal

Mykal · 04-05-2004, 07:10 AM

ps: I might try a lead SWC as well. I sure like the cost advantages! Oh, by the way, JohnnyRobotic, I think all the manuals play it safe, and I don't think that's a bad thing at all. I looked through about 5 different manuals, and for a couple 5.5 was around high-middle of the recommendations. I really should start from the low end, but I sometimes find with my 1911 (or my Browning Hi Power) the low end of load data barely cycles the slide dependably. I ussually start somewhere in the middle of he average of the various recommended loads. -Mykal

JohnnyRobotic · 04-05-2004, 10:11 AM

oh ok, thanks for the info

04-03-2004, 11:23 PM	#1
Mykal Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Delray Beach, Florida Posts: 6	Good load for 1911 I have been searching for a good load for my Springfield 1911 A1. Today I tried 5.5 gr of 231 pushing a 230 gr RN Rainier bullet. Cases were trimmed to .888. OAL was 1.275. Light crimp. The rounds fed well, and pressure seemed consistant, but the accuracy was not quite there. Any suggestions? What are your pet loads for this classic .45? --Mykal __________________ Mykal -->

04-04-2004, 07:38 AM	#3
inplanotx Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Texas Posts: 8,897	I use 5.3 gr of 231 with a winchester primer in Federal brass and a 200 gr LSWC. Will group 1" at 25 yards in my gun. __________________

04-04-2004, 04:12 PM	#4
ACC V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Nashua NH Posts: 152	I use 5.3 of tightgroup,230 grain(hollow point of fmj) about 880fps less than an inch grouping at 25 yds, with glock21 C&R AMMO __________________ To Visit Our Website Click Here Email Us At: crammo45@aol.com

04-04-2004, 08:05 PM	#5
JohnnyRobotic V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Wareham, Massachusetts Posts: 265	WOW 5.5 of 231 i just reloaded my first ones ever yesterday shot about 50 of them right after making them just to try them out, made them with 4.8 gr of 231 230gr ranier HP, and i'll tell yah not sure if i'm getting better or the light charge made it easier to shoot but i hit everything i aimed at a 50 feet, shooting plate sized steel targets which i could not do a few weeks back. But the brochure that the guy gave me said the max charge was 5.1 . . .is that just remington playing it safe? my speer manual says that for 230 gr HP max is 5.6 but they ARE GoldDot, what is so special about the "golddot" type? Last edited by JohnnyRobotic; 04-04-2004 at 08:11 PM..

04-05-2004, 07:02 AM	#6
Mykal Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Delray Beach, Florida Posts: 6	Thanks for the replys. I might try going a bit lighter next time. I think I'll try some 200 gr RN next, and a bit less 231. Thanks again for sharing your data. --Mykal __________________ Mykal

04-04-2004, 07:03 AM	#2
Smoky14 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Nowhere NM Posts: 656	Mykal: Welcome aboard. The experts are fast asleep, coping with DST. I like 5gr of 231 pushing 200gr SWC lead. It is great for not leading the barrel and quite accurate in my springfield. The good advice will come when everybody wakes up. Smoky the early riser

04-05-2004, 07:10 AM	#7
Mykal Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Delray Beach, Florida Posts: 6	ps: I might try a lead SWC as well. I sure like the cost advantages! Oh, by the way, JohnnyRobotic, I think all the manuals play it safe, and I don't think that's a bad thing at all. I looked through about 5 different manuals, and for a couple 5.5 was around high-middle of the recommendations. I really should start from the low end, but I sometimes find with my 1911 (or my Browning Hi Power) the low end of load data barely cycles the slide dependably. I ussually start somewhere in the middle of he average of the various recommended loads. -Mykal __________________ Mykal

04-05-2004, 10:11 AM	#8
JohnnyRobotic V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Wareham, Massachusetts Posts: 265	oh ok, thanks for the info