LSWC - Bad Accuracy and Leading In My 1911 - XDTalk Forums - Your HS2000/SA-XD Information Source!

scalce · 07-19-2007, 09:53 PM

I bought my first 45 about a month ago and it is a Springfield TRP. I was already reloading 9mm so I got the stuff for 45.

This gun can shoot out a bullseye even though it is considered a combat gun with fixed night sights.

I can nail the center with match or factory 230s.

I was given some 185 grain LSWCs and picked up a few boxes of 200 grain LSWC to try out.

I have been using my chrono to get the fps right around 50 over pf and now I started testing accuracy.

These things suck ass out of my TRP. I couldn't even hit a paper plate at 50 feet consistently.

I also noticed a decent amount of leading closer to the chamber and I just spent an hour trying to get 99% of it out.

So should I keep tweaking the loads to test for accuracy or just stick with plated or jacketed 230s?

Is it normal to have lead build up to the point that it comes out in shiney pieces?

bigun · 07-19-2007, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scalce

I bought my first 45 about a month ago and it is a Springfield TRP. I was already reloading 9mm so I got the stuff for 45.

This gun can shoot out a bullseye even though it is considered a combat gun with fixed night sights.

I can nail the center with match or factory 230s.

I was given some 185 grain LSWCs and picked up a few boxes of 200 grain LSWC to try out.

I have been using my chrono to get the fps right around 50 over pf and now I started testing accuracy.

These things suck ass out of my TRP. I couldn't even hit a paper plate at 50 feet consistently.

I also noticed a decent amount of leading closer to the chamber and I just spent an hour trying to get 99% of it out.

So should I keep tweaking the loads to test for accuracy or just stick with plated or jacketed 230s?

Is it normal to have lead build up to the point that it comes out in shiney pieces?

Whoever is casting your bullets is using too soft of a mixture. Pure wheelweight makes about the best casting material for .45 acp. You can push it to around 1000 fps without leading.

Noah Mercy · 07-19-2007, 10:22 PM

Have you mic'ed the bullets and slugged the bore? If the bullets are grossly over- or under sized (I never trust the numbers on the box...I've seen too many commercial cast bullets that were mismarked) they will lead. It should also be noted that hard-cast bevel-based bullets with crayon for lube will lead worse than relatively soft flat-based slugs with soft lube at the moderate velocities most auto pistols shoot. So unless your bore is abnormally rough, you probably should look at the size and hardness of the bullets.

FWIW, I fire around 20,000 hand-cast bullets a year in everything from 450fps plinking loads from a snubbie on up to 1250fps loads out of my rifles. Leading is not an issue with my soft (easy to cut with a fingernail) bullets. I use stick alox lube and my molds drop flat based slugs, which I size .001" over bore diameter.

Just my $.0185 (sorry...the gub'mint got to it first) worth.

f4tweet · 07-19-2007, 11:59 PM

I use Bear Creek 200gr. SWC Moly coated in all my .45's, and they shoot great. I hold the OAL to 1.230. It feeds in my Para Limited, Mil-Spec Spring 1911a1, Kimber 1, and of course my Spring. XD-45 Tactical.

fredj338 · 07-20-2007, 08:46 AM

You didn't say who's LSWC bullets you are shooting. Stay away from the soft swaged Speer, even Hornady bullets. I shoot almost nothing but cast 200grLSWC out of my 1911. On good days it will print 2" @ 25yds if I'm up to it. They should be sized at least .452", better over sized than under sized for leading & accuracy.

**Glenn** · 07-22-2007, 04:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigun

Whoever is casting your bullets is using too soft of a mixture. Pure wheelweight makes about the best casting material for .45 acp. You can push it to around 1000 fps without leading.

Pure wheel weights????? No tin???? Man ! talk about leading........

invssgt · 07-22-2007, 06:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scalce

I bought my first 45 about a month ago and it is a Springfield TRP. I was already reloading 9mm so I got the stuff for 45.
Springfield 1911 barrels run the gamut from 'junk' to 'fantastic'. Clean the barrel really good and examine it closely; if your bore is mirror-smooth, it won't contribute to leading. If it's rough with 'chatter' marks it may lead, no matter what.
This gun can shoot out a bullseye even though it is considered a combat gun with fixed night sights.
The sights have nothing to do with mechanical accuracy.
I can nail the center with match or factory 230s.

I was given some 185 grain LSWCs and picked up a few boxes of 200 grain LSWC to try out.
I have been using my chrono to get the fps right around 50 over pf and now I started testing accuracy.
These things suck ass out of my TRP. I couldn't even hit a paper plate at 50 feet consistently.
I also noticed a decent amount of leading closer to the chamber and I just spent an hour trying to get 99% of it out.
So should I keep tweaking the loads to test for accuracy or just stick with plated or jacketed 230s?

Before anybody can help you with the 5 things above, we need to know the specifics of the load you are using.
Is it normal to have lead build up to the point that it comes out in shiney pieces?
I have seen it before but do not consider it 'normal'. It is indicitave of a problem with the load or barrel.

...

Tard · 07-22-2007, 09:35 AM

For what it's worth, I don't shoot all-lead bullets anymore to reduce lead exposure. I tried them in my XD45ACP Tactical and they functioned flawlessly but the chamber was leading-up in about 100 rounds and would jam-up after that.

If you want lead, go w/ moly coated lead bullets. They don't lead-up and are cheaper than FMJ or TMJ, but they SMOKE so I don't use them anymore.

If you are going to cast them yourself, add antimony to harden them up.

**Straight-Shooter** · 07-22-2007, 09:42 AM

These are the hard cast lead bullets I shoot and have yet to have a accuracy or leading problem.

Linky

Read the reviews

T-Bear · 07-22-2007, 12:01 PM

I have yet to find a 1911 that won't shoot SWC accurate. I would look into the man behind the mold how made them. Like others have said, the bullet may be seriouisly undersized.
And as for using pure WW with no tin added. I use straight WW .38 all the way up to .454 pushing 1300fps, NO check. It's all in the right size mold.

07-19-2007, 09:53 PM	#1
scalce XDTalk 1K Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Upstate SC Posts: 1,415	LSWC - Bad Accuracy and Leading In My 1911 I bought my first 45 about a month ago and it is a Springfield TRP. I was already reloading 9mm so I got the stuff for 45. This gun can shoot out a bullseye even though it is considered a combat gun with fixed night sights. I can nail the center with match or factory 230s. I was given some 185 grain LSWCs and picked up a few boxes of 200 grain LSWC to try out. I have been using my chrono to get the fps right around 50 over pf and now I started testing accuracy. These things suck ass out of my TRP. I couldn't even hit a paper plate at 50 feet consistently. I also noticed a decent amount of leading closer to the chamber and I just spent an hour trying to get 99% of it out. So should I keep tweaking the loads to test for accuracy or just stick with plated or jacketed 230s? Is it normal to have lead build up to the point that it comes out in shiney pieces?

07-19-2007, 10:22 PM	#3
Noah Mercy XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Sheridan, Wyoming Posts: 276	Have you mic'ed the bullets and slugged the bore? If the bullets are grossly over- or under sized (I never trust the numbers on the box...I've seen too many commercial cast bullets that were mismarked) they will lead. It should also be noted that hard-cast bevel-based bullets with crayon for lube will lead worse than relatively soft flat-based slugs with soft lube at the moderate velocities most auto pistols shoot. So unless your bore is abnormally rough, you probably should look at the size and hardness of the bullets. FWIW, I fire around 20,000 hand-cast bullets a year in everything from 450fps plinking loads from a snubbie on up to 1250fps loads out of my rifles. Leading is not an issue with my soft (easy to cut with a fingernail) bullets. I use stick alox lube and my molds drop flat based slugs, which I size .001" over bore diameter. Just my $.0185 (sorry...the gub'mint got to it first) worth. __________________ I may be fat, hairy, and ugly...BUT AT LEAST I SMELL BAD!

07-19-2007, 11:59 PM	#4
f4tweet XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Southern Kalifornia Posts: 147	LSWC - Bad Accuracy and Leading In My 1911 I use Bear Creek 200gr. SWC Moly coated in all my .45's, and they shoot great. I hold the OAL to 1.230. It feeds in my Para Limited, Mil-Spec Spring 1911a1, Kimber 1, and of course my Spring. XD-45 Tactical. __________________ We're surrounded, that simplifies our problem. Chesty Puller Last edited by f4tweet; 07-20-2007 at 12:01 AM.

07-22-2007, 09:35 AM	#8
Tard XDTalk 4K Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Machias, WA Posts: 4,453	For what it's worth, I don't shoot all-lead bullets anymore to reduce lead exposure. I tried them in my XD45ACP Tactical and they functioned flawlessly but the chamber was leading-up in about 100 rounds and would jam-up after that. If you want lead, go w/ moly coated lead bullets. They don't lead-up and are cheaper than FMJ or TMJ, but they SMOKE so I don't use them anymore. If you are going to cast them yourself, add antimony to harden them up. __________________ If you aren't part of the solution you are part of the precipitate.

07-22-2007, 09:42 AM	#9
Straight-Shooter XDTalk 500 Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: South Bend, Indiana Posts: 798	These are the hard cast lead bullets I shoot and have yet to have a accuracy or leading problem. Linky Read the reviews __________________ If you buy a glock, don't carry it on a boat. Look what happened to the Edmund Fitzgerald.

07-20-2007, 08:46 AM	#5
fredj338 XDTalk 1K Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 1,449	You didn't say who's LSWC bullets you are shooting. Stay away from the soft swaged Speer, even Hornady bullets. I shoot almost nothing but cast 200grLSWC out of my 1911. On good days it will print 2" @ 25yds if I'm up to it. They should be sized at least .452", better over sized than under sized for leading & accuracy.

07-22-2007, 12:01 PM	#10
T-Bear XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: ALONE Posts: 116	I have yet to find a 1911 that won't shoot SWC accurate. I would look into the man behind the mold how made them. Like others have said, the bullet may be seriouisly undersized. And as for using pure WW with no tin added. I use straight WW .38 all the way up to .454 pushing 1300fps, NO check. It's all in the right size mold.

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