Lots of stovepipes with reloads. - XDTalk Forums - Your HS2000/SA-XD Information Source!

Scrappy · 10-20-2006, 06:23 PM

Hi guys,

I've been lurking here for a while and finally bought a tactical XD-45. This place is great

and I love this handgun.

I have fired 300 rounds of WWB without a hitch. I decided to try some reloads and loaded some 230 gr Berry's bullets over 4.4 gr. W231. OAL was 1.265. I fired twenty rounds and had 19 stovepipe jams. I know my starting grains were low, but thought that would be the safe way to begin. Do I need to up the grains, or is the OAL too long? I tried to keep the length the same as the WWB that worked so well.

A big thanks for any help.

**Straight-Shooter** · 10-20-2006, 07:21 PM

My expierience so far with reloads for the .45 with W231 are a favorable 5.5gr to a 6.2gr load. No failures to cycle and accuracy is a tad better at the higher end. If you insist on using a 4.4gr load then the problem could possibly be that you need to goto a lighter spring for reliable cycling of the gun.

sas-xd45 · 10-20-2006, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scrappy

Hi guys,

I've been lurking here for a while and finally bought a tactical XD-45. This place is great

and I love this handgun.

I have fired 300 rounds of WWB without a hitch. I decided to try some reloads and loaded some 230 gr Berry's bullets over 4.4 gr. W231. OAL was 1.265. I fired twenty rounds and had 19 stovepipe jams. I know my starting grains were low, but thought that would be the safe way to begin. Do I need to up the grains, or is the OAL too long? I tried to keep the length the same as the WWB that worked so well.

A big thanks for any help.

S:
I believe that your starting amount of W231 is too low.
The Speer reloading manual that I have shows the starting amount for the 230gr jacketed bullet to be 5.6gr of W231, and even the 230gr lead bullet shows a starting load of 5.1gr. You might try again with a little stronger charge of powder. Your OAL seems to be fine.
HTH.
-steve

Scrappy · 10-20-2006, 08:32 PM

Thanks. I will bump the grains with my next batch.

Cheers

kansas45 · 10-20-2006, 08:38 PM

Welcome & congraluations on your XD. My XD45 Tactical has 4500+ rounds through it. I believe your powder charge was too light to properly cycle the slide. Mine likes 5.3 grains of Bullseye under a 230 grain Winchester RNFMJ bullit. I also use W231 from time to time with good results. The key is to find a load that is accurate but not so powerful as to cause the sights to lift a lot. Remember that you can use different loads for different types of shooting. Good luck & keep us informed on oyur progress with your new XD!

Scrappy · 11-04-2006, 06:20 PM

Update--------I bumped my powder to 5.2 gr. of W231 and my XD45 eats my reloads like sweet candy! Nary a hiccup.

Thanks everybody for the help.

The only downside is the fact that both my teenage sons like to shoot it as well and I am going to have to upgrade my reloading press from a turret to a progressive, but I guess that is really not a problem.

nunnya · 11-04-2006, 11:02 PM

Teaching your son's to reload my be a better solution, unless you've been
eyeing a progressive press. On second thought both might be best!

nunnya

**Loves2Shoot** · 11-04-2006, 11:25 PM

http://www.brianenos.com/store/dillon.html

Here you go.

JohnC · 11-05-2006, 05:34 AM

I use 5.2g of W231 under a 230g FMJ and 4.8g under a 230g LRN or TCBB. No problems with functioning and accuracy is excellent. The 4.8g load under a 230g cast bullet is a nice range load. I use 4.8g of WST under a cast 200g TC bullet that is very accurate, clean, and nice shooting.

AKM · 11-05-2006, 08:53 PM

I've done some load testing with my XD45 tactical and it just doesn't like light loads. My favorite 190pf loads that run flawlessly in my 1911s just won't eject in my XD, no matter how light a recoil spring I use.

But the recoil of the XD tac is so easy it doesn't really slow me down to use full power loads.

I shot my first pin match last weekend with my XD and my only complaint was the sights. (Course my over-40 eyes don't help either). The match was indoors and the lighting was dim on the firing line, pointing up the shortcomings of the stock XD sights.

I still managed a 5th (or thereabouts) in the centerfire class out of about 30 shooters. I had to leave before the final scores were calculated so I have to wait for the scores to be posted online before I know exactly where I placed.

10-20-2006, 06:23 PM	#1
Scrappy XDTalk Newbie Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 3	Lots of stovepipes with reloads. Hi guys, I've been lurking here for a while and finally bought a tactical XD-45. This place is great and I love this handgun. I have fired 300 rounds of WWB without a hitch. I decided to try some reloads and loaded some 230 gr Berry's bullets over 4.4 gr. W231. OAL was 1.265. I fired twenty rounds and had 19 stovepipe jams. I know my starting grains were low, but thought that would be the safe way to begin. Do I need to up the grains, or is the OAL too long? I tried to keep the length the same as the WWB that worked so well. A big thanks for any help.

10-20-2006, 08:38 PM	#5
kansas45 XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: southern kansas near I35 Posts: 246	Welcome & congraluations on your XD. My XD45 Tactical has 4500+ rounds through it. I believe your powder charge was too light to properly cycle the slide. Mine likes 5.3 grains of Bullseye under a 230 grain Winchester RNFMJ bullit. I also use W231 from time to time with good results. The key is to find a load that is accurate but not so powerful as to cause the sights to lift a lot. Remember that you can use different loads for different types of shooting. Good luck & keep us informed on oyur progress with your new XD! __________________ I HAVE TWO GUNS. ONE FOR EACH OF YOU!

11-04-2006, 11:25 PM	#8
Loves2Shoot XDTalk 2K Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Bend, OR Posts: 2,611	http://www.brianenos.com/store/dillon.html Here you go. __________________ www.SpringerPrecision.com The XD Specialists - Our web store is now online!

11-05-2006, 08:53 PM	#10
AKM XDTalk 1K Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phoenix Posts: 1,511	I've done some load testing with my XD45 tactical and it just doesn't like light loads. My favorite 190pf loads that run flawlessly in my 1911s just won't eject in my XD, no matter how light a recoil spring I use. But the recoil of the XD tac is so easy it doesn't really slow me down to use full power loads. I shot my first pin match last weekend with my XD and my only complaint was the sights. (Course my over-40 eyes don't help either). The match was indoors and the lighting was dim on the firing line, pointing up the shortcomings of the stock XD sights. I still managed a 5th (or thereabouts) in the centerfire class out of about 30 shooters. I had to leave before the final scores were calculated so I have to wait for the scores to be posted online before I know exactly where I placed. __________________ Liviu Librescu - În veci pomenirea lui. U.S. Army/Marine Snipers - Making the World a Better Place, 175 grains at a time.

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10-20-2006, 07:21 PM	#2
Straight-Shooter XDTalk 500 Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: South Bend, Indiana Posts: 738	My expierience so far with reloads for the .45 with W231 are a favorable 5.5gr to a 6.2gr load. No failures to cycle and accuracy is a tad better at the higher end. If you insist on using a 4.4gr load then the problem could possibly be that you need to goto a lighter spring for reliable cycling of the gun.

10-20-2006, 08:32 PM	#4
Scrappy XDTalk Newbie Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 3	Thanks. I will bump the grains with my next batch. Cheers

11-04-2006, 06:20 PM	#6
Scrappy XDTalk Newbie Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 3	Update--------I bumped my powder to 5.2 gr. of W231 and my XD45 eats my reloads like sweet candy! Nary a hiccup. Thanks everybody for the help. The only downside is the fact that both my teenage sons like to shoot it as well and I am going to have to upgrade my reloading press from a turret to a progressive, but I guess that is really not a problem.

11-04-2006, 11:02 PM	#7
nunnya XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 218	Teaching your son's to reload my be a better solution, unless you've been eyeing a progressive press. On second thought both might be best! nunnya

11-05-2006, 05:34 AM	#9
JohnC XDTalk Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Missouri Posts: 60	I use 5.2g of W231 under a 230g FMJ and 4.8g under a 230g LRN or TCBB. No problems with functioning and accuracy is excellent. The 4.8g load under a 230g cast bullet is a nice range load. I use 4.8g of WST under a cast 200g TC bullet that is very accurate, clean, and nice shooting.