Anybody handload 45 ACP with Berry's Plated RN 230 gr using Autocomp powder?

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rick25s

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Anybody handload 45 ACP with Berry's Plated RN 230 gr using Autocomp powder? I loaded up 5 of them for test loads at the minimum powder charge (6gr) and the first one fired at 1350 ft/sec. ...yeah....wtf?!?!? After that I fired a few factory loads which measured 700 ft/sec. I tore apart the 4 other handholds and everything measured perfect. There is no possible way I double-charged it, because I measured them all before setting the bullets. Does anybody have any experience with this 45's and Autocomp?

I loaded up 5 more with 'ole tried and tested Bulleye, but ran out of time and couldn't get back to the range.
 
rick25s said:
Anybody handload 45 ACP with Berry's Plated RN 230 gr using Autocomp powder? I loaded up 5 of them for test loads at the minimum powder charge (6gr) and the first one fired at 1350 ft/sec. ...yeah....wtf?!?!?
Click to expand...
(I know nothing about any of this, but)
could your chrono display have been set to some metric mode?
I'm not saying it makes one whit of sense.
I'm jus' sayin'.
 
rick25s said:
Anybody handload 45 ACP with Berry's Plated RN 230 gr using Autocomp powder? I loaded up 5 of them for test loads at the minimum powder charge (6gr) and the first one fired at 1350 ft/sec. ...yeah....wtf?!?!? After that I fired a few factory loads which measured 700 ft/sec. I tore apart the 4 other handholds and everything measured perfect. There is no possible way I double-charged it, because I measured them all before setting the bullets. Does anybody have any experience with this 45's and Autocomp?

I loaded up 5 more with 'ole tried and tested Bulleye, but ran out of time and couldn't get back to the range.
Click to expand...

Load 2 more with the Autocomp to confirm or deny your findings and see if you maybe did double charge the only one you fired.......shit happens.
 
AHM said:
(I know nothing about any of this, but)
could your chrono display have been set to some metric mode?
I'm not saying it makes one whit of sense.
I'm jus' sayin'.
Click to expand...

It was in the right mode. My factory loads tested at 700 ft/sec. I always fire factory loads before and after my test loads.
 
I also always use bullseye for .45acp target loads but I have used Autocomp. It should be ok at 6 gr its literally designed for .45acp, .40sw, .38 super, etc the charge must have been off on the one you fired. I'd try again.
 
Make sure your scale, if digital is set for grains not grams.
I've not yet acquired this powder, so I have no direct experience to relate.
Hodgdon load data lists 6.0gr/6.1gr to 6.6gr/6.6gr for a 230gr lead bullet and a 230gr jacketed bullet respectively. Maximum velocities out of a 5" barrel are listed at 896fps/871fps respectively. Yours are definitely out of sorts; no telling exactly what is off....
 
Uzi2 said:
Load 2 more with the Autocomp to confirm or deny your findings and see if you maybe did double charge the only one you fired.......shit happens.
Click to expand...

I really want to do that, but feeling that shot go off and seeing the flash, has me very leery about trying that load again.

I don't see where I could have double charged. I also had all five on the bench and visually compared the amount of powder in each case. They were exactly the same. A double charge of that powder would have almost filled the case. The very next thing I did was seat the bullets. I don't get it.....
 
Did it feel really hot? I mean a 230gr pill at 1300fps is approaching light .44 mag loads you'd have felt significant recoil, like slide battering frame recoil, and the case would have definitely shown signs of high pressure. I've used that powder at a similar charge with a similar bullet, had no issues, made for some nice almost full power target/comp loads. It does seem a little warmer than my typical plinking loads with bullseye. Keep in mind that powder is designed to burn to increase the volume of gas to make compensators more effective on a race gun, it's not the same as shooting some light target loads with 5.0gr of bullseye, it's meant for making power factor and running in race guns.
 
Last edited:
NavelOfficer said:
Make sure your scale, if digital is set for grains not grams.
I've not yet acquired this powder, so I have no direct experience to relate.
Hodgdon load data lists 6.0gr/6.1gr to 6.6gr/6.6gr for a 230gr lead bullet and a 230gr jacketed bullet respectively. Maximum velocities out of a 5" barrel are listed at 896fps/871fps respectively. Yours are definitely out of sorts; no telling exactly what is off....
Click to expand...

It's set for grains. I just ran down and checked. I dropped the powder and measured it again and it's exactly 6gr, on both my electronic and manual scale.
 
moojpg2 said:
Did it feel really hot? I mean a 230gr pill at 1300fps is approaching light .44 mag loads you'd have felt significant recoil, like slide battering frame recoil, and the case would have definitely shown signs of high pressure.
Click to expand...

Heck yeah it felt hot. Way hot. I searched a long time for the brass but couldn't find it.
 
moojpg2 said:
I also always use bullseye for .45acp target loads but I have used Autocomp. It should be ok at 6 gr its literally designed for .45acp, .40sw, .38 super, etc the charge must have been off on the one you fired. I'd try again.
Click to expand...

I'll see how the Bulleye fire tomorrow. A heavy charge is the only explanation at this point. It's hard to believe this time because of how meticulous I was about it, but I'm sure second guessing myself now.
 
NavelOfficer said:
Perhaps it was an R-P case with insufficient bullet grip and the bullet seated deeper while chambering...?
Click to expand...
moojpg2 said:
Yea uhm bullet get set way back? Excessive crimp? idk
Click to expand...

They are R-P cases. I just ran down and loaded one (with no primer or powder). The crimp was perfect, and it chambered right in with no resistance. I then loaded it from the mag, and slammed it shut. I measured it and the length was exactly the same. I guess I'll find out when I shoot the bullseye loads tomorrow. If that's way off, I'll know the Autocomp had nothing to do with it.
 
All I know, is that I've come across many R-P cases (usually nickel plated) that don't have adequate neck tension after sizing. My solution is to run them slightly into a .308 Winchester sizing die to bring them down a tad, so the bullet gets held firmly.
If you don't want to salvage them, just scrap them.
 
rick25s said:
Heck yeah it felt hot. Way hot. I searched a long time for the brass but couldn't find it.
Click to expand...

Load two, weighing the charges accurately and place a tarp or a box to catch the brass and inspect it for pressure signs.

That's the only way you're going to confirm whether the powder is defective if you suspect that.

I don't suspect defective powder, I suspect an over charge.

Set back would be doubtful on the first round even if the slide was released from locked back position.
 
rick25s said:
Anybody handload 45 ACP with Berry's Plated RN 230 gr using Autocomp powder? I loaded up 5 of them for test loads at the minimum powder charge (6gr) and the first one fired at 1350 ft/sec. ...yeah....wtf?!?!? After that I fired a few factory loads which measured 700 ft/sec. I tore apart the 4 other handholds and everything measured perfect. There is no possible way I double-charged it, because I measured them all before setting the bullets. Does anybody have any experience with this 45's and Autocomp?

I loaded up 5 more with 'ole tried and tested Bulleye, but ran out of time and couldn't get back to the range.
Click to expand...
What are the chances it’s a warm load but your chrono was just throwing a fit?
I’ve seen chronos toss some weird numbers out there. They are known to be finicky
 
Michael J. Spangler said:
What are the chances it’s a warm load but your chrono was just throwing a fit?
I’ve seen chronos toss some weird numbers out there. They are known to be finicky
Click to expand...
OP says he tested with factory ammo and 700 fps, depending on the barrel length and if it's a cheap brand is probable, but 1350 with 230gr is crazy fast. Chronos can have hiccups, but the hiccups usually involve not reading a bullet or having a duplicate reading.
 
What factory ammo are you shooting that is 700fps per second ? Can you verify the speed with another chronograph ?
 
Is this your first time using Autocomp? Like, did you just recently buy the powder or have you used it before without issue? It's possible, albeit very unlikely, that what you have is not Autocomp.

Let's say everything you're saying you did while loading is correct and you didn't use a different powder by accident or you seated the bullets a bit deep... the other possible explanation is that you did double charge that one case or it somehow got more powder than it should.

My suggestion would be to load some other caliber with Autocomp and see what you get. 6gr of Autocomp is no where near max for this powder w/ a 230gr .45 ACP.

This isn't the only time I've seen something like this, I recently shot some .32 Mag with Lil' Gun powder under an 85gr XTP. I had just shot some other ammo that was the same, but used Power Pistol and was getting 1200-ish, which sounded normal, then the Lil' Gun was clocked at over 1600 and while it's a powder that gets high velocities, it shouldn't be going that fast with .32 H&R and a minimum charge.
 
rick25s said:
Anybody handload 45 ACP with Berry's Plated RN 230 gr using Autocomp powder? I loaded up 5 of them for test loads at the minimum powder charge (6gr) and the first one fired at 1350 ft/sec. ...yeah....wtf?!?!? After that I fired a few factory loads which measured 700 ft/sec. I tore apart the 4 other handholds and everything measured perfect. There is no possible way I double-charged it, because I measured them all before setting the bullets. Does anybody have any experience with this 45's and Autocomp?

I loaded up 5 more with 'ole tried and tested Bulleye, but ran out of time and couldn't get back to the range.
Click to expand...

Did it "feel" like 1350 ft/sec? Sometimes very flashy or smoky powders will mess with a chrono, especially if it's too close to the muzzle. I once shot 6,000 fps out of a 44 mag revolver 😄
 
T-Unit said:
OP says he tested with factory ammo and 700 fps, depending on the barrel length and if it's a cheap brand is probable, but 1350 with 230gr is crazy fast. Chronos can have hiccups, but the hiccups usually involve not reading a bullet or having a duplicate reading.
Click to expand...
That’s just the problem with chrono hiccups. They’re not repeatable. I’ve seen stupid velocity both high and low. If there were a glitch or like noted above some flashy unburnt powder issues messing with the chrono then testing a different ammo might not give that same result.

OP did you see if you could even fit a double charge and still seat a bullet? It’s one thing possibly fit a double charge but to seat a bullet to proper OAL with all that powder in there is another thing. Sometimes it can fit sometimes not.
 

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