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

FancyGunz said:
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 😄
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I recorded a 3200fps out of a snub 357 on a first round fired of a test batch and almost shit my pants. Yup.....chrono was too close to the muzzle.
 
Just looked up the data for 230gn 45

Lead round nose starts out 0.1gn higher than jacketed - that's because autocomp burns very slow and ends up tossing a significant amount of unburned powder if you don't get pressure up fast. Had serious issues with it in 38spl with Speer cases and plated bullets - not enough neck tension to get a good burn.

Try again with the chrono further away and then bump the charge up - autocomp is filthy and inconsistent at lower charges.
 
The chrono I own says leave to about 10ft between the muzzle and the tunnel. What your chrono is displaying is upwards of about .45 Super velocity or .460 Rowland.
Clock your charge back to about 5.5 and go from there.
I'm not saying the website data is off, but check it against a manual.
 
Hesitate to throw my two cents 'cause you sound like your well into the danger zone.....but...what kind of gun were you shooting?
I just can't imagine you could drive a 230 to 1350 without somewhat spectacular results. Say....case stuck in chamber, case rupture, mag blown out, slide flying past your head type of thing.
Maybe a fully supported chamber would hold...IDK.
 
I'm sure that's a chrono error. I have had wildly high readings once in a while. Something crosses the second sensor at just the right instant perhaps. My gut says you can't hit a velocity like that without damaging the gun.
 
I agree with others. I think you had the gun too close to the chrono or the chrono just had a weird reading. I’ve also had really high readings before.
 
gerrycaruso said:
Assuming you didn't screw up(people occasionally do) I'm inclined to agree with T Unit. Maybe that's not really Auto Comp.
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I can't rule out that I screwed up, even though I have multiple checks in place, and am a very focused and experienced person....except with loading 45's.

whacko said:
Also he should look at the primer innthe spent case to see if it showed signs of over pressure.
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Couldn't find it.

pastera said:
Autocomp throws a lot of gas - could cause fits for the chrono if it was too close.
However, I think the OP said it felt hot which a starting charge should not.
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Chrony was over 12ft away

BrianWilson said:
Hesitate to throw my two cents 'cause you sound like your well into the danger zone.....but...what kind of gun were you shooting?
I just can't imagine you could drive a 230 to 1350 without somewhat spectacular results. Say....case stuck in chamber, case rupture, mag blown out, slide flying past your head type of thing.
Maybe a fully supported chamber would hold...IDK.
Click to expand...

Springfield XD 45 SubCompact
Trust me, I have been having anxiety over the possible outcomes.

nstassel said:
I'm sure that's a chrono error. I have had wildly high readings once in a while. Something crosses the second sensor at just the right instant perhaps. My gut says you can't hit a velocity like that without damaging the gun.
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I'd consider a chrony error, if it didn't feel like 1350. I yelled WTF before I even look at the chrony.
 
Results from today:
  • Loaded up 5 more
    • 4.3gr Bullseye Powder
    • Same 230gr Berry's Plated Roundnose
    • Same case
    • Same large pistol primers
  • Placed chony exactly 12ft away
  • Fired factory load - 751 ft/sec
  • Fired the 5 handloads
    • 675 ft/sec
    • 700
    • 682
    • 680
    • 685
My possible conclusions, based on all your input: (Thank you all for that)
  • I F'd something up, which is a wake up call. I've loaded 10s of thousands of rounds with never a problem, or even close to a problem.
  • My Autocomp is not really Autocomp
Next round of testing:
  • Not try my Autocomp again, until my curiosity overtakes me, and I figure out a safe way to test it....which includes input from the manufacturer, my motorcycle helmet, and all my military raid gear on....and hope nobody sees me :)
  • Increase the Bullseye charge from 4.3 to 4.8 grains (in two steps), and most likely be happy with that. I like that option.
 
Know very little about reloading, but would it be possible to down load below the minimum load (say 4 gr or even 3 gr) to see if it was a mistake or really is the powder? Don’t know if there are ignition issues if you have too little powder in the case. But if you can and you still get decent velocities, then you could be pretty sure it was the powder and not an error on your part.
 
cathouse01 said:
Know very little about reloading, but would it be possible to down load below the minimum load (say 4 gr or even 3 gr) to see if it was a mistake or really is the powder? Don’t know if there are ignition issues if you have too little powder in the case. But if you can and you still get decent velocities, then you could be pretty sure it was the powder and not an error on your part.
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That is what I will be talking to manufacturer about. Going below the minimum can be very dangerous. My loads were right at the minimum....if I didn't double charge it, of course. It just baffles me that I might have done that. I measured everything, and laid out the 5 charged cases next to each other. There was no difference in height of powder. I can't think about what might have happened from that point to when I seated the bullet. IF, it was double charged, the only reason something didn't break from pressure was because the barrel is so short and case was ejecting, both relieving pressure before all the powder was fully burned (theory). If I undercharge it, the bullet may get stuck in the barrel, leaving no pressure release in that direction, and I don't know what would happen on the other side.
 
rick25s said:
That is what I will be talking to manufacturer about. Going below the minimum can be very dangerous. My loads were right at the minimum....if I didn't double charge it, of course. It just baffles me that I might have done that. I measured everything, and laid out the 5 charged cases next to each other. There was no difference in height of powder. I can't think about what might have happened from that point to when I seated the bullet. IF, it was double charged, the only reason something didn't break from pressure was because the barrel is so short and case was ejecting, both relieving pressure before all the powder was fully burned (theory). If I undercharge it, the bullet may get stuck in the barrel, leaving no pressure release in that direction, and I don't know what would happen on the other side.
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Yeah, that is what I was thinking about. You certainly don’t want a squib load either. I know enough about reloading to know I don’t know enough about what goes on in a case significantly under loaded. I just know weird stuff happens with propellant burn rates when you mess around with volumes and pressures.
 
Have you pulled down the other rounds and weighted the charges?

A starting load of autocomp is a very light load - it should have barely ejected.
If your other rounds had the correct loads, I would call Hodgdon and ask some questions.
If it's only a pound - the $30 isn't worth blowing up your gun unless you are certain that you screwed up that load.
 
I’m going to say it wasn’t a double charge.
I’m going to venture a guess that the recoil was a stiffer than normal and the chrono reading is throwing off the thought process.

Not that double charges aren’t possible but if you are well versed in reloading, had only made a few cartridges that you visually checked before bullet seating, pulled the rest and confirmed the charges and purchased the powder new I would like to think that the issue isn’t the powder manufacturer mis packing a single pound of powder or that you blacked out and added double the powder in between looking at 5 cases and seating the bullets.

@1919FAN could you run a what a double charge looks like in quick load please? That program will show case fill % along with pressure and speed.
If it’s says speed is 3000 FPS and the pressure is 80k then it would be reasonable to think that the double was not the issue. Because if it was it would have torn your gun apart.
If it says pressure is 30k and 1350 FPS then yeah it was probably a double. 30k isn’t going to blow up a modern 45 but will beat the hell out of it especially with a stock spring.
 
Michael J. Spangler said:
I’m going to say it wasn’t a double charge.
I’m going to venture a guess that the recoil was a stiffer than normal and the chrono reading is throwing off the thought process.
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That's the thing. The chrony was the last thing I noticed. The first thing I noticed was massive flash and recoil. I didn't notice the ft/sec until I was set up to shoot another factory load.
 
pastera said:
Do you think checking density would give some insight?
Fill a case with water to get exact volume them use that case to calculate an accurate density.
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Good trick that might help out.
I guess you could use a set of Lee dippers also to check the density.
If it throws way off from what the dipper chart says it’s probably the wrong powder
 
Autocomp has a wicked flash and snappier recoil. I actually hated shooting it through 9mm. So much unburnt powder was getting blown back into my face it was obnoxious. Like being in a sand storm obnoxious.

My bet it’s your chrono is too close. Load a few more rounds while taking care to ensure they are absolutely perfect, set the chrono further back, and have at it.
 
I'd say your on the right track in post 41. As you well know there is more than a few well proven powders that work just fine in standard velocity .45. Bullseye, Tite Group, 231 yada yada yada. No need to reinvent the wheel.
Maybe save the Auto Comp for when your trying to keep the muzzle down with a compensated pistol.
 
BrianWilson said:
I'd say your on the right track in post 41.
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Tru dat

BrianWilson said:
As you well know there is more than a few well proven powders that work just fine in standard velocity .45. Bullseye, Tite Group, 231 yada yada yada. No need to reinvent the wheel.
Click to expand...

Exactly. The Bullseye is working perfect. Every iteration I made shot almost exactly what the Hornady manual said it would. Lyman and Hodgdon were very close. These are the first 45's I have ever loaded, and I had the Autocomp on my shelf. I don't even remember buying it. My gut instinct was to go with bullseye, but I didn't. I like the old powders. I use a lot of 700X, Unique, 2400, etc. The only newer one I have good luck with is Alliant's Power Pistol. That is like a dream come true for my 9mm jacketed hollow points. True Blue is my favorite for .38 Special. I'm not sure how long that's been around, but it meters like water.
 

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