[ctrout]

I modded my 1911 to fire the 45 super. I am having a problem with Primer flow. They flow into the firing pin hole and are sheared off during ejection or they just blow a clean cookie-cutter style piece of the primer completely out. This piece then remains in the firing pin hole and prevents firing the next round. I already removed .035" from the pin and am using the Wolff spring set. Any suggestions? The load is 8.0 grains Clays Universal Hornady 230 gr FMJ. 1125 fps.

Pictures of the brass are here:
http://www.pbase.com/ctrout/stuff

Click on the picture for a larger view.

 

[dvdstdg]

Is your case length at spec and not causing head space problems? Have you checked your chamber depth?

 

[ctrout]

Case length is to spec. How do I check chamber depth and how does this affect my problem. I guess that I'm aware that Headspace affects pressure but I don't think that this is so much a pressure problem as a mechanical one.

 

[dvdstdg]

Originally posted by ctrout
Case length is to spec. How do I check chamber depth and how does this affect my problem. I guess that I'm aware that Headspace affects pressure but I don't think that this is so much a pressure problem as a mechanical one.

Cast the chamber (I believe you can get kits to do this from supply houses). If you don't have any pressure signs then it seems as though your case head is being forced into the firing pin hole on the bolt face with enough force to extrude the primer casing into the hole. I am wondering if this is caused by excessive head space and the case being pushed back against the bolt face? Any misfire problems?

 

[ctrout]

Thanks. I'll look into this. Do the kits tell me what I'm looking for? What will I be looking for BTW?

 

[dvdstdg]

Originally posted by ctrout
Thanks. I'll look into this. Do the kits tell me what I'm looking for? What will I be looking for BTW?

The kits contain a compound that sets up to create an exact cast of your chamber. Once you get the cast you will need to check the diminsions against spec for this caliber. Although, now that I think about it although these casts are used to check chamber dimensions but I don't know if they will work for bolt face to seating sholder depth; email Brownells and they should be able to tell you as I believe they sell the kits. Are you getting any primer flattening, is the case flowing into the extractor groove or anything else that causes the case to pick up a reverse image of the bolt face? It doesn't look like it from your pictures of the cases in the loading block but there are peculiar looking marks ont the primers. Have you had the smith that did your conversion look at it, or better yet another smith who has no skin in the game.

 

[ctrout]

The cases show absolutely no additional signs of pressure. They are normal in every way except for what you can see in the pictures. The corners of the primers are not even slightly squared off, no carbon seepage around them, etc.

 

[dvdstdg]

I just edited my post.

 

[Geno]

I think your loads are too hot. Primers giving way and blowing holes thru them. The case may look normal when hot loads are fired. The clays powders are usually not for hot loads in 45 acp. Are you using published reloading data for the 45 super?

 

[ctrout]

I switched powders (8.5gr Unique) and am still blowing primers. Loaded some with rifle primers and did not get any blown primers and the velocities fell within the range that I was seeing with pistol primers. The problem I have with rifle primers is that now the brass shows serious signs of overpressure. My velocities are exactly as expected and not excessive compared to factory 45 super loads. Does anyone have any SAFE loads that will give me 1100-1150fps? I saw a load on a website that I believe would blow the gun up. Looks too good to be true. 12 gr of N105 for 1224 fps! That's with the 230 gr FMJ. I was thinking that Blue Dot would be a better powder than Unique but according to my calculations, I would get less than 10 FPS gains at the same pressure levels. Any suggestions?

 

[Geno]

I found some data on this web site, most of the 230gr loads are slower than yours which suggests your loads were too hot. It also has some tips on reloading it...

http://www.real-guns.com/loads/45Super.htm

 

[ctrout]

It puzzles me though that factory loads are claimed to reach 1100fps and the original pre-production ammo was said to have safely reached 1300fps and that it was only downloaded to 1100 to tame the recoil. And yes these are the velocities for 230 grain bullets, not 185s or 200s.

 

[dvdstdg]

Originally posted by ctrout
It puzzles me though that factory loads are claimed to reach 1100fps and the original pre-production ammo was said to have safely reached 1300fps and that it was only downloaded to 1100 to tame the recoil. And yes these are the velocities for 230 grain bullets, not 185s or 200s.

This is probably a stupid question but what powder did the preproduction loads use? I know a 5" barrel doesn't leave much margin for the effect of different powder speeds but could the powder have this large of an effect?

 

[ctrout]

I don't know what the powder was but the magazine article I'm looking at says that Hodgdon did the pressure testing and that the 185 grain bullet was originally loaded to 1500fps and was only standardized at 1200fps because of recoil. I'm not seeing it now but I thought I had seen that the 230 grain went as high as 1300 and was standardized at 1100 for the same reason. Do you suppose that Hodgdon might share some of the original recipes?

 

[dvdstdg]

Originally posted by ctrout
I don't know what the powder was but the magazine article I'm looking at says that Hodgdon did the pressure testing and that the 185 grain bullet was originally loaded to 1500fps and was only standardized at 1200fps because of recoil. I'm not seeing it now but I thought I had seen that the 230 grain went as high as 1300 and was standardized at 1100 for the same reason. Do you suppose that Hodgdon might share some of the original recipes?

You could try. I expect that because of liability issues Hodgdon will only give you published data. Try some of the reloading pages. Do a search on reloading and you will get 100's of hits.

 

[Edward429451]

The data I have for 45Super is for Power Pistol, 230 gr up to 1145 fps. Maybe try a LB of that.

 

[ctrout]

The search is over. I bought yet another powder (AA7) and finally found the load. I started with 12.0 grains and went as high as 12.6 grains with no pressure signs whatsoever. Velocity with 12.6 grains averaged 1119fps for 5 rounds. I may do some fine tuning for accuracy but I am very much in the ballpark. Thanks for the help.

 

[Geno]

Primers ok? Be careful not to load one of those rounds in a standard 45acp.

 

[ctrout]

Yes, the primers look completely normal. I'm using a 230gr FMJ RN bullet from Ranier. OAL is 1.250. I'll probably be switching to a cast bullet though as I intend to use this as a trail gun. Now I guess I'll work up some 185 gr loads for plinking. This is really a fun orund to shoot.