[charleym3]

Hi,
I'm going to set up a gun for my 9 year old son to shoot in IDPA. Making power factor is not an issue. I'm looking for an ultra minimum load in .45ACP. I can go down as low as a 6lb recoil spring.
He wants to shoot, but hates recoil. I figure that he can step up a little at a time as he grows.
Thanks.

 

[Norm Lee]

200 gr SWC over 3.8 or so grains of VV N310 is soft and accurate. If you load to the low side, you will need about a 10# spring. 4.0 gr. will operate a stock spring. 185 gr. bullets will further reduce recoil but, in my gun, the accuracy was not as good.

Cheers,

Norm

 

[Jim Watson]

I load .45ACP with 700X.
A 175 grain long-nose SWC (looks like a #68 shortened from the bottom) and 3.5 grains of 700X Ransom rested 5 into 1.1 inch at 25 yards, doing 656 fps with SD of 9 from my old Pachmayr. The bullet has a short bearing surface and I was really surprised to see it do so well.
The same powder charge will work with 185 or 200 grain cast. The same weight (3.5 gr) of Bullseye has been a mild target load for many years. The same or a bit less, maybe 3.3 gr of Clays should work, too.

 

[Number 6]

You might also try Red Dot; about 3.8 grains under a 180 grain bullet should be fairly light.

 

[Bill Go]

For a very light load, I have used 4.9 gr of WW231 and a 200 gr lead SWC. This will probably work with a 10 or 12# spring. 6# might even be too light.
Bill Go

 

[r.n.dement]

To Charlym3 Hello I've had good results with
a 200gr RNWC made locally. I use 3.0--3.2 of
231 and a #9 or a #10 springco recoil spring.
Cold temp.s can and do affect the reliabilty.
25yd groups fair to good. Have not rested the
load. Hope this helps

Bob D.

 

[Robert Palermo]

You could go down to a 152 gr bullet and a light load and a light spring and that would be as light as one could go.

 

[Jimaik]

I use 185 grain hard cast from Tenn. Valley, the bearing surface is lager than most brands, behind 3.4 - 3.5 of Bullseye. On my Para needed to drop down to a 12 pound spring, and on my Kimber had to drop to 11. This load has won my brother and myseld many PPC matches.

 

[steveh]

It's been my experience that hard cast doesn't do well with light loads. You want the base of the bullet to swell to fit the bore, and light loads usually lack the oomph to do this. With hard cast and light loads, I've noticed more leading, which I was told was due to flame cutting. Since I switched to swaged lead for the lighter loads, I've not had any problems with leading. YMMV.

Regards,

- Steve

 

[Matt VDW]

You could try some of the cast zinc bullets from Zee Bullets for minimal recoil. They're shaped like 230gr truncated cone bullets but they only weigh about 140 grains.

 

[charleym3]

On 2002-03-19 16:38, Matt VDW wrote:
You could try some of the cast zinc bullets from Zee Bullets for minimal recoil. They're shaped like 230gr truncated cone bullets but they only weigh about 140 grains.

Are they still around??? Do they have a web site?

 

[Joe Ford]

Do you have a recoil calculator program ? I have them included in my reloading programs. But I also downloaded one for free from somewhere. Recoil is a factor of velocity powder weight burn rate and weapon weight. I am assuming you don't want to change guns. There can be some problems with downloading. The level of powder in the case can get so low your accuracy goes to pot. Also I would assume there is a minimum recoil spring weight needed to chamber the next round. You want to look for a powder that will take up alot of room per grain of weight. WST, and 800X, and Clays come to mind. You will also want to pick a bullet design that will allow you to seat it rather deep but still function this will also cut down on the internal volume of the brass. Fiber wadding wont do you any good because now you'll have the weight of the wad to move forward. Have you looked into a .22 LR upper conversion Kit. Most local IDPA matches probably wont mind your beginner using one. But he'll learn the grip and feel of the 1911 for when he grows. Check Cabela's I think they see them.