What's at the End of the Rainbow?

[Grouse]

I grew up in Kallispell, Columbia falls, Big fork, Holt area. Just so you know those are montana bullets. Yeah yeah, I know you think you know, but let me explain. Montana is Back Asswards and proud of it. Life is done in back asswards Fashion on purpose. When ever possible. In this case these bullets are not designed to be hollow points. They are based upon the diablo design every montanan boy and girl gets as their first rifle. Yep, they are based off large air rifle pellets.

In montana you load these backwards into the case. There are a few good back asswards reasons for this. First the cavity does an excelent job of flairing out when fired giving you the best possible gas seal. This produces higher velocities. It still keeps its rounded edge for a boat tail effect. The flat side gives you a larger melphat for hitting the gophers that pervade Montana. Gophers and Melphats are cousins if you did not know. It is always good in a Montanan's eyes to reintroduce the two.

[DaFadda]

Thanks for the history Aaron. You've lived West of Montana, East of New York, in Rainland and Liberalland. I don't think I'd recommend loading these backwards for a 1911. There just might be a feeding problem! LOL.... But they are unusually accurate. Or perhaps its just that I'm on my game when I'm shooting them. Excellent value, and one I'll keep shooting for a bit. (at least another 2000 or so of them!)

+Michael

[Boats]

Maybe just a bit off topic, but on my mind today...

I hand load for other calibers but just started with .45 ACP today. I just loaded up my first 30 rds of Sierra 230 gr. JHP for my Citadel CS Officer's model. I'm using 5.7gr. of Unique.

Following Lee's reloading instructions, I first seated them to 1.26", and they would not even load up in the stock ACT mags or my Wilson Combat mags. So I reseated them to 1.23", and though they loaded up, they would mostly not chamber. So I reseated to 1.22" and they seem a bit better. I haven't been to the range to check how they feed, but will likely go tomorrow. Should I be concerned to reseat them to 1.21"?

The Citadel feeds Federal Hydra-Shocks just fine.

Question: What's the lowest COAL you'd feel comfortable loading to? What do you find works for you with 230g. JHP?

I'm planning on buying a box of Montana Gold 230gr. JHP, and a box of 9mm JHP, and want to make sure I can get them to reliably feed in my Citadel and my HK P7M8 (which feeds just about anything).

[DaFadda]

Wee bit off topic... but not a problem at all. I load 230 grain JHP with 5.7 Unique to a COAL of 1.20 Never have had a problem with feeding or ejecting. I use Speer #14 book, page 974 (Gold Dot Hollow Point reloading data) to load for my 230 grain JHP Montana Golds. The book limits are 5.4 to 6.0 grains of Unique tested with a COAL of 1.20

Da

[Boats]

Thanks for not spanking me for the off-topic bit and for the information I was looking for.

I'll be trying my 1.2" JHP rounds at the range tomorrow and will report back in a separate thread

[DaFadda]

hey... you brought it up here.... bring it back here. At my age I may never FIND a new thread! LOL.... hope it helps!
+Michael

[Boats]

Originally Posted by DaFadda

hey... you brought it up here.... bring it back here. At my age I may never FIND a new thread! LOL.... hope it helps!
+Michael

Ok, I finally got the chance to hit the range today.

The reloads were great: Sierra 230gr JHP over 5.7gr of Unique and CCI primers seated to 1.22" OAL. I shot 27 of them with no problems. Shot them out of the stock ACT mags and WCs.

The cheapo PMC 230gr FMJ range stuff on the other hand had a number of FTF out of both types of mag.

What can I say? I know it's nasty ammo and I shouldn't be shooting it. And I won't anymore now that my reloads are working reliably.

Thanks for the help! I'll be loading a few hundred .45 shells this weekend.