Question from the Pyrodex or GOEX loaders

[joec]

I'm curious how many grains of powder do you load in a 45 Colt case using a 255 gr bullet and Pyrodex as well as GOEX. I'm looking for a guess as to what it weighs out as mostly out of curiosity.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Howdy, JoeC!

Most of my loading is with Goex.  I have loaded some Pyrodex recently but the weight figures escape me at this moment, and I load by volume so my weighing of BP is for my own information, NOT for load development.  Having said that, I have had the same powder measure set to fill my 45 Colt cases for the last 6 years or so and when weighed, I remember figures from 32 grs. to 37 (plus or minus .2 or .3) from the same setting, but different lots of powder and even a few different brands.  I load using the PRS 250 gr BigLube boolit and that amount of powder fills the case to about 1/16" to 1/8" from the top and before compressing with a wad, (but not always) and then bullet seating.  I'd say the powder is compressed at LEAST 1/8" to even 1/4."   I have used more powder on occasion, but this is what I've found that works for me on a regular basis.  Using modern cartridges (vs. the older balloon-head type) you really have to work to get more powder in than what I use, given my own loading and equipment.  (Progressive press, med flaring of the case, length of boolit, wad/no wad, etc.)  To really fill and get more powder in the case requires me to use a drop tube and vibration, no wad and maximum OAL seating of the bullet.  And a LOT of extra time & care per cartridge.

Hope this helps.

[joec]

Howdy, JoeC!

Most of my loading is with Goex.  I have loaded some Pyrodex recently but the weight figures escape me at this moment, and I load by volume so my weighing of BP is for my own information, NOT for load development.  Having said that, I have had the same powder measure set to fill my 45 Colt cases for the last 6 years or so and when weighed, I remember figures from 32 grs. to 37 (plus or minus .2 or .3) from the same setting, but different lots of powder and even a few different brands.  I load using the PRS 250 gr BigLube boolit and that amount of powder fills the case to about 1/16" to 1/8" from the top and before compressing with a wad, (but not always) and then bullet seating.  I'd say the powder is compressed at LEAST 1/8" to even 1/4."   I have used more powder on occasion, but this is what I've found that works for me on a regular basis.  Using modern cartridges (vs. the older balloon-head type) you really have to work to get more powder in than what I use, given my own loading and equipment.  (Progressive press, med flaring of the case, length of boolit, wad/no wad, etc.)  To really fill and get more powder in the case requires me to use a drop tube and vibration, no wad and maximum OAL seating of the bullet.  And a LOT of extra time & care per cartridge.

Hope this helps.

Thanks SHB and being new to loading, still reading the books before actually starting to load. I have 2 Lee Pro 1000 Presses one is set up for 45 Colt while the other I will change over to 9mm. I have a lb of Pyrodex that I got with the rig used and have a number of boxes of it loaded by the guy I bought the systems from. I do understand how it loads so last night I use a post I read here with pictures. I used his method to figure out how much powder to compress it about 1/16" when the bullet was set so now I know how much need to go through the powder feeder. I was wanting to make sure I got it set right when I start loading to start. Once the Pyrodex is gone or I find either GOEX or Swiss I will try it for sure. I will start doing the 45 Colt then 45 acp with smokeless and eventually 9mm smokeless.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Good on ya, Joe!

For my Goex and Pyrodex I make sure that the powder is compressed at least 1/8".  However, make sure you read up on compression with whatever powders you use.  You mentioned Swiss powder.  I don't know because I have no experience with Swiss, but I understand that Swiss doesn't "like" much compression.  Just read up before you compress.

Have fun!

[joec]

Thanks SHB, I'm an older guy that has shot for decades and for the first time reloading. I have just grown attached to my hands at this point and would hate to leave this world without them.  Because of this I don't want any mistakes as I've seen others not do so well over the years with home rolled ammo.

At any rate I loaded a few dummy rounds checking the dies on the press last night and seem to have it going good minus the primers. The dies got moved as I took it completely apart to clean it so had to rest it back to the orginial settings. I used the video posted at http://www.sanfranciscoliberalwithagun.com/default.html who knows all the tricks with the Lee Pro 1000 loader. I found it a very helpful set of video.