how to find load data for factory ammo

[kermit315]

Hey all,

I want to replicate factory Hornady XTP 230grn. HP's. Where can I find the factory load data for this round?

Thanks,

Jamie

[GeoffLinder]

Duping a factory load just means pushing a very similar bullet loaded at the same OAL to the same velocity as the factory round goes in YOUR gun. You don't need to dupe the brass, primer and powder used by mfgr, only the bullet weight, type and velocity really matter here. OAL matters more for gun function in this case.

Chrono some of the XTP's in your gun then just match that velocity with whatever powder you like and you are done, load is duped

[kermit315]

I dont have a chrono, and the guy that did have one moved away. So, I am looking for a recipe that mimics factory XTP's.

[J-cat]

5 grains of Bullseye at 1.200" OAL.

[GeoffLinder]

I dont have a chrono, and the guy that did have one moved away. So, I am looking for a recipe that mimics factory XTP's.

I consider a chrono a must have if you are serious about reloading and want specific and/or consistent performance levels from your reloads.

You can dupe any load data anyone provides and you still may not be duplicating the factory load performance. Once the bullet is the same as the factory one everything else is about the velocity it goes downrange at. If you don't know what the factory ammo moves out at from "your" gun, then you have no idea if your dupe loads are really duping that performance.

Barrel length and diameter variances coupled with chamber size and case volume variances make it almost impossible to do anything other than approximate performance of anything else. This is always true of someone else's data from loads fired in a gun other than yours.

Just duplicating someone else's load data is a lot like wearing someone else's underwear, not advisable without proper precautions

In other words, as usual, reduce any charge data you get off the internet by 5% and work it back up carefully in YOUR gun.

[J-cat]

I disagree. 45 ACP load data has been refined over 100 years and test barrels/pistol barrels are standardized with a .450" groove diameter 1-16" twist rate. The velocity difference between his gun and a test barrel is not going to be significant enough to worry about. He will not notice any difference in recoil or POI.

[GeoffLinder]

.45acp is a lower pressure round and safer to work with than many semi-auto rounds so I will kind of agree that just duping data with it is safer than with say .40SW. I always disagree that it is safe to just plain dupe any load heavier than minimum published data for that powder. In this case 5.0gr Unique at 1.20" OAL is 1 grain under Alliant's published max load of 6.0gr so it is safe as a starter load.

But I still disagree that all barrels and chambers and brass can be treated as the same in "any" caliber, no matter how long it's been around. In fact, the more something has been around, the more probable that there are many, many slightly out-of-standard pieces floating around out there. Prevalence does not mean tolerances get tighter

[Southpaw45]

Its my understanding that factory ammo cant be perfectly duplicated because of the powder. Most powders used in factory ammo is a proprietary blend of propellants and is not available for general public reloading. You can try to duplicate but a chronograph will be a must to have and some time experimenting with different powders and charge weights....

[J-cat]

.45acp is a lower pressure round and safer to work with than many semi-auto rounds so I will kind of agree that just duping data with it is safer than with say .40SW. I always disagree that it is safe to just plain dupe any load heavier than minimum published data for that powder. In this case 5.0gr Unique at 1.20" OAL is 1 grain under Alliant's published max load of 6.0gr so it is safe as a starter load.

But I still disagree that all barrels and chambers and brass can be treated as the same in "any" caliber, no matter how long it's been around. In fact, the more something has been around, the more probable that there are many, many slightly out-of-standard pieces floating around out there. Prevalence does not mean tolerances get tighter

In the case of the 45 ACP, 5grs of Bullseye is a classic load. It is also a book load and the original factory load for the 230gr bullet in this caliber (according to the Handloader magazine article I read). It produces about 830 FPS out of a 5" barrel.

45 ACP brass has pretty much the same volume and you can safely use mixed brass without any changes to POI or accuracy.

[uscbigdawg]

Make life easy and get a chrono. The "load" that you're looking for is that bullet going a specific velocity OUT OF YOUR GUN. The ONLY way to build that is to shoot the bullet you want and it leave the muzzle with the same (or close) velocity. That velocity can only be measured with a chrono and the round firing out of YOUR gun.

Rich

[wyattearp]

You can buy the XTP bullets and brass from Hornady. Their website shows the load you are interested in has a muzzle velocity of 950 fps. Find load data for that velocity and you are good to go.

[kermit315]

all: the load data is based off of a 5" barrel as per Hornady. Its being used in a GI 1911, so still a 5" barrel.

The only bullets that bass pro sells for pistols in 45 cal, and as far as I can remember, every other normal pistol round, is a hornady XTP. That is why I am starting there.

Anyway, since I dont have a chrono, and dont know when funds will be available to get one, I wanted a recipe that could get me close, and an idea of what powder would be closest to factory. I dont need exacts, I am not going to use them for defense, but if they are close enough, I might use them as practice rounds.

[pdq_wizzard]

all: the load data is based off of a 5" barrel as per Hornady. Its being used in a GI 1911, so still a 5" barrel.

The only bullets that bass pro sells for pistols in 45 cal, and as far as I can remember, every other normal pistol round, is a hornady XTP. That is why I am starting there.

Anyway, since I dont have a chrono, and dont know when funds will be available to get one, I wanted a recipe that could get me close, and an idea of what powder would be closest to factory. I dont need exacts, I am not going to use them for defense, but if they are close enough, I might use them as practice rounds.

if what others here say and the load you are looking for is ~830fps with a HP-XTP your best powders are (and these run this bullet between 700 and 900 FPS)

Clays Univ
Viht N340
Power pist
SR 4756
HS-6

see the powder manuf for compleat load data (I only say this because you are looking for hot loads)

also Hornady shows a COL of 1.230 for the #45160 bullet.

I have a crony and most of what I have loaded by the book comes in at ~40FPS on my guns. (unless you have a very long or short barrel) you should be very much in the ballpark.