reloading USP 45 ammo?

[baguaman]

I am wondering given the increasing price of ammo if any of you guys do any reloading of your own and is it acceptable for use in the USP if one sticks with FMJ bullets,if it is an acceptable practice does any one have any advice to offer.
Thanks for your time.

[Goose5]

I have been reloading for my USPf .45 for a couple of years now. Here is my setup.

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c56/Goose5/ReloadingStation.jpg

One little quirk I have noticed. Using round nose bullets you can load close to the OAL. Using hollow points or other flat nose type bullets you need to look up and load almost to the minimum length. If you don't your bullets will not chamber. I am considering a Jarvis aftermarket barrel so I can shoot lead. This will greatly reduce my bullet cost.

[NightFighter]

I have used the Winchester 230 grain fmj bullets with great results and have recently switched to the Rainier plated bullets in both 9mm and .45.

Stick with a jacketed or plated bullet such as the Rainiers or Berrys and all is good. Do not use lead bullets in your factory barrel.

[HK_Flyer]

Your USP will eat reloads up no problem. Just remember to take the time to reload correctly. Use at least two books to double check dimensions and powder measure. Make sure you are using the right kind of powder. If you are a beginner, check out either a Lee progressive press or a Dillon. Never overpower your reloads.

[Powder Burns]

All my usps' digest reloads exclusively now. Apart from .22lr I don't even buy factory stuff anymore.

[baguaman]

my thanks to all for taking the time to answer my questions and I will act on the info you have related to me. obviously I have much research to do,again
my thanks.

[Goose5]

Tons of great information here:

http://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve

http://www.thehighroad.org/

http://forums.handloads.com/

[veejay]

@NightFighter - How hot do you run those Rainiers? I've got the opportunity to get about 1500 of the 200gr flat nose from my father-in-law's estate, but was worried about copper buildup in the barrel. I tried a few loads of 231 at 5.5 gr., but it barely cycled my tac (also didn't seem like the casing was expanding enough to seal properly). It looked like it cycled and sealed properly at 5.7, but I noticed a bit of copper. Not causing any problems for you, I assume? Thanks! :)

VJ

[IMTHESKI]

I have a Dillon 550 and 650 that I have been slowly working on. Really busy with work and the Wife so not a lot of time. Luckily I have been collecting brass along the way. Although I am considering ditching the 550.

[NightFighter]

I use the same load as the Winchester fmj. I use 5.4 grains of Green Dot with Winchester and Speer cases and Winchester primers.

Rainier does not recommend pushing plated bullets past 1,200 fps. My 230 grain .45 loads are way slower than that. They don't seem to gum up the HK barrel at all.

I use the 147 grain in 9mm in my p2000sk with 4.0 grains of Bullseye. These are surely faster than the .45s but do not cause problems either.

If I were reloading .357 Sig or something fast, plated bullets may not be the best.

I have had great luck with the Rainiers in HK.

[lunchb0x]

Hey IMTHESKI,
If you're looking to ditch that 550, I'm in San Diego and would be interested ;).

[jmtuley]

Does anyone put low-power rounds through their USP 45? I've got a Tac that I shoot for USPSA and I'm thinking of loading some rounds to around 166-168 power factor (that's bullet weight x velocity / 1000). For example, 185gr at 908-ish fps, or 230 at around 722fps. (Sorry, I'm still working on finding load data that gives me these figures, but I'm thinking of 4.6gr of Clays for the first load, or 3.9-4.0gr for the second, based on a 2004 Hodgdon manual). Of course, I'm going to buy jacketed rounds (FMJ or SWCs, depending on what I can find at whichever weight I decide to try).

At those reduced powers (I currently shoot WWB/Blazer Brass mostly, and have Federal FST 230gr +P defense rounds) I'm not in the least concerned about "blowing up" a USP ... assuming I don't double-charge, of course. What I am concerned about is the possibility that the gun will fail to cycle properly.

Does anyone have experience running low-recoil rounds such as these with any degree of success, or am I just asking for trouble?

Thanks!
-- John.

[veejay]

Hi John,
I was originally starting out trying to find a target load for my Tac. I had previously had good shooting with 5.0 gr of 231 with the Rainier 200 gr flat nose in my 1911, but running the same load in the Tac not only didn't cycle it properly, but was downright scary with the gas blowback. Other than my hand and pride getting a little burned, no damage to shooter or firearm, thank goodness. I'm going to try NightFighter's advice next (Thanks NF!). I'll post chrono numbers later this week. I think for a power factor of ~167, you're probably going to have to go with a lighter recoil spring to cycle properly. 5.5 gr of 231 was the minimum that cycled mine with the factory springs, but I still wasn't entirely comfortable with it.

[veejay]

Hi John,

Went to the range today and got these numbers. Used the Rainier 200 gr flat nose with an OAL of 1.247, 231 powder:

5.5 gr - avg. 707 fps, PF 141
5.6 gr - avg. 774 fps, PF 155
5.7 gr - avg. 796 fps, PF 159
5.8 gr - avg. 817 fps, PF 163

As you can see, I stand corrected on the lighter recoil spring for a pf in the range you're looking for. They all cycled fine, with about as light a recoil as you'll get with a .45. The 5.5 gr load did give me one failure to cycle in 20 rounds, but it's still a lot lighter than you're looking for. I think when I was having the recoil trouble with the 5.7 gr loads they were simply mislabeled and were actually my 6.0 gr test loads, so my expectations were set for a much lower recoil. Good luck!

Vince

[LSP 972]

After trying some different reduced loads in my USPc .45, I settled on 4.2 of WST powder under a Precision Delta 230 FMJ bullet. I've never clocked this load, but it is a VERY pleasant, gentle-shooting practice load that is very accurate; checked in my RRA bullseye gun.

I've also used this load with Rainer 230 plated RN bullets. Perfect functioning, clean burning, just an ideal practice load.

The possibilities are endless. 231 is another good powder, but I've found that the WST burns cleaner and takes smaller charge weights to do what I want.

.

[convert53]

for .45 I was using a Lee powder measure on a Dillon press( so the difference in charges was easy to remember = one disc size for lite loads, the next size for factory and the next size for defense rounds), I always make light loads for the back yard, never had a problem with them cycling my USPC45, Sig 220 or Kimber ( same thing for my USPF40, Sig 226/40, P2000 .40, etc)
4.0 grains for the lite .45 loads Titegroup
4.3 for what I can factory and 4.5 for defense HP's ( all charges relate to 230 gr bullets)

in the HK,s the case is sometimes very sooty with the light loads, i imagine there is a little leakage, never enough to feel though.

My experience with 231 has been unburnt powder

[amstaffHK]

I just recently reloaded around 240 rounds for my USP tac 45, i used 230 grain sierra jacketed bullets (40) and 200 Horandy 230 grain FMJ's, i reloaded them to shoot at 830 FPS which is the factory standard and i havent had any problems. Used a Dillon press.

[IAC533]

Goose5, What c.o.l.are you at. I'm using Hornafy XTP 230gr,5.4 Green Dot. It lists c.o.l. as being 1.23, but my Tac doesn't chamber fully at longer than 1.20