Primer test

[Rick]

Bill, your post got me curious. It's been 12 years since I tested these so I looked up my test data for my Springfield 45 using both the SAECO #068 and Lyman's 230 gr Devastator. Not the same results at all. The 200 gr 068 with 5.5 gr Unique gave 804 fps, 46 E.S.. and a S.D. of 13. With the Devastator 230 gr. 6.5 gr Unique gave 939 fps, 64 E.S. and an S.D. of 24, This load literally destroyed the devastator in water tests. Using 5.5 gr Unique with the devastator gave 801 fps, E.S. 65 and an S.D. of 21 and beautiful mushrooms. All of the tests were done with LAPD range pick up brass, they use mostly Winchester factory ammo, and Remington #2 1//2 standard large pistol primers.

The heavier Devastator bullets groups were somewhat larger than the 068 and larger E.S., S.D. None of these tests were for competition or for making major category but rather mostly for water penetration testing. Clearly different results than what you were getting, very curious what that difference would be.

 

[Pistolero]

Rick,
These loads were in my early days of reloading, and pushing for maximum number
of rounds output with single stage press. Thinking about what you report, I would guess that
an added factor is the 'meterability' of Unique in my only powder measure at the time,
a RCBS Uniflow - and the large drum. Now a much more experienced reloader, I would
imagine that a good bit of the ES was from metering disparities, but also, remember this is
mixed brass, any brand, any year. Commercial and military. IPSC isn't a precision sport,
although 25 yd head shots (6x6 inch target) were required periodically. Ammo couldn't
be horrible, but a 3-4" group at 25 yds was entirely satisfactory.

I am sure of my results, and I tested it twice with 10 rd strings, and was pretty shocked
at the time. I wasn't so looking to increase accuracy a, just to ensure that any 3 rd
sample would pass muster. Using BE (much smaller flakes, and almost certainly metering
much more consistently) solved the problem, and I never really spent time figuring out
"WHY". I just made it 'go away'. ES with mixed brass with BE was low enough that
925 - 950 avg velocity would guarantee exceeding the 900 fps limit with any three rounds.

Bill