SIERRA 45 FPJ 185 GR

[SPUTTER]

I have a box of Sierra 45 caliber .4515 diameter 185 grain FPJ bullets and would like to reload them. I cannot find anything in my Lyman 47th book about them. What would be a close enough match to reload these? I am using Titegroup for powder ad CCi large pistol primers. I checked on the Hodgdon powder web site but they only list JSWC. Very new to reloading. Thanks!

 

[lon]

Sierra has an excellent tech help line. 1.800.223.8799 I would call them.

In my opinion...You will be fine using the Hodgdon site data. Because they are .0005" bigger than typical .451" jacketed bullets, I would use the actual given starting weight charge and not cheat up a couple tenths of a grain.

 

[mac45]

Assuming you're loading for a semi automatic rather than a revolver, starting load in Sierra's manual is 4.5 gr of Titegroup for the 185 gr FPJ.

Do be careful. Titegroup is good powder, (I shoot a lot of it), but it's VERY easy to get a double charge and not notice.

 

[SPUTTER]

I am loading for a 1911 GOV style A1 but was given these boolits from a friend and thought I would try them out for plinking and a little target shooting, just to get use to reloading, throwing charges, weighing and getting use to scales and seating. Very new at this - finally found a Lee 45 ACP die set. TiteGroup is the only powder I could find at the time.

 

[mac45]

No worries.
Titegroup is a good powder, it's just that the small charge and narrow range make it very easy to double charge a case and miss it. Just take your time, be careful, and you'll be fine.
I asked if it was a semi automatic because Sierra lists different data for revolvers.

As an aside, if it works out that your gun likes Sierra bullets, you might want to think about picking up the manual. It's a pretty good one, and you can't have to many.

 

[SPUTTER]

Yes I plan on picking up a few more including Sierra-I am trying Sierra since they where giving to me and I thought I would try some plinking with different loads and a little accuracy.

Since I did not have a Sierra book a individual helped out with this information:
Titegroup
Min - 4.2 gr Max - 6.2 gr
AOl - 1.155
around 900 FPS

 

[mac45]

I think they read the starting load off the line above (Bullseye)
Starting load for Titegroup is 4.5gr
No big deal in this case, but it does show how easy it is to mistype load data.