As everyone knows I'm new to reloading. My son and I loaded up some rounds using 4.2 grains of bullseye with the appropriate round nose copper plated bullets (can't remember grains but it was right according to lyman book). We hit the range today and the load is very accurate but, he replaced the stock spring with a 21. Apparently the 4.2 of bulleye is not near enough to eject the round. Is there a rule of thumb we can follow that is used to determine the spring verses load? The return was not enough to eject the spent case so we ended up with a new round in the chamber with the empty case not being ejected and jamming. With that said we think it's the spring being to high and we need to go to a lower spring. If that's not the case I'd appreciate other thoughts.
Load and springs in 1911
- Thread starter dvarmit
- Start date
ADfields
New member
That sounds like a “stove pipe” jam, the spent round sticking up like a stove pipe. Your assessment is correct, too much spring for the load. The power of the spring is first eating up a lot of energy on opening then snapping the slide shut faster than a lighter spring so catching the case before it clears the gun.
I’m not up on 1911 spring rates, I have just one 45acp load I use but I’d guess you’d want something like a 16 pound for that light load . . . or a more powder, or more bullet waight, or a bit of both. Springs are cheap so I keep an assortment for my guns that I very the loads in so I can tune to a light or heave load. Someone will be along to give you better info on the spring you need for your load I’m sure but your bullet weight will help a lot.
I’m not up on 1911 spring rates, I have just one 45acp load I use but I’d guess you’d want something like a 16 pound for that light load . . . or a more powder, or more bullet waight, or a bit of both. Springs are cheap so I keep an assortment for my guns that I very the loads in so I can tune to a light or heave load. Someone will be along to give you better info on the spring you need for your load I’m sure but your bullet weight will help a lot.
Thanks and that's what we thought as well but just wanted to check. The book has the the low around 3.5 and max at 5.3 so we decided to be safe and start at 4.2 or so. Which brings up a good question. He shot a lot of off the shelf ammo without any problems with the 21. This has me thinking, is your typical off the shelf load typically loaded to max or right below? His 21 with off the shelf threw cases 10 feet.
ADfields
New member
Factory loads are generally upper end loads unless otherwise marked. A 21 pound spring is defiantly upper end also, it’s what I run in 10mm behind very hot loads of Blue Dot.
Now powder choice is another issue here. Bullseye is good for light to mid loads in 45acp but too fast for full power loads . . . with a very fast powder pressure peaks fast and falls fast. You will never get the speed (fps) that a slightly slower powder will give because if you try the pressure will go too high on you. So if you want light to mid loads you have the right stuff but wrong springs . . . if you want to shoot +P or +P+ power loadings you have about the right spring but the wrong powder. Go to Hodgdon’s on-line load data and compare powders by their fps vs. pressure data on same bullets and you will see what I mean.
Now powder choice is another issue here. Bullseye is good for light to mid loads in 45acp but too fast for full power loads . . . with a very fast powder pressure peaks fast and falls fast. You will never get the speed (fps) that a slightly slower powder will give because if you try the pressure will go too high on you. So if you want light to mid loads you have the right stuff but wrong springs . . . if you want to shoot +P or +P+ power loadings you have about the right spring but the wrong powder. Go to Hodgdon’s on-line load data and compare powders by their fps vs. pressure data on same bullets and you will see what I mean.
