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Hi Gents,

I received in the mail today my new mold, a Lee two cavity 200 grain SWC style.

It casts nice!

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However, it has one small flaw, or maybe I should say the data does. On the Hodgdon website, it lists a 200 grain SWC at 1.25" COAL. Now, I thought it looked funny when I made a dummy load that long, and it didn't chamber smoothly. There was a distinct "ker-chunk" when that length load actually loaded.

As well, I'm getting excessive denting of the nose. I at first thought lead was shaving, but there was no lead inside the pistol. Looks instead like it's hitting the feed ramp a bit hard; it's not releasing soon enough from the Kimber mag I was using.

[Linked Image]

As you can see, it shoved back to where it wanted to be. This is about where I want it to be as well. I am used to loading semi-wadcutters to about 1.19" COAL, with the shoulder sticking out about the thickness of my thumbnail.

I measured the length of those micro-bands but, as I sit here typing this, I find myself forgetting it! Something in the realm of 0.330".

I have W231 on hand and am picking up Federal primers tomorrow. (How I let myself run out of large pistol primers I'll never know... except maybe I did it intentionally as I have a lot of .45acp loaded up and started loading rifle and didn't want to get the two primers mixed up. Anyhow...)

Can someone help me with the loads for this? I'd like to work up to 5.2 to 5.6 grains of W231, but pressures might be high there.

This is going to be the new critter getter load for coyote on down but used mainly for raccoon control. I'd like around 850fps.

Any help will be appreciated!

Thanks!

Josh
Posted By: keith Re: Lee 200 grain SWC Load Help - 02/19/12
Really good pics, Josh!

I load 6.0-7.0g of Unique with the 200g SWC.

Looks like you are using pure lead, am I right?

When you shoot up the 231, get some AA#5, it burns so clean you will not believe it compared to 231 or Bullseye.
Posted By: old70 Re: Lee 200 grain SWC Load Help - 02/19/12
I used to use 5.0 grains of W231 for a light target load, very accurate. Never saw a need to go higher as it functioned the gun just fine. If your gun is having issues with the load, you could a go little heavier, and the loads you mention should be fine if you work up.
Posted By: PeteD Re: Lee 200 grain SWC Load Help - 02/19/12
What lube are you using?
I have cast and shot many, many 200 grain TL bullets from WW alloy, Lyman #2, and Range lead. I use 4.0 grains of Bullseye. They have proven to be as accurate as any other bullet in any of the alloys. Most have been lubed with liquid Alox.

Pete
load to the length you want and try it, the OAL I find is a guide to start with.
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