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From several thousands of rounds of testing, a 230 grain at 725 fps is faster shot to shot than a 200 grain at 800+. The gun stays down and is less snappy.

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I saw that language. The way I read it, if boots are worn they must conform to the rule that lists prohibited items. George Baylor wrote an article about Wild Bunch costuming that includes a photo of an army issued leather “walking shoe”. Not a boot, but legal under the general costuming language “typical of the late 19th and early 20th century”. See also the next sentence about “Edwardian period fashion” which would not be limited to boots.

In 15 years of building Wild Bunch guns, anything less than 16# give trouble; not returning to battery, not enough force to fully chamber with a full magazine, broken firing pin springs(which lead to firing pin stops falling out), etc… 16-17# have never failed to cycle fully. Never seen a dip when the slide closed. And this is with a lot of one handed shooters of the weaker persuasion. Seen plenty of dip when some jerk the trigger. Poor videography but this is with a 230 gr at 720-725 with 17# recoil and hammer springs. IMG_0973.mov

Get a dr.s note. Exceptions are made.

And if you are foolish enough to go down to the 12 1/2# recoil spring, stock up on firing pin springs. You will start breaking them. Remember, if you speed up the slide in opening, you will slow its closing velocity. And vice versa. With a 230 at 725, a 16-17# spring combo is just about perfect.

The benefit to a lighter weight bullet is to get more slide speed at the same power factor. 150 pf is pretty low for 45 Auto. I am going to try some 200 grain bullets this year for that same reason. I have had much better luck with round nose bullets in my 1911s, so if my 200 grain SWCs don't have the reliability I'm hoping for, I will be shooting a true 230 grain round nose bullet, which is historically what I've shot in Wild Bunch. I am going to be backing them down a bit as the ammunition I was shooting last year was loaded to ~170 pf. I had backed it down some from my typical load but I'm going to lighter springs and a significantly lighter load this year and dropping down to a 12.5 pound recoil spring. If you're shooting a stock 1911 with a 23 pound main and 16 pound recoil spring, you're going to want to load to a higher power factor, as the 1911 is designed for 195 power factor ammunition. I recommend the fastest powder you have in inventory, in this case, Titegroup, although many people say not to use it with coated bullets. I have not ever loaded Titegroup in anything so take this advice for what you paid for it. I was using Clays powder last year, I may continue to do that if I have enough left or switch to Clean Shot or WST.

Great advice above! I would also add, only load a few rounds, then test them in your gun. If all cycle well, THEN go back and mass produce. The last thing you want is 500+ rounds loaded and realize you have a problem in that particular 1911 and have to start pulling bullets. I have a new custom 1911 that simply won't cycle the ammo I use for my older 1911's. Totes

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Thanks Joe. I’m hoping to use my Lee combination seat/taper crimp die so I can use my bullet feeder. I’ll futz with it some more this weekend.

My load….. my projectile..4520-.4525” 225-229grn cast, PC’d. two groups of dummy rounds. Both groups plunk and manually feed Group A OAL is 1.168” ; 0.473” case mouth. Looks like maybe too much crimp? or Group B OAL 1.178 case-mouth 0.4755 Thoughts?

Not really. Can't think of anything I need.

Rules written at different times by different persons? Perhaps influenced by their "home range" safety rules that they are familiar with? And perhaps because shot size is hardly important to shooting 10 yard steel knockdown targets. I have seen several WB shooters not be handicapped at all shooting #9 shot. And I shoot #8 all the time. As to exactly WHY in any of the SASS rules, perhaps developed 25 years ago and modified since then, it is almost impossible for most of us to have a real clue. But it's not like we really NEED to know WHY to play the game. Learn the rules, follow the rules - for the game you are playing. But, if you think the two rules need to be "harmonized" (made the same), suggest that to your local Territorial Governor and see if they want to "pick that hill to die on." good luck, GJ

Because there is none. It's only a penalty if there is a live round in the chamber SDQ If there is an expended in the chamber, and the shotgun is staged closed, it's a P for not cycling the action.

Like Joe, I got rid of questionable brass years ago. With Wild Bunch loads, you should never have to worry about loose primer pockets. You’ll crush brass or lose it before primer pockets get loose.

I tossed out all my .45 auto brass that had a military head stamp before 1990, and commercial head stamps with the lettering almost smashed level from recoil. Because several of the old (1960 and 1970s) brass cases were splitting upon reloading or firing. Since brass recycling gets me almost half the price of new brass back, it was not all that painful. But never have I seen a primer pocket enlarge enough to start spitting out primers. Which is what I would guess the OP is worried about. good luck, GJ

Man I really like this rig!!!

Now if they colored the brass, say purple, when they had small primers - that would be fine 🙂