SWC vs standard ball

[Dantankerous]

Years ago I got a case of 200 grain lead SWC 45 acp ammo. The stuff ran perfect through the Kimber I had. Since then, I've only run standard 230 grain ball through through the 1911's I've had. Never tried anymore SWC in any of my other pistols. Curious as to your experiences with SWC 45 acp in your guns. Perhaps it is individual firearm sensitive for reliability and I just got lucky with the gun I had or do quite a few of you use 200 Grain SWC with solid reliability?

[Crisco]

Never had a bit of trouble in several hundred thousand rounds of 200gr SWC (H&G 68 configuration), as long as I stayed in the 1.24” to 1.26” OAL range.  There are a lot of 180gr SWC bullets with the same profile that also work just as well. 

[Garrison Joe]

Older 1911s made with a "military" throat (intended for 230 FMJ ball) often used to have big problems with 200 gr SWC bullets or early (1960s) hollow point ammo.  

Usually a gunsmith could throat the gun properly for SWC lead or JHP.  Or suggest the use of "hybrid" design magazine lips that gave a more controlled release point than the military hardball tapered lips.  When that was completed, any ammo would usually run if it could drive the slide properly.

I too have shot many thousands of rounds of H&G 68 lead bullets through the 1911 Series 70 I've had since 1974, with no problems when seated with the top land right at the case mouth and lightly taper crimped.   But I shoot a Truncated Cone bullet now just to be able to share ammo with other shooters who may come up short.   good luck, GJ

Edited 3 hours ago by Garrison Joe

[El Chapo]

All of it comes down to magazines.  The GI style feed lips release too early and that can cause feeding issues.  Most all 1911s will feed SWCs with the right magazines.  There can be issues if SWCs aren't loaded to the correct dimensions, I had my own feeding problems this past year and I've loaded tens of thousands of .45 Auto cartridges.  I am shooting 230 RN bullets because the SWCs aren't any softer, but you will probably see me at a WBAS match shooting SWCs sometime soon because I casted a bunch of them and they need to go somewhere.  I use Tripp Research mags, and I haven't found anything that feeds as nicely as they do.