David Bradshaw Photos - Vol. XLIII

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Lee Martin

Hunter
Joined
Dec 18, 2002
Messages
2,313
Location
Arlington, Virginia
Freedom Arms Model 83 .454 Casull with .45 ACP cylinder. Federal Gold Medal Match 185 FMJ SWC ain't no slouch, rolled industrial nylon belting for a rest, at 77 yards. Leupold 4x28mm LER (Long Eye Relief) scoped factory fitted with target turrets----1/2"click @ 100 yds., and Duplex reticle.



Federal 185 FMJ SWC, 4x5 into 0.7-inch @ 77 yds. One shot opens group to 1.7", probably attributable to the simian on the trigger. Nevertheless, capable of a rabbit or partridge on the trail.



Federal American Eagle 230 FMJ needn't be confused for match ammo, nor was long range accuracy the intent of this economy round. When manufacturers were asked about poor accuracy from FMJ pistol ammo, several replied that it is especially difficult to control uniform jacket thickness in forming the round nose. Ammo makers learned the technique, but to apply a flat point is far easier. Alas, the round nose dies hard, as mass buyers demand the curved profile for the many guns which balk at a flat or hollow point, John Browning's original Model 1911 among them.



Federal American Eagle 230 FMJ shows its true colors @ 50 yds. 4x5 bullets on target, one miss, @ 50 yds. Examination deterined small rough hole upper right is from .38 or .357, after it punctured 3/4"plywood at 25 yards. Consider volume of fire at 7 yards from civilian and law enforcement practice, and we must be grateful some much commercial ammo shoots better.



Remington Golden Saber .45 230 JHP over 8.5/Accurate #5 turns 925 fps from the FA 4-3/4". This load delivers accuracy from a variety of pistols, from Ruger 03, Blackhawk Convertible, FA M83, Kimber Gold Match, Rock River 1911, to Les Baer 1911. (Les Baer Super Tac has recorded 5-shot groups down to 2.2" @ 100 yds, with several in the 2.5-2.7-2.9-inch range.)



Remington Golden Saber 230 JHP, two bullets recovered inside hide after puncturing both lungs of running 7-point buck at about twenty yards. Deer showed no response to first shot, slumped mid-stride after second shot and crashed. Both rounds enter behind right shoulder, and punch both lungs. One bullet clunked into gut bucket as buck was skun. Second bullet stuck to tissue of skin, to be plucked with fingers.



Rem Golden Saber 230 JHP, Fed .45 ACP brass, Fed 150 primer. COL=1.230". Velocity: 1) M83 4-3/4"= 925 fps; Ruger 03 5-1/2" = 915 fps; Les Baer 1911" = 866 fps. Bullets from deer slain with Les Baer 1911.



Rem Golden Saber 230 JHP fired via primer into rifling of Kart barrel of Les Baer 1911. Note left hand twist typical of John Browning's 1911. Reminiscent of driving band on artillery shells, Golden Saber intends a land-diameter bearing surface along base of ogive.



Leupold 12-40x60mm spotting scope sets standard for rotten weather performance.



Huge eyepiece should be standard on all spotting scopes. Non-critical eye relief and placement; perfect with glasses.



Tilt-All tripod remains, after decades of service, simple, rugged, steady. This one predates anodized finish, which today is what you want.



Les Baer offhand @ 100 yds with Rem Golden Saber 230 JHP over 8.5/AA #5.



M83 4-3/4" with .45 ACP cast 225 Truncated Cone Bevel Base over 5.5/231 @ 100 yds. Not particularly impressive, but will due for rabbits out to 50 yds.



M83 4-3/4" with .45 ACP cast 225 Truncated Cone Bevel Base over 5.5/231 @ 100 yds. Not particularly impressive, but will due for rabbits out to 50 yds.



Les Baer 1911 Super Tac with cast 225 TC BB over 5.5/231 @ 100 yds.



M83 with cast 197-204 grain SWC over 5.1/231, offhand @ 100 yards.



.45 ACP @ 100 yds
Top: Hornady 230 XTP +P

Bottom: Hornady 185 XTP

Note point of impact (POI) 7-inches lower for lighter, 185 grain bullet.





100 yards----Les Baer 1911 Super Tac with .45 ACP Hornady 230 XTP P+.

 

contender

Ruger Guru
Joined
Sep 18, 2002
Messages
25,396
Location
Lake Lure NC USA
Once again,,, good quality, detailed analysis of how to test things within certain parameters. It also shows what CAN be capable out of many guns or ammo, when stretched a bit.
 
Joined
Jun 19, 2009
Messages
1,443
Location
Pennsylvania
Amazing what a "flying ashtray" 45acp will do at distance in the right hands. And I'll bet not many deer have been shot with a Les Baer 1911... Thanks for sharing all of that great info - I was actually puzzling on some accuracy/ballistics (the information in the post answered my questions and more) last month as I was wringing out my 1911 at the range.
 

David Bradshaw

Blackhawk
Joined
Sep 11, 2012
Messages
933
Among .45 ACP ammo, Full Metal Jacket----a.k.a. "ball," FMJ. "hardball"----exhibits the greatest range of accuracy potentials from 25 yards on out. Various bullet makers have explained it as a challenge to hold jacket thickness uniform during the jacket punch press operation. Sounds as though the jacket has a a tendency to squirm, whereas hollow point and flat point dies arrest uneven jacket flow. Manufacturers have known this a long time. One upon a time, hardball was all the selection the auto pistol shooter had.

The FMJ round nose poses another problem----too much weight forward for stability in flight. Hornady learned during development of 9mm rounds that, by flattening the nose accuracy greatly improved.

Perhaps one of these days we'll try a bunch of hardball rounds side-by-side. They ain't all equal.
David Bradshaw
 
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