Load Recommendations for Pardini GT45

[TheFaz]

Hi all,

Been doing some research on finding a good 50 yard load for my GT45. The only one I've found is 4.7 gr of VV310 with a Nosler 185. I've heard the GT45s like jacketed bullets pushed fast, anybody have a different opinion? I also have a ton of WST and 231 so any loads using those powders would be greatly appreciated!

[JimPGov]

ZERO 185GR JHP & 4.7WST IS A GREAT LOAD ALSO. JP

[TheFaz]

That's great, thanks for the info. I'll give it a try and see what happens. Anyone else have any thoughts?

[John C]

I've heard, but haven't tried, 4.4 gr of Titegroup under a Nosler 185 gr JHP.

I'm still trying to work up a cast bullet load of Bullseye under a 160 gr. Valiant LSWC. I'm having leading problems in my GT45, but I think the issue is/was an undersized expander in my Dillon press. I've found a larger one, and am having an even larger, custom powder funnel made for me. Hopefully, this solves my problem.

Good luck! I'm following this thread closely.

-John

[TheFaz]

what issues were you having with the gt45 and your suspected undersizing?

[Peter B]

Just wondering, does the barrel of the gt-45 have polygonal rifling?

[John C]

Sorry, fellas, I'm just getting back to this post.

TheFaz:

The issue I was/am having with shooting LSWC bullets in my GT45 was moderately severe leading from the chamber to about 2/3rds of the way down the barrel after shooting a 60 shot league match. I think it is due to gas cutting from undersized bullets relative to the bore. I am going to work up some test loads using a Lyman M die, which will expand the cases to .451. I measured my Dillon powder funnel, and it mic'ed out at .446. We'll see if this helps. In another thread, people have said that the GT45 prefers jacketed bullets going "good and fast". I will give it another go with 160 gr LSWCs, and if I don't get improvement, I'm going to order some Zero or Nosler 185 JHPs.

Peter B:

The GT45 has conventional rifling.

-John

[Trooperjake]

I have a GT45 with a 6 inch barrel, I get slight leading using the Quality 160 with bullseye 3.8-3.9 load.
I mostly shoot it at 25 yards and get good results.
I did try 310 with the Nosler 185, but think my load was too lite, I only used 4.2. Will try a hotter load.

As a question to other posters, does a jacket bullet require a higher load?
I think 4.7 with 310 may be too hot.
Any ideas?

[Rover]

You guys can "try" any load you like, but unless you test them in a Ransom Rest you're just BSin'.

At least you're not alone.

[Trooperjake]

Hey BIG MOUTH ROVER,
I never gave accuracy results.

You have a big mouth and a serious personality problem.
I have seen a lot of your posts, you need to get a life.

[Rover]

Why do you think I was referring to you? Are you paranoid or something?

What I said is true; you can play around all you want but accuracy testing is the only thing that counts.

Tell us YOUR accuracy results. Or not.

[shadow]

Time for a time out here! Let's be nice.

[C. Perkins]

I have a question about the GT barrel.

What is the barrel twist rate ?

1/16 is the average .45acp.

Just gotst to know if we are dealing with a different animal.

By the way, Rover is right, you need to test said loads to determine what is accurate in your pistol.

Clarence

[John C]

I have a GT45 with a 6 inch barrel, I get slight leading using the Quality 160 with bullseye 3.8-3.9 load.
I mostly shoot it at 25 yards and get good results.

Thanks, Jake. I will try this. I know my pistol (also a 6 inch) shoots well, I'm just struggling to get cast bullets to shoot well.

I'm intrigued with the Quality Cast 160 gr bullet. Do these bullets have a plain or bevel base? Do you know, off hand, what the hardness is?

Thanks,

-John

[GunRunner]

I have a GT45 with a 6 inch barrel, I get slight leading using the Quality 160 with bullseye 3.8-3.9 load.
I mostly shoot it at 25 yards and get good results.

Thanks, Jake. I will try this. I know my pistol (also a 6 inch) shoots well, I'm just struggling to get cast bullets to shoot well.

I'm intrigued with the Quality Cast 160 gr bullet. Do these bullets have a plain or bevel base? Do you know, off hand, what the hardness is?

Thanks,

-John

They are flat base, same hardness as most cast bullets, they dont lead in my gun, but they do need to be pushed faster to be accurate, 4.5 of bullseye is the best in our tests at 50 yards

[john bickar]

Quality Cast bullets are 21-22 Brinnel hardness.

The 160s are flat base, as stated.


(Link to larger pic)

[Chris]

I would recommend you and anybody in the sport to ransom rest your pistol until you find a good load. you will be just guessing if you do not.

An example: I saw several people call out 3.8gr of VV N310 as a good load. For my pistol with iron sigths and 12# spring the slide would not cycle properly. So not even an option for me. Tried 4.0 and 4.2 of the same powder and groups were larger than 5". The loads I used to test 700x were too hot is another example.

I think you need to take all the recommendations from people and make a batch of loads to test based on that data. My next round of testing will include 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6 gr of VV N310.

This takes work and time to get this done and done correctly. Once you find a good group you can use it for while but I would recommend going back and testing it from a sandbag once in a while to make sure you are still getting the same results you expect.

good luck and lets me nice to each other.

[Trooperjake]

I test using a custom made pistol rest,
It gives me results better than I can shoot, so I am satisfied using this method. Shooting my 22 with this method I have gotten 1-1.5" groups of ten shots.
I have a ransom rest, but no where to properly mount it.
Will have to wait till someone lets me put in a proper concrete base.
In my Pardini GT45 with scope, 160 Quality and 3.8 of bulseye operates the slide fine, and I have cleaned the target at 25 yards with it.

I know it is not a good load for 50 yards.
I will probably use the Nosler 185 just for 50.

[oldcaster]

If you are going to use commercial lead bullets, which are almost always very hard, you need to try several sizes. .451- 52 and 53 because when a bullet is hard it has to be just the right size. For a 45, 200 grain bullets are always easier to get accurate at 50 yards and just buying some from a commercial manufacturer is a pig in a poke. 1911's just about always prefer .451 but I don't know about the GT which is why you need to try several. Some companies will send different sizes or perhaps you can buy some large ones and have someone size them down for you. In my Les Baer, I shot a lot of commercial 200 SWC's and many of them were terrible until I accidently ordered some .451's from Dardas. They surprised me and shot really well which made me think that I should try .452 and .453. The .452's were double as bad as the .451's and the .453's were double as bad as the .451. All tests in a RR.
Now if the bullet is soft, it can be a bit too big because a cast 200 grain bullet shot in my gun sized at .452 will work fine. A soft bullet is probably swaged by the brass to .451 anyway. I gave up on light bullets for 25 yards because a 200 can go quite slow and still be accurate enough at that range and it still takes the same recoil to operate the slide no matter how much the bullet weighs. The only advantage is price. If you cast, it is just more lead that you go through with the heavier bullet but less hassle. -- Bill --

[Peter B]

I been looking around and I found Mussouri Bullets, they list different hardness for different needs. They have some teck info that might be helpfull to some. Also check out their 38 wad cutter listed at 10 BHN, might work for you 52 shooters. I've never delt with them, I cast my own 45s but I might dust off my 52.