Need help with my first bullseye load for a wadgun!

Springfield uses a lockout feature on the mainspring housing.  Does your pistol still have this?  These lockout Mainspring housings use a much stiffer mainspring (hammer spring).

I’m in your area send me a PM and we can meet up. I should have some tools to weigh springs. I have some reloads you could also try. I always buy new Springs with a used gun. 18 and 19 hammer, 10-13 recoil.  Hp38 you’re probably gonna need to start at 5grn and go up

Wobbley wrote:Springfield uses a lockout feature on the mainspring housing.  Does your pistol still have this?  These lockout Mainspring housings use a much stiffer mainspring (hammer spring).

Unfortunately, I don't know anything about the mainspring housing or mainspring.

That's an outstanding offer, Chris, and I wish that we were closer. God Bless those that help others.

Chris Miceli wrote:I’m in your area send me a PM and we can meet up. I should have some tools to weigh springs. I have some reloads you could also try. I always buy new Springs with a used gun. 18 and 19 hammer, 10-13 recoil.  Hp38 you’re probably gonna need to start at 5grn and go up

Thanks, Chris! That's very generous. I'll send you a PM. I shoot at the NRA HQ Range in Fairfax and out at the Izaak Walton in Centreville.

Your reply gives me hope that I'm not too far off from where I should be. I have a 10-pound recoil spring that I can try as well. It and the other recoil spring from Wolff came with an "extra power firing pin spring" that I didn't try. But it sounds like I should also change the hammer spring, not the firing pin spring. I have two other powders on hand that I could try as well: Shooters World Clean Shot (basically the same, if not exactly the same, as Accurate No. 2) and Trail Boss. I think I have a little Bullseye as well. Maybe HP-38 is the problem? It's a lot for a newb to figure out!

Greetings,

Watch out for Chris Miceli.

He also carries a hammer and torch kit in his tool bag...

Cheers,

Dave

fc60 wrote:Greetings,

Watch out for Chris Miceli.

He also carries a hammer and torch kit in his tool bag...

Cheers,

Dave

Ha! He's been very helpful so far. I've got a mainspring housing and assorted mainsprings/recoil springs on the way thanks to his guidance. Hopefully that will get me going!

Two other suggestions, make some dummy rounds and see how they function when you cycle the rounds manually.  Also try a little more crimp I run about .464-.465 in my wad gun with a lead swc.  Sounds like the extractor is acting up.  There are some u tube videos about 45 extractors and other posts on this forum that might help.  Good luck.

troystaten wrote:Two other suggestions, make some dummy rounds and see how they function when you cycle the rounds manually.  Also try a little more crimp I run about .464-.465 in my wad gun with a lead swc.  Sounds like the extractor is acting up.  There are some u tube videos about 45 extractors and other posts on this forum that might help.  Good luck.

Thanks for the tips!

check your grip also.  If your holding the gun loosely it will not function.  Retest with gripping the gun very tight.  If it functions you need to work on grip strength.

SMBeyer wrote:check your grip also.  If your holding the gun loosely it will not function.  Retest with gripping the gun very tight.  If it functions you need to work on grip strength.

That's very interesting. I've been practicing bullseye for about 6 months now shooting only 22 LR (Ruger Mk II at first, and now a S&W Model 41). I found that a lighter grip yielded better results with rimfire. With this 1911, I've been purposefully gripping it as lightly as I could while keeping the dot on target as I squeeze the trigger. My experience with the 22 LR led me to believe that the best way to avoid trying to compensate for the recoil was to be as limp as possible. That way, when the gun goes off, it's a surprise, and I'm not unconsciously yanking the gun down to compensate for the muzzle rise. But it sounds like maybe I've been doing it all wrong! And that error could be worse now that I'm doing it with centerfire.

dev6682 wrote:

SMBeyer wrote:check your grip also.  If your holding the gun loosely it will not function.  Retest with gripping the gun very tight.  If it functions you need to work on grip strength.

That's very interesting. I've been practicing bullseye for about 6 months now shooting only 22 LR (Ruger Mk II at first, and now a S&W Model 41). I found that a lighter grip yielded better results with rimfire. With this 1911, I've been purposefully gripping it as lightly as I could while keeping the dot on target as I squeeze the trigger. My experience with the 22 LR led me to believe that the best way to avoid trying to compensate for the recoil was to be as limp as possible. That way, when the gun goes off, it's a surprise, and I'm not unconsciously yanking the gun down to compensate for the muzzle rise. But it sounds like maybe I've been doing it all wrong! And that error could be worse now that I'm doing it with centerfire.

When my daughter started shooting bullseye she was 12.  I bought her a 22/45 Lite.  I would not function for her with CCI standard but every time I shot it it ran 100%.  I then went on a mission to see what she was doing that I wasn't to make it not function.  I found if I held the gun just enough to keep it from falling out of my hand it would malfunction.  Increase grip back to 100%.  Guns don't like to function being held loose.  Personally I think you will progress much better if you grip the gun more.  Don't grip it so tight you start getting the shakes but tight.  As you shoot more and build up the Popeye forearm muscles you will be gripping it harder still as you progress.  Recoil recovery will be much better with a tight grip especially with the 45.  You just have to learn how not to anticipate recoil.  Don't mask it by gripping the gun loose.  I would think gripping the gun loose especially the 45 your gonna be searching for the dot to get back on for the next shot.  With a tight grip the gun falls back in place with the dot right there in the center of the scope.

Scott

I use a 10 lb. recoil spring with a 21 lb. mainspring. I use a slide mounted Ultra Dot and my loads are 4.0 of either Bullseye or Clays behind 200 grain lead semi wad. I use the same load behind 185 but once in a while I'll reduce it to 3.8 for the short line. I also recommend a buffer behind the recoil spring. You might try an extended ejector if there isn't one installed.

Larry2520 wrote:I use a 10 lb. recoil spring with a 21 lb. mainspring. I use a slide mounted Ultra Dot and my loads are 4.0 of either Bullseye or Clays behind 200 grain lead semi wad. I use the same load behind 185 but once in a while I'll reduce it to 3.8 for the short line. I also recommend a buffer behind the recoil spring. You might try an extended ejector if there isn't one installed.

Thanks for the info, Larry! I ordered a few different recoil springs and mainsprings from Midway that will arrive tomorrow. I almost pulled the trigger on some Bullseye the other day when Brownells had a sale, but I decided I should use the stuff I already have on hand before buying anything else. I don't think powder is the crux of my problem. Apparently Bullseye is the powder of choice, though, which surprises me given its age. I would have thought the newer stuff is better. Regardless, at this point I'll just be happy to have a pet load with any powder that works. I'll look into the extended ejector, thanks!

SMBeyer wrote:When my daughter started shooting bullseye she was 12.  I bought her a 22/45 Lite.  I would not function for her with CCI standard but every time I shot it it ran 100%.  I then went on a mission to see what she was doing that I wasn't to make it not function.  I found if I held the gun just enough to keep it from falling out of my hand it would malfunction.  Increase grip back to 100%.  Guns don't like to function being held loose.  Personally I think you will progress much better if you grip the gun more.  Don't grip it so tight you start getting the shakes but tight.  As you shoot more and build up the Popeye forearm muscles you will be gripping it harder still as you progress.  Recoil recovery will be much better with a tight grip especially with the 45.  You just have to learn how not to anticipate recoil.  Don't mask it by gripping the gun loose.  I would think gripping the gun loose especially the 45 your gonna be searching for the dot to get back on for the next shot.  With a tight grip the gun falls back in place with the dot right there in the center of the scope.

Scott

Thanks, Scott! And sorry I didn't respond to this sooner. Just seeing it now. I'll be loading up some new loads to try with the new spring combos this weekend, and I'll be gripping the 1911 much more firmly when I try them out (but hopefully not too firmly). The move from 22 LR to 45 Auto has a been rude awakening in recoil anticipation, to say the least. The mechanical problems have not helped with the transition.

dev6682 wrote:

SMBeyer wrote:When my daughter started shooting bullseye she was 12.  I bought her a 22/45 Lite.  I would not function for her with CCI standard but every time I shot it it ran 100%.  I then went on a mission to see what she was doing that I wasn't to make it not function.  I found if I held the gun just enough to keep it from falling out of my hand it would malfunction.  Increase grip back to 100%.  Guns don't like to function being held loose.  Personally I think you will progress much better if you grip the gun more.  Don't grip it so tight you start getting the shakes but tight.  As you shoot more and build up the Popeye forearm muscles you will be gripping it harder still as you progress.  Recoil recovery will be much better with a tight grip especially with the 45.  You just have to learn how not to anticipate recoil.  Don't mask it by gripping the gun loose.  I would think gripping the gun loose especially the 45 your gonna be searching for the dot to get back on for the next shot.  With a tight grip the gun falls back in place with the dot right there in the center of the scope.

Scott

Thanks, Scott! And sorry I didn't respond to this sooner. Just seeing it now. I'll be loading up some new loads to try with the new spring combos this weekend, and I'll be gripping the 1911 much more firmly when I try them out (but hopefully not too firmly). The move from 22 LR to 45 Auto has a been rude awakening in recoil anticipation, to say the least. The mechanical problems have not helped with the transition.

Let us know how it works out for you!

Scott

I’ve known people to struggle to get plated bullets to shoot accurately at 50. 

If you’re going to create a load, you may want to try another bullet. The quickest path to an accurate load is probably going to be copying one that numerous people have used successfully. 

Good luck.

DeweyHales wrote:I’ve known people to struggle to get plated bullets to shoot accurately at 50. 

If you’re going to create a load, you may want to try another bullet. The quickest path to an accurate load is probably going to be copying one that numerous people have used successfully. 

Good luck.

Thanks, Dewey! I'm down to my last few hundred plated 200 gr SWC. I plan to restock with lead and then use that going forward.