Hello,
Today I took some time to start working up loads with 700x in the .45acp. I used the Lee Disk system and kept careful notes due to this powder's tendency to bridge.
Before I started, I mixed two heaping teaspoons of powdered graphite into the pound of 700x.
Bullet used was the Lee Truncated Cone Flat Point, traditional lube, 230grn. It was 240grn cast from pure Pb and lubed with 1 part beeswax, 1 part lanolin, and 1/2 part each of olive oil and canola oil. This is a very soft, sticky lube. COAL was 1.20".
I started with the 0.49cc hole.
Throw 1 was 3.5grns.
Throw 2 was 3.6grns.
Throw 3 was 3.5grns.
Throw 4 was 3.45grns.
Throw 5 was 3.35grns.
I fired these, and ejection was on the weak side with spent casings being sooty.
I then upped to the 0.53cc hole.
Throw 1 was 3.8grns.
Throw 2 was 3.6grns.
Throw 3 was 3.75grns.
Throw 4 was 3.7grns.
Throw 5 was 3.65grns.
The next five kept the 0.53cc hole, but I whacked the press with a piece of wood to settle the powder into the cavity.
Throw 6 was 3.7grns.
Throw 7 was 3.9grns.
Throw 8 was 3.9grns.
Throw 9 was 3.9grns.
Throw 10 was 3.9grns.
Ejection was more positive with these loads, and the spent cases were less sooty. I believe I'll work up to the cavity that makes the cases fully seal and go with that as a range and woods load. There's plenty of thump to handle most critters around here, and I don't like chasing after brass. I'm guessing that charge will be around 4.3 to 4.5grns, and I don't see myself going much, if any, over that last.
Probably should invest in a chronograph one day.
Regarding the powder's metering qualities, I did not encounter any problems that folks have related regarding bridging etc. This could be due to the graphite I added, but I do not know for sure because I didn't try it without the graphite.
Hope this helps someone.
Regards,
Josh