Campro bullet problems! Care to help?

CamPro says on their website FAQ that load data for FMJ bullets can be used for CamPro plated bullets. According to them, their plating is thicker and can take it. That said, there are limits to what any bullet can take.

It's possible that you have a bad batch of bullets (poorly manufactured or damaged). But I think it's more likely that you're just pushing them faster than they want to be pushed. CamPro probably designed them to work well around the 1000fps mark.

It's also possible that you're getting bullet setback due to recoil, essentially varying your COAL over the course of a magazine. Depending on your record keeping you might be able to observe this in your muzzle velocities.
 
CamPro says on their website FAQ that load data for FMJ bullets can be used for CamPro plated bullets. According to them, their plating is thicker and can take it. That said, there are limits to what any bullet can take.

It's possible that you have a bad batch of bullets (poorly manufactured or damaged). But I think it's more likely that you're just pushing them faster than they want to be pushed. CamPro probably designed them to work well around the 1000fps mark.

It's also possible that you're getting bullet setback due to recoil, essentially varying your COAL over the course of a magazine. Depending on your record keeping you might be able to observe this in your muzzle velocities.
Not getting any set back. I pulled random rounds out of the mag and measured.

I am tracking velocity. I am getting the same sparatic results from 650fps all the way up to 1500.
I’ve done ladder tests in .5g increments and do not see a consistent pressure cure.
Example: 20.0g 4227 1095fps
20.5g 1124fps
21.0g 1058fps

Did the same thing with lilgun

But both powders using the XTP we’re a steady climb with .5g increase.
 
I’m wondering if I should try to catch a bullet at low velocity in water jugs. See if maybe the bore is rough and it’s tearing up the plating? The jacketed bullet just handles it being thicker? It is a new gun
 
Not getting any set back. I pulled random rounds out of the mag and measured.

I am tracking velocity. I am getting the same sparatic results from 650fps all the way up to 1500.
I’ve done ladder tests in .5g increments and do not see a consistent pressure cure.
Example: 20.0g 4227 1095fps
20.5g 1124fps
21.0g 1058fps

Did the same thing with lilgun

But both powders using the XTP we’re a steady climb with .5g increase.

if your ES is closing in on 200 FPS it's hard to watch for velocity losses and gains, lets take a step back again.....
full length sizing your brass? all brass has the same headstamp? do you tumble or clean your brass? seating your primers so you feel them bottom out in the primer pocket? bullet seating and crimping in 2 different opperations? holes in the paper are nice and round, no sign of bullet tumble?
 
I really wouldn't listen to him. Nothing he has said is correct in your circumstances. I have pushed both those bullets at much higher pressure and velocities and had no issues. I still have thousands of the campro .45 loaded to 40,000 psi. They shoot excellently out of my Super Redhawk. There are no blown primers or anything else he is warning about I have used their .308 110 out of an M1 Carbine, velocity was over 2000fps. No issues again...

As mentioned, your accuracy is apparently excellent. 1.5-2" is really very good for such a setup. If the numbers don't bother you too much I would carry on. Otherwise things like a Magnum primer or heavier crimp may help reduce your ES. It will require diligent investigation but nothing too complicated.

Pushing a cartridge mean for a max pressure of 30000 to 40000 psi is definitely not a good advise. Unless you have the mean to test for pressure you have no way to know what pressure you actually have.. Velocities will be higher in his rifle than your Super Redhawk.

If the OP has any mean to catch a fired bullet, he will see if the plating is on or gone.
You compare the Campro rifle M1 bullet to pistol bullet…plating is thicker on those - same as of some magnum pistol bullet they make.Campro know better than anybody what velocities their bullet are made for.

I shoot exclusively Campro both in handgun and rifle. Thousand of it..like 20000 of it each year. Each time they are pushed too fast.. accuracy goes the window. Same if excessive crimp damage the bullet. Lately I witness a nice Colt Python being blow up to bit by trying to get the cartridge to do what is not mean to do…hot rodding it . Shooting the equivalent of proof load in a rifle or pistol will not end up well.

It’s guy like you that the OP should not listen. You are stearing him toward excessive pressure and bad reloading practice.
For the OP..check your load with know reloading data. Powder charge is half the story..excessive velocities tell that it is time to back off the powder charge. Test your Campro . 45 LC pistol bullet at 1000/ 1200 fps and then if they work ..go up slowly.. you will find out it’s velocity limit, but my guess is 1200 will be the top.

The XTP and Campro are both .452, but the plated bullet is way softer than a real jacket.
 
Last edited:
...I am tracking velocity. I am getting the same sparatic results from 650fps all the way up to 1500.
I’ve done ladder tests in .5g increments and do not see a consistent pressure cure. ...

Can you post your full numbers for the bottom through middle of the range you tested for each powder? We're all getting just snippets of the data you have, trying to make sense of them based on our own varied experiences.
 
Can you post your full numbers for the bottom through middle of the range you tested for each powder? We're all getting just snippets of the data you have, trying to make sense of them based on our own varied experiences.

I’m trying to get them. But my crono bluetooths the data to my phone. After shooting the Colt I was playing with other cartridges. I think I didn’t clear the data. Now I have velocity’s mixed in unfortunately. Going to have to test again.
 
if your ES is closing in on 200 FPS it's hard to watch for velocity losses and gains, lets take a step back again.....
full length sizing your brass? all brass has the same headstamp? do you tumble or clean your brass? seating your primers so you feel them bottom out in the primer pocket? bullet seating and crimping in 2 different opperations? holes in the paper are nice and round, no sign of bullet tumble?

Full length sizing the brass
All federal cases trimmed to the same length
Brass is cleaned in Lyman vibrator. Then sized and primer pocket cleaned
Primers are fully seated by hand in a single stage press
Seating and crimp are two separate steps.
No signs of key holes. All clean round holes in target.
 
NOTE.
After talking with another Gun Nut and exchanging pictures. I am having inconsistent primer strikes with the new Henry.
The fireing pin is not fully resetting to be struck by the hammer.
I have contacted the shop and waiting to hear back.
Probably no point in continuing this testing until that is resolved.

Still unsure if that is the cause as it didn’t show on the XTP strings.

I will update when I know more
 
So I’m super excited about me new Henry 45lc.
Been burning powder like mad the last week.

Here is my issue.

I’ve loaded with LilGun Imr4227 and Trail boss. (250g campro .452 plated)
Lilgun and 4227 loads ranging form 1000fps up to 1500fps
I am getting horrible groups/shotgun pattern!
I’m even getting flyers that will completely miss a 16”x16” target at 100 yrds

I haven't had any issues with campro bullets, but I never tried to kick them in the rear very hard. I've shot mostly lubed cast and now powder coating is my thing so take everything with a grain of salt.

Jacketed bullets work well, so the barrel can't be too much of a pile of garbage. Can you try some cast bullets either lubed or powder coated? Different jacketed bullets?

Why are you married to Trailboss, 4227, and Lil Gun? Can you try a few faster powders? 4227 and Lil gun don't seem like the best powders for a bullet rated for 1000 fps. In fact, on Hodgdon they're like top top 2-3 powders for making stuff go fast.

What is the exact load data with Lil gun and 4227? Did you load Lil Gun and 4227 so far down that you achieved only 1000 fps in a rifle?

I've had things go haywire before, but I usually had a clue how it was caused. Some powders are wonky when loaded light (I've had problems with 4227 before in a different caliber) and you'll get hangfires, and if not, extreme spreads which are noticable by the sound and target. I've shot gas check bullets without, and when they hit their speed limit, they go bonkers. Some bullets just don't like to go fast and I don't know the voodoo involved, so I don't shoot them fast. People blame that one on alloy, but I've seen same alloy, different mold, both sized and one goes and one doesn't. Some combo's just aren't meant to be, and this might be the case here. Very curious though.
 
Have you slugged your barrel to determine the correct diameter?

Inaccuracy with .45 Colt revolvers almost invariably occurs when an undersized bullet is fired from an oversized chamber mouth. The bullet diameter must match the chamber mouth diameter. Provided the bore is smaller than the chamber mouth diameter, the forcing cone will swage the bullet down to the correct bore diameter. Problems occur when the bullet is undersized, which can happen if a .453" bullet is fired in a revolver with a .457" chamber mouth.
 
I haven't had any issues with campro bullets, but I never tried to kick them in the rear very hard. I've shot mostly lubed cast and now powder coating is my thing so take everything with a grain of salt.

Jacketed bullets work well, so the barrel can't be too much of a pile of garbage. Can you try some cast bullets either lubed or powder coated? Different jacketed bullets?

Why are you married to Trailboss, 4227, and Lil Gun? Can you try a few faster powders? 4227 and Lil gun don't seem like the best powders for a bullet rated for 1000 fps. In fact, on Hodgdon they're like top top 2-3 powders for making stuff go fast.

What is the exact load data with Lil gun and 4227? Did you load Lil Gun and 4227 so far down that you achieved only 1000 fps in a rifle?

I've had things go haywire before, but I usually had a clue how it was caused. Some powders are wonky when loaded light (I've had problems with 4227 before in a different caliber) and you'll get hangfires, and if not, extreme spreads which are noticable by the sound and target. I've shot gas check bullets without, and when they hit their speed limit, they go bonkers. Some bullets just don't like to go fast and I don't know the voodoo involved, so I don't shoot them fast. People blame that one on alloy, but I've seen same alloy, different mold, both sized and one goes and one doesn't. Some combo's just aren't meant to be, and this might be the case here. Very curious though.
Thoes are the 3 powders I have on hand.
Going to hopefully pick up some unique on Thursday.
Cast bullets soon too.

I did not go down to 1000fps with lil gun.
My research found 20.0g of 4227 with a 250-255g pill was a “go too load”
Which gave me just over 1000fps.

I going to get some water jugs and try to catch a bullet.
See what it looks like.

But honestly frustrated with the firing pin issue as well.

So I decided to put the gun on the rack until I hear from Henry.
 
Slugging the bore at throat and muzzle would also be my first step. Then add .001" to get needed diameter. Treat these like cast bullets, if they are undersize and you have invested in a pile of them, you could sell them or powder coat them to bump them up a couple thou.
 
...
But honestly frustrated with the firing pin issue as well.

So I decided to put the gun on the rack until I hear from Henry.

THAT makes a lot of sense. You might be getting inconsistent / weak ignition from the light strikes. The jacketed bullet might be staying put long enough to get consistent burn, while the plated bullets might be starting to move so early that you're getting incomplete powder burn.

It's POSSIBLE that magnum primers could help. But the rifle should be able to handle standard primers regardless, of course.
 
Commercial primers either go off or don't. They don't change their reaction rate based on how much harder a sufficient initiation is. If there is something holding them back like moisture or lube that could cause issues otherwise I doubt it's a factor.
 
Back
Top Bottom