A newbie reloader I know has a problem with something hitting his face when he fires his reloads. He stated factory ammo doesn`t do it so his thoughts are ammo but I doubt it.

The load is a 185gr Berry plated in a 45acp with 5.0 gr Titegroup and a win primer. The pistol is a CZ97(?) a 1911 type. He claims when he fires he can feel something hot impacting his forehead and upper face. He feels nothing hitting his hands or arms. There are no powder particals to be found on him, and he claims his arm and hand are clean after shooting too. Primers are fine, gun function is normal, althogh a couple tenths reduction in charge caused stove pipes, and cases don`t seem to be excessively sooty. The same ammo in another pistol dosen`t do this, so it appears to me be a gun not ammo problem.
Does anyone have an idea?? Weak spring maybe?

What might be going on may have to do with titegroup powder. That powder says on the charts that it is geared to developing light and target loads.

I got something like what your friend is experiencing and I attributed it to the brass expansion not being enough to totally seal the breech. I believe I was getting blowback and I believe it was powder even though the cases.....like for your friend....did not look sooty.
If this is the probelm, a change of powder would probably do the trick. Or he could try some hard cast bullets for 45 auto (taper crimped firmly).

If it were a revolver, I would suggest that he do partial full length sizing so the brass has far less to expand to make an approppriate seal.

Finally, I don't know about others, but for the autos I have always loaded them with jacketed bullets, full length sized cases and loads on the high end (POWDERS THAT GENERATED HIGHER PRESSURES). Just has shown better results as a lot of the mechanism is expecting high pressures to operate effectively.

Thanks for the reply. That was my 1st thought on the problem, but the fact the load functioned fine in two different guns, didn`t soot brass and only was evident in one of the pistols made me wonder. I think I`ll suggest he raise the charge a couple 10ths and see if it goes away.

Hey Ol' Joe, I've used WW-231 and HP-38 with the Lighter Weight Bullets in the 45ACP so long I'm not sure to say how long it has been. Maybe over 50 years.

I just use Loads between the MIN/MAX level shown in the Hodgdon Manuals after doing the never improved upon Creighton Audette Load Development Method. But I do shorten the distance from 300yds to 25yds.

I've never tried the Tightgroup Powder, so I don't know how well it does, or if it has some Residue/Powder blow-by or blow-back.

It might look a bit goofey, but if he put a white handkerchief across his forehead and then over his head, he might be able to capture some of what he is feeling. Or perhaps some double sided Tape on a hat. Even good old inside-out Duct Tape.

That has to be very distracting when trying to shoot a nice group.