Can anyone suggest where I can buy hard cast lead bullets with a crimp groove for loading in 45 Auto Rim? I am looking for @ 230 gr. ish bullets, but I am having a heck of a time. All I can seem to find are the typical 45 ACP type bullets without the groove.

I just loaded my first batch of .45 ACP with the Hornady HAP 230, and will be testing those out soon, but I would like to find a nice option for the AR brass that I have. I trimmed the AR in anticipation of the crimp groove, now I am invested.

Oh, this will be tested in the 22-4 Model of 1917, 5 1/2", blue. The blue makes it faster.

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Is it safe?

Have you though about using .45 cal bullets used in the .45 Colt? 250 gr SWC are not much heavier and have the advantage of being a very good bullet for revolvers.

Not sure why you need a crimp groove for the AR, especially for the revolver you're using. It was designed to be a rimmed version of the ACP round, so you can use a nice taper crimp, like maybe .469, and that'll hold any cast bullet in place for any reasonable load. But, barring that, you want to find someone selling a Lyman 452423.

What you really need is the Keith-Lyman 452423 that Elmer called out at 240 grains but Lyman listed as 235. I am unable to find a source, so it looks like jrhoney's recommendation of .45 Colt 250-255 is your best bet. At one time there was a factory .45 AR with the LC bullet anyhow.

The other alternative would be one of the common 200 gr RNFPs sold for .45 lever actions. They have a good crimp groove, if the light weight did not throw off your zero.

I've seen some cool bullets, but the problem is I don't know where to actually buy them. I guess I can take a look at the 45 colt rounds @ 250 gr.

I talked to the tech at Lee Precision (I have their equipment) and told him I had the 4 die set for 45 ACP/AR and wanted to roll crimp. They sent me 2 .45 colt crimp sleeves that I can stack on top of each other in place of the taper crimp sleeve in the FCD.

As I have only been loading for .44 spl, .357/38 so far, they have all been roll crimp dies. I am a little unclear as to how far down the case the taper crimp actually crimps on a case like the .45 ACP??? I just followed the directions, about 90% of a full turn.

For a taper crimp I have heard some say just enough pressure is needed to get rid of the bell from the expanding die but don't go too tight, but how far down does the crimp go, and how far down should I measure the crimp if I am going for .469 as ChuchS1 suggests?

If you turn the crimp die adjuster more, does it just tighten the crimp, or does it crimp progressively lower on the case?

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Is it safe?

Yes, just get rid of the bell. Measure for the .469 at the case mouth itself. Use ordinary 230 gr. RNL bullets. Get them here:
45 Caliber

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USAF, 69-92
Vietnam, 72-73

Missouri Bullet Company

You mean, like the ones on the right in the picture below?



Well, I'm not telling!










(Actually, the one in the middle is cast in my garage, the two on the far right are from a friend's shed, and, none of them are for sale! )

Start casting, after you buy the mould you want, you will never ask this question again, ever!

With the Lee 4 dies set, if you have the FCD for the 45, you cannot overcrimp the taper crimp. You can turn the knob over 1 full turn and it will still not over crimp as it was designed that way. In a revolver it will not matter anyway as you are not headspaceing on the case mouth. It was designed for semi auto.

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Still Running Against the Wind

Thanks for all the replies Gents. I will be ordering something real soon.

I was trying to stay away from casting my own, but may have to be dragged there reluctantly.

Skip, I have seen that pic before and is one of the reasons why I KNEW some Roll Crimped their AR. But, then have to go off on another tangent to figure out how to set up for casting and research everything I need to know. I have no idea how much a set-up costs to start casting, including the ingots.

I really liked those bullets I have seen, don't recall where exactly, that had the really nice pentagonal HP.

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Is it safe?