I have recently started reloading 45 acp with a Dillon 550B. All dies are Dillon Precision.
My load currently is 4 - 4.6 gn of Bullseye over a 230 gn LRN. Winchester LP. various brass.
I did my initial testing on my Colt Defender with the thought that the Defender could possibly give more due to its design. The ammo functioned without problems with Low POI but rather accurate so I proceeded to produce more. However with my RIA tactical some of the rounds are very tight to chamber or won't chamber fully to the base. All the measurements seem correct including the crimp on the case. My only guess is the projectiles are pre-lubed so perhaps some excess lube bulging the cases?

Should I look into a different crimp from another brand? Any other ideas?
Thanks,
Chris Stokes

I have recently started reloading 45 acp with a Dillon 550B. All dies are Dillon Precision.
My load currently is 4 - 4.6 gn of Bullseye over a 230 gn LRN. Winchester LP. various brass.
I did my initial testing on my Colt Defender with the thought that the Defender could possibly give more due to its design. The ammo functioned without problems with Low POI but rather accurate so I proceeded to produce more. However with my RIA tactical some of the rounds are very tight to chamber or won't chamber fully to the base. All the measurements seem correct including the crimp on the case. My only guess is the projectiles are pre-lubed so perhaps some excess lube bulging the cases?

Should I look into a different crimp from another brand? Any other ideas?
Thanks,
Chris Stokes

I think step one is to determine is the case too big or the chamber too tight. I would get a case gauge first and make certain the cases are properly sized. If they are in fact bulging, my next step would be to run them through a Lee Factory Crimp die. They apply the crimp and size the cases in one final step.

I hope that helps,

Frank

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sona si latine loqueris .

It may be helpful to know the COL of your loads, and how many times the brass has been reloaded? If a sized case fits fully into the chamber, but a loaded round will not, likely the COL with that bullet may be too long for the RIA. It helps to have a bullet seated in a case without a primer or powder, to check function in the pistol it will be used in.

There are different style of 45 acp chamber cuts, particulary with the lead to the rifling.

Works better if you put the bullet over the powder.

Otherwise, undersize chambers are unfortunately common, apparently worse in 1911 knockoffs than others. "Minimum match chambers" and worn reamers used too long are the main reasons. A large cartridge made with a lead bullet in used brass will often not chamber freely.

A Lee Carbide Factory Crimp die will "post-size" the loaded round as it applies the usual taper crimp. They are not expensive and might manage your problem. Somebody will be along to say it will distort your bullets, loosen them in the brass, and ruin your ammo. Well, if it wouldn't go in the chamber to start with, it was already ruined, at least for that gun.

The true fix would be to have a gunsmith run a sharp new reamer into the chamber. My guy routinely does this and the amount of metal he gets out of some guns is amazing.

I am thinking it is a problem with my loads not the chamber. The Gun has had probably 500 or more rounds of factory ammo through it with no problems. Now obviously the chamber is tighter than the chamber on my Colt though because rounds that I have loaded drop right into the Colt chamber. My plan right now is to get a case gage and see just how out of spec my reloads are and go from there. If needed the Lee crimp die will be next. Just wanted to see what other people's thoughts were on this problem.

Thanks,
Chris Stokes

One more thing... the projectiles are Magnus No. 804. 230 gn LRN adverised as .452 diameter. I need to put the calipers on some and make sure the problem isn't lead projectiles that are over sized.

~Chris Stokes

I would have thought that was Step 1. They may well be .454;; cowboy diameter.

A second vote for the Lee FCD. I use one on all the pistol calibers I currently load.

And it's DILLON; not "Dillion."

I have had trouble with military brass with a gun that has a Kart match barrel. When I used Winchester brass, the gun always functioned flawlessly.

Sounds like a similar problem my Dad had with his STI.

Factory ball ammo was fine, 185 gr LSWC handloads would not fully chamber. Since he just shoots ball ammo, he didn't really care.

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Common sense isn't so common.

Howdy,
I think frankD45 gives the best advice.
The Lee factory crimp die has solved a lot of problems for me with cast bullet loads.
Good Luck
Mike

My guess is that the chamber is tight; as noted above, that is a common problem with "match" barrels (generally a solution in search of a problem). Send it to Ned Christiansen and have it reamed to the right specs.

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NHI, 10-8.

A round loaded without powder or primer can be used to see if the leading bullet (full dia portion)edge is too far outside the case to fully chamber. Some may wish to use a live round to check this, but a dummy round is safer. There can be tight dia chambers, and also
minimum lead cuts. Another possibility is brass that has been loaded so many times, the base of the brass forward of the rim has actually buldged slightly.

A round without the bullet and primer can also be used for a basic capability to feed from the mag test. Again, it may help to have a dummy round with no primer or powder.

Used to own a Colt Defender, and it had a very generous chamber cut (and other tolerances). The most accurate load was a 185 grain lead short nosed wad cutter, loaded pretty far out. Most of the other 45's owned would not fully chamber those loads.

Check the offending rounds to see if there is a bullet bulge on one side of the case, or if they are concentric, but slightly oversize. I have a 550, on which I've loaded many thousands of rounds of .45 ACP, and there is a tendency to lose alignment between the ram and the tool head on occasion, a problem which can be corrected. (Check your manual.) If they are concentric and uniform, but oversize, first check to see if you might need a touch more crimp with the Dillon taper crimp die, before worrying about getting the Lee Factory Crimp die recommended by some. Frankly, I like the suggestion made above, that you get someone to run a standard chamber reamer into the barrel. Super-tight chambers on .45 ACPs don't do much for you, except cause malfs. I know of some folks who simply go to .451" bullets to use in tight-chambered guns, and who seem to be happy with the results. Oh, and as noted by someone earlier, it sure helps to put the bullet over the powder, not vice versa.

Probably not. I think that old .45 Colt 1873 diameter is more often seen in internet and gunzine lore than in the field. Certainly not for a 230 gr ACP roundnose. They might still be oversize, I have seen a lot of commercial cast bullets .0005" - .001" oversize and suspect it is due to worn lubrisizer dies after zillions of bullets.

I bought a Commander several years ago that would not chamber swc bullets. I had a gunsmith run a reamer thru it and it was egg shaped. Works fine now.

My projectiles are .452 diameter.
Crimp measures .467
Case Diameter .476
Overall Length is 1.213 <<< Is this ok my data says 1.275


Comparing this to my data in Modern Reloading second edition this is in spec.

Faced with the same dilemma in a Kimber, using a 230g TC from a Lee mould, I set the bullet back (using dummy rounds) until it chambered reliably and then set it back .001 more and set the die.

Some would be concerned about excess chamber pressure and I would say that safety is #1, so to that end do your homework. Load to load another day.

Your short OAL may be the culprit. If the bullet bases are going in far enough to reach thicker parts of the brass, a bulge is inevitable. Try loading out to 1.275 (mil spec) and see if it cures the problem. FWIW, as long as the rounds feed, OAL is not usually critical in .45 ACP, UNLESS you load long enough for the front driving band to hang up at the front of the chamber, or seat deep enough to cause bullet bulges. I usually only crimp to an outside diameter of about .469-.471 at the mouth, so you've got at least enough crimp.

A .45ACP chamber reamer runs $75 or so at Brownells.

Have a gunsmith check that chamber.

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Fuego

Get the case gauge..use it...no need for the Lee FCD...a little more adjustment on your Dillon dies and you will be good to go.

The case gauge will help reveal where things need to be touched up.

I've reloaded thousands of .45acp with a HG #68 cast SWC....used my Dillon gauge to dial things an and have NEVER had a problem since.

This includes at least a dozen different .45's.....1911, M&P, XD, etc.

Randy

There's your problem, right there. The powder goes UNDER the bullet! ;-) :-)

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Pisgah

Gee, 6 years later, wonder if the issue has been resolved.

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Still Running Against the Wind