Poly-coated bullets for Auto Rim

[shil]

Specific for .45 Auto Rim: Does anyone foresee any potential issues from roll-crimping into a poly-coated lead bullet having no cannelure? I have read that it's not a good idea with a plated bullet due to potentially cracking the plating, but I don't think a poly-coat would crack, would it? Subject bullet is a .452 round-nose. My 25-2 has cavernous chamber throats and seems to abhor cast bullets I've tried thus far; as in leading, keyholing, and scattering. FMJ's are pretty decent, but bullet creep from recoil occurs, even with a taper-crimp. A local caster gave me a sampling of his poly-coated 230 grainers. They shot quite well. The bullet profile is different from the norm, having a longer bearing surface.

 

[HKSmith]

I have 2 suggestions for you:

1. There are many 0.452 jacketed bullets available with a crimp groove. These are intended for the .45 Colt, but work just as well in the Auto-Rim cartridge with a roll crimp.

2. Many commercial casters offer bullets in 0.454 or 0.455 diameter which might give better accuracy in your revolver. Also, Hornady and Remington offer oversize swaged lead bullets that you could use. These are 255 and 250 grains rather than 230 grains.

 

[BC38]

Poly coated usually means powder coated. The lead bullets get coated with a finely ground plastic powder that is then baked and melted onto the bullet. I've done a little powder coating myself, and one of the adhesion tests is to smash one with a hammer. If the coating was applied correctly you can smash the bullet flat and the poly coating will not flake or peel off. So IMO you are very unlikely to damage properly applied poly powder coating with even the hardest roll crimp.

 

[Joe4d]

think you should try 454 bullets,,

 

[shil]

Thank you for your replies and suggestions. I had tried .454 250 grain round-nose flat-point bullets at one point. Disaster. Leading and keyholing. I never got around to trying a semi-wadcutter in that size, since I'm fortunate to have other guns to play with. Just an afterthought: casting my own isn't an option.

 

[moosedog]

The rifling in the pre 26s and the model 25-2s is shallow and designed to shoot jacketed ball. The farther you drift from that, the more complicated it becomes.
I've always used a taper crimp and have had zero problems in both guns.

 

[gwpercle]

If the bullet has no cannelure or crimp groove, try a light roll crimp, the problem is the crimp has no place to roll into , too heavy a crimp and the case will bulge out...usually just enough to not chamber.
Light roll crimp may not damage the coated bullet but also may not hold the bullet....it's going to be a trial and error thing to get exactly right. But should work once the "sweet spot" is found.
Also try taper crimping....I've used it with 9mm bullets in 38 special and 357 magnum...the taper crimp held them.
Gary

 

[shil]

The rifling in the pre 26s and the model 25-2s is shallow and designed to shoot jacketed ball. The farther you drift from that, the more complicated it becomes.
I've always used a taper crimp and have had zero problems in both guns.

Which brand Auto Rim brass did you use; Remington or Starline? I have lots of Remington.

 

[mikld]

I think I'd slug/measure the cylinder throats and slug the barrel. Leading and key-holing are quite often caused by poor bullet to gun fit. I like to shoot cast/plated/PCed bullets the same diameter as the cylinder throats, which should be slightly larger than the barrel groove diameter...

I don't think I'd have any problems if I roll crimped into PCed bullets, but I'd first seat and crimp then pull one to see if the PC is scaped off during bullet removal...

 

[shil]

I think I'd slug/measure the cylinder throats and slug the barrel. Leading and key-holing are quite often caused by poor bullet to gun fit. I like to shoot cast/plated/PCed bullets the same diameter as the cylinder throats, which should be slightly larger than the barrel groove diameter...

I don't think I'd have any problems if I roll crimped into PCed bullets, but I'd first seat and crimp then pull one to see if the PC is scaped off during bullet removal...

Smith 25-2's are renowned for immense (relatively!) chamber throats. Mine slugged .457. It shoots .451 230 grain FMJ acceptably well and the sample .452 poly-coated round noses I was given to try seemed to shoot well. It appears the big throats like hard, longer bullets with plenty of bearing surface.
When I tried FMJ's in Remington AR cases, I encountered some bullet creep with rounds #5 and #6, even with a taper crimp. Might Starline cases make a difference?

 

[Nevada Ed]

A FMJ or a "Poly" coated, smooth wall bullet will creep forward if
you are loading them too high.
Without a crimp, you can't stop this from happening, with just a
taper crimp.

You need to back off your loads or get a jacketed bullet that has a cannelure.

+1;
with keyhole due to bad gun match or incorrect fps for the load/bullet.

 

[reddog81]

A roll crimp should be OK.

Like others have said, I would try and find a bullet that fits the cylinder throats. Lead bullets work well when they are sized correctly, however you can run into problems when not the correct size.

 

[Joe4d]

Slug barrel from the rear only going through the frame area then push it back out towards cylinder.
Then slug barrel from muzzle, but only go half way, then push it back out front.
Compare the two... Your looking for frame crush... Can happen with thinner 45 barrels. Basically the barrel is tighter in the frame area than the rest of the bore,,, so your bullet gets compressed, then goes in a larger bore,, causeing leading and poor accuracy or keyholing.
Key holing is usally caused by not enough spin.
This can be caused by too heavy of a bullet for the rifling twist or not enough velocity or not enough rifling engagement.