45 Auto Rim

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Getting ready to make u a batch of 45 Auto Rim, with 245 gr Powder Coated RNFP. I'm thinking 5.0 gr 231, as I look in the Lyman book with 5.5 gr a max load. 231 is listed as "Most Accurate Powder". (Why I like the Lyman book). I will be using a Taper Crimp as I don't have a seating dye with a roll crimp. It's always worked fine with 45 ACP over the past 40+ years. Has anyone made any loads up in this general vicinity?
 
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Lyman's so-called "accuracy" loads are simply the ones which gave the most uniform pressure and velocity in their testing. They never shot them on paper with a practical gun.

Instead seek a good performing load which YOU can shoot well. Most of the time this will NOT be the maximum load. In my S&W 325PD I load #454424 with 4 grains of Bullseye or TiteGroup which approximate 650 fps from it's 2-3/4" barrel. Your 5 grains of 231 with a 245 RNFP should perform similarly. My loads enable controlled double-taps from a very light (21 oz.) Scadium N-frame gun with manageable recoil. Ballistics approximate the .455 Webley. "A little powda, a lotta lead, shoot'em good, they be dead."
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Lyman's so-called "accuracy" loads are simply the ones which gave the most uniform pressure and velocity in their testing. They never shot them on paper with a practical gun.

Yep, and in my many years of 1,000 yard rifle shooting, I found that the loads with the lowest velocity variations were never the most accurate loads. I load a lot of .45 AR, so I bought a special .45 ACP seating die made by RCBS the provides a roll crimp. I believe MidWayUSA has it for $36.

Don
 
Yep, and in my many years of 1,000 yard rifle shooting, I found that the loads with the lowest velocity variations were never the most accurate loads. I load a lot of .45 AR, so I bought a special .45 ACP seating die made by RCBS the provides a roll crimp. I believe MidWayUSA has it for $36.

Don
Redding has a .45 AR roll crimp die. If you are lucky at gun shows or EvilBay you might find an older RCBS .455 die set which will do the job.
 
I would think it unlikely that a bullet that size would move much with an estimated velocity around 800fps (& 16K CUP or so?) with just a taper crimp...? I have not experienced bullets moving in my Model of 1955 with significantly higher velocities and pressures.

Your 5.0gr load of WIN 231 seems reasonable to me: personally I would load up a series from 4.8 and up in .2gr increments and see if one stands out, accuracy-wise?

Cheers!
 
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I shoot 4 grains of 700X under a 185 grain Zero HP for a Bulleyes competition load. It's very accurate. Taper crimp with RCBS ACP dies.
 
Your load sounds like a good one .
Keep an eye on the un-fired rounds in the cylinder ... to check for bullet creeping out .
I taper crimp my loads but they just 200 gr. cast LSWC ... make sure those heavy 245 gr. bullets stay in the case and don't start walking out on you .
Good Luck , keep us posted ,
Gary
 
It is necessary to measure cylinder throats and to size bullets accordingly. My 325PD accepts a .451 zz minus pin gage, but not a .452. My 1950 Hand Ejector and M1917 accept a .455 but not a .456.
 
Redding has a .45 AR roll crimp die. If you are lucky at gun shows or EvilBay you might find an older RCBS .455 die set which will do the job.
You'll need this with coated bullets. I tried shooting my coated 230-grain RNL handloads (that run fine in my autoloaders) in my 22-4 and couldn't make it through a full cylinder without one or two bullets pulling free from the case in spite of a good taper crimp. I got the Redding .45 ACP "Profile Crimp" die and switched to 225-grain RNFPs with a crimp groove, and that solved the problem.

Note that I've never had this happen with uncoated bullets, just the coated ones.
 
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