Am I doing this right?

[ninjatoth]

.45acp, 230gr FMJ ball, 4.8gr of Titegroup @ 1.200" OAL? The Hodgdon website lists this load just like this but with a 230gr FMJ FP, and the Lee reloading manual shows the exact same load but just says "230 gr FMJ"...The thing is that when loaded to 1.200" OAL they just don't look right, they are way shorter looking than any .45acp ball ammo I have ever seen, in fact they look so short they look like .380 acp rounds when standing alone. What is the deal with this data, is it right?

 

[Protocall_Design]

Are you sure the measurement is accurate? Got a picture? Can you find a factory round to compare it to?

 

[ontargetagain]

What are you using as a measuring tool?
1.20 should look very normal.
30.48mm is same as 1.200 in

Double check yourself with another form of measurement.
Karl

 

[fredj338]

Forget book oal, it is only relevant with the exact bullet. Oal confuses a lot of new reloaders, some old timers too. Oal is always gun & bullet specific. So make a dummy round, bullet seated long. Then try it in your removed barrel. If it fits, then try it in your magazine, all the way down. If that fits, gtg. Fmj is not a fp. Ball refers to rn fmj.
If it is too long, shorten it 0.010" at a time until it does fit. That is the oal for thst gun & that bullet only. Then use midrange data & work it up or down depending on what you want to achieve. The book is your guide, but you need to understand the numbers & variables.

 

[arjay]

With that particular bullet,that's the oal they tested it at.A Winchester white box round measures 1.270.My reloads with a 250 gr rnfp measure 1.180 in order to chamber properly.Theres some latitude there.

 

[ninjatoth]

Are you sure the measurement is accurate? Got a picture? Can you find a factory round to compare it to?

one on the right is what I loaded up compared to a factory round

 

[rwsmith]

The profile.....

one on the right is what I loaded up compared to a factory round

The profiles of the two bullets 'look' different. In 9mm there is 'small ball' ammo that doesn't have a long taper, but is very round nosed. You have to smush these down almost to the minimum for the caliber because they will get stuck in the leade of the rifling, and they look sunk in like your example. You can always load longer OALs as pressure will decrease as long as it will work through your action and plunk test well.

 

[BLUEDOT37]

As has been stated already, you can go longer than that, if it fits your gun's chamber. Don't get hung up on the listed OAL".

I like to load mine as long as possible while still passing the plunk test & not exceeding the SAAMI max. OAL" for that cartridge.


Plunk Test for a semi-automatic pistol:

This is how you do a "plunk test" but for me it's most important, and accurate, how the assembled "test" round sounds, and feels, when you drop it in the barrel's chamber, as much as where the rim is in relation to the hood. (The rim should not extend beyound the end of the hood.)

When you drop the round in the removed barrel's chamber, it should make a nice metal to metal clink, "plunk", sound.
(Make sure you've added a minimal (taper) crimp that's just enough to remove any case flare from the sample round before, otherwise the results are deceiving.) That's the case mouth hitting the chamber's shoulder, where the cartridge headspaces on. If the bullet is seated out too much (long) then the bullet's ogive hits the rifling & you don't get the same sound, but rather a dull thud. Additionally, if you rotate the round in the chamber it should be nice & smooth (case mouth on chamber shoulder). If it's too long, it'll feel rough because the bullet's ogive is rubbing against the rifling. (Remember, eliminate any flare before checking.)

Initially, seat the bullet out farther than needed & slowly adjust your seating die deeper, doing a plunk test between adjustments until you get the proper results. Then set your final crimp & double check the results before continuing loading. Verify fit in magazine too.

It doesn't take long to get the right adjustment & once you record the OAL", for that specific bullet, you can use that measurement next time & forego the plunk test, if you like. Make sure it's at or below the SAAMI max. OAL" for that cartridge.

Also, different guns have different amounts for freebore/leade (space between the chamber shoulder & the start of the rifling), so one gun's barrel that can handle a max. OAL" assembled cartridge may find it not to be ideal for another's, due to bullet shape, so double check if in doubt.

.

 

[Biggfoot44]

Different FMJs have different ogives, and hence different oal even when seated to same depth in case. ( I can't see the picture large enough to use the Mark I eyeball ogive comparator.)

 

[Collo Rosso]

( I can't see the picture large enough to use the Mark I eyeball ogive comparator.)

Mine is way out of calibration these days.

 

[MJFlores]

one on the right is what I loaded up compared to a factory round

The one on the right doesn't look right at all, and I'd be worried about pressure especially when using Titegroup. If you have factory ammo that feed and chambers in your gun and magazine, I'd use on of them to set my seating die and call it good as long as they chamber and feed well too. There's wiggle room with OAL, even in autos.

 

[rwsmith]

How good is cartridge gauge for a semi....

I don't think a cartridge gauge can pick up the problem of short leade. I gather that they check diameter and OAL of the cartridge, but can't check if the bullet it seated deep enough not to interfere with the leade. Again, this is my experience with 9mm.

 

[reddog81]

I don't think a cartridge gauge can pick up the problem of short leade. I gather that they check diameter and OAL of the cartridge, but can't check if the bullet it seated deep enough not to interfere with the leade. Again, this is my experience with 9mm.

I've noticed that also. I can get a lead .356 bullet to fit the cartridge gauge and not chamber with just a slightly long OAL.

In regards to the OP - I always try to seat the bullets as long and as close to the rifling as possible. Use your barrel and magazine to determine OAL. The book is more of a guide to make sure you aren't getting too short.

 

[Rule3]

LOOK at Freds post!

The Hodgdon data is for a FMJ FLAT POINT not a true ROUND nose.

Your bullet is a ROUND nose

Use the punk test.

Use a Manual other than LEE for one that has a picture of the actual bullet used.

 

[ninjatoth]

The factory 230 gr ammo I have fired, both plated RN and FMJ RN are both about 1.265" on my calipers and all of that ammo functions flawlessly so i'm thinking of trying that length and doing a plunk test, but i'm sure it would be good. The only concern I have is decreasing pressure by going too long, but i'm sure if I used the high end of the charge with the compatible powders I have for a 230 gr load (TiteGroup or 231) than I should be alright. I am so lost on this lol, when I did thousands of revolver cartridges is was so easy, just locate the cannelure...this auto stuff is different.

 

[iouri]

As Rule3 pointed out hogdon site lists OAL for different profile bullet. FP stands for flat point, what you need is RN profile (round nose).

 

[fredj338]

one on the right is what I loaded up compared to a factory round

You obviously ignored my post, which is fine. Factory OAL is like book length, only relevant if you use the IDENTICAL bullet. Carry on.

 

[Rule3]

The factory 230 gr ammo I have fired, both plated RN and FMJ RN are both about 1.265" on my calipers and all of that ammo functions flawlessly so i'm thinking of trying that length and doing a plunk test, but i'm sure it would be good. The only concern I have is decreasing pressure by going too long, but i'm sure if I used the high end of the charge with the compatible powders I have for a 230 gr load (TiteGroup or 231) than I should be alright. I am so lost on this lol, when I did thousands of revolver cartridges is was so easy, just locate the cannelure...this auto stuff is different.

There is NOTHING to LOL.

Having too little pressure is better than TOO MUCH especially with fast powders.

Never start at the HIGH end of a load!

If you do not want to read and follow what several have said, why ask??

As Fred stated Carry on, you are on your own.

 

[gwpercle]

Use the factory round to set your seating depth , they appear to be quite close in profile . This was how we did it when OAL's were not listed in manuals.
When gleaning OAL data from a manual the bullet you are loading must be the exact bullet used in the book , using a Hornady bullet, then use Hornady data for that bullet. Sometimes similar works but be prepared to adjust seating depth...just the way it works. I usually make up a dummy round so I can set my seat/crimp die easily after getting it right.
The profiles are different from maker to maker. Not all 230 grain bullets are the same length.
Gary

 

[Wise_A]

There is NOTHING to LOL.

Having too little pressure is better than TOO MUCH especially with fast powders.

Never start at the HIGH end of a load!

If you do not want to read and follow what several have said, why ask??

As Fred stated Carry on, you are on your own.

+1'd.

Always start low, before going high.

Low pressures and squibs aren't going to be a problem with fast powders unless you drop a next-to-nothing charge. Where you see problems are super-slow Magnum powders like 2400.out to 1.205".

Check out Reloading For Handgunners. Good book, it will help you.